Fun 'Fawniks'

1. Share the book "Pinkalicious" by Victoria Kahn & Elizabeth Kahn. Even if you think this is geared for a younger audience, the title itself begs to be used in a phonics lesson!
2. Have students sound out the title and, as a group, break it down in to phonetic beats. Since the first part is most likely not part of any other word, allow them to use Crayola Markers or Erasable Colored Pencils to write that on one card. Students write the phonics of the word below in black. Allow time for them to illustrate it if they wish.
3. Have students write the other parts of the word on other cards, one per syllable. Encourage them to make other cards, color-coded so that the phonetic is spelled out in black, from the book such as pediatrician, refrigerator, or even 'pinkititis'! The more cards they make, the merrier. They can then have fun mixing them up and making a list of the new words they may have created, such as 'pinkabet' or 'pediatitus'! You could even let them create meanings for their new words.
4. Allow students to keep their sets of words. Add to these sets whenever they come across other multi-syllabic words.

LA: Describe how words and phrases (e.g., regular beats, alliteration, rhymes, repeated lines) supply rhythm and meaning in a story, poem, or song.

LA: Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.

LA: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including those that allude to significant characters found in mythology (e.g., Herculean).

VA: Demonstrate an understanding of the safe and proficient use of materials, tools, and equipment for a variety of artistic processes.

VA: Elaborate visual information by adding details in an artwork to enhance emerging meaning.

Have students add more words to this set and at some point, have them base a writing assignment on using as many of their words as they can. Then they can illustrate the stories.

Use this story as a spingboard for a lesson/experiment on color and how it is used in literature. Have students compare cultural meanings per color.