State and Model the Objective
Tell the children that today they will walk different ways and they will read and write words with the long a vowel pattern –ay such as spray, stay, clay, pay, may, and day.

Literacy Activities
Say which pathway to take

• Set up 4 paths using tape or chairs and place one sign at the beginning of each path.
• Show the children the pathways and help them read the signs. Use the graphics to explain that a subway is a tunnel that goes underground, a runway is a road where planes take off and land, a railway is a track for trains, and a highway is a road for cars.
• Let the children choose a word card and tell them that the card will say which pathway to take.
• Have the children choose the pathway that matches the word on the card or have them stay where they are if the word card says, “stay.” Repeat with the other word cards.

Say which way to go to play

• Lead the children along a pretend pathway to a playground, giving directions telling children which way to go as they walk around the room.
• Use phrases such as the following throughout the activity, emphasizing words spelled with -ay:
  • Walk this way and that way.
  • Sway this way and that way.
  • Stay away from that chair blocking the pathway.
  • Do not stray from the pathway.
  • We found the way to the playground! Now we can play!
• Help the children make a list of words from the activity spelled with –ay (i.e., way, sway, away, pathway, stray, play).

Play a game

(similar to Mother May I)

• Have the children line up on one end of the room while you stand at the other end.
• Give directions to the children telling them which way to walk (e.g., You may walk this way with 2 big steps. You may walk this way with 4 baby steps. You may walk this way with 3 scissor steps. You may walk this way with 1 backward step. You may walk this way and sway with 5 steps).
• Have the children ask, “May I?” then respond with “Yes you may” and allow them to walk towards you according to the directions or respond with “No, you may stay” and have them stay.
• If the children forget to ask “May I?” before they begin walking, have them go back to the beginning.

More Practice
Read target words in texts

• Engage the children in reading the target text Don’t Go Away together with the group.
• Have the children make a list of the words that end with –ay.
• Read the text again fading support.
• Repeat with the target text I’ll Show You the Way or Which Way? 

Write about the activity using target words/patterns

• Give each child a paper and pencil and let them write words from dictation such as spray, stay, clay, day, lay, clay, gray, may, pay, say, way, or sway.
• Let them write about what they did during the activity using these words.