State the Objective

Tell the children that they will tape things on an ape and that they will read and write words with the long-a-silent-e pattern, such as ape, cape, tape, shape and grape.

Literacy Activities

Introduce target words

Read the target words with the children: ape, ate, cape, cake, tape, shape, grape.

Tape the ape

• Read the Tape the Ape target text (see below) with the children.
• Give the children an ape, cape, and different items to tape (see below).
• Let the children tape the cape, grapes, and shapes to the ape.
• Have the children label their ape.
• Let the children write a sentence about their ape (e.g., My ape has a blue cape).

Cake for the ape

• Cut out the ape face (see below). 
• Put the ape face on a tissue, cereal, or cardboard box leaving a hole for the mouth.
• Let the children feed the ape using the picture cards (see below).
• Have the children tell what the ape ate (e.g., The ape ate a piece of cake! The ape ate a grape).

Contrast the number of letters and sounds

• List long-a-silent-e target words (e.g., ape, cape, tape, shape, grape).
• Write a long-a-silent-e word (e.g., cape) and ask:
  • How many letters does it have? (e.g., four: c + a + p + e).
  • How many sounds does it have? (e.g., three: c + ā + p).

Write sentences using target words and phrases

Tell the children to write short sentences using target words.

• Tape the ___ (cape) to the ape.
• I see a ____ (grape) on the ape.
• There is a shape on the ___ (ape).
• The ape ___ (ate) a grape.
• The ape ate a ___ (cake).