get the pet to the vet

Overview
The children will take sick pets to the vet as they read and write words that end with –et: pet, met, get, vet, wet, net, yet, let.

Literacy Activities
Decide who can be a pet

• Read the Can a Cat be a Pet? target text.
• Discuss what kinds of animals make good pets.
• Tell the children that a good pet might be one they could let into their house or keep in the yard.
• Write “Animals I would let get in my house or yard” on the board and make a list of animals that would make good pets.
• Write “Animals I would not let get in my house or yard” on the board and make a list of animals that would not make good pets.

Meet pets

• Read the Which Pet Likes to Get Wet? target text.
• Tell the children they will get to meet pretend pets.
• Let the children choose a pet and take turns asking, “Have you met my pet yet?”
• Have the children tell if their pet likes to get wet or if it does not like to get wet.
• Let each child name their pretend pet with a silly name that ends with –et (e.g. Jet, Det, Fet, Zet, etc.).
• Have each child write the silly name they chose on the paper pet.

Get the pet to the vet

• Set up the "Vet" sign at one end of the room.
• Explain that when you get a new pet, the vet needs to check the pet.
• Let the children choose a pet and take the pet to the "Vet" sign.
• Let the children take turns being the vet who helps each pet.
• Encourage each vet to make comments using –et words such as the following:
  • This is the best pet yet.
  • This pet is set.
  • Let me check this pet.
  • I bet this pet is a great pet.
  • This is a pet that likes to get wet.
  • This pet looks like it can run as fast as a jet.

More Practice
Identify, blend and manipulate sounds

• With word blending cards, have the children make new words by changing the vowel or either of the consonants:
  • pet → vet, met → wet, get → let, set → yet
  • pet → pen, let → led, met → men, jet → Jen
  • vet → vat, get → got, set → sit, pet → pat

Read target words/patterns introduced in the activity

• Read the My Pet Named Jet target text together with the children.
• Read the text again, fading support.
• Have the children underline the words that end in –et.

Write about the activity using target words/patterns

• Play a “get the pet to the vet” game with children.
  • Have the children take turns passing a pet around the circle.
  • As children get the pet, have them say a new word that ends in –et.
  • Write each new word on the board.
  • When the pet gets all the way around the circle, let the last child get the pet to the vet. 
  • Repeat the game, but this time, have children write each word on the back of the pet picture.
  • Give the children a paper and pencil and have them write words from dictation: pet, vet, met, get, let, set, bet, wet, net, yet.
  • Give the children a whiteboard and have them write words from dictation, changing one or two letters each time to make a new word: pet, pit, pot, not, net, met, men, pen, pan, pat, sat, set, yet.