Book 2 • Week 4 • Level C • Teacher Instructional Guide

A Comprehensive Linguistic & Phonics Matrix (15 Target Words + Homophone):

Word	Webster	IPA	Phonics Pattern	Linguistic & Teaching Notes
stairs	stârz	/stɛərz/	/ār/ spelled air + plural -s	Single-syllable; pays off W3 Level B debt! Homophone: stares
prairie	prâr′ē	/ˈprɛə.ri/	/ār/ spelled air + final /ē/ spelled ie	2 syllables; pays off W3 Level B debt! Trochaic stress
duty	do͞o′tē	/ˈduː.ti/	Long /uː/ + final /ē/ spelled y	2 syllables; open 1st syllable; final y = /ē/
rules	ro͞olz	/ruːlz/	Root rule (silent e) + plural -s	Single-syllable; voiced /z/ ending; vowel-consonant-e review
minute	mĭn′ĭt	/ˈmɪn.ɪt/	Unaccented /ə/ or /ɪ/ spelled u + silent e	2 syllables; noun of time; unaccented 2nd syllable
secret	sē′krĭt	/ˈsiː.krət/	Open 1st syllable /ē/ + unaccented /ə/ spelled e	2 syllables; trochaic stress; schwa in 2nd syllable
secretary	sĕk′rĭ-tĕr′ē	/ˈsɛk.rə.tɛr.i/	4 syllables; unaccented /ə/ spelled e + final -y	Primary stress on 1st syllable; final y = /ē/
hospital	hŏs′pĭ-təl	/ˈhɒs.pɪ.təl/	3 syllables; unaccented /ə/ spelled a before /l/	Closed 1st syllable; schwa in final syllable
enjoy	ĕn-joi′	/ɪnˈdʒɔɪ/	Prefix en- + diphthong /oy/ spelled oy	2 syllables; iambic stress; oy at end of English root
destroy	dĭ-stroi′	/dɪˈstrɔɪ/	Prefix de- + diphthong /oy/ spelled oy	2 syllables; 3-consonant blend str-; oy at word end
together	tə-gĕth′ẽr	/təˈɡɛð.ər/	3 syllables; unaccented to- (/tə/) + voiced th (/ð/)	Stress on 2nd syllable; final unaccented /er/
forest	fôr′ĭst	/ˈfɒr.ɪst/	Vocalic /ɔːr/ + unaccented /ə/ spelled e	2 syllables; trochaic stress; closed 2nd syllable -est
northern	nôr′thẽrn	/ˈnɔːr.ðərn/	Directional suffix -ern with vocalic /ər/	2 syllables; voiced interdental /ð/ + unaccented -ern
modern	mŏd′ẽrn	/ˈmɒd.ərn/	Short o /ɒ/ + unaccented /ər/ spelled -ern	2 syllables; trochaic adjective; unaccented 2nd syllable
pattern	păt′ẽrn	/ˈpæt.ərn/	Short a /æ/ + twin tt + unaccented -ern	2 syllables; twin consonant syllable division; noun
stares	stârz	/stɛərz/	/ār/ spelled are + 3rd person -s	Homophone with stairs; looks with fixed wide eyes

B Official Answer Key: Exercise 2 (Rules Sorting) & Exercise 3 (Homophones):

EXERCISE 2: ALL PHONICS RULES SORTING ANSWERS

• Rule 1 (Pattern: /ār/ spelled air): stairs, prairie (2 words)

• Rule 2 [Deb] (/ār/ can be spelled are, air, or ear): stairs, prairie (2 words)

• Rule 3 (Pattern: /oy/ spelled oy that we may use at the end of English words): enjoy, destroy (2 words)

• Rule 4 (/ē/ spelled ie or y at the end of a word): duty, secretary, prairie (3 words)

• Rule 5 (/ə/ spelled u, e, or a in an unaccented syllable): minute, secret, hospital, together, forest (5 words)

• Review (Unaccented '-ern' & root word rules): northern, modern, pattern, rules (4 words)

EXERCISE 3: HOMOPHONES ANSWERS

1. stairs: "We carefully climbed the wooden stairs to reach the quiet library upstairs."

2. stares: "The curious kitten stares fixedly at the flutter of butterflies in the garden."

*Teaching Tip: 'stairs' refers to flights of steps; 'stares' is the verb for looking intently with wide eyes.

C Classroom Dictation Sentences (Evaluation of Spelling in Context):

SENTENCE 1 (TARGET: SECRETARY, STAIRS, DUTY)

“The secretary climbed the wooden stairs to start her daily duty.”

SENTENCE 2 (TARGET: ENJOY, NORTHERN, FOREST, TOGETHER)

“Visitors truly enjoy exploring the northern forest together.”

SENTENCE 3 (TARGET: DESTROY, MODERN, PRAIRIE, HOSPITAL)

“A wild fire could quickly destroy the modern prairie hospital.”

SENTENCE 4 (TARGET: STARES, SECRET, PATTERN, MINUTE, RULES)

“He stares at the secret pattern for a minute to learn all the rules.”