Introduction:
In English, sometimes two vowels work together as a team to make one sound. These vowel teams, or digraphs, can be tricky, but we’ll learn some common ones and how to read and write words that use them.
Part 1: Meet the Vowel Teams
- A vowel team is when two vowels are next to each other in a word, and they make one sound together.
- Here are some common vowel teams:
| Vowel Team | Sound | Example Words |
|---|---|---|
| ai | /eɪ/ (like “a” in cake) | rain, pail, paint, wait |
| ay | /eɪ/ (like “a” in cake) | day, play, say, way |
| ee | /iː/ (like “ee” in bee) | see, tree, green, feet |
| ea | /iː/ (like “ee” in bee) | eat, tea, sea, meat |
| oa | /oʊ/ (like “o” in boat) | boat, coat, road, toast |
| ow | /aʊ/ (like “ow” in cow) | cow, now, how, down |
| oo | /uː/ (like “oo” in moon) | moon, spoon, food, cool |
| oo | /ʊ/ (like “oo” in book) | book, look, cook, good |
| au | /ɔː/ (like “aw” in saw) | sauce, caught, daughter, taught |
| aw | /ɔː/ (like “aw” in saw) | saw, draw, paw, yawn |
Activity:
- Look at the table and listen as I say each vowel team’s sound.
- Repeat the sounds after me.
- Can you think of any other words that have these vowel teams?
Part 2: Reading Words with Vowel Teams
- Let’s practice reading some words with vowel teams:
- train
- play
- feet
- bread
- goat
- show
- food
- look
- fault
- draw
Activity:
- Read the words on the board.
- Clap out the syllables in each word.
Part 3: Writing Words with Vowel Teams
- Now, it’s your turn to write some words with vowel teams.
- I’ll say a word, and you write it down.
Activity:
- Listen to the words and write them on your paper.
- Check your spelling with a partner.
Wrap-up:
- Today, we learned about vowel teams and how they make sounds in English words.
- Remember, vowel teams are two vowels that work together to make one sound.
- Keep practicing with vowel teams to improve your reading and spelling skills.
Homework:
- Look for words with vowel teams in a book or magazine.
- Write down 5 words you find and practice reading them.
Additional Notes for Teachers:
- Provide plenty of examples and opportunities for practice.
- Use flashcards or picture cards with words containing vowel teams.
- Create a word sort activity to categorize words with different vowel teams.
- Use songs, rhymes, or poems with words containing vowel teams to reinforce learning.
