Short Vowel Word Family Activity

Word families help young readers read many new words at once: if a child can read bat, then sat, mat and rat come easily. This Short Vowel Word Family activity helps kindergarten and 1st grade students read short vowel words and sort them into the word families -at, -en, -ig, -op and -ug.

In Short Vowel Word Families, children lay out five snow globe family cards, one for each short vowel, then read 20 word cards and place each word under the family it belongs to. Every word has exactly one family, so the sort always has one right answer. On the Snow Globe Sort recording sheet, students write three words from each family. Print the cards one-sided and make a few straight cuts on the dashed lines. A 1st grade practice page asks students to sort 10 new words into five new word families.

What’s Included

• A colorful cover page
• A How to Use page with simple steps and prep tips
• 5 snow globe word family cards
• 20 snow globe word cards
• A Snow Globe Sort recording sheet
• A 1st grade practice worksheet with a word box
• A word family sort answer key and a practice answer key

Why This Activity Helps Kids

• Sorting by word family teaches children to look at the vowel and the ending together.
• Seeing four words in one family builds fast, confident reading of short vowel words.
• Moving cards and writing words gives hands-on practice that sticks.

Ideas for Teachers and Parents

Use this kindergarten word family activity at a winter literacy center, in a small reading group or with a partner. Time a round and try to beat it, or ask children to say a new word for each snow globe. Send the practice page home for extra review. Come back to this Short Vowel Word Family activity whenever students need fun practice with short vowel word families.

Related Resources

• CVC Vowel Activity
• Word Family Flap Books Activity
• Three Letter Words Word Wall
• 44 Sounds of the English Language Video Lesson