In this popcorn blends activity, K-2nd Grade children spin a blend, sort 12 picture cards into popcorn boxes and fill in a practice page, with an answer key included for quick checking.
This beginning and ending sounds activity uses 12 picture clip cards and a recording sheet so preschool to 1st grade students find first and last letters. Answer key included.
This word work activity lets kindergarten and 1st grade students build CVC words with color-coded consonant and vowel tiles, then write each word. An answer key is included for quick checking.
This short and long vowel a CVCe activity gives 1st and 2nd grade readers 24 word cards for a silent e matching game, a sort mat and a practice page. Answer key included.
Using the Blends, Digraphs, and Trigraphs Activity, students create lists of words that have beginning and ending blends, digraphs, or trigraphs.
Practice beginning sounds with this consonant sounds activity for Preschool through 1st Grade. Kids stack picture scoops on letter cones, then finish a practice page. Answer key included.
This l blend activity has 1st and 2nd grade students match picture cards to word cards and sort words by bl, cl, fl, pl and sl. Answer key included.
In this consonant digraphs ch sh th wh activity, Kindergarten to 3rd Grade students sort 16 picture-word cards by their first sound, with an answer key included for easy checking.
Kids build short-vowel words with pumpkin tiles in this Fall CVC Mat Activity for preschool to 1st grade. Answer key included, so checking each word mat is fast.
In this blending s blends activity, 1st and 2nd grade children match 15 picture cards to word cards, then sort the words by sn, sk, sl, st and sp. Answer key included.
This short and long vowel i CVCe activity gives 1st and 2nd grade readers 24 word cards for a silent e matching game, a sort mat and a practice page. Answer key included.
A CVC vowel activity for preschool to 2nd grade with 15 picture clip cards, a write-the-word sheet and a practice page. Answer key included to check every short vowel.
This apple cvc mat activity lets PreK-1st grade students build short-vowel words with apple letter tiles on 12 picture mats. Practice worksheet and answer key included.
This CVC word mats activity helps preschool to 2nd grade students build and spell short vowel words with letter tiles, with a practice page and an answer key included.
This beginning consonant blends activity gives Kindergarten to 2nd Grade readers 12 picture clip cards, a recording sheet and a practice page, with an answer key included, so they can hear and write r-, l- and s-blends.
This blends mini book activity lets 1st and 2nd grade children make a travel book, write the blend for each picture and use each word in a sentence. Answer key included.
In this final consonants activity, kindergarten and 1st grade children say each picture name and sort the cards by the last sound: t, g, n or p. Answer key included.
This b and p beginning sounds sort activity has PreK-1st grade students say each picture name and sort it by its first sound. Answer key included.
Using this Silent Night Silent Letters Activity, students identify and decode silent letter patterns in order to build reading accuracy and fluency.
consonants activity, consonant sounds activity, phonics activity
B, C, D and all their friends
Consonants are the 21 letters that are not vowels, and they do most of the work at the start and end of words. Kids begin by matching each consonant to its sound and hearing it at the beginning of a word: b, b, ball. Next come blends, where two sounds stay separate but slide together (st, fl, gr), and digraphs, where two letters make one new sound (sh, ch, th, wh, ph). Later they meet the tricky ones, like hard and soft c and g in cat and city. Once consonants are automatic, kids can sound out almost any short word.
Consonant sounds should be quick and crisp. These moves keep them clear and keep kids practicing.
Model each sound without an extra "uh" on the end: say /b/, not "buh". That tiny habit makes blending so much easier later, because b-a-t blends into "bat" instead of "buh-a-tuh". Have kids hold a hand under their chin and feel the sound stop fast.
Why it works: the National Reading Panel found that systematic, explicit phonics teaching clearly improves how children learn to read.
Try it withBeginning Sounds B C D Pictures WorksheetWorksheetsOpen it →Start the day with an alphabet song or lesson that says the letter name, the sound and a picture word. Kids join in on the sounds after a few days. Music gives shy readers a safe way to practice out loud.
Why it works: a catchy, repeating tune gives the brain a hook to hang words on, so sung text is remembered better (Wallace, 1994).
Try it withAlphabet Micro LessonVideosOpen it →When you reach digraphs, write sh on one hand and ch on the other. Call a word and kids point to the hand that matches the first sound. Quick, silly and moving, which is exactly how digraphs stop getting mixed up.
Why it works: in a well-known study, a few short sessions of a simple number board game measurably boosted young children's number skills (Ramani and Siegler, 2008).
Try it withConsonant Digraphs WorksheetWorksheetsOpen it →Letter sounds are more fun with a little competition and a lot of noise.
GamesPlay a quick letter game for the sound of the day, then hunt the room for things that start with it.
Open Letter B Game →
WorksheetsPut s on a card and t, p, n and l on others. Kids pair them up and say the blend fast: st, sp, sn, sl!
Open S Blends Worksheet →
WorksheetsSort words like goat, giant, cake and city into hard and soft piles. Kids discover the e, i, y pattern on their own.
Open Hard G and Soft G Worksheet →Teacher favorites right now: Popcorn Blends Activity, Beginning and Ending Sounds Activity and Word Work Activity.
There are 21 consonants in English: every letter except a, e, i, o and u. The letter y can act as a consonant (yes) or a vowel (gym, my).
In a blend, you still hear both sounds, as in st or fl. In a digraph, two letters make one brand new sound, as in sh, ch or th.
Many teachers start with high-use letters like s, m, t, p, n and c so kids can build real words right away. Blends and digraphs usually come after kids can read short vowel words like cat and sit.
Usually in 1st or 2nd grade. When c or g comes before e, i or y, it usually makes its soft sound, like in city and giant.
Loved by 2 million teachers & families
Printables, songs and games for every subject, Preschool through 6th. Ready to teach today, and kids beg for more.
