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Subject: English
Semester: 1
Period: 3
Week: 14
School Name:
Teacher’s Name:
Subject: English Language
Grade Level: Grade 1
Date: Week 14
Lesson Duration: 45 minutes
Week & Period: Week 14, Period 3
Topic: More Blends, Digraphs & Vowel Teams
Sub-topic: tr, -ft, -sk, sm; digraphs th, ck; vowel teams ai, ay; sight words there, was; cursive handwriting
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
Decode and blend new digraphs and vowel team words
Spell and use “there, was” in sentences
Read short passages with ai/ay words (rain, play)
Practice writing cursive letters (e, l, i, t, u)
Previous Knowledge
Students can read words with basic blends and digraphs
Instructional Materials
English Language textbook for Grade 1
Lesson Development – ABC Model
A – Anticipation (Warm-up / Starter)
Time: 5–10 minutes
Teacher plays “I say, you say” with words: tree, raft, mask. Learners repeat. Flashcards of ai, ay words: learners read chorally.
B – Building Knowledge (Main Lesson Body
Time: 25–30 minutes
Focus Areas:
- Consonant Blends & Digraphs
- Vowel Teams (ai, ay)
- High-Frequency Words: there, was
- Cursive Handwriting: e, l, i, t, u
🔤 1. Blends and Digraphs
✅ Definitions:
- A blend is a group of two or more consonants that appear together in a word, where each sound is still heard.
E.g., in smile, you hear both /s/ and /m/ in the blend sm.
- A digraph is two letters that make one sound.
E.g., in thin, the th makes the /θ/ sound.
📘 Examples of Blends & Digraphs:
|
Blend/Digraph |
Sample Words |
Type |
|
tr |
tree, trap, trip |
beginning blend |
|
-ft |
lift, gift, soft |
ending blend |
|
-sk |
mask, desk, task |
ending blend |
|
sm |
swim, small, smell |
beginning blend |
|
th |
thin, this, math |
digraph |
|
ck |
duck, back, neck |
digraph (final /k/ sound) |
🧠 Teaching Tip: Use oral blending and segmenting exercises. Say “s-m-e-l-l” slowly, then blend it quickly: smell.
🔠 2. Vowel Teams: ai, ay
✅ Definition:
A vowel team is when two vowels appear together and make one vowel sound.
- The vowel team “ai” usually appears in the middle of a word.
- The vowel team “ay” usually appears at the end of a word.
📘 Examples:
|
Vowel Team |
Sample Words |
Position |
|
ai |
rain, mail, wait |
middle |
|
ay |
play, day, say |
end |
🔊 Both “ai” and “ay” make the long /ā/ sound (as in "say").
📕 3. High-Frequency Words: “there”, “was”
✅ Definition:
High-frequency words are words that appear often in reading and writing and must be recognized by sight, not just by sounding out.
📘 Example Sentences:
- There was a cat on the roof.
- There was rain yesterday.
🧠 Highlight these words in the sentence and use choral reading for practice.
✍️ 4. Cursive Handwriting
✅ Letters of the Day:
e, l, i, t, u
📐 Letter Formation Tips:
|
Letter |
Formation Description |
|
e |
Loop from midline left, curve around to close the loop |
|
l |
Up to top line in a loop, down to baseline |
|
i |
Up to midline, small hump, down, and a dot above |
|
t |
Same start as “l”, but shorter, with a cross stroke on midline |
|
u |
Curve up, down to baseline, curve up again |
Use three-line paper and model slowly. Emphasize consistent slant, connections, and neat loops.
👧 Learners’ Activities (Expanded)
|
Activity |
Description |
|
Partner Reading |
Learners read blend/digraph word lists in pairs (e.g., trap, lift, math) |
|
Vowel Team Underline |
Given sentences, learners underline words with “ai” and “ay” |
|
Sight Word Practice |
Learners use there and was in oral and written sentences |
|
Cursive Practice |
Copy letters e, l, i, t, u into exercise books using three-line format |
|
Word Sorting Game |
Sort words into columns: blends, digraphs, vowel teams |
✅ Assessment Checks
|
Skill |
Assessment Task |
|
Blends/Digraphs |
Read 5–6 blend/digraph words (e.g., trap, lift, thin, duck) and identify the sound pattern |
|
Vowel Teams |
Identify “ai” or “ay” in given words and underline them |
|
Sight Word Usage |
Write a correct sentence using there and was |
|
Cursive Handwriting |
Observe and assess letter formation of e, l, i, t, u for neatness and connection |
📘 Notes (Expanded & Detailed)
🧩 Phonics Concepts:
- Blends (like tr, sm, ft) help learners decode multi-sound consonant clusters in words.
- Digraphs (like th, ck) are essential because they represent single phonemes from two letters. They are common and must be mastered early.
🌈 Vowel Team Understanding:
- The rule of thumb: “When two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking.” This applies to ai and ay making the long /ā/ sound.
- Vowel teams teach children sound-spelling correspondences, which are key to reading fluency and spelling accuracy.
📚 Sight Word Recognition:
- Words like “there” and “was” often don’t follow standard phonics rules. Repetition and contextual usage are important.
- Recognizing these words quickly helps learners read more smoothly and understand texts better.
✍️ Handwriting Fluency:
- Practicing cursive writing supports both fine motor skills and reading fluency, especially with connecting letters smoothly.
- Teach consistent starting points and how each letter joins to the next.
C – Consolidation (Conclusion & Assessment)
Time: 5–10 minutes
Summary: Reviewed blends tr, -ft, -sk, sm; digraphs th, ck; vowel teams ai, ay; sight words there, was; cursive letters e, l, i, t, u.
Evaluation Method (Expanded):
Exit slip/quiz: Write two words with ai and ay. Write sentences with “there” and “was”. Teacher reviews slips.
Assignment (Expanded):
Learners write 5 words with ai or ay at home.
Follow-up Activity:
Practice cursive letters a–u.
Differentiation / Inclusive Strategies
Provide phonics tiles for learners needing tactile practice. Allow extra time for spelling.
Teacher’s Reflection (After Class)
What worked well? ___________________________________________
What needs improvement? ____________________________________
Students’ engagement level: ☑ High ☑ Medium ☑ Low