Sounds and Reading

Objective

By the end of this 30-minute session, students will be able to:

• Recognize and read words containing the digraphs "th," "ch," and "sh" (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.1.3.A)
• Demonstrate understanding of a short paragraph featuring these digraphs by answering comprehension questions (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.1, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.1)
• Identify sounds and letters in words, supporting phonics and decoding skills (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.1.3)

I can:

• Identify sounds in words that use the digraphs "th," "ch," and "sh"
• Read a simple paragraph with these sounds
• Answer questions about what I have read

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Standards Addressed

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.1.3.A: Know the spelling-sound correspondences for common digraphs.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.1.4.B: Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.1: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.1: Ask and answer questions about key details in informational text.

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Materials

• Dyslexia-friendly printed paragraph (special font such as OpenDyslexic, spaced text, high contrast) about a small story including many "th," "ch," and "sh" words.
• Illustrated word cards for digraphs "th," "ch," "sh."
• Colored markers or highlighters.
• Comprehension question sheet with visuals.
• Mini whiteboards & dry erase markers for each student.

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Warm-Up & Sound Introduction (7 minutes)

Activity:

• Gather students in a small group circle.
• Show large word cards with "th," "ch," "sh" and say the sounds aloud. Encourage the class to repeat chorally and individually.
• Use a multisensory approach: have students trace letters in the air or on their desks as they say the sounds out loud.
• Show pictures of objects containing these sounds (e.g., thumb, chair, fish) to build connections.

Differentiation:

• For students who struggle with sound discrimination, provide a tactile letter card to feel while saying the sound.
• For advanced learners, ask them to brainstorm other words with the same sounds they already know.

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2. Guided Reading (10 minutes)

Activity:

• Hand out the dyslexia-friendly paragraph to each student. Example paragraph:

"The fish swam in the chilly pond. They saw a chair by the shore. Then, a moth flew past the tree."

• Read aloud the paragraph once, pointing to each word. Use a pointer to support word tracking.
• Reread with the students whisper-reading along.
• Students highlight words with "th," "ch," and "sh" using colored markers (e.g., red for "th," blue for "ch," green for "sh").

Differentiation:

• Students with higher needs can read simpler sentences or listen to a teacher or audio recording reading the paragraph.
• Later finishers can write their own sentence using one of the digraph sounds.

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3. Comprehension & Reflection (8 minutes)

Activity:

• Provide 3-4 simple, illustrated questions to answer orally or in writing (depending on ability):

1. What did the fish see by the shore?
2. Which flying insect was mentioned?
3. What kind of weather was it?
4. Find one "sh" word in the story.

• Discuss answers as a group, reinforcing comprehension and promoting speaking skills.

Differentiation:

• Use picture supports for students who struggle with text comprehension.
• Provide sentence starters or word banks for writing responses.

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4. Extension & Closure (5 minutes)

Extension Activity for Advanced Learners:

• Challenge students to come up with a short story or sentence using "th," "ch," and "sh" words and share with the group.

Closure:

• Recap the sounds learned today.
• Display the “I can…” statements visually and have each student read their favorite statement aloud.

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Success Criteria

• Student correctly identifies at least 3 digraph words during reading and highlighting.
• Student accurately answers comprehension questions, showing understanding of key details.
• Student demonstrates confident pronunciation of "th," "ch," and "sh" sounds.
• Student participates actively in group discussions and extension activity if able.

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Notes for Teachers

• Keep pacing gentle and incorporate movement or breaks if students show restlessness.
• Reinforce effort with positive praise and nonverbal encouragements (stickers, stamps).
• Use frequent checks for understanding to adjust support quickly.
• Encourage peer support—partner students strategically to leverage strengths.

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This plan is designed to leverage multi-sensory learning and offer differentiated support for diverse learners, ensuring every student accesses the standards aligned with 1st grade English Language Arts.