Lesson 50
wh /w/, ph /f/
The grapheme WH spells /w/; the grapheme PH spells /f/
Most English speakers produce the same sounds for W and WH. It is important to be aware of your own pronunciation as you model the sound for students.
Today's plan
about 20 min- Step 1Warm up our ears (blend & segment)2 min
- Steps 2 & 3Look & Say / Listen & Spell4 min
- Step 4Blending drill3 min
- Step 5New concept6 min
- Step 5Read & spell the new words5 min
Warm Up Our Ears
Say the sounds; students blend them into a word. Then say a word; students break it apart.
Blend it (teacher says sounds → you say word)
Break it (I say word → you say sounds)
Sound Drills
Full-screen cards for the class. Tap a card to check the answer, or press Hear the words to hear the example words read aloud.
👂 Listen & Spell — teacher list (7 sounds)
Say each sound; students write the spelling(s). Read straight from this list.
- /ch/ch (as in chin)
- /th/th (as in thin)
- /sh/sh (as in ship)
- /k/ck (as in duck)
- /f/f (as in fan), ff
- /s/s (as in sun), ss
- /z/s (as in dogs), z (as in zip), zz
Blending Drill
Change one part at a time and read the new word.
Initial
b c m
Middle
a i
Final
n
+
ch sh
New Concept
Today we learn two new digraphs: WH spells /w/ and PH spells /f/.
Highlighted words are the ones to show and practice reading — tap one to hear it.
Remember, a consonant digraph is two consonants that come together to make one sound. You have already learned about the consonant digraphs CK, SH, TH, and CH. The consonant digraph WH spells /w/ like at the beginning of the word . This is the same sound as the consonant W. WH can only come at the beginning of a word, such as and . The consonant digraph PH spells /f/ like at the beginning of the word . This is the same sound as the consonant F. PH can come at the beginning of a word, such as the word , or the name Phil. PH can also come at the end of a word, such as the word .
wh /w/
The consonant digraph WH spells /w/ like at the beginning of the word . WH can only come at the beginning of a word, such as and .
ph /f/
The consonant digraph PH spells /f/ like at the beginning of the word . PH can come at the beginning of a word (phone, Phil) or at the end of a word (graph).
How our mouth moves
To make the /w/ sound, round your lips tight like this...(model)...and turn your voice on. The /w/ sound is a continuous sound that can be stretched out (use continuous hand motion). Watch me /www/. You try /www/. Be sure to model the /w/ as a very tight /ooo/, not as /wuh/. To make the /f/ sound, bite your bottom lip like this...fff. Have students use mirrors to help them see what they are doing. Hold your lip there and blow. The /f/ sound is a continuous sound that can be stretched out (use continuous hand motion). Be sure your voice is off. Watch me /fff/. You try /fff/. Students may need to use a finger to keep their lip in the right place.
Sound wall
Add grapheme card 'wh' to the consonant grid under the /w/ picture card (with 'w'). Add grapheme card 'ph' to the consonant grid under the /f/ picture card (with 'f' and 'ff').
Open the digital sound wall →Read & Spell
Read — I do
Read — We do
Spell — I do
Spell — We do