ea spelling short /ĕ/, a spelling short /ŏ/

 We previously learned that the EA vowel team can spell the long E sound, as in "team," but now we know it can also spell the short E sound, like in "feather" or "bread."

We had previously learned some irregular/heart words featuring a making the short O sound, like "water" or "father."  While not the most common spelling pattern, it is prevalent enough to spend time practicing spelling and decoding! Interestingly, A most commonly makes the short o sound when following a W -- like in "want" or "waddle."

Games to Practice

For spelling practice in particular, click on the "Switch Template" side bar, and click on "show all" at the bottom, then select "Anagram."

Try your hand at unscrambling to spell short O sounds with w+a words!

AW, AU, and AUGH

 These 3 graphemes make a sound that is very similar to the short O sound. 

AW is the most common vowel team spelling. It usually comes in the middle of a word, like "lawn" or "hawk," but can also come at the end of a word (like in "paw") and sometimes at the beginning of a word, as in "awesome!"

The AU vowel team usually comes in the middle of a word, such as in "haul" and "fault."

AUGH is the least common spelling, and comes in the middle of a word, like "caught" or "taught."

Games to Practice

Practice reading AW/AU/AUGH words with this memory match game:

Practice spelling AU and AW words with this fun crossword puzzle:

Decodable Text

This text about the Sonoran Desert Seasons offers plenty of opportunities to practice reading AW and AU words. Click the image below:

Irregular "Heart" Words to Review

son, won, month, poor, floor, door, hour, minute

Other Long U Vowel Teams: EW, UI, and UE

 We were well acquainted with U with a "magic E" (as in "June") and OO (as in "spoon"), but there are 3 other spellings of the Long U sound! We have a fun way to remember EW -- e looks like they are chewing with their mouth open, and this really grosses out w, who is quite prim and proper, which is why when e is right before w it says "ew!" EW comes at the end of words, like in "few" or "flew."  UE also (but less commonly) comes at the end of words, as in "blue" and "true." UI is not a very common spelling, and is usually found in the middle of a word, like "fruit" or "juice." 

We know as spellers, that in addition to recalling the frequency of a given spelling and the placement of the vowel sound, we must consider what "looks right" when we are writing Long U words and double check with spelling tools as necessary.

Put your Long U spelling skills to the test with this quiz game!

The Sounds of OO!

The "double" vowel team OO can spell the /oo/ sound, as in "book." It can also serve as another spelling of the long /U/ sound, as in "spoon." 

OO spells the /OO/ sound in the middle of a word, like in "good" and "look." U can also spell this sound (though less commonly does), like in "push," "put," and when followed by a double LL, like "pull" or "full."

OO can spell the Long /U/ sound in the middle of a word (like "food,") but can also be at the end of a word like in "too" and "boo," or sometimes at the beginning of a word like in "oops" or "ooze."

Games to Practice

Practice your spelling with these jumbled OO anagrams:

Here's a great spelling challenge: can you unscramble all of the words in the sentences?

Can you sort the OO words based on the sound the vowel team makes?

How quickly can you spot the OO words hidden in the word search?

Challenge your memory with this OO word memory game...

Irregular (Heart) and High Frequency Words to Review

 High Frequency Words: Long I & O, /OO/ and Long U

between	own
today	grow
each	follow
leave	below
please	took
right	put
might	good
light	too
high	soon
show	food

Words (irregular spelling) To Review: May 3

 

always	above
another	very
almost	today
because	against
won	again
son	*Which parts of these words do not follow typical spelling rules, and we must know by heart? Draw hearts to show the irregular parts.
floor
door
poor
among