Rationale: In order to have an understanding of written and spoken language children need to be instructed and exposed to phoneme awareness.  The goal of this lesson is to help students focus on reading words with sh=/sh/ sound in words.  The students will learn to recognize /sh/ in spoken words and objects provided.  When the students have accomplished isolating certain sounds they will be able to recognize which letters make up certain sounds.

Materials: One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss, primary paper, pencil, picture paper with sheep, fish, jet, top, shoe, shell.

Procedures:
1. Introduce the lesson by explaining that sounds make up words.  "Today, we will learn the /sh/ sound.  Put your hand up to your mouth, close your teeth together, and say /sh/.  Do you feel air on your hand?"
2. "Do you know what letters make the /sh/ sound?"  Ask the students to make the /sh/ sound like they are telling someone to be quiet.
3. The letters s and h make the /sh/ sound.  Listen ans tell me if you hear the /sh/ sound in these words.  Say "shake, home, shell, girl, sharp."
4. "Now lets try a tongue twister." Have tongue twister written on the board with the s and h in every word written in a different color than the other letters.  This helps students determine where the /sh/ is in the word. First I will say "Shelly shakes Shane's hand."  Then the students will repeat the tongue twister three times and on the last time we will really emphasize the /sh/ in each word.
5. Have students take out primary paper and pencil.  "We can use the letters s and h to spell out /sh/.  Let's spell out some words that have the /sh/ sound."
6. "Can any of you tell me some words that have the /sh/ sound in them?"
7. Have the students spell words such as fish, shop, mash and ship on primary paper.
8. Have students share with the class how they spelled the list of words the teacher should model first.
9. Read One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr Seuss and discuss the story with the class.  Next have the class read the story together out loud and clap every time they hear the /sh/ sound.
10. List words from the book on the board for them to see.  Then have each students draw a picture of a word that begins with the /sh/ sound.  Have students share with the class what they drew.  Display their work.

Assessment:
Call students up one at a time and ask each student to circle the words with /sh/ in them.

Reference:
www.auburn.edu/rdggenie/breakthroughs
Click here to return to Challenges.