Rationale:  Children need to be able to comprehend letters and phonemes before they will be able to learn how to read and write.  This is met through phonemic awareness.  Thus, children also need to understand that some phonemes are represented by two letters, called digraphs.  This lesson focuses on the digraph /ch/.  The main focus of this lesson is to help children recognize the digraph /ch/ in spoken and written words.

Materials:  Chart with "The cheesy choo choo train went to China to but some cheesy chicken."; primary paper and pencil for each student; flash cards with pictures of cheese, apple, church, candy, chair, pencil, chicken, potato; Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by John Archambault (see references); worksheet with the following pictures, couch, scissors, chimpanzee, paper, chipmunk, cherry, dog, and chalk

Procedures:
1.  Introduce the lesson by explaining that words are made up of different sounds or phonemes and some are represented by two letters called digraphs.  Say:  "Today we are going to learn about the sound /ch/.  Can everyone say /ch/ with me?  Very good.  Can anyone tell me the sound that a train makes?  (Wait for children to respond)  Yes a train says choo choo.  Can you hear the /ch/ sound in choo choo?  You are right, you can!"

2.  "Now we are going to learn a riddle.  I want everyone to repeat after me.  'The cheesy choo choo train went to China to but some cheesy chicken.'  (Children repeat the riddle.)  Very good.  Did you hear the /ch/ sound?  (Wait for responses.)  Now turn to your neighbor and say the riddle together."

3.  (Have the students take out pencils and primary paper.)  "Now we are going to practice writing the letters that make the /ch/ sound.  We use the letters c and h.  First I am going to model the letters on the board.  (First write the c and then the h.)  Now, I want you to try it.  Keep writing ch until you fill up one line.  Say the /ch/ sound each time you write ch."

4.  "Now we need to decide which of these pictures has the /ch/ sound in it.  I am going to hold up some pictures of some items, if the picture has the /ch/ sound in it say 'choo choo' if it does not say 'no way'.  Are you all ready?  (Hold up the following pictures, cheese, apple, church, candy, chair, pencil, chicken and potato.)  Good job, boys and girls.  You all knew that cheese, church, chair and chicken all had the /ch/ sound in them."

5.  "Now we are going to read the book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.  When you hear the /ch/ sound I want you to clap one time.  Make sure you listen very carefully."

6.  For assessment, I will have a worksheet for the students to complete.  If the picture contains the /ch/ sound, the students will write ch under the picture.  If it does not contain the /ch/ sound the students will write nothing under the picture.

References:

Archambault, John and Bill Martin Jr.  (2000)  Lois Ehlert (Illustrator)  Chicka Chicka
     Boom Boom.  New York: Alladdin.

Murry, Bruce. The Reading Genie Website.
     http://www.auburn.edu/rdggenie/illum/smithel.html

For more information email me at longlin@auburn.edu.

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