Word Families for Beginning Readers: Short Vowels

This class is geared toward students who are just beginning to read.  Most students at this level are probably end of PreK, K, beginning of first grade level.  A struggling second grader may also fit this description well. This class is not appropriate for 3 year olds. This class requires printing materials each week, so be aware you need to print the materials on actual paper for your child. If you can't print the papers before the class, they won't be able to participate.  I try to post things that need printed well before the next class so you have plenty of time to print.

Prerequisites: Knows letter names and letter sounds in English, and is ready to blend sounds together into words.  Can use scissors pretty well.  Can listen and participate without interrupting others. Will need to be able to unmute themselves on Zoom if they need to. 

Each class will focus on a word family in English.  A word family is a group of words that rhyme, such as the -at family would be cat, hat, sat, mat, etc.  Most of the words will be CVC words (3 letter words), but some words families will have more blends (sl, sk, tr, etc.) at the beginning of the words as well (for example the -at family may include the word splat.)  We will go over the word family together and do a word study aloud, then complete an activity that corresponds to the word family of the week. Each week parents will be expected to do a small amount of prep work in printing materials and gathering a few art supplies. If your child has difficulty cutting with scissors, I would suggest pre-cutting the needed materials for them or sitting nearby to help.  This class requires that papers be printed for every single class.  Your child cannot do them online without printing, unless you want to hand draw it for them before class.  If you are unable to print papers for class or to draw the needed items on a paper, I would not enroll in this class. 

Reminder that parents and children not enrolled need to stay off-screen and out of the background during class.  It is very helpful if your child is seated in a quiet area of the house too, so that they don't have to stay muted.  If we can hear TV, siblings, etc. in the background, they will have to stay muted, which makes it very difficult to adequately participate in the class. 

Word family we are on varies by dates of each class.  Word families I am prepared to teach are: 
at
it 
ot
ig
ap
ock
ack
ing
um
ag
ip
op
ab
am 
ell
amp
ug
ick 
oss
uck
un
all
ad
an
ash
eck
ed
in
og
ent
et
ib
ill
ob
ong
ub
unk
ump
unch
ung