I Spy with My Little I: Long and Short I Sounds!

English Language Arts Grades Kindergarten 10:20 Video
Print Lesson Plan Watch Video

Lesson Description

Let's learn about the letter I! We'll explore the long I sound like in 'island' and the short I sound like in 'igloo'. Get ready to have fun with phonics!

Video Resource

Short I and Long I Sounds - Learning to Read for Kids!

Miacademy Learning Channel

Duration: 10:20
Watch on YouTube

Key Concepts

  • Long I sound
  • Short I sound
  • Vowels can have different sounds

Learning Objectives

  • Students will be able to identify words with the long I sound.
  • Students will be able to identify words with the short I sound.
  • Students will be able to differentiate between the long and short I sounds.

Educator Instructions

  • Introduction (5 mins)
    Begin by watching the 'Short I and Long I Sounds - Learning to Read for Kids!' video. Briefly discuss the video's premise with the students (Becca in the Igloo versus Caroline on the Island) and introduce the concept of long and short I sounds.
  • Long I Sound Exploration (10 mins)
    Explain the long I sound, demonstrating how to make the sound with a wide mouth and a smile (as shown in the video). List words from the video and brainstorm additional words with the long I sound (e.g., ice, bike, fine, time, dive, like, mine, line).
  • Short I Sound Exploration (10 mins)
    Explain the short I sound, demonstrating how to make the sound with a slightly open mouth. List words from the video and brainstorm additional words with the short I sound (e.g., igloo, insect, bit, pig, gift, win, zip, sit).
  • Sound Sorting Activity (10 mins)
    Present a list of words, some with long I and some with short I sounds. Have the students sort the words into two columns (Long I and Short I) by listening to the sounds. Use pictures to go with each word.
  • Wrap-up and Review (5 mins)
    Review the long and short I sounds. Play a quick game of 'I Spy' using words with long and short I sounds.

Interactive Exercises

  • Sound Sorting Game
    Prepare cards with pictures of objects with either long or short I sounds (e.g., ice cream, igloo, bike, pig). Have students take turns picking a card and saying the word aloud, then placing the card in the correct 'Long I' or 'Short I' pile.
  • I Spy with My Little I
    Play a round of 'I Spy' where students have to find objects in the classroom that start or have a long or short I sound. For example: 'I spy with my little eye something that starts with the short I sound...it's an insect!'

Discussion Questions

  • What does your mouth do when you say the long 'I' sound?
  • What does your mouth do when you say the short 'I' sound?
  • Can you think of a word that has the long 'I' sound?
  • Can you think of a word that has the short 'I' sound?

Skills Developed

  • Phonemic awareness
  • Auditory discrimination
  • Vocabulary building

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1:

Which picture shows a word with a LONG 'I' sound?

Correct Answer: Ice cream

Question 2:

Which word has a SHORT 'I' sound like in 'igloo'?

Correct Answer: Win

Question 3:

Which word has a LONG 'I' sound like in 'ice'?

Correct Answer: Line

Question 4:

Is the 'I' in 'pig' a long 'I' or a short 'I'?

Correct Answer: Short 'I'

Question 5:

Is the 'I' in 'bike' a long 'I' or a short 'I'?

Correct Answer: Long 'I'

Question 6:

Which of these starts with a SHORT 'I' sound?

Correct Answer: Ink

Question 7:

Which of these starts with a LONG 'I' sound?

Correct Answer: Idea

Question 8:

Which word has a long I sound, like you're smiling?

Correct Answer: Dime

Question 9:

Which word has a short I sound, like you're zipping your mouth a little?

Correct Answer: Pin

Question 10:

Which one does NOT have the letter 'I' in the middle?

Correct Answer: Cat

Fill in the Blank Questions

Question 1:

The letter 'I' in the word '_____' sounds like 'I'.

Correct Answer: ice

Question 2:

The letter 'I' in the word '_____' sounds like 'ih'.

Correct Answer: igloo

Question 3:

A _____ is a very cold house made of ice.

Correct Answer: igloo

Question 4:

When you smile really wide, your mouth makes the _____ 'I' sound.

Correct Answer: long

Question 5:

When you zip your lips a little, your mouth makes the _____ 'I' sound.

Correct Answer: short

Question 6:

A bike has a long 'I' sound like _____

Correct Answer: kite

Question 7:

An insect has a short 'I' sound like _____.

Correct Answer: pig

Question 8:

I like to eat _____ cream on a hot day

Correct Answer: ice

Question 9:

A safety _____ helps people from tripping when they are walking.

Correct Answer: line

Question 10:

You can keep money in a _____

Correct Answer: bin

Educational Standards

K.2.PWS.3:Students will produce the sounds for short and long vowels and the most common sound for consonants (e.g., a = /ă/ & /ā/, f = /f/, s = /s/, x = /ks/). K.2.PA.3:Students will isolate and pronounce initial and final sounds in spoken words. K.4.R.3:Students will begin to acquire new vocabulary and relate new words to prior knowledge.

Teaching Materials

Download ready-to-use materials for this lesson:

Student Worksheet Classroom Slides Assessment Quiz
Add to Google Classroom

User Actions

Sign in to save this lesson plan to your favorites.

Sign In

Share This Lesson

Related Lesson Plans