Sound It Out: Exploring sk, sc, sp, and st Blends!

English Language Arts Grades 1st Grade 3:03 Video
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Lesson Description

Let's learn about consonant blends! This lesson will help you recognize and read words that start with sk, sc, sp, and st.

Video Resource

4 Consonant Blends: sk, sc, sp, and st

Miacademy Learning Channel

Duration: 3:03
Watch on YouTube

Key Concepts

  • Consonant blends are two or more consonants read together.
  • The blends sk, sc, sp, and st each make a unique sound.
  • Blends can be found at the beginning and middle of words.

Learning Objectives

  • Students will be able to identify the sounds of the consonant blends sk, sc, sp, and st.
  • Students will be able to read words containing the consonant blends sk, sc, sp, and st.
  • Students will be able to generate their own examples of words with sk, sc, sp, and st blends.

Educator Instructions

  • Introduction (5 mins)
    Begin by asking students if they know what a consonant is. Briefly review consonants if needed. Then, introduce the idea of consonant blends - two or more consonants that are read together and keep their individual sounds. Tell them that they will be watching a video about sk, sc, sp and st blends.
  • Video Viewing (5 mins)
    Play the Miacademy Learning Channel video: "4 Consonant Blends: sk, sc, sp, and st." Instruct students to pay attention to the sounds each blend makes and the examples given.
  • Discussion and Review (10 mins)
    After the video, lead a discussion about the blends. Ask students to repeat the sounds of sk, sc, sp, and st. Write the blends on the board. Review the examples given in the video and write them under the corresponding blends.
  • Blend Brainstorm (10 mins)
    Divide students into small groups. Assign each group one or two of the blends (sk, sc, sp, st). Have each group brainstorm as many words as they can think of that start with their assigned blend(s). After 5 minutes, have each group share their words with the class. Write the new words on the board under the corresponding blend.
  • Reading Practice (10 mins)
    Using the list of words generated on the board, have students take turns reading the words aloud. You can also create simple sentences using these words and have the students read the sentences (e.g., "The skate is big.", "I see a school.", "The space is dark.", "Stop at the store.").

Interactive Exercises

  • Blend Sorting
    Prepare a worksheet with pictures of words containing the blends sk, sc, sp, and st. Have students cut out the pictures and sort them into columns labeled sk, sc, sp, and st.
  • Blend Bingo
    Create bingo cards with words containing the blends. Call out the words, and have students mark them on their cards. The first student to get bingo wins!

Discussion Questions

  • What is a consonant blend?
  • What sound does the 'sk' blend make? Can you think of a word that starts with 'sk'?
  • What sound does the 'sc' blend make? Can you think of a word that starts with 'sc'?
  • What sound does the 'sp' blend make? Can you think of a word that starts with 'sp'?
  • What sound does the 'st' blend make? Can you think of a word that starts with 'st'?

Skills Developed

  • Phonological awareness
  • Decoding skills
  • Vocabulary building
  • Oral reading fluency

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1:

Which blend do you hear at the beginning of the word 'skate'?

Correct Answer: sk

Question 2:

Which blend do you hear at the beginning of the word 'school'?

Correct Answer: sc

Question 3:

Which blend do you hear at the beginning of the word 'space'?

Correct Answer: sp

Question 4:

Which blend do you hear at the beginning of the word 'stop'?

Correct Answer: st

Question 5:

Which of these words starts with the 'sc' blend?

Correct Answer: scat

Question 6:

Which of these words starts with the 'sp' blend?

Correct Answer: spot

Question 7:

Which of these words starts with the 'sk' blend?

Correct Answer: skip

Question 8:

Which of these words starts with the 'st' blend?

Correct Answer: stone

Question 9:

The blend 'sk' sounds like:

Correct Answer: /sk/

Question 10:

The blend 'sp' sounds like:

Correct Answer: /sp/

Fill in the Blank Questions

Question 1:

The word '_____' starts with the 'sc' blend.

Correct Answer: scale

Question 2:

The word '_____' starts with the 'st' blend.

Correct Answer: stop

Question 3:

The word '_____' starts with the 'sk' blend.

Correct Answer: skate

Question 4:

The word '_____' starts with the 'sp' blend.

Correct Answer: space

Question 5:

In the word 'basket' the consonant blend is ____

Correct Answer: sk

Question 6:

_____ can be found at the beginning and middle of words.

Correct Answer: blends

Question 7:

_______ is a consonant blend.

Correct Answer: st

Question 8:

The sound ______ is in school.

Correct Answer: sc

Question 9:

I like to ________ in my spot.

Correct Answer: sleep

Question 10:

My hands are ________ and cold.

Correct Answer: stiff

Educational Standards

1.2.PA.4:Students will blend phonemes to form spoken words with 4-6 phonemes, including consonant blends (e.g., /s/ /t/ /r/ /i/ /ng/ = string). 1.2.PWS.1:Students will blend and decode two-phoneme and three-phoneme words. 1.2.F.2:Students will read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression. 1.4.W.1:Students will use grade-level vocabulary to communicate ideas through speaking and writing.

Teaching Materials

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