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Digraph Word Hunt and Number Count ✨ cross-curricular

Teacher: TeacherAI | Grade: 1 | Subject: Reading/ELA, Math | Duration: 45 minutes

📝 Description: Students hunt for CH, SH, and TH digraph words, then count and organize their findings using place value concepts to 50.

Standards

  • 1.RF.3a (Know the spelling-sound correspondences for common consonant digraphs)
  • 1.RF.3b (Decode regularly spelled one-syllable words)
  • 1.NBT.1 (Count to 120, starting at any number less than 120)
  • 1.NBT.2 (Understand that the two digits of a two-digit number represent amounts of tens and ones)

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

  • Identify and write words containing CH, SH, and TH digraphs
  • Count collections of digraph words by ones and tens to 50
  • Distinguish between tens and ones when representing two-digit numbers
  • Collaborate to create class totals using place value understanding

Supplies Needed

  • Whiteboard and dry-erase markers
  • Chart paper
  • Counters/manipulatives
  • Number cards/flashcards (1-120)

Lesson Structure

Opening (5 minutes)

Write "CH", "SH", and "TH" on the board. Say each sound clearly and have students repeat. Explain: "Today we're word hunters! We'll find words with these special letter teams, then count them like mathematicians."

Main Activity (35 minutes)

Step-by-step instructions:

  1. Digraph Review (5 minutes): Model each digraph sound. Have students practice saying "ch" as in "chair," "sh" as in "ship," and "th" as in "this." Write one example word for each on the board.
  2. Individual Word Hunt (10 minutes): Students use whiteboards to write digraph words they know. Challenge them to find at least 3 words for each digraph. Circulate and provide prompts like "What do you sit on?" (chair) or "What's on your foot?" (shoe).
  3. Class Collection (8 minutes): Create three columns on chart paper labeled CH, SH, TH. Have students share their words while you write them in the correct columns. Accept all correctly spelled words, including repeats for now.
  4. Counting Preparation (5 minutes): Remove duplicate words from each column. Give student pairs 10 counters each. Explain they'll use counters to represent each word they found.
  5. Tens and Ones Counting (5 minutes): Count CH words together by placing counters in groups of ten, then counting remaining ones. Write the number showing tens and ones clearly (e.g., "2 tens and 3 ones = 23"). Repeat for SH and TH columns.
  6. Grand Total Challenge (2 minutes): Use number cards to show each column total. Have students predict if the grand total will be more or less than 50, then count all words together to find out.

Closing (5 minutes)

Review the three digraph sounds and point to words on the chart as students read them aloud. Celebrate the class total: "We found [X] digraph words today!"

Quick Check: Show students the letters "SH" and ask them to make the sound. Hold up 3 tens and 4 ones counters and ask "What number is this?" Have them whisper a TH word to their neighbor.

Formative Assessment

During the lesson, look for:

  • Students correctly identifying digraph sounds when reading their words aloud
  • Accurate counting and grouping of objects into tens and ones
  • Participation in class counting activities and ability to state two-digit numbers

Differentiation Strategies

Support for Struggling Students:

  • Provide picture cards with digraph words (chair, ship, thumb) as visual prompts
  • Allow students to work with a partner during the individual word hunt
  • Use smaller numbers of counters (focus on numbers 10-20) for place value practice

Challenge for Advanced Learners:

  • Encourage finding longer words with digraphs (teacher, fishing, nothing)
  • Have them write sentences using their digraph words
  • Ask them to find patterns in two-digit numbers and predict the next number in counting sequences

ELL/ELD Support:

  • Emphasize mouth position for each digraph sound with visual demonstrations
  • Connect words to real objects or actions when possible (show thumb for "thumb")
  • Use gestures and counting motions to reinforce number concepts

Printable Materials

This lesson uses only classroom supplies - no printable materials required.

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