"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." - Psalm 119:105
Study Guide - Phonics Concepts
What is a Word Family?
A word family is a group of words that rhyme because they have the same ending! When you know one word, you can read MANY words!
What is a Digraph?
A digraph is when TWO letters work together to make ONE sound. They're best friends who share a sound!
sh
/sh/
ch
/ch/
th
/th/
wh
/wh/
ck
/k/
"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Elohim."
- Romans 10:17
1The -at Family
RECEIVE - Words That Rhyme!
The -at family has words that all end with "at" - they all rhyme!
The -at Word Family
-at
cat
bat
hat
rat
mat
sat
flat
that
If you can read "cat," you can read ALL the -at words! Just change the first sound. C-at... B-at... H-at!
Blend It!
c + at
⬇
cat
Read These Sentences!
The cat sat on the mat.
The bat is flat.
The rat has a hat.
In Hebrew, "El" (God) is the beginning of many names, just like -at is the ending of many words!
REFLECT - Answer the Questions!
1. Which word is in the -at family?
2. What sound does -at make?
3. If c + at = cat, what is m + at?
RECALL - Write the -at Words!
Write three -at words:
RESPOND - Do It With a Parent!
2The -an and -ap Families
RECEIVE - Two More Families!
The -an Word Family
-an
can
man
pan
ran
van
tan
plan
The -ap Word Family
-ap
cap
map
tap
nap
lap
clap
snap
"Dan" is a Bible name in the -an family! Dan was one of the 12 sons of Jacob. Bible names can help us learn word families!
Read These Sentences!
The man ran to the van.
Dan can clap.
Tap the map with your cap.
REFLECT - Which Family?
1. "Fan" belongs to which family?
2. "Clap" belongs to which family?
3. What rhymes with "pan"?
Match the Word to Its Family!
Draw a line from each word to its family:
bat
map
man
tap
sat
ran
-at
-an
-ap
RESPOND - Do It With a Parent!
3Short i Families: -ig, -in, -it
RECEIVE - The Short i Sound!
These word families all have the short i sound - like "itch"!
The -ig Word Family
-ig
big
dig
pig
wig
fig
The -in Word Family
-in
pin
win
sin
tin
bin
spin
The -it Word Family
-it
sit
hit
bit
fit
pit
spit
"Fig" is in the -ig family! In the Bible, Adam and Eve used fig leaves to cover themselves (Genesis 3:7). Yahusha also cursed a fig tree (Mark 11:13-14).
Read These Sentences!
The big pig can dig.
I will sit and not sin.
The pin is in the tin.
Can the wig fit?
"The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree... they shall still bear fruit in old age."
- Psalm 92:12,14
REFLECT - Short i Families!
1. Which word has the short i sound?
2. "Wig" rhymes with:
3. If p + in = pin, what is sp + in?
RECALL - Write Short i Words!
Write one word from each family (-ig, -in, -it):
RESPOND - Do It With a Parent!
4Short o Families: -op, -ot, -og
RECEIVE - The Short o Sound!
These word families have the short o sound - like "octopus"!
The -op Word Family
-op
hop
mop
top
pop
stop
drop
The -ot Word Family
-ot
hot
not
pot
dot
got
lot
The -og Word Family
-og
dog
fog
log
hog
frog
"Lot" is in the -ot family AND a Bible name! Lot was Abraham's nephew. He lived in Sodom but was rescued before Yahuah destroyed it (Genesis 19).
Read These Sentences!
The frog can hop on the log.
The pot is hot. Do not drop it!
Lot got to the top.
The dog ran in the fog.
"Remember Lot's wife."
- Luke 17:32
REFLECT - Short o Families!
1. "Stop" belongs to which family?
2. What rhymes with "dog"?
3. Which word is NOT in the -ot family?
RECALL - Draw and Label!
Draw a frog on a log. Label it with the words "frog" and "log".
RESPOND - Do It With a Parent!
5Short u Families: -ug, -un, -ut
RECEIVE - The Short u Sound!
These families have the short u sound - like "umbrella"!
The -ug Word Family
-ug
bug
hug
mug
rug
dug
slug
The -un Word Family
-un
sun
fun
run
bun
spun
The -ut Word Family
-ut
cut
but
nut
hut
shut
"Sun" is in the -un family! Yahuah made the sun on Day 4 of Creation (Genesis 1:16). The sun gives us light during the day - what a gift from our Creator!
Read These Sentences!
The sun is fun!
I dug up a bug on the rug.
Cut the nut but do not shut the hut.
Run and hug your mum!
"From the rising of the sun to its going down, Yahuah's name is to be praised."
- Psalm 113:3
REFLECT - Short u Families!
1. "Hug" belongs to which family?
2. What sound does -un make?
3. Yahuah made the _____ on Day 4.
RECALL - Write a Sentence!
Write a sentence using at least two -u words:
RESPOND - Do It With a Parent!
6Digraph: SH
RECEIVE - Two Letters, One Sound!
A digraph is when two letters make ONE sound together. They are best friends!
The SH Digraph
sh
Makes the /sh/ sound - like "shhhh, be quiet!"
ship
shop
shut
fish
wish
push
brush
trash
SH can be at the beginning (ship), middle (fishing), or end (fish) of a word! It always makes the same /sh/ sound.
SH can be at the START: shop, shut, shell, sheep
SH can be at the END: fish, wish, wash, hush
Read These Sentences!
The ship has fish.
Shut the shop!
I wish I had a shell.
Push the brush.
"The sheep hear His voice."
- John 10:3
REFLECT - Find the SH!
1. What sound does SH make?
2. Which word has SH in it?
3. Where is SH in the word "fish"?
RECALL - Write SH Words!
Write 4 words with SH:
RESPOND - Do It With a Parent!
7Digraph: CH
RECEIVE - The CH Sound!
The CH Digraph
ch
Makes the /ch/ sound - like a train: "choo choo!"
chat
chop
chip
chin
rich
much
such
beach
CH sounds like a sneeze! "AH-CHOO!" Try it - you can feel the /ch/ sound!
CH at the START: chop, chin, chat, check, chest
CH at the END: rich, much, such, teach, reach
Read These Sentences!
Chop the chips.
I chat much with my chum.
Reach for the peach at the beach.
The rich man has a chest.
"I will teach you in the way you should go."
- Psalm 32:8
REFLECT - Find the CH!
1. What sound does CH make?
2. Which word ends with CH?
3. How many sounds are in CH?
Match CH Words to Pictures!
Draw a line from each word to what it describes:
chin
chair
cheese
church
Where we worship
On your face
You sit on it
Made from milk
RESPOND - Do It With a Parent!
8Digraph: TH
RECEIVE - The TH Sound!
TH is special - it makes TWO different sounds! But they both need your tongue.
The TH Digraph
th
Put your tongue between your teeth and blow!
this
that
then
them
with
path
bath
both
To make the TH sound, stick your tongue out a tiny bit between your teeth! "THHHHis" - feel your tongue tickle your teeth!
TH Makes Two Sounds:
Voiced TH (with buzz): this, that, the, them, then