Week 4 Overview
Weekly Learning Goal: Students will learn the sounds for letters P, Q, R, S, T and demonstrate mastery of blending and reading simple CVC words using all 20 letters learned.
This is the culminating week of our first month of phonics instruction. Students will learn five final letter sounds (P, Q, R, S, T), bringing their total to TWENTY letters—enough to read hundreds of simple words and even short sentences! Each lesson includes review of all previously learned letters, extensive blending practice, and opportunities to read connected text. By Friday, students will celebrate their achievement and demonstrate their reading skills by reading simple decodable sentences independently.
Monday: Letter Sound P (/p/ as in "pig")
Time: 15-20 minutes
Learning Objective
Student will be able to: Recognize the letter P, produce the /p/ sound, and identify words that begin with this sound.
Materials Needed
- Large card with "P" and "p"
- Picture of a pig (or toy pig)
- 3-5 objects/pictures starting with P (pig, pan, pen, pin, pot)
- Letter cards A-O from previous weeks
- Paper and writing tools
Materials Substitutions
- Pig → toy pig, stuffed animal, or draw a simple pig
- Pan → show a real pan from your kitchen
- Pen → use a real pen or pencil
Procedure
Introduction (2-3 minutes)
Review: Flash 5-7 random letters from A-O. Student says sounds.
Show pig: "/p/-/p/-pig. What's the first sound?" (/p/!)
Show P: "P makes the /p/ sound, similar to B but without voice."
Main Activity (8-10 minutes)
Sound Practice: "/p/, /p/, /p/. Your lips come together and pop apart, like B, but softer."
Object Identification: pig, pan, pen, pin, pot.
Letter Writing: "P has a tall line with a curve at the top." Practice P and p.
Blending Practice: P-I-G (pig), P-O-T (pot), P-I-N (pin), P-A-N (pan).
Practice (5-7 minutes)
Sound Hunt: Find P objects (pillow, paper, pencil, pickle).
Review A-P: Show all 16 letters randomly.
Draw a pig and write P.
Closure (2-3 minutes)
"Sixteen letters! We're getting close to twenty! Tomorrow: Q."
Check for Understanding
- Show P: "What sound?" - Expected: /p/
- Say "pot" - "First sound?" - Expected: /p/
- Can student blend P-I-G? - Expected: "pig"
Supplemental Resources (Optional)
These are optional enhancements, not required for the 15-20 minute core lesson.
YouTube Videos
Library Books
- Pigsty by Mark Teague - Fun story with P words
Tuesday: Letter Sound Q (/kw/ as in "queen")
Time: 15-20 minutes
Learning Objective
Student will be able to: Recognize the letter Q, understand that Q is always followed by U, and produce the /kw/ sound.
Materials Needed
- Large card with "Q" and "q" (and "qu" together)
- Picture of a queen (or draw a crown)
- 3-5 objects/pictures with QU (queen, quilt, quack, question mark, quiet)
- Previous letter cards A-P
- Paper and writing tools
Materials Substitutions
- Queen → draw a crown or dress up with a crown
- Quilt → show a real blanket or quilt
- Quack → make a duck sound or show a toy duck
Procedure
Introduction (2-3 minutes)
Review: Show P. "What sound?" (/p/!)
Show queen: "/kw/-/kw/-queen. This letter is special!"
Show Q: "Q makes the /kw/ sound, but Q is NEVER alone—it always brings its friend U. We say 'qu' together: /kw/."
Main Activity (8-10 minutes)
Sound Practice: "/kw/, /kw/, /kw/. It's like /k/ and /w/ together quickly."
Object Identification: queen, quilt, quack, quiet (put finger to lips), question (make a questioning face).
Letter Writing: "Q looks like O with a little tail." Practice Q and q. Always write "qu" together.
Special Note: Explain that in English, Q always needs U. They're best friends!
Practice (5-7 minutes)
Sound Hunt: Find things that are quiet, or talk about quilts and queens.
Review A-Q: Show all 17 letters randomly. (Remember: Q says /kw/ when with U!)
Draw a queen with a crown and write Q.
Closure (2-3 minutes)
"Seventeen letters! Q is special—it always needs U. Tomorrow: R."
Check for Understanding
- Show Q: "What sound?" - Expected: /kw/
- Ask: "What letter is always with Q?" - Expected: U!
- Say "queen" - "First sounds?" - Expected: /kw/
Supplemental Resources (Optional)
These are optional enhancements, not required for the 15-20 minute core lesson.
YouTube Videos
Library Books
- The Quilt Story by Tony Johnston - Story about a special quilt
Wednesday: Letter Sound R (/r/ as in "rat")
Time: 15-20 minutes
Learning Objective
Student will be able to: Recognize the letter R, produce the /r/ sound, and identify words that begin with this sound.
Materials Needed
- Large card with "R" and "r"
- Picture of a rat (or toy mouse/rat)
- 3-5 objects/pictures starting with R (rat, rug, rock, ring, red)
- Previous letter cards A-Q
- Paper and writing tools
Materials Substitutions
- Rat → toy mouse or draw a simple rat
- Rug → point to a real rug in your home
- Rock → find a real rock outside
Procedure
Introduction (2-3 minutes)
Review: Show P and Q. Student says sounds.
Show rat: "/r/-/r/-rat. First sound?" (/r/!)
Show R: "R makes the /r/ sound."
Main Activity (8-10 minutes)
Sound Practice: "/r/, /r/, /r/. Your tongue curls up slightly in your mouth. It's like a little growl: rrrrr."
Object Identification: rat, rug, rock, ring, red (show something red).
Letter Writing: "R has a tall line with a curve at the top and a leg that kicks out." Practice R and r.
Blending Practice: R-A-T (rat), R-I-G (rig), R-O-D (rod).
Practice (5-7 minutes)
Sound Hunt: Find R objects (rope, rabbit, rain, rose).
Review A-R: Show all 18 letters randomly.
Draw a rat and write R.
Closure (2-3 minutes)
"Eighteen letters! Almost to twenty! Tomorrow: S."
Check for Understanding
- Show R: "What sound?" - Expected: /r/
- Say "rock" - "First sound?" - Expected: /r/
- Can student blend R-A-T? - Expected: "rat"
Supplemental Resources (Optional)
These are optional enhancements, not required for the 15-20 minute core lesson.
YouTube Videos
Library Books
- Rosie's Walk by Pat Hutchins - Story with R words
Thursday: Letter Sound S (/s/ as in "sun")
Time: 15-20 minutes
Learning Objective
Student will be able to: Recognize the letter S, produce the /s/ sound, and identify words that begin with this sound.
Materials Needed
- Large card with "S" and "s"
- Picture of the sun (or draw a sun)
- 3-5 objects/pictures starting with S (sun, sock, sit, sand, sad)
- Previous letter cards A-R
- Paper and writing tools
Materials Substitutions
- Sun → draw a bright sun or go outside and point to the sun
- Sock → show a real sock
- Sand → show sand from outside or sandbox
Procedure
Introduction (2-3 minutes)
Review: Show Q and R. Student says sounds.
Show sun: "/s/-/s/-sun. First sound?" (/s/!)
Show S: "S makes the /s/ sound, like a snake: sssss."
Main Activity (8-10 minutes)
Sound Practice: "/s/, /s/, /s/. Your teeth come close together and air hisses through. It sounds like a snake!"
Object Identification: sun, sock, sit (demonstrate sitting), sand, sad (make a sad face).
Letter Writing: "S is a curvy line, like a snake winding." Practice S and s.
Blending Practice: S-I-T (sit), S-A-D (sad), S-A-T (sat).
Practice (5-7 minutes)
Sound Hunt: Find S objects (sink, soap, spoon, salad).
Review A-S: Show all 19 letters randomly.
Draw the sun and write S.
Closure (2-3 minutes)
"Nineteen letters! ONE more to go! Tomorrow is our celebration day with T!"
Check for Understanding
- Show S: "What sound?" - Expected: /s/
- Say "sock" - "First sound?" - Expected: /s/
- Can student blend S-I-T? - Expected: "sit"
Supplemental Resources (Optional)
These are optional enhancements, not required for the 15-20 minute core lesson.
YouTube Videos
Library Books
- The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats - Story with S words
Friday: Letter Sound T (/t/ as in "top") and Reading Celebration
Time: 15-20 minutes
Learning Objective
Student will be able to: Recognize all twenty letters A-T, produce all twenty sounds, read CVC words, and read simple decodable sentences independently.
Materials Needed
- Large card with "T" and "t"
- A spinning top or picture of a top
- 3-5 objects/pictures starting with T (top, tag, tan, tap, tip)
- All twenty letter cards A-T
- Paper with simple sentences for reading practice
- Certificate or celebration item
Materials Substitutions
- Top → any spinning toy or draw a spinning top
- Tag → show a price tag or name tag
- Certificate → hand-drawn certificate celebrating 20 letters learned
Procedure
Introduction (2-3 minutes)
Review: Flash R and S. Student says sounds.
Show top: "/t/-/t/-top. This is our TWENTIETH letter!"
Show T: "T makes the /t/ sound."
Main Activity (8-10 minutes)
Sound Practice: "/t/, /t/, /t/. Your tongue taps the roof of your mouth behind your teeth."
Object Identification: top, tag, tan, tap (demonstrate tapping), tip.
Letter Writing: "T has a line down with a line across the top." Practice T and t.
Twenty-Letter Review: Hold up all twenty letters A-T randomly. Student says each sound. Celebrate each correct sound!
Reading Simple Sentences: Write these sentences on paper. Student reads each one:
- The cat sat.
- A pig is big.
- The dog ran.
- Mom is sad.
- I see a top.
Celebrate: "You're READING SENTENCES! You're a REAL reader now!"
Practice (5-7 minutes)
Reading Challenge: Write 10-15 CVC words. Student reads as many as they can:
- cat, dog, pig, hat, mat, sit, big, hot, pot, fan, can, man, rat, bat, top, mop, hop, red, bed, pen, ten
Celebration Activity: Student writes their favorite CVC word and draws a picture of it. Display proudly!
Closure (2-3 minutes)
Celebrate BIG TIME: "You learned TWENTY letter sounds in just FOUR weeks! You know three vowels (A, E, I, O) and seventeen consonants (B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S, T). Plus the special Q-U team!"
"You can now read HUNDREDS of words! You can read simple sentences! You ARE a reader!"
Give a certificate: "Congratulations! You completed the first month of Grade 1 Reading!"
Preview: "Next month, we'll learn the final letters (U, V, W, X, Y, Z) and read even longer stories. You're doing amazing!"
Check for Understanding
- Show all twenty letters A-T randomly - Can student say at least 18/20 sounds correctly? - Expected: Yes
- Can student read these words: cat, dog, sit, hot, fan? - Expected: Reads at least 4/5 correctly
- Can student read a simple sentence like "The cat sat"? - Expected: Reads with minimal help, decoding each word
- Overall Month 1 Assessment: Has student mastered the foundational phonics skills to continue reading instruction? - Expected: Yes, ready for Month 2
Week 4 Complete! FIRST MONTH COMPLETE!
This week, your student learned the final five letter sounds: P (/p/), Q (/kw/), R (/r/), S (/s/), and T (/t/). They now know TWENTY letter sounds total (A-T), including three vowels (A, I, O). With these twenty letters, students can decode and read hundreds of CVC words and simple sentences. This is a tremendous accomplishment!
Month 1 Summary: Your student has mastered 20 letter sounds, can blend sounds to read CVC words, and can read simple decodable sentences. They understand that letters represent sounds, and sounds combine to make words. This is the foundation of reading! Next month will introduce the remaining letters (U, V, W, X, Y, Z), more complex phonics patterns, and longer reading passages. Celebrate this milestone—your student is officially a READER!
Supplemental Resources (Optional)
These are optional enhancements, not required for the 15-20 minute core lesson.
YouTube Videos
- Letter T Sound Phonics
- Reading Simple Sentences - Practice reading decodable sentences
- Phonics Celebration Songs - Fun songs to celebrate learning to read!
Library Books
- Ten Apples Up On Top! by Dr. Seuss - Fun counting book with T words
- Bob Books Set 1 by Bobby Lynn Maslen - Perfect decodable books for practicing all learned sounds
- Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons - Additional phonics practice resources
Can't find these at your library? Search YouTube for "[Book Title] read aloud" for narrated versions.