English lesson plan · 2nd grade (Year 3 in England) · 30 minutes
Vowel teams (ai, ee, oa, igh…)
Phonics & Sight Words
CCSS RF.2.3.BEngland: Y1 PhonicsEngland: Y2 Spelling
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Vowel teams (ai, ee, oa, igh…).
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Magic e (split digraphs); Digraphs: sh, ch, th, wh, ck, ng
Leads to: R-controlled vowels (ar, or, er, ir, ur); oo can say two sounds: book and moon; The 'ow' sound: ou (cloud) or ow (cow)?
Materials: Sound cards and picture cards, Magnetic letters, Mini whiteboards, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 4 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Magic e (split digraphs); Digraphs: sh, ch, th, wh, ck, ng). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Add a magic e to the end of "hop". What new word do you make? → hopePrompt: Write the word and add e at the end.
- Which letters complete the word? _ _ in (not thick) (th / sh / wh / ch) → thPrompt: Read the clue. What is the word?
- Which word matches the clue: a tree with needles and cones? (pin / note / pine / not) → pinePrompt: Read each word carefully. Does it have a magic e?
Hook · 3 min
- Hide picture cards in a bag and ask children to say the first sound of each one they pull out.
- Share the objective: Vowel teams (ai, ee, oa, igh…). Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 7 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: Which vowel team completes the word? b _ _ t (it floats on water)
- Step 1: A vowel team is two or more letters that work together to make one vowel sound.
- Step 2: With "oa" the word is "boat".
- Step 3: So the answer is: oa
- Answer: oa
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 6 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- Which vowel team completes the word? r _ _ n (water falling from clouds) (oa / oo / ee / ai) → aiPrompt: Use the clue to think of the word.
- Which word has the long i (as in night) sound? (pie / beach / spoon / boat) → piePrompt: Say each word and stretch out the vowel sound.
You do: independent practice · 7 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 3 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- Which word has the long a (as in rain) sound? (soap / high / boot / rain) → rainPrompt: Say each word and stretch out the vowel sound.
- Which vowel team completes the word? n _ _ _ t (the time when it is dark) (ee / igh / oa / ai) → ighPrompt: Use the clue to think of the word.
Watch out for
- Adding an extra "uh" to sounds ("buh" instead of a clean b).
- Reading the letters one by one but not blending them into a word.
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Magic e (split digraphs).
- Use concrete materials: sound cards and picture cards.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Move on to: R-controlled vowels (ar, or, er, ir, ur); oo can say two sounds: book and moon; The 'ow' sound: ou (cloud) or ow (cow)?.
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-2.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder