Digraph Sort: sh, ch, th, wh

Grade level

1st grade

Time

About 15 minutes

Topic

Digraphs and blends

Answer key

Yes, page 2 of the PDF

Kids practice

Digraphs, Consonant blends, Spelling rules, Decoding longer words

What kids do

“Read each word in the word bank. Write it under the two letters it has.”

Words on this sheet

shellshfishbathchopmothchinlunchchshipwhipthwhalewhenthinwh

Teacher tip

Review the four motions (quiet for sh, train for ch, tongue for th, blow for wh) first.

How to use it

• Teach a digraph as “two letters, one sound” and a blend as “two letters, two sounds”.
• Use a hand motion for each digraph, like a finger on lips for sh.
• Keep a set of letter tiles or magnetic letters on the table for building words.

Watch for

th has two sounds (thin and this). Accept both when kids read.

Talk about it

• Can you think of another word with this blend?
• Can you think of another word with the same sound?

Take it further

Sort picture cards by blend at a center.

US Letter, prints well in black and white. Free for home and classroom use: print as many copies as you need.