Island Small Group Guide Island Small Group Guide
Focused Phonics: Tricky Spelling 'i' > /ee/
Rotation Focus 30 Minutes
Learning Objectives
Students will identify and read words where 'i' makes the /ee/ sound in isolation and in text.
Students will apply the rule that 'i' says /ee/ at the end of words (taxi) or before another vowel (radio).
Students will identify /ee/ trick words within a decodable reading passage.
Louisiana Standards
LSS.ELA-L.RF.2.3.b: Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.LSS.ELA-L.RF.2.3.e: Identify words with inconsistent but common spelling-sound correspondences.
Table-Top Materials
Island Sounds Reader
Word Shore Worksheet
Island Sounds Slides
Small Group Facilitation
1
Modeling & Segmenting (8 mins)
Show words like taxi and radio . Use tactile markers to segment syllables. Students mirror the "big smile" hand motion for every /ee/ sound they identify in the words.
2
Guided Work Shore (10 mins)
Guided sort using the Word Shore Worksheet . Students identify words that fit the /ee/ rule (end of word or before a vowel) and write them in the correct boat.
3
Island Sounds Reader (12 mins)
Distribute the Island Sounds Reader . Conduct a whispered read of "The Tricky Island Trip."
Word Hunt: Students circle words with the tricky 'i' sound during the second read.Comprehension: Quick discussion on where the radio was playing and what they ate. Small Group Island Script Resource Small Group Island Script
Phonics: Tricky Spelling 'i' > /ee/
Rotation Resource
1
Discovery: The Smile Sound (5 mins)
Opening Dialogue:
"Welcome to the island table, explorers! We’ve seen 'i' sound like /i/ in 'sit'. We’ve seen it sound like /ie/ in 'find'. But today, 'i' is playing a trick! Look at this word on my screen..." [Show 'ski' slide].
"In the word 'ski', that 'i' is at the very end. On I-Land, when 'i' is at the end, it says /ee/! Give me your biggest smile and say /ee/."
"Let's blend it: /s/ /k/ /ee/. Perfect. Now look at 'taxi'. Is the 'i' at the end? [Wait for response]. Yes! So what does it say? /ee/! T-a-x-i."
2
Syllable Sailing (10 mins)
Focus: 'i' before another vowel
"Sometimes the trick hides inside long words. Let’s clap the word 'radio'. [Clap: Ra-di-o]. Three syllables! Look at the 'i' in the middle. It's standing right before the 'o'. That's its other favorite trick spot!"
"When 'i' is before another vowel, it says /ee/ too! Let's tap our syllables: Ra [tap 1], di [tap 2—make that smile!], o [tap 3]."
Check for Understanding:
"Point to the 'i' in 'piano'. What vowel is it standing next to? Since it's before a vowel, what sound does it make?"
3
Word Shore Guided Work (10 mins)
"Grab your Word Shore worksheet. Let's look at word number one. Is it a trickster? Let's check our rules: Is the 'i' at the end? No. Is it before another vowel? No. So it stays in our short /i/ boat!"
"Now look at word number three. T-A-X-I. Rule check! Is it at the end? YES! Into the /ee/ shore it goes!"
4
Departure (5 mins)
"Great work today, travelers. Before you head back to the mainland, show me what you learned on your exit ticket. Remember: look for the 'i' at the end or before a vowel!"
Small Group Specific Script • Tricky 'i' Master Series
Island Sound Slides I-Land Sounds
A Tricky Phonics Adventure
🏝️
🌊
🥥
Sounds We Know
The letter 'i' can make many sounds!
/i/ Sound
/ie/ Sound
But wait... there's a trick!
On I-Land, some 'i's don't say /i/ or /ie/.
Just like the 'e' in "me" or "bee"!
Let's Read:
ski
The 'i' is at the end!
⛷️
/s/ /k/ /ee/
SKI
Let's Read:
taxi
Another 'i' at the end!
🚕
/t/ /a/ /x/ /ee/
TAXI
Before a Vowel:
piano
The 'i' is before the 'a'!
🎹
/p/ /ee/ /a/ /n/ /o/
piano
The /ee/ Secret
At the end
ski taxi chili
Before a vowel
radio patio piano
Ready to Sort?
Let's help our words find their home on the
🏝️
🌳
🛶
Island Sounds Reader Document Island Sounds Reader
A Tricky 'i' Story
Name: ____________________
Date: ____________________
Reading Tip: In this story, the letter i is a trickster! Watch out for words where it makes the /ee/ smile sound.
The Tricky Island Trip
Tim and Kim want to visit a mini island. They hop into a yellow taxi. The taxi driver has a radio. The radio plays a song on a piano. 🎹
They get to the beach. It is very hot! "It is too hot to ski here," says Tim. ⛷️ They sit on a big patio. They eat chili and drink cold juice. 🥣
A man in a safari hat walks by. He is looking for a mini bird. The bird is medium size. 🦜 It was a fine day on the island!
Word Hunt
Go back to the story and circle all the words where i makes the /ee/ sound.
Quick Check
Where was the radio playing?
What did they eat on the patio ?
Tricky 'i' Master Series • Decodable Level 2
Island Sentence Worksheet Island Sentences
Name:
Date:
Directions:
Use the words in the word bank to fill in the blanks. Every word has a tricky i that makes the /ee/ sound!
ski
taxi
radio
piano
chili
patio
safari
medium
mini
stadium
We called a yellow to take us to the airport.
I like to listen to music on the while I play.
It is too hot to in the summer snow.
The man went on a to see the lions.
My dad sat on the to watch the birds.
She plays the very well with both hands.
The little toy was a version of a real car.
Mom cooked a big pot of spicy for lunch.
Traveler's Bonus:
Write your own sentence using the word medium or stadium .
Island Adventure Series • Sentence Practice • Tricky 'i' Master
Spelling Tree Poster The Spelling Tree
I-Land Adventure: Sounds of 'i'
/i/
/ie/
/ee/ The Tricky Sound
Stick your word cards onto the correct branch as we find them!
Word Shore Worksheet Word Shore Sorting
Name:
Date:
Directions:
Read the words in the word bank below. Listen to the sound the letter i makes. Write each word in the correct shore column!
Word Bank
ski
find
sit
taxi
piano
mind
grid
chili
kind
radio
fin
patio
/i/
as in SIT
/ie/
as in FIND
/ee/
The Tricky Sound
I-Land Traveler Challenge:
Choose one /ee/ word and write a short sentence using it.
Island Word Cards Island Word Cards
Teacher: Cut these cards out for the Spelling Tree sorting activity. Each card features a sound-cue icon to help ESL students.
ski
⛷️
taxi
🚕
piano
🎹
find
🔍
sit
🪑
radio
📻
chili
🌶️
patio
☀️
grid
🔲
kind
❤️
Island Adventure Phonics • Grade 2
Island Exit Ticket Assessment Island Exit Ticket
Checking the "i" Sounds
Name:
ESL Friendly
1 Listen and Circle: What sound does the i make?
🚕
taxi
/i/
/ie/
/ee/
🔍
find
/i/
/ie/
/ee/
🪑
sit
/i/
/ie/
/ee/
2 Read and Circle: Which word has the /ee/ sound?
"I like to play my piano and eat my chips."
🎹
🍟
3 Traveler's Draw: Show the "ski" sound!
Draw a picture for the word ski and write the word under it.
Write here
Island Answer Key Resource Island Answer Key
Teacher Resource • Phonics Grade 2
Unit: Tricky 'i'
Word Shore Sorting
/i/ (Short)
• sit
• grid
• fin
/ie/ (Long)
• find
• mind
• kind
/ee/ (Tricky)
• ski
• taxi
• piano
• chili
• radio
• patio
Island Exit Ticket
🚕 taxi
/ee/
🔍 find
/ie/
🪑 sit
/i/
Part 2 Answer:
piano (has the /ee/ sound)
Common Misconceptions
Students may confuse find (/ie/) with fin (/i/). Encourage them to look for the "nd" ending which often signals the long vowel.
ESL learners might struggle with chili , expecting it to sound like "child". Use the emoji visual to reinforce the meaning and sound.
Remind students that 'i' says /ee/ primarily at the end of words or before another vowel.
