Town Sounds Lesson Plan
Town Sounds Lesson Plan
Grade 2 ESL / Multilingual Learners • 30-Minute Targeted Phonics
Digraphs: /sh/ & /ch/
Scope: Neighborhood Words
Time Allotment 30 Min (Fast-Paced)
Phonics Focus Consonant Digraphs sh / ch
Target Vocabulary Shop, Chef, Bench, Trash, Cash
Proficiency Level WIDA 1–3 (Emerging / Expanding)
Content Objective
Students will identify, segment, and read 6 community vocabulary words containing the digraphs sh and ch in beginning and final positions.
Language Objective
Students will orally articulate the contrast between continuous /sh/ and stop-burst /ch/ using TPR cues and complete the frame: "A [worker] is at the [place]."
Key ESL Articulation Insight (L1 Transfer Alert)
Digraph SH: /ʃ/ (Continuous)
Mouth Shape: Rounded "donut" lips, teeth close together, air flows continuously like quiet library shhh.
TPR Gesture: Index finger to lips (🤫 "Quiet in the shop!").
Digraph CH: /tʃ/ (Affricate / Stop-Burst)
Mouth Shape: Tongue tip pushes hard against roof of mouth, releases quick burst of air like a steam train.
TPR Gesture: Chopping hands like a chef (🔪 "Chop, chop, chef!").
*Note: Many Spanish speakers substitute /tʃ/ for /ʃ/ because /ʃ/ is not a distinct phoneme in standard Spanish. Tactile mouth mirrors and feather/hand air checks are highly effective.
1 Warm-Up & Mouth Kinesthetic Check
0:00 – 0:05 (5 mins)
Hook & Chant:
Introduce the Town Sound Detectives theme. Display Slide 1. Introduce the two detective secret codes: the Quiet Shopkeeper (/sh/) and the Chopping Chef (/ch/).
Mirror Check:
Have students place their hand 2 inches in front of their mouth. Produce /sh/ (warm, continuous steady airflow). Next produce /ch/ (sharp, fast explosion of breath). Repeat three times chorally with TPR gestures.
Echo Drill:
Teacher says sound pair; students mirror gesture: "/sh/ - /sh/ - /sh/ (finger to lips)" • "/ch/ - /ch/ - /ch/ (chopping hand)".
Grade 2 Phonics • ESL Community Unit Page 1 of 2
Lesson Delivery: Modeling, Guided Practice & Assessment
Minutes 0:05 – 0:30
2 Direct Instruction: "I Do" — Sound Buttons & Neighborhood Words
0:05 – 0:13 (8 mins)
Display Slides 2 & 3: Anchor words with clear community photos. Model decoding with physical sound buttons under each phoneme:
Word 1: sh - o - p
Tap button 1: /sh/, tap button 2: /o/, tap button 3: /p/. Slide finger across: SHOP. Context: "A pet shop or grocery shop in our neighborhood!"
Word 2: ch - e - f
Tap button 1: /ch/, tap button 2: /e/, tap button 3: /f/. Slide finger across: CHEF. Context: "A community chef cooks hot meals in the restaurant!"
Minimal Pair Challenge: Contrast SHOP vs. CHOP. "The chef will chop carrots at the vegetable shop!" Have students touch their lips on shop and chop hands on chop.
3 Guided Practice: "We Do" — Town Sound Detective Game
0:13 – 0:25 (12 mins)
Whole-Class Interactive Sort (Slides 4 & 5): Teacher reveals pictures from the community: park bench, cashier/cash, trash truck, community church, fish market.
- Choral Signal: Students show thumbs up for /sh/ or karate chop for /ch/ as each image is shown.
- Position Detective: Ask: "Is the sound at the FRONT or the END?" (e.g., ben-ch ends in /ch/; sh-op begins with /sh/).
- Partner Speaking Frame: Partners turn and talk using the sentence frame:
"I hear [ /sh/ or /ch/ ] in the word ________. It is a [place / person] in town."
- Worksheet Transition: Hand out Community Sound Detectives Worksheet. Guide students to tap sound boxes for the first two items together.
4 Independent Quick Check & Wrap-Up: "You Do"
0:25 – 0:30 (5 mins)
Students complete the final 3 word boxes on their sheet independently. Circulate with the Quick Rubric below. Close with the unison Town Sound Detective cheer.
Support: WIDA Levels 1–2 (Entering/Emerging)
- Provide realia / picture flashcards with color-coded digraphs (blue for sh, green for ch).
- Allow tactile tracing of sandpaper letter cards while vocalizing the sound.
- Accept physical gestures (shhh vs chop) in lieu of full sentence output during checks.
Extension: WIDA Levels 3–4 (Developing/Bridging)
- Have students create a two-sentence mini story using at least one /sh/ word and one /ch/ word.
- Challenge learners to identify digraphs inside longer compound words (e.g., lunchbox, flashlight).
Formative Check Criteria (Target: 80% Mastery)
1. Articulation: Accurately demonstrates mouth position without /sh/ and /ch/ substitution.
2. Segmentation: Isolates the digraph phoneme from rime in 3-sound community words.
3. Orthography: Matches spoken /sh/ to letters 'sh' and /ch/ to letters 'ch' on worksheet.
Grade 2 Phonics • ESL Community Unit Page 2 of 2
Town Sounds Slides
Grade 2 ESL • Neighborhood Phonics
30-Minute Mission
Community Sound Detectives
Town Sounds: SH and CH
Can you spot the secret sounds hiding in our community places and helpers?
🤫
Sound 1: /sh/
Quiet like a neighborhood shop!
👨🍳
Sound 2: /ch/
Quick like a chopping chef!
Step 1
Mouth Check: How Does It Feel?
Put hand in front of lips! ✋
sh 🤫
The Smooth Sound: /sh/
- • Mouth: Round donut lips 👄
- • Air: Soft, continuous, long wind
- • Action: Finger to lips: "Shhhhh!"
Try it: "shhhhhhh" (Keep it flowing!)
ch 🚂
The Quick Burst: /ch/
- • Mouth: Tongue taps roof of mouth 👅
- • Air: Fast, sharp pop of air!
- • Action: Karate chop hands: "Chop!"
Try it: "ch-ch-ch" (Fast stop!)
Detective Rule: SH flows like water • CH stops like a train!
Step 2: Watch Teacher
Tap the Sound Buttons!
Blend to read community words
🏪
Neighborhood Place
sh
1
o
2
p
3
SHOP
👨🍳
Community Worker
ch
1
e
2
f
3
CHEF
⚡ Contrast Challenge: "The chef will chop at the food shop!"
Step 3: Together
Sound Hunt: Where Is the Digraph?
Show gesture: 🤫 or 🔪
🪑
Park Furniture
bench
Sound: /ch/ at END! 🚂
🗑️
Clean Neighborhood
trash
Sound: /sh/ at END! 🤫
💵
Grocery Store Pay
cash
Sound: /sh/ at END! 🤫
🗣️ Partner Frame:
"I hear /sh/ or /ch/ in the word ________."
Guided Talk
Community Sentence Builders
Speak like a detective!
🏪
Target 1: /sh/
Word: SHOP
"I go to the pet shop. It starts with /sh/!"
Check lips: Rounded donut lips!
👨🍳
Target 2: /ch/
Word: CHEF
"The neighborhood chef cooks hot lunch. It starts with /ch/!"
Check tongue: Taps roof of mouth!
Turn to your partner: Say one sentence out loud with your detective partner!
Step 4: You Do
Your Detective Worksheet!
5 Minutes
1
Look & Say
Name the community picture out loud to yourself or partner.
2
Tap Buttons
Tap each sound box with your finger to count the phonemes.
3
Write Letters
Write sh or ch in the blank box to complete the word!
🌟 Ready, Detectives? Grab your pencils and listen closely! 🌟
Town Sounds Detective Worksheet
🔍
Town Sound Detectives
Mission: Find sh and ch in our neighborhood!
Name:
Date:
🤫
sh = Smooth air sound (like a quiet shop)
👨🍳
ch = Quick chop sound (like a busy chef)
Part A: Sound Box Detective 1. Say word aloud • 2. Tap sound buttons • 3. Write sh or ch
🏪 place
o
p
👨🍳 worker
e
f
🪑 park
b
e
n
🗑️ clean
t
r
a
💵 store
c
a
🥪 school
l
u
n
Part B: Detective Partner Talk & Writing
Read out loud to your partner!
Pick one word from above. Complete the sentence and read it to your partner:
In my town, I can see a . It has the sound!
Detective Sketch: Draw your neighborhood helper or place here:
Self Check: I tapped the sounds I said it to my partner
Teacher Star:
★
