Vowel Vanish Slides Vowel Vanish Lab
Converting Present Tense to Past Tense Patterns
Warm-up: The "EEP" Factory
eep
Add a K
keep
Add SL
sleep
Add CR
creep
What sound do these words all share?
Lab Research: The Funky -ed
Embedded media
Listen for how "sleep" becomes "slept" and "keep" becomes "kept."
The Sound Connection
Regular Verb
Walked
Ends in a /t/ sound.
Irregular Verb
Slept
Also ends in a /t/ sound!
They sound the same, but they are spelled differently!
The Vowel Vanish Rule
When we add the "t" sound to words with "ee" or "ea"...
One vowel disappears!
Rapid Lab Work
Keep
Kept
Feel
Felt
Creep
Crept
Sweep
Swept
Leap
Leapt
Dream
Dreamt
Activity Time!
Use your Vowel Vanish Equations worksheet to solve the past tense patterns.
1
Look at the present verb
2
Vanish the vowel
3
Add the "t" sound
Lab Reflection
Why does the spelling change when we go from sleep to slept?
EE
Makes the "Long E" sound
E
Makes the "Short E" sound
Vowel Vanish Teacher Guide Vowel Vanish Lab
Teacher's Instructional Guide
Total Time: 35 Minutes
Objective
Students will apply spelling patterns (vowel shortening) when converting present tense verbs to past tense, focusing on the change from ee/ea to a single e ending in a /t/ sound.
Materials
Vowel Vanish Slides
Vowel Vanish Worksheet
Khan Academy Video
Pencils
1
Warm-up: The Factory (5 min)
Use Slide 2 to build words from the root "eep".
Show "eep" and ask for the sound (Long E).
Have students suggest letters to make keep, sleep, creep, sweep.
Teacher Prompt: "What happens to our mouth when we say these words? Is it a wide smile or a small opening?"
2
Video Investigation (5 min)
Play the video: "The funky -ed irregular verb | Khan Academy"
Key Moments to Pause & Discuss:
0:20: "What's the rule for regular verbs?" (Add -ed).
0:45: "Before he writes it, what is the past tense of sleep?"
1:00: "Can you think of other words that follow this pattern?"
1:28: Choral Response: Say "builded" and have class shout "BUILT!"
3
Activity: Vowel Vanish Worksheet (20 min)
Explain the "Equation Rule": Double Vowel - 1 Vowel + t = Past Tense.
Guided Practice Examples:
Feel: \(Feel - e + t = Felt\)
Dream: \(Dream - a + t = Dreamt\)
*Note: Mention that 'dreamed' is also used, but 'dreamt' follows our cool lab pattern!
4
Reflection: The Why (5 min)
Why does the spelling change? Lead students to realize that the Long E sound in "Sleep" requires two vowels, but the Short E sound (like in 'egg') in "Slept" only needs one. The spelling changes to match the new sound we make.
Vocabulary
Irregular Verb
Vocabulary
Simple Past Tense
Vocabulary
Short Vowel Sound
Vowel Vanish Worksheet Vowel Vanish Equations
Lab Tech:
Date:
Pattern: EE/EA → E + T
Lab Rule: When moving to the past tense, often the double vowel disappears (vanishes!) and we add a "t" sound. Solve the spelling equations below.
Present
Sleep
-
Vanish
e
Add
t
=
Present
Feel
-
Vanish
e
Add
t
=
Present
Dream
-
Vanish
a
Add
t
=
Present
Keep
-
Vanish
e
Add
t
=
Present
Sweep
-
Vanish
e
Add
t
=
Lab Report Sentences
Fill in the blanks with the past tense word you created above.
1. Last night, I very soundly after the lab.
2. The team that they had won the science fair.
3. She the floor after the potion spilled.
4. I the secret ingredient in my pocket.
Vowel Vanish Answer Key Vowel Vanish Lab
Answer Key - Teachers Only
Key 3.14.A
Equation Solutions
Sleep → Vanish e + t SLEPT
Feel → Vanish e + t FELT
Dream → Vanish a + t DREAMT
Keep → Vanish e + t KEPT
Sweep → Vanish e + t SWEPT
Sentence Solutions
Last night, I slept very soundly after the lab.
The team dreamt that they had won the science fair.
She swept the floor after the potion spilled.
I kept the secret ingredient in my pocket.
Quick Tip
Students may struggle with feel/felt vs fell. Remind them that felt comes from feel (Long E) and retains the 't' sound from our "funky -ed" rule.