Front Sound Slides Case File 01 Digraph Detectives Unit
Phonics Investigation
Front Sound Sleuths
Two letters team up to make one special sound at the start of short vowel words!
sh
as in ship
ch
as in chin
th
as in thin
wh
as in whip
The Suspect Lineup: Meet the Sounds
Mission Clue
sh
The Quiet Hush
Put your finger to your lips: "shhhh"
Clues: shed, shop, shut
ch
The Choo-Choo Chop
Make a quick, sharp train sound: "ch-ch-ch"
Clues: chip, chat, chop
th
The Tongue Tapper
Gently press your tongue between teeth: "thhh"
Clues: thin, thud, that
wh
The Whistle Breeze
Round your lips with a puff of air: "whhh"
Clues: whip, whim, whew
Remember: 2 letters make 1 phoneme (single sound)!
Sound Button Blending: Tap and Read
3 Sounds = 1 Word
Word Clue A
sh
i
p
/sh/ /i/ /p/ → ship
Word Clue B
ch
i
n
/ch/ /i/ /n/ → chin
Tap each sound dot once with your detective finger, then slide across to blend!
Speed Investigation: Which Digraph Fits?
Read & Check
Clue 1
___op
To cut food into small bites
ch + op = chop
Clue 2
___ed
A small backyard building
sh + ed = shed
Clue 3
___in
Not fat or thick; slender
th + in = thin
Next up: Grab your detective pencil for your case file worksheet!
Front Sound Worksheet Case File 01: Front Sound Sleuths
Beginning Digraphs Worksheet
Name:
Date:
Mission Brief: Digraphs are two letters that team up to make one sound. Tap each sound dot, map the letters in the sound boxes, and solve each case!
1
Sound Box Clues: 1 Dot = 1 Sound (Map the 3 Sounds)
Clue 1: Big boat on the sea
/sh/ - /i/ - /p/
Clue 2: Below your bottom lip
/ch/ - /i/ - /n/
Clue 3: Small garden hut
/sh/ - /e/ - /d/
Clue 4: Skinny, not thick
/th/ - /i/ - /n/
2
Digraph Clue Pick: Choose (sh, ch, th, or wh)
DETECTIVE SOUND BANK:
sh ch th wh
1. A heavy, dull fall: ____ ud
2. A quick friendly talk: ____ at
3. To turn off or close a door: ____ ut
4. Spin fast through the air: ____ ip
Case File 01 • Page 1 of 2
Case File 01 • Continued
Sentence Evidence & Detective Writing
Initial Digraphs: sh, ch, th, wh
3
Case File Sentences: Underline the Beginning Digraphs
Read each case sentence aloud. Underline all words that start with sh, ch, th, or wh . Then answer the clue question!
"Chad sat in the shed to eat a hot chip."
Where did Chad sit?
"That thin pup can run fast to the big ship."
What kind of pup was it?
"Did the whip fall in the mud with a loud thud?"
What kind of sound was made?
4
Sleuth Sentence Challenge: Write Your Own Evidence
Pick two words from your detective bank below. Write a complete sentence using both words.
shop chop that whip chin
Write your detective sentence here:
Detective Rating: Case Solved!
Case File 01 • Page 2 of 2
Front Sound Teacher Guide Teacher Lesson Guide & Answer Key
Lesson 1: Front Sound Sleuths
Unit: Digraph Detectives
Grade 2 Review • 30-40 Min
Warm-Up (5 min)
Phonemic mystery tap: say /sh/-/i/-/p/, students blend word without visual clues.
Direct Teach (10 min)
Present Front Sound Slides; model sound dots (2 letters = 1 phoneme sound box).
Apply & Close (20 min)
Independent worksheet completion, partner sentence decode, exit ticket check.
Teacher Script & Articulation Cues
/sh/: "Lips flare out, teeth together, unvoiced steady airflow. Whisper sound."
/ch/: "Tongue hits roof behind teeth then releases with a quick puff. Stop-fricative."
/th/: "Tip of tongue gently between teeth. (Unvoiced: thin, voiced: that)."
/wh/: "Lips form an 'O' ring, quick burst of air before vowel sound."
Case File 01 Worksheet Key
Part 1: Sound Box Mapping (3 boxes each)
• Clue 1: [sh] [i] [p] (ship)
• Clue 2: [ch] [i] [n] (chin)
• Clue 3: [sh] [e] [d] (shed)
• Clue 4: [th] [i] [n] (thin)
Part 2: Digraph Clue Pick
1. thud (th + ud)
2. chat (ch + at)
3. shut (sh + ut)
4. whip (wh + ip)
Part 3: Sentence Reading Questions
• Sentence 1: Words: Chad, shed, chip → Answer: in the shed
• Sentence 2: Words: That, thin, ship → Answer: thin (or thin pup)
• Sentence 3: Words: whip, thud → Answer: thud (or loud thud)
Targeted Support & Differentiation
Struggling with /sh/ vs /ch/: Have students place a hand in front of their mouth. /ch/ emits an abrupt puff of air, while /sh/ has a continuous, gentle stream.Sound Box Scaffolding: Color-code the digraph box in yellow to reinforce that two letters share a single phoneme compartment.Extension: Challenge students to create rhyming digraph pairs (e.g., ship / whip , chat / that ).
Digraph Detectives Instructional Sequence • Teacher Guide Lesson 1
Tail Sound Slides Case File 02 Digraph Detectives Unit
Tail Sound Investigation
Tail Sound Trackers
Now we track digraphs hiding at the very end of short vowel words!
-ck
as in duck
-sh
as in fish
-ch
as in rich
-th
as in bath
The Secret Rule of -CK
Major Clue
When do we use -ck?
Right after ONE short vowel at the end of a word!
Short /u/
d - u - ck
Short /o/
l - o - ck
Short /e/
n - e - ck
Short /i/
p - i - ck
C and K join together to make just one sound: /k/!
Tap the Tail Sound Buttons
Track the Ending
Evidence A
f
i
sh
/f/ /i/ /sh/ → fish
Evidence B
m
o
th
/m/ /o/ /th/ → moth
Notice: Even with 4 letters in spelling, each word has only 3 spoken sounds!
Which Ending Digraph Fits the Case?
Mystery Check
Clue 1
ba___
Wash clean in the tub
ba + th = bath
Clue 2
mu___
A lot; a great amount
mu + ch = much
Clue 3
di___
A bowl or plate for food
di + sh = dish
Time to solve the cases on Case File 02 Worksheet!
Tail Sound Worksheet Case File 02: Tail Sound Trackers
Ending Digraphs Worksheet
Name:
Date:
Detective Rule: Digraphs can also hide at the tail end of a word! Remember: use -ck right after a short vowel when you hear /k/.
1
The -CK Sound Box Lab: Map the 3 Sounds
Clue 1: Yellow bird that quacks
/d/ - /u/ - /k/
Clue 2: Keeps a door shut safe
/l/ - /o/ - /k/
Clue 3: Swims underwater
/f/ - /i/ - /sh/
Clue 4: Night flying bug
/m/ - /o/ - /th/
2
Tail Sound Sorting Station
sock dish rich path pack rush much bath
-ck
-sh
-ch
-th
Case File 02 • Page 1 of 2
Case File 02 • Continued
Case Reading: The Quick Duck
Ending Digraphs: -ck, -sh, -ch, -th
3
Read the Detective Case Story
Mack the duck sat on a big rock by the path. Mack had bad luck. A quick red fox ran in a rush to catch Mack!
Mack ran fast to the pond and did splash into the bath. He met a little fish with a green fin. "You have such good luck now!" said the fish with a grin.
1. Where was Mack the duck sitting at the start?
2. Who rushed to catch Mack?
3. Find and copy two words from the story that end in -ck :
4
Sleuth Sentence Lab
Write a sentence about catching a big fish using at least one -ck or -sh word:
Detective Rating: Case Solved!
Case File 02 • Page 2 of 2
Tail Sound Teacher Guide Teacher Lesson Guide & Answer Key
Lesson 2: Tail Sound Trackers
Unit: Digraph Detectives
Grade 2 Review • 30-40 Min
Warm-Up (5 min)
Isolate final phonemes: say /f/-/i/-/sh/, ask: "What sound is at the very tail?"
Direct Teach (10 min)
Review -ck rule: 1 short vowel + immediate /k/ at the end = -ck digraph.
Apply & Close (20 min)
Sound sorting and decodable case reading: Mack the Duck.
The Orthographic -CK Rule Script
"When you hear /k/ at the tail of a 1-syllable word right after a short vowel (a, e, i, o, u), you lock it with C-K ! We never use a lone 'k' right after a short vowel in simple words (not *duk, not *lok)."
Case File 02 Worksheet Key
Part 1: Sound Box Mapping
• Clue 1: [d] [u] [ck] (duck)
• Clue 2: [l] [o] [ck] (lock)
• Clue 3: [f] [i] [sh] (fish)
• Clue 4: [m] [o] [th] (moth)
Part 2: Tail Sound Sorting Station
-ck: sock, pack
-sh: dish, rush
-ch: rich, much
-th: path, bath
Part 3: Decodable Case Reading (Mack the Duck)
1. Mack sat: on a big rock (or by the path)
2. Who rushed to catch him: a quick red fox (or fox)
3. Two words ending in -ck: Mack, rock, luck, quick, pack
Common Error & Remediation Guide
Overgeneralization (*shick, *bith): Remind students that not every word ends in -ck. Teach students to tap ending sounds carefully to identify if the final sound is /k/, /sh/, /ch/, or /th/.Kinesthetic Support: Have students tap the table twice for digraph letters (two letters) but say the sound only once to ground the concept.ELL / Articulation Support: Unvoiced /th/ (bath, moth) requires physical modeling in a small handheld mirror so students see the tongue peeking out.
Digraph Detectives Instructional Sequence • Teacher Guide Lesson 2
Sound Switch Slides Case File 03 Digraph Detectives Unit Finale
Sound Switch Showdown
Sound Switch Masters
Transform simple CVC words into powerful digraph words by switching one sound!
Start with CVC
s - i - p
Switch Front Sound
sh - i - p
Brand New Word!
ship
Front Sound Transformations
CVC → Digraph
Base CVC
win
swap /w/ for /ch/
New Digraph
chin
Base CVC
hop
swap /h/ for /ch/
New Digraph
chop
Base CVC
bed
swap /b/ for /sh/
New Digraph
shed
Base CVC
pin
swap /p/ for /th/
New Digraph
thin
One sound leaves, one digraph enters — the vowel stays the same!
Tail Sound Transformations
End Sound Switch
Base CVC
fin
swap /n/ for /sh/
New Digraph
fish
Base CVC
bat
swap /t/ for /th/
New Digraph
bath
Base CVC
rip
swap /p/ for /ch/
New Digraph
rich
Base CVC
cup
swap /p/ for /ck/
New Digraph
duck
Listen closely to the tail sound: /sh/, /th/, /ch/, or /k/!
Detective Face-Off: Read and Contrast
Look Closely!
Pair 1
cat
vs
chat
Pair 2
pan
vs
path
Pair 3
sip
vs
sick
Pair 4
win
vs
whip
Detective Badge Unlocked! Ready for Case File 03!
Sound Switch Worksheet Case File 03: Sound Switch Masters
CVC to Digraph Transformation Worksheet
Name:
Date:
Transformation Mission: Detectives don't just find digraphs — they can create them! Swap one sound in a CVC word to build a brand new digraph word.
1
The Sound Switch Lab: Swap One Sound
1. Base: sip → Change /s/ to /sh/
2. Base: win → Change /w/ to /ch/
3. Base: bat → Change /t/ to /th/
4. Base: rip → Change /p/ to /ch/
5. Base: hop → Change /h/ to /ch/
6. Base: fin → Change /n/ to /sh/
2
Detective Face-Off: Circle the Matching Word
1. To talk casually with a buddy:
cat chat
2. A walking trail through the woods:
path pan
3. Not feeling well; having a fever:
sip sick
4. Having lots of cash and gold:
rip rich
Case File 03 • Page 1 of 2
Case File 03 • Continued
Master Fluency Case & Certification
Cumulative Digraph Review
3
Mystery Case: The Missing Fish in the Shed
Read 3 times:
Seth had a pet fish in a glass dish. One day, the dish was shut inside the old shed! Seth felt a sudden chill. "Which lock is on the door?" he said with a sigh.
Seth took a thick stick and gave the lock a big tap. Thud! The lock did drop into the mud. Seth ran in with a quick rush. The fish did swim with a splash! "That was such good luck!" said Seth with a grin.
1. Where was the dish with the fish shut inside?
2. What did Seth use to tap the lock?
Official Detective Clearance
Master Digraph Sleuth Badge
I have mastered beginning and ending digraphs: sh, ch, th, wh, and ck !
Detective Signature:
Badge ID Date:
Sequence Status: Case Solved & Certified!
Case File 03 • Page 2 of 2
Sound Switch Teacher Guide Teacher Lesson Guide & Assessment Rubric
Lesson 3: Sound Switch Masters
Unit: Digraph Detectives
Grade 2 Review • 35-45 Min
Warm-Up (5 min)
Oral sound substitution: "Say cat . Change /k/ to /ch/. What word? chat! "
Direct Teach (10 min)
Review CVC vs Digraph contrast pairs; emphasize how 1 phoneme swap alters meaning.
Apply & Assess (25 min)
Case File 03 worksheet, timed fluency partner read, award detective certificates.
Case File 03 Worksheet Key
Part 1: Sound Switch Lab Transformations
1. sip → ship
2. win → chin
3. bat → bath
4. rip → rich
5. hop → chop
6. fin → fish
Part 2: Detective Face-Off Discrimination
1. Friendly talk: chat
2. Walking trail: path
3. Not feeling well: sick
4. Lots of cash/gold: rich
Part 3: Master Decodable Case (Missing Fish in the Shed)
1. Where was the dish shut? inside the old shed (or in the shed)
2. What did Seth use? a thick stick
Digraph Mastery Assessment Rubric (Grade 2 Benchmark)
Needs Support (1)
Blends digraph letters as separate sounds (e.g., /s/-/h/ instead of /sh/). Spells phonetically without -ck rule.
Approaching (2)
Accurately decodes initial digraphs; occasionally confuses /ch/ and /sh/ or omits tail -ck in spelling.
Mastered (3)
Fluently reads all target digraphs (sh, ch, th, wh, ck) in isolation and connected decodable text with ≥95% accuracy.
Recommended Next Phonics Phase:
Students are now ready to progress to Initial and Final Consonant Blends (e.g., st-, bl-, -mp, -nd ) where both consonant phonemes are individually voiced, or into Digraph + Blend combinations (e.g., shrimp, crash, pinch ).
Digraph Detectives Instructional Sequence • Teacher Guide Lesson 3
