Trail Long A Teacher Guide Day 1 • 40-Minute Block • Lesson 1 IEP Focus: Decoding & Spelling Dictation
Trail of Long A: Teacher Guide
Explicit, systematic routine for vowel digraphs ai and ay.
0:00 - 0:08 (8m)
Auditory Discovery
0:08 - 0:18 (10m)
Rule & Oral Drill
0:18 - 0:32 (14m)
Spelling Dictation
0:32 - 0:40 (8m)
IEP Check & Wrap
1
Auditory Discovery Routine (8 Min)
Script: "Listen carefully as I read these words. Put your thumbs up when you hear the vowel sound: rain, play, train, clay, wait, stay. What vowel sound is in every word?" (Students: /ā/).
Target Word Set (Read Aloud):
1. rain • 2. play • 3. train • 4. clay • 5. wait • 6. stay
Guiding Prompt:
"Where do you hear /ā/ in train? (Middle). Where do you hear /ā/ in play? (End)."
2
Explicit Rule & Oral Drill (10 Min)
Orthographic Rule: Use ai in the beginning or middle of a base word (e.g., aid, rain). Use ay at the end of a base word or syllable (e.g., play, day). English words rarely end in i !
Oral Reading Drill (10 Words • Tap, Blend, Read):
pail gray brain spray snail tray claim sway stray faint
3
Spelling Dictation Routine (14 Min)
Teacher dictates word → Students finger-stretch sounds → Identify position of /ā/ → Write in worksheet sound boxes.
1. sail (/s/-/ā/-/l/)
Middle → ai
2. bay (/b/-/ā/)
End → ay
3. train (/t/-/r/-/ā/-/n/)
Middle → ai
4. clay (/k/-/l/-/ā/)
End → ay
5. paint (/p/-/ā/-/n/-/t/)
Middle → ai
6. stray (/s/-/t/-/r/-/ā/)
End → ay
Dictation Sentence: "The gray train will wait in the rain." (Target checks: gray, train, wait, rain).
Vowel Team Voyagers • Lesson 1 Teacher Guide Page 1 of 2
Day 2 • 40-Minute Block • Lesson 1 IEP Focus: Generalization & Reading Comprehension
Trail of Long A: Decodable & Comprehension
Connected text fluency, text-dependent questioning, and IEP progress scoring.
0:00 - 0:06 (6m)
Rapid Re-drill
0:06 - 0:20 (14m)
Decodable Passage
0:20 - 0:34 (14m)
Comprehension & Sort
0:34 - 0:40 (6m)
IEP Scoring Rubric
4
Decodable Text: "The Rainy Day Train"
Instructional Steps: 1. Choral read paragraph 1 for cadence. 2. Partner whisper read paragraph 2. 3. Cold call student turns for paragraph 3. 4. Code marking: circle all ai words in blue, underline all ay words in green.
Passage Vowel-Team Target Count (16 Targets Total):
AI words (9): rain, rainy, train, waiting, rails, faint, paid, trail, snail. AY words (7): day, May, gray, stay, play, away, ray.
5
Comprehension & Vocabulary Prompts
Q1 (Literal): Why did May have to stay inside the train depot?
Expected: Heavy gray rain was falling on the trail and the wind was spraying water.
Q2 (Vocabulary): What does the word faint mean when describing the whistle sound?
Expected: Soft, quiet, or barely audible because the train is still far down the track.
Q3 (Inferential/Generalization): How does the author show the weather improved at the end?
Expected: A bright ray of sun peeked through the gray sky and May could play outside again.
IEP Goal Data Collection (Days 1 & 2)
Target Skill Mastery Criteria Data Source Remediation Cue 1. Decoding Accuracy ≥ 8/10 words on oral drill Day 1 oral drill tracker Tap sounds under digraph 2. Spelling Dictation ≥ 5/6 words correctly encoded Day 1 sound boxes Prompt: "Is /ā/ at the end?" 3. Phonics Generalization Correctly sort 6 novel words Day 2 sort activity Check end vs. middle position 4. Reading Comprehension 2/3 questions with text evidence Day 2 worksheet Q1-Q3 Prompt: "Point to paragraph 2."
Vowel Team Voyagers • Lesson 1 Teacher Guide Page 2 of 2
Trail Long A Student Worksheet Day 1 • Phonics Workout
Name: _______________________________ Date: ________________
Trail of Long A: Digraphs AI & AY
Listen to vowel sounds, practice reading words smoothly, and encode target spellings.
1 Part 1: Auditory Discovery
Sound Target: /ā/
Listen as your teacher reads each word. Write the letters that make the /ā/ sound and check its location.
1. r ai n Position: [ ] Middle [ ] End
2. pl ay Position: [ ] Middle [ ] End
3. tr ai n Position: [ ] Middle [ ] End
4. cl ay Position: [ ] Middle [ ] End
Rule Reminder: Use ai in the middle of words. Use ay at the end of words!
2 Part 2: Oral Reading Drill
Goal: 8/10 Accurate
Read each word aloud to your partner or teacher. Check the circle when read correctly.
pail
◯ Read
gray
◯ Read
brain
◯ Read
spray
◯ Read
snail
◯ Read
tray
◯ Read
claim
◯ Read
sway
◯ Read
stray
◯ Read
faint
◯ Read
3 Part 3: Spelling Dictation
Listen • Map Sounds • Write
Write each dictated word in the sound boxes. One sound per box.
Dictated Sentence:
Vowel Team Voyagers • Lesson 1 Student Worksheet Page 1 of 2
Day 2 • Decodable Reading Focus: Fluency, Vocabulary & Comprehension
The Rainy Day Train
Paragraph 1: May sat by the big train depot on a wet and gray day. Heavy rain fell on the green hill and on the snail creeping along the rail. May had a bag of clay, but she could not play out on the trail while the rain was falling down. She had to stay inside and wait for the train to arrive.
Paragraph 2: May paid for her ticket and held her pail of snacks. Soon, she heard a faint whistle down the long track. A big black train with bright gray paint rolled up to the station. The train began to slow down as steam blew away into the air. May was excited to climb on board and take her seat.
Paragraph 3: Just as the wheels began to turn, a golden ray of warm sunshine broke through the gray clouds. The storm blew away over the bay. May smiled out the window as the train sped along the rails. It turned out to be a grand day for a train ride!
Trail Long A Slides Lesson 1 • Days 1-2 Vowel Team Voyagers
Sound /ā/
Trail of Long A: Digraphs AI & AY
Step 1: Auditory Discovery • What sound do all these words share?
rain
/r/-/ā/-/n/
play
/p/-/l/-/ā/
train
/t/-/r/-/ā/-/n/
clay
/k/-/l/-/ā/
wait
/w/-/ā/-/t/
Auditory Clue: All words make the Long A sound (/ā/)! ai / ay
Orthographic Rule Position Rules the Spelling
ai Middle of Word
Use ai when the /ā/ sound is in the middle or at the beginning.
tr - ai - n train
p - ai - nt paint
ay End of Word
Use ay when the /ā/ sound is at the end of a base word or syllable.
pl - ay play
gr - ay gray
"English words rarely end in letter I — so when you hear /ā/ at the end, write ay !"
Oral Reading Drill Choral • Echo • Fast Read
pail
gray
brain
spray
snail
tray
claim
sway
stray
faint
White words = ai (middle sound) Blue words = ay (end sound) Read 10/10 with 100% accuracy!
Spelling Dictation Routine Listen • Map • Encode
1
Listen
Teacher says the word aloud.
2
Stretch
Tap each phoneme on fingers.
3
Decide
Is /ā/ in middle or at the end?
4
Write
Record in your worksheet boxes.
Dictation Sentence Challenge:
"The gray train will wait in the rain."
Day 2 Story Fluency Text Spotlight
The Rainy Day Train
P1: May sat by the big train depot on a wet and gray day. Heavy rain fell on the green hill and on the snail creeping along the rail...
P2: May paid for her ticket and held her pail of snacks. Soon, she heard a faint whistle down the long track...
Peak Long E Teacher Guide Day 3 • 40-Minute Block • Lesson 2 IEP Focus: Decoding & Encoding Vowel Teams
Peak of Long E: Teacher Guide
Explicit, systematic routine for vowel digraphs ee and ea.
0:00 - 0:08 (8m)
Auditory Discovery
0:08 - 0:18 (10m)
Rule & Oral Drill
0:18 - 0:32 (14m)
Spelling Dictation
0:32 - 0:40 (8m)
IEP Check & Wrap
1
Auditory Discovery Routine (8 Min)
Script: "Close your eyes and listen to these words: deep, heat, sweet, beach, seed, team. What vowel sound is present in every word?" (Students: /ē/).
Target Word Set (Read Aloud):
1. deep • 2. heat • 3. sweet • 4. beach • 5. seed • 6. team
Guiding Prompt:
"Both pairs make the long /ē/ sound. Today we examine how ee and ea work as reading partners."
2
Explicit Rule & Oral Drill (10 Min)
Orthographic Guideline: ee most reliably says /ē/ (as in see, feet, green). ea also frequently says /ē/ (as in leaf, meat, beach). When decoding, try /ē/ first for both!
Oral Reading Drill (10 Words • Tap, Blend, Read):
green reach fleet speak steam sheep treat beast bleed dream
3
Spelling Dictation Routine (14 Min)
Teacher dictates word → Students isolate phonemes → Model spelling option → Write in worksheet boxes.
1. keep (/k/-/ē/-/p/)
Pattern → ee
2. teach (/t/-/ē/-/ch/)
Pattern → ea
3. deep (/d/-/ē/-/p/)
Pattern → ee
4. neat (/n/-/ē/-/t/)
Pattern → ea
5. sleep (/s/-/l/-/ē/-/p/)
Pattern → ee
6. clean (/k/-/l/-/ē/-/n/)
Pattern → ea
Dictation Sentence: "The green sheep will sleep near the stream." (Target checks: green, sheep, sleep, near, stream).
Vowel Team Voyagers • Lesson 2 Teacher Guide Page 1 of 2
Day 4 • 40-Minute Block • Lesson 2 IEP Focus: Generalization & Reading Comprehension
Peak of Long E: Decodable & Comprehension
Connected text fluency, text-dependent questioning, and IEP progress scoring.
0:00 - 0:06 (6m)
Rapid Re-drill
0:06 - 0:20 (14m)
Decodable Passage
0:20 - 0:34 (14m)
Comprehension & Sort
0:34 - 0:40 (6m)
IEP Scoring Rubric
Peak Long E Student Worksheet Day 3 • Phonics Workout
Name: _______________________________ Date: ________________
Peak of Long E: Digraphs EE & EA
Listen for the /ē/ sound, read fluency words, and spell using vowel digraphs.
1 Part 1: Auditory Discovery
Sound Target: /ē/
Listen to each word. Circle the vowel team you hear making the /ē/ sound.
1. d ee p Team: ( ee / ea )
2. h ea t Team: ( ee / ea )
3. sw ee t Team: ( ee / ea )
4. b ea ch Team: ( ee / ea )
Rule Reminder: Both ee and ea say /ē/. Try /ē/ first when reading unfamiliar words!
2 Part 2: Oral Reading Drill
Goal: 8/10 Accurate
Read each word aloud cleanly. Check the box when accurately read.
green
◯ Read
reach
◯ Read
fleet
◯ Read
speak
◯ Read
steam
◯ Read
sheep
◯ Read
treat
◯ Read
beast
◯ Read
bleed
◯ Read
dream
◯ Read
3 Part 3: Spelling Dictation
Listen • Map • Encode
Write each dictated word on the line after stretching each sound.
Dictated Sentence:
Vowel Team Voyagers • Lesson 2 Student Worksheet Page 1 of 2
Day 4 • Decodable Reading Focus: Fluency, Vocabulary & Comprehension
The Secret Stream
Paragraph 1: Lee and Dean formed a hiking team to explore the tall green woods. Their goal was to reach a secret stream tucked between steep rocks. As they walked along the trail, Lee paused to see a tall beech tree. Cool breezes began to sweep across the leaves, making the heat of the day fade away.
Paragraph 2: Soon, they could hear water splash over clean stones. They stepped quietly so they could peek through the branches. Right beside the clear stream stood a graceful deer! The deer lowered its head to feed on a tender green leaf. Lee tapped Dean on the arm and did not speak so they would not scare the gentle beast.
Paragraph 3: The boys sat on a dry log to eat a light meal. Watching the deer was a special treat for their team. As the sun began to sink, they stood up to head home before dusk. It was a neat trip that both Lee and Dean would keep in their memory forever.
4 Part 4: Reading Comprehension
Peak Long E Slides Lesson 2 • Days 3-4 Vowel Team Voyagers
Sound /ē/
Peak of Long E: Digraphs EE & EA
Step 1: Auditory Discovery • Tune your ears to the shared vowel sound!
deep
/d/-/ē/-/p/
heat
/h/-/ē/-/t/
sweet
/s/-/w/-/ē/-/t/
beach
/b/-/ē/-/ch/
seed
/s/-/ē/-/d/
Auditory Clue: All words share the Long E sound (/ē/)! ee / ea
Orthographic Guideline Two Common Teams for /ē/
ee Double E Pattern
The letters ee almost always say /ē/. Found in both the middle and at the end of words.
gr - ee - n green
tr - ee tree
ea E-A Team Pattern
The digraph ea most commonly says /ē/. Found in many everyday reading words.
str - ea - m stream
cl - ea - n clean
"When you see ee or ea in a word, test the long /ē/ sound first!"
Oral Reading Drill Choral • Echo • Fast Read
green
reach
fleet
speak
steam
sheep
treat
beast
bleed
dream
White words = ee Green words = ea Target: Read smoothly with zero pauses!
Spelling Dictation Routine Listen • Map • Encode
1
Listen
Teacher says the target word.
2
Segment
Tap every phoneme sound.
3
Choose
Select EE or EA team.
4
Write
Spell neatly in line boxes.
Dictation Sentence Challenge:
"The green sheep will sleep near the stream."
Day 4 Story Fluency Text Spotlight
The Secret Stream
P1: Lee and Dean formed a hiking team to explore tall green woods. Their goal was to reach a secret stream...
P2: Soon, they could hear water splash over clean stones. Right beside the stream stood a deer feeding on a leaf...
P3: The boys sat on a dry log to eat a light meal. Watching the deer was a special treat for their team...
Coast Long O Teacher Guide Day 5 • 40-Minute Block • Lesson 3 IEP Focus: Decoding Accuracy & Dictation
Coast of Long O: Teacher Guide
Explicit, systematic routine for vowel digraphs oa and oe.
0:00 - 0:08 (8m)
Auditory Discovery
0:08 - 0:18 (10m)
Rule & Oral Drill
0:18 - 0:32 (14m)
Spelling Dictation
0:32 - 0:40 (8m)
IEP Check & Wrap
1
Auditory Discovery Routine (8 Min)
Script: "Listen carefully as I pronounce these words: boat, toe, coat, doe, roast, foam. Tap your chest when you hear the vowel. What sound is in every word?" (Students: /ō/).
Target Word Set (Read Aloud):
1. boat • 2. toe • 3. coat • 4. doe • 5. roast • 6. foam
Guiding Prompt:
"Where is /ō/ in boat? (Middle). Where is /ō/ in toe? (End). Position tells us which letters to write!"
2
Explicit Rule & Oral Drill (10 Min)
Orthographic Rule: Use oa in the middle of words (e.g., boat, soap). Words never end with oa ! Use oe at the end of base words (e.g., toe, doe, foe).
Oral Reading Drill (10 Words • Tap, Blend, Read):
boat toe cloak foe groan float toast doe soak roast
3
Spelling Dictation Routine (14 Min)
Teacher dictates word → Students tap sounds → Check position of /ō/ → Write in worksheet sound boxes.
1. coat (/k/-/ō/-/t/)
Middle → oa
2. toe (/t/-/ō/)
End → oe
3. float (/f/-/l/-/ō/-/t/)
Middle → oa
4. doe (/d/-/ō/)
End → oe
5. soap (/s/-/ō/-/p/)
Middle → oa
6. goal (/g/-/ō/-/l/)
Middle → oa
Dictation Sentence: "The goat will float on the slow boat." (Target checks: goat, float, boat).
Vowel Team Voyagers • Lesson 3 Teacher Guide Page 1 of 2
Day 6 • 40-Minute Block • Lesson 3 IEP Focus: Generalization & Reading Comprehension
Coast of Long O: Decodable & Comprehension
Connected text fluency, text-dependent questioning, and IEP progress scoring.
0:00 - 0:06 (6m)
Rapid Re-drill
0:06 - 0:20 (14m)
Decodable Passage
0:20 - 0:34 (14m)
Comprehension & Sort
0:34 - 0:40 (6m)
IEP Scoring Rubric
Coast Long O Student Worksheet Day 5 • Phonics Workout
Name: _______________________________ Date: ________________
Coast of Long O: Digraphs OA & OE
Explore vowel patterns for /ō/, build rapid word reading, and practice dictation.
1 Part 1: Auditory Discovery
Sound Target: /ō/
Listen to each word. Check where you hear the /ō/ sound in the word.
1. b oa t Position: [ ] Middle [ ] End
2. t oe Position: [ ] Middle [ ] End
3. c oa t Position: [ ] Middle [ ] End
4. d oe Position: [ ] Middle [ ] End
Rule Reminder: Use oa in the middle of words. Use oe at the end of base words!
2 Part 2: Oral Reading Drill
Goal: 8/10 Accurate
Read each word aloud with speed and accuracy. Check the circle when mastered.
boat
◯ Read
toe
◯ Read
cloak
◯ Read
foe
◯ Read
groan
◯ Read
float
◯ Read
toast
◯ Read
doe
◯ Read
soak
◯ Read
roast
◯ Read
3 Part 3: Spelling Dictation
Listen • Map • Write
Write each dictated word in the box after checking if /ō/ is in the middle or end.
Dictated Sentence:
Vowel Team Voyagers • Lesson 3 Student Worksheet Page 1 of 2
Day 6 • Decodable Reading Focus: Fluency, Vocabulary & Comprehension
The Goat on the Boat
Paragraph 1: Coach Joe had a wide wooden boat that loved to float on the river. One sunny morning, he took his pet goat, Flo, for a peaceful ride. Joe put a warm red coat on Flo so the damp river foam would not soak her fur. Flo tapped her hoof and made a happy groan as they set sail from the dock.
Paragraph 2: The boat drifted smoothly down toward the rocky coast. Joe leaned over the side and dipped his big toe into the cool water. Along the sandy bank, a wild doe raised its head to gaze at the boat. The doe stood still, watching Joe and Flo float by without making a sound.
Paragraph 3: At lunchtime, Joe pulled the boat close to shore to make a snack. He toasted slices of oat bread over a small camp grill and gave Flo a sweet green treat. They sat by the coast until the boat began to rock in the afternoon breeze. Joe steered them safely home before the sun dropped low.
Coast Long O Slides Lesson 3 • Days 5-6 Vowel Team Voyagers
Sound /ō/
Coast of Long O: Digraphs OA & OE
Step 1: Auditory Discovery • Identify the common vowel sound in each word!
boat
/b/-/ō/-/t/
toe
/t/-/ō/
coat
/k/-/ō/-/t/
doe
/d/-/ō/
roast
/r/-/ō/-/s/-/t/
Auditory Clue: All words make the Long O sound (/ō/)! oa / oe
Orthographic Rule Position Determines the Spelling
oa Middle of Word
Use oa when /ō/ is in the middle . English words do not end in oa !
b - oa - t boat
c - oa - st coast
oe End of Word
Use oe when the /ō/ sound is at the very end of a base word.
t - oe toe
d - oe doe
"Hear /ō/ in the middle? Write oa ! Hear /ō/ at the end? Write oe !"
Oral Reading Drill Choral • Echo • Fast Read
boat
toe
cloak
foe
groan
float
toast
doe
soak
roast
White words = oa (middle sound) Amber words = oe (end sound) Read fluently with zero hesitation!
Spelling Dictation Routine Listen • Map • Encode
1
Listen
Teacher pronounces word.
2
Finger Tap
Count sounds on fingers.
3
Position
Is /ō/ in middle or at the end?
4
Write
Spell carefully in boxes.
Dictation Sentence Challenge:
"The goat will float on the slow boat."
Day 6 Story Fluency Text Spotlight
The Goat on the Boat
P1: Coach Joe had a wide wooden boat that loved to float on the river. He took his pet goat for a ride and gave her a warm red coat...
P2: The boat drifted toward the rocky coast. Joe dipped his big toe into the water. Along the bank, a wild doe raised its head...
Duos Teacher Guide Day 7 • 40-Minute Block • Lesson 4 IEP Focus: Decoding Accuracy & Dictation
Quest of Vowel Duos: Teacher Guide
Explicit, systematic routine for vowel digraphs ie (/ī/) and ue (/ū/).
0:00 - 0:08 (8m)
Auditory Discovery
0:08 - 0:18 (10m)
Rule & Oral Drill
0:18 - 0:32 (14m)
Spelling Dictation
0:32 - 0:40 (8m)
IEP Check & Wrap
1
Auditory Discovery Routine (8 Min)
Script: "Listen carefully to two sets of words. Set 1: pie, tie, lie (what sound? /ī/). Set 2: blue, clue, true (what sound? /ū/). Both patterns end with an 'e' that makes the first vowel say its name!"
Target Word Set (Read Aloud):
1. pie • 2. blue • 3. tie • 4. clue • 5. lie • 6. true
Guiding Prompt:
"Why do English words end in -ue or -ie? English words almost never end in bare 'u' or 'i', so an 'e' joins the team!"
2
Explicit Rule & Oral Drill (10 Min)
Orthographic Rules: ie says long /ī/ at the end of simple base words (pie, tie, lie). ue says long /ū/ at the end of base words (blue, clue, glue, true).
Oral Reading Drill (10 Words • Tap, Blend, Read):
pie blue tie clue lie true cried glue fries due
3
Spelling Dictation Routine (14 Min)
Teacher dictates word → Students isolate phonemes → Identify vowel sound (/ī/ vs /ū/) → Write in worksheet sound boxes.
1. tie (/t/-/ī/)
Sound /ī/ → ie
2. clue (/k/-/l/-/ū/)
Sound /ū/ → ue
3. pie (/p/-/ī/)
Sound /ī/ → ie
4. blue (/b/-/l/-/ū/)
Sound /ū/ → ue
5. lie (/l/-/ī/)
Sound /ī/ → ie
6. true (/t/-/r/-/ū/)
Sound /ū/ → ue
Dictation Sentence: "The blue tie has a true clue." (Target checks: blue, tie, true, clue).
Vowel Team Voyagers • Lesson 4 Teacher Guide Page 1 of 2
Day 8 • 40-Minute Block • Lesson 4 IEP Focus: Generalization & Reading Comprehension
Quest of Vowel Duos: Decodable & Comprehension
Connected text fluency, text-dependent questioning, and IEP progress scoring.
0:00 - 0:06 (6m)
Rapid Re-drill
0:06 - 0:20 (14m)
Decodable Passage
0:20 - 0:34 (14m)
Comprehension & Sort
0:34 - 0:40 (6m)
Duos Student Worksheet Day 7 • Phonics Workout
Name: _______________________________ Date: ________________
Quest of Vowel Duos: Digraphs IE & UE
Explore vowel pairs that say their letter names, practice oral blending, and encode words.
1 Part 1: Auditory Discovery
Targets: /ī/ and /ū/
Listen to each word. Circle whether the vowel sound is long /ī/ or long /ū/.
1. p ie Vowel Sound: ( /ī/ / /ū/ )
2. bl ue Vowel Sound: ( /ī/ / /ū/ )
3. t ie Vowel Sound: ( /ī/ / /ū/ )
4. cl ue Vowel Sound: ( /ī/ / /ū/ )
Rule Reminder: Letter team ie says /ī/ at the end of base words. Team ue says /ū/!
2 Part 2: Oral Reading Drill
Goal: 8/10 Accurate
Read each word aloud cleanly. Check off each word you read with accuracy.
pie
◯ Read
blue
◯ Read
tie
◯ Read
clue
◯ Read
lie
◯ Read
true
◯ Read
cried
◯ Read
glue
◯ Read
fries
◯ Read
due
◯ Read
3 Part 3: Spelling Dictation
Listen • Map • Encode
Write each dictated word in the box after tapping out its sounds.
Dictated Sentence:
Vowel Team Voyagers • Lesson 4 Student Worksheet Page 1 of 2
Day 8 • Decodable Reading Focus: Fluency, Vocabulary & Comprehension
The True Clue Mystery
Paragraph 1: Sue baked a fresh fruit pie in her favorite shiny blue pan. When she went outside to get it, the pie was not on the porch! "Oh no, where is my pie?" Sue cried in surprise. She refused to tell a lie and admit defeat, so she set out to find a true clue. She wore her bright blue cap and began searching the grass.
Paragraph 2: Sue spied a tiny tag tied with a blue ribbon near the garden gate. The note was stuck with sticky glue to a wooden post. The clue said: "Walk ten steps due north to rescue your sweet treat." Sue tied her shoe tightly and marched across the lawn, eager to solve the puzzle.
Paragraph 3: Behind the tall lilac bush sat a sunny picnic table. There was the berry pie, safe and sound! Her pal had carried it over so the berries would cool in the shade. Sue laughed with delight and cut two big slices of pie for both of them to enjoy. The mystery was solved!
Duos Slides Lesson 4 • Days 7-8 Vowel Team Voyagers
Sounds /ī/ and /ū/
Quest of Vowel Duos: Digraphs IE & UE
Step 1: Auditory Discovery • Identify the vowel sounds in each duo!
pie
/p/-/ī/
blue
/b/-/l/-/ū/
tie
/t/-/ī/
clue
/k/-/l/-/ū/
true
/t/-/r/-/ū/
Auditory Clue: The vowels say their letter names with a silent 'e' partner! ie / ue
Orthographic Guideline Silent 'E' Protectors
ie Long /ī/ Sound
Use ie to make the long /ī/ sound at the end of simple base words.
p - ie pie
t - ie - d tied
ue Long /ū/ Sound
Use ue to make the /ū/ sound. English words never end in bare 'u'!
bl - ue blue
cl - ue clue
"English words do not end in 'i' or 'u' — so silent 'e' joins to create ie and ue !"
Oral Reading Drill Choral • Echo • Fast Read
pie
blue
tie
clue
lie
true
cried
glue
fries
due
White words = ie (/ī/ sound) Purple words = ue (/ū/ sound) Read 10/10 with complete mastery!
Spelling Dictation Routine Listen • Map • Encode
1
Listen
Teacher says word aloud.
2
Segment
Tap sounds on fingers.
3
Vowel Sound
Is it /ī/ (ie) or /ū/ (ue)?
4
Write
Record in worksheet boxes.
Dictation Sentence Challenge:
"The blue tie has a true clue."
Day 8 Story Fluency Text Spotlight
The True Clue Mystery
P1: Sue baked a fresh fruit pie in her shiny blue pan. When she went outside, it was gone! "Where is my pie?" Sue cried...
P2: Sue spied a tag tied with ribbon. The clue said: "Walk ten steps due north to rescue your treat." Sue tied her shoe tightly...
P3: Behind the lilac bush sat the pie, safe and sound! Sue laughed and cut two slices of pie for both friends. The mystery was solved!
