Grade Levels: K-3

*Click to open and customize your own copy of the Short Vowels Lesson Plan.

This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP Jr. topic Short Vowels, and supports the standard of distinguishing long from short vowel sounds in spoken single-syllable words. Students demonstrate understanding through a variety of projects.

Step 1: ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Display images of objects whose names include a short vowel, such as these examples, or show the real objects for students to see.

       

Prompt students to say the name of each object. Ask:

  • What vowel sounds do you hear in each word? What other words have the same vowel sounds?

Step 2: BUILD KNOWLEDGE

  • Play the Short Vowels movie.  
  • Click the pause button each time a question appears in Annie’s Notebook and discuss it as a class. Then play to see how Annie answers it. 

TIP: The pause button turns red to remind you to pause. 

Step 3: APPLY and ASSESS

Students take the Easy Quiz or Hard Quiz, demonstrating what they learned about the topic while applying essential literacy skills.

Step 4: DEEPEN and EXTEND

Students express what they learned about short vowels while practicing essential literacy skills with one or more of the following activities. Differentiate by assigning ones that meet individual student or grade-level needs.

  • Draw About It: Draw some things that use the short o sound.
  • Activity: Follow the directions to create a word with a short vowel sound.
  • Talk About It: Write words that use the short vowel sound.
  • Write About It: Write a letter to Moby and print it. Circle all the words with short vowel sounds.

More to Explore 

Phonics Unit: Continue to build understanding around the foundations of speech by exploring more BrainPOP Jr. topics.

Teacher Support Resources: