reading skills games long&short vowels

Long & ShortVowels

Reading Skills GamesReading Skills GamesReading Skills GamesReading Skills Games

15 Fun & Easy Reproducible GamesThat Build Fundamental Reading Skills

by Liane B. Onish

New York u Toronto u London u Auckland u SydneyMexico City u New Delhi u Hong Kong u Buenos Aires

Reading Skills Card Games: Long & Short Vowels © Liane B. Onish, Scholastic Teaching Resources

Scholastic Inc. grants teachers permission to photocopy the reproducible pages in this book for classroom use

only. No other part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or

transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without

written permission of the publisher. For information regarding permission, write to

Scholastic Inc., 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012.

Cover design by Norma Ortiz

Interior design by Gerard Fuchs

Cover illustration by Anne Kennedy

Interior illustration by Rusty Fletcher and Maxie Chambliss

ISBN: 0-439-46597-4

Copyright © 2004 by Liane B. Onish.

All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Inc.

Printed in the U.S.A.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 40 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04

Hi, Mom!


Contents

About This Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Long-Vowel Word and Picture Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Short-Vowel Word and Picture Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Animal Word and Picture Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Vowel-Name Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Name It and Claim It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Concentration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Animal Go Fish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Sorting Hat Races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Compound Classmates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

t-Squares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Alpha-Order Races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Puzzling Syllables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Vowel Lineup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Spelling Pattern Bee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Roundup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Odd O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Short-Vowel Dominoes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Slap Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Spell Me a Riddle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47


4

Games make learning fun! This book features 15 exciting, easy-to-make and easy-to-play card games that reinforce short- and long-vowel sounds and letters. The gamecards include the following sets.long- and short-vowel word cards and their corresponding pictures:

animal word and picture cards:

vowel-name cards:

Variations for more challenging play are included, for more than 30 different games.

How to Use This BookOn the following pages, you will find reproducible game cards. Prepare the cards foreach game in advance. Introduce the games one at a time. Model how to play withpairs, small groups, or the whole class. Make additional copies of game cards for children to take home. Games are a great way to encourage family involvement.

How to Make the Cards Cards for many of the games are on pages 6–14. Other cards for specific games follow the game’s instructions. Photocopy the card pages onto heavy paper so that textor pictures do not show through the other side. Laminate if possible. Then cut the cards apart.

About This Book

apron acorn astronaut alphabet

ape whale yak panda

short

ashort

e long

ilong

o


5

How to Store the CardsKeep the cards for each game in a large, resealable plastic bag or folder. Label eachbag with the name of the game, the skill it reinforces, and the number of players. Forolder children or for your own reference, photocopy the directions and keep theminside the bag.

Owning Long- and Short-Vowel SoundsYou might make a set of word and picture cards for children so that students can“own” the vowel sounds. They can use their personal sets to play the games in thisbook during free time. You can use the cards for other games and classroom activities.Add your own picture and word cards by photocopying illustrations or photographsfrom magazines and pictures from books in your classroom or school library. Adding content-area or high-interest words and picture cards will make these games fun toplay all year long.

Who Goes First?Use alphabetical order to decide who goes first. Shuffle a set of picture or wordcards. Have each player pick a card. The player whose card is closest to A goesfirst. The player with the next closest letter goes second, and so on. You can alsouse children’s first, last, or middle names to determine order of play. For variety, use reverse alphabetical order.


#

acorn

apron

equaleasel

icicle

=


#

islandoval

overallsunicycle

United

States


#

astronaut

alphabet

eggelf

igloo


#

inchom

eletO

ctoberum

brellaum

pire


#

ape

wha

leeagle

sealtiger


#

mice

mole

goatunicorn

mule


#

yak

panda

elephantleopard

iguana


#

pigoctopus

foxskunk

duck

page

13


#

short

ashort

eshort

ishort

oshort

u

long

along

elong

ilong

olong

u

page

14


15

Materials: Materials:

Players: Pairs

Object: To match words and pictures by initial vowel sounds

How to Play

1. Prepare envelopes in advance. Photocopy and cut apart aset of long-vowel word and picture cards for each pair.Place the 20 cards in an envelope. Repeat for the short-vowel word and picture cards.

2. Give each pair an envelope with long-vowel word and picture cards. Show them how to time themselves.

3. Players open the envelopes and match the pictures to theword cards. When they have matched all their cards, theyrecord the time.

4. Challenge children to play the game several times and tryto beat their last time.

5. Play again, using short-vowel word and picture cards.

• 20 long-vowel word and picture cards: acorn, apron,equal, easel, icicle, island,oval, overalls, unicycle, UnitedStates (pages 6–7)

• 20 short-vowel word and picture cards: astronaut, alphabet, egg, elf, igloo, inch,omelet, October, umbrella,umpire (pages 8–9)

• Envelopes (2 per pair)

• Stopwatch or clock with asecond hand

Name It and Claim It

F Skill: Identifying initial vowel sounds

Long and ShortChallenge

Have children combine thelong- and short-vowel wordand picture cards in a single envelope. Time howlong it takes the class tomatch all the pictures to thecorrect words.


Materials:

Concentration

Players: Two or more

Object: To collect the most word–picture card pairs

How to Play

1. Photocopy and cut apart the long-vowel word and picturecards. Review picture names.

2. Mix up the word and picture cards. Place them facedownin a 4 by 5 array.

3. Play as you would play Concentration. The first player turnsover two cards. If the cards show a picture and its word,the player keeps the pair and turns over two more cards.The player’s turn ends when the cards show two words, twopictures, or a word and picture that do not match.

4. The player with the most pairs at the end wins.

5. Repeat, using the short-vowel word and picture cards.

• 20 long-vowel word and picture cards: acorn, apron,equal, easel, icicle, island, oval, overalls, unicycle, United States (pages 6–7)

• 20 short-vowel word and picture cards: astronaut,alphabet, egg, elf, igloo, inch,omelet, October, umbrella,umpire (pages 8–9)

F Skill: Matching long- and short-vowel words and pictures

16


17

40-Card Concentration

Mix the long- and short-vowel pictureand word card sets together (pages6–9). Place them facedown in a 5 by 8 array. Players match long- and short-vowel pictures to theirword cards.

Wild Card Concentration

Add one or more wild cards (seeright) to any of the games. Playersmay use the blank wild card as anyshort or long vowel to make a pair.

50-Card Concentration

Use the 10 vowel name cards (page14) with the long- and short-vowelpicture and word cards (pages6–9). Place them facedown in a 6 by 8 plus 2 array. The followingmatches count as pairs: • picture card–word card • picture card–vowel-name card • word card–vowel-name card

#

#

#

long

vow

elsh

ort

vow

elw

ildca

rd


18

Materials:Materials:

Animal Go Fish

Players: Two to four

Object: To get rid of one’s cards by matching animal picturesand names

How to Play

1. Photocopy and cut apart the animal word and picture cards.Deal seven cards to each player. Place remaining cards in apile in the center of the table. This is the “fish pond.”

2. Players look at their cards and remove any picture-wordpairs. Players place pairs facedown in front of them on the table.

3. Play as you would play Go Fish. The first player asks the player to his or her left for a long or short a, e, i, o, or uword or picture card. If the asked player has the card, he orshe gives it to the first player. The first player then asks anyother player for another card. The first player’s turn continues until the asked player does not have the requestedcard and says “Go fish.” The player takes a card from thefish pond to end his or her turn.

4. The player that said “Go fish” then asks the player to his orher left for a card.

5. Continue playing until one player has found pairs for all hisor her cards.

• 40 animal picture and wordcards: yak, panda, ape, whale,elephant, leopard, eagle, seal,iguana, pig, tiger, mice, fox,octopus, mole, goat, skunk,duck, unicorn, mule (pages 10–13)

• 10 animal picture and wordcards: ant, fish, hen, ostrich,squirrel (page 19)

F Skill: Identifying words with matching vowel sounds


#

ant

f ishhen

ostrichsquirrel


Materials: Materials: Materials:

Sorting Hat Races

Players: Individuals, pairs, or teams

Object: To sort picture cards by initial vowel sounds

How to Play

Individuals:1. Photocopy and cut apart the 40 picture cards. Mix up the

cards. Set out ten hats or boxes.

2. Set the timer for one minute.

3. Have the child sort the picture cards by initial vowel sound.

4. At the end of one minute, the child counts the number of cards in the correct hats. You might have the child use threeof the sorted words in one sentence.

5. Play again and challenge the child to beat his or her previous score.

• 10 hats or boxes labeled:Short a, Long a, Short e, Long e, Short i, Long i, Short o,Long o, Short u, Long u

• 10 long-vowel picture cards:acorn, apron, equal, easel, icicle, island, oval, overalls, unicycle, United States (pages 6–7)

• 10 short-vowel picture cards:astronaut, alphabet, egg, elf,igloo, inch, omelet, October,umbrella, umpire (pages 8–9)

• 20 animal picture cards: yak,panda, ape, whale, elephant,leopard, eagle, seal, iguana, pig,tiger, mice, fox, octopus, mole,goat, skunk, duck, unicorn,mule (pages 10–13)

• Timer

F Skill: Sorting pictures by initial vowel sounds

20


21

Pairs:1. Make two sets of picture cards. Use a different-colored paper for

each player.

2. Mix up each set of cards and give one set to each player. Place the ten hats or boxes between the players.

3. Players sort the picture cards by initial vowel sound.

4. The first player to accurately sort all his or her cards wins.

Teams:1. Make two sets of picture cards. Use a different color for each team.

2. Place the ten hats or boxes on a table at the front of the room.

3. Mix up each set of cards, and place them facedown in a pile in front of each team.

4. Teams line up at the back of the room.

5. The first player on each team takes the top card, runs to thefront of the room, and places the picture card in the correct hat. Then the player runs to the back of the line.

6. The first team to accurately sort all their picture cards wins.


Materials:

Compound Classmates

Players: Whole class

Object: To pair off to form compound words

How to Play

1. Divide the class into two teams. Appoint one or two captains for each team so that there are an even number of players.

2. Photocopy and cut apart enough word cards so that each player has a card. In a class of 30, each team will have14 players plus one team captain. Give each team captain14 word cards that will make seven compound words.

3. Teams line up on opposite sides of the room.

4. Captains will run to their teams and distribute the cards,one per player. Players read the cards aloud and hold themup so that everyone can easily see the words.

5. With the help of the team captains, all players try to find apartner with whom they can form a compound word.Paired teammates link arms. For example, the player withsail will link his or her left arm with the right arm of theplayer who has boat.

6. The first team to pair up all players wins. Those pairs allread their compound words aloud and hold up their cardsfor everyone to see.

• 48 word cards: wish, bone,sail, boat, pig, tail, high, way,home, made, base, ball, hop,scotch, egg, nog, neck, lace,pea, nut, ant, hill, back, pack,bed, time, mail, box, pan, cake,tea, cup, sun, shine, lip, stick,rain, bow, camp, fire, space,ship, hand, shake, play, pen,butter, fly (pages 23–25)

F Skill: Making compound words

22

Compounds Plus

Add other compound-wordcards to the deck. Use wordsfrom content areas, books,and high-interest topics.


#

wish bone sail boat

pig tail high way

home made base ball

hop scotch egg nog


#

neck lace pea nut

ant hill back pack

bed time mail box

pan cake tea cup


#

sun shine lip stick

rain bow camp fire

space ship hand shake

play pen butter fly


Materials:Materials:Materials:

t-Squares

Players: Small groups or whole class

Object: To form short-vowel words

How to Play

1. Copy and cut apart the letter cards. Set aside the fivevowel cards for Spelling Pattern Bee (pages 36–39) andSpell Me a Riddle (pages 47–48).

2. Prepare game boards and cards in advance. Make fivecopies of the game board on page 30. Fill in the spacesthat form the letter t with one vowel (see left). Photocopyand give one card to each player. Point out that some letters are underlined to show top and bottom.

3. Mix up the consonant cards and place them facedown in a pile.

4. Turn over the top card and read the letter. Players fill in oneof the four empty spaces with the letter, the goal being tobegin or end a short-vowel CVC word (cat, met, him, andso on). Players may pass on any letter and not use it ontheir game boards.

5. Continue reading letters until all players have filled in theirgame boards.

6. Players write the CVC words from their game boards on thelines provided.

7. Then players read their word lists aloud. Players score onepoint for each word.

8. Create and distribute game boards for another short vowel.Mix up the letter cards to begin the new game.

• t-Square game board (page 30)

• 26 letter cards: a to z(pages 27–29)

• Pencils

F Skill: Forming Consonant-Vowel-Consonant (CVC) words

26

t-Square

a aa

aa

t-Square

e ee

ee

t-Square

i ii

ii

t-Square

o oo

oo

t-Square

u uu

uu


#f a

g b

h c

i d

j e


#p kl

r m

s no

page

28


#x u

y v

z w


t-Square

Name ______________________________________________ Date _____________________________

page

30


Materials:

Materials:

• 2 sets of 5 long-vowel wordcards: acorn, equal, icicle, oval,unicycle (pages 6–7)

• 2 sets of 10 animal wordcards: yak, panda, whale, leopard, seal, tiger, mice, fox,mole, goat (pages 10–13)

Alpha-Order Races

F Skill: Alphabetizing

31

Players: Pairs or teams

Object: To put all cards in alphabetical order

How to Play

Pairs: 1. Mix up each set of cards and give one set to each player.

2. Players read the words aloud and put them in alphabetical order.

3. The first player to accurately place the cards in alphabeticalorder wins.

Teams: 1. Mix up each set of cards and place them facedown in a

pile in front of each team.

2. Teams line up a short distance from their playing field (a long table or chalkboard tray).

3. The first player takes the top card and runs to the team’s playing field. The player places the card roughly where itshould go in alphabetical order. For example, the acorncard goes on the far left of the playing field, the whalecard on the far right. The player runs to the back of the line.

4. Each team player adds one card to the playing field,adjusting the cards there as needed.

5. The first team to accurately place the cards in alphabeticalorder wins. Challenge them to identify which words haveshort-vowel sounds and which have long-vowel sounds.

Z to A

Order the cards from Z to A. Then say the alphabet backward!

Picture-Order Races

Play using only picture cards:ape, equal, fox, goat, igloo,leopard, mice, octopus,panda, skunk, tiger, umbrella,whale, and yak. Have childrencreate additional picture cardsfor the letters: b, c, d, h, j, k,n, g, r, v, x, and z.


Materials:

Puzzling Syllables


Object: To match syllables to create words

How to Play

1. Photocopy and cut apart the syllable cards.

2. Show the class two syllable cards that, together, form aword. Have them read the individual syllables. Ask them toput the two syllables together in the proper order to make a word.

3. Mix up all the syllable cards. Distribute them randomly, oneto each player. Tell players not to look at their cards untilyou say “Go.”

4. When you say “Go,” players find the classmate who has asyllable that will match. When players pair up, have themsit down together. When all players are seated, have eachpair read their word aloud.

• 32 syllable word cards (use as many as needed topair up all players):duck, ling, rab, bit, nap, kin,pump, kin, chip, munk, chest,nut, sand, wich, hon, ey, yel,low, zig, zag, hip, po, vis, it,vac, uum, de, fend, fif, teen,ro, bot (pages 33–34)

F Skill: Combining syllables to make two-syllable words

32

Time for Syllables

Time how long it takes theclass to match all the syllables. Play several times over a week or two,recording the time for eachgame. Challenge children tobeat their previous time.

Great foroutdoors oropen spaces


#

duck ling rab bit

nap kin pump kin

chip munk chest nut

sand wich hon ey


#

yel low zig zag

hip po vis it

vac uum de fend

fif teen ro bot


Materials:Materials:


Object: To line up using vowel sounds

How to Play

1. Give each player an index card. Have children write theirfirst or last names on the cards.

2. Ask, “Who has the short-a sound in their names?” Have allthose children meet in a group. Some children will havemore than one vowel sound in their name; have them usethe first one. Repeat for the other short-, and then long-,vowel sounds.

3. Have each group of players arrange themselves in alphabetical order. Give guidance as needed to help children alphabetize using second or third letters.

4. Have the first group that correctly alphabetizes itself be thefirst to line up when leaving the room.

• Index cards

• Colored markers or crayons

Vowel Lineup

F Skill: Identifying short- and long-vowel sounds

35

Random Word Lineup

Distribute short- and long-vowel word cards to the class.For younger children, selectwords that will be easy forthem to alphabetize.

Card-Free Short- andLong-Vowel Lineup

Have children line up according to the clues yougive. For example:1. Get in line if you have theshort-a sound in your f irstname and another short-vowelsound in your last name (suchas Max Little).

2. Get in line if you are wearing a color with theshort-e sound. (red, yellow)

3. Get in line if the number ofpeople in your family has thelong-i sound. (f ive)




Spelling Pattern Bee

Players: Pairs

Object: To use letter cards to spell high-frequency and sightwords with the CVC and CVCe patterns

How to Play

1. Prepare game envelopes (one per pair) in advance.Photocopy and cut apart the CVC letter and word cards.Place the letter and word cards in a large envelope. Do thesame for the CVCe letter and word cards.

2. Give players either a CVC or a CVCe envelope and a sheetof paper to use as a scorecard. One player holds the wordcards, the other holds the letter cards. One player chooses a word card to read aloud; the other will use the letters tospell that word.

3. The Reader reads the word and the Speller assembles the letter cards to spell the word. Then the Reader writes the wordon the scorecard. Repeat for half the word cards.

4. Players change roles and repeat for the remaining word cards.

5. Then players line up all the letters across the desk. Takingturns, players use the letters to spell other words. The firstplayer spells a word and reads it aloud. The Speller recordsthe word on the scorecard and then takes a turn. The gameends when players have made all the words they can.

For CVC Spelling Patterns: • 18 letter cards: a, b, c, d, e,g, h, i, l, m, n, o, p, r, s, t, u, y(pages 27–29)

• 32 word cards: bag, big, bus,but, can, cat, cot, dig, dip,dog, get, got, had, has, hat,him, lap, lad, let, lot, man,men, mud, mop, not, ran, red,sun, sit, ten, top, yes (pages37–38)

For CVCe Spelling Patterns:• 13 letter cards: a, c, d, e, f,g, i, k, l, m, s, t, v(pages 27–29)

• 16 word cards: bike, came,dime, dive, five, gave, like,made, make, mile, name, rake,same, take, tame, time (page 39)

• One envelope for each set ofCVC letter and word cards andCVCe letter and word cards

• Pencils and paper

F Skill: Spelling Consonant-Vowel-Consonant (CVC) and Consonant-Vowel-Consonant-Final e (CVCe) words

36


#

bag big bus but

can cat cot dig

dip dog get got

had has hat him


#

lap lad let lot

man men mud mop

not ran red sun

sit ten top yes


#

bike came dime dive

five gave like made

make mile name rake

same take tame time



Roundup


Object: To find and gather similar sounds

How to Play

1. Photocopy and cut apart all cards.

2. Mix up the vowel-name cards and distribute them randomly.Then mix up the other word cards and distribute them to theremaining players (one per child; some will be left over).

3. When you say “Go,” players with the vowel name cardsfind and round up the players who have word cards withthat vowel sound. Rounded-up players sit together off to the side.

4. The first accurately completed roundup wins. Have thatgroup read its cards aloud. Challenge the group to use several in a sentence.

• 10 short-vowel word cards:astronaut, alphabet, egg, elf,igloo, inch, omelet, October,umbrella, umpire (pages 8–9)

• 10 long-vowel word cards:acorn, apron, equal, easel, icicle, island, oval, overalls, unicycle, United States (pages 6–7)

• 20 animal word cards: yak,panda, ape, whale, elephant,leopard, eagle, seal, iguana,pig, tiger, mice, fox, octopus,mole, goat, skunk, duck,unicorn, mule (pages 10–13)

• 10 vowel-name cards: long a,short a, long e, short e, long i,short i, long o, short o, long u,short u (page 14)

F Skill: Identifying long- and short-vowel words

40

Long or ShortRoundups

Use only long- or short-vowelword cards. Make additionalcards for the selected vowelsound so that each player has a card.

Corrals

On the playground, use chalkto draw large “corrals.”Label each one: Short a,Long a, and so on. Have players f ind the corral thatcorresponds to their word on their own.

Roundup Time

Time how long it takes theclass to be rounded up correctly. Play three or fourtimes over a month, and compare times.

Great foroutdoors oropen spaces


Materials: Materials:Materials: Materials:• 9 long-vowel picture cards:

acorn, apron, equal, easel, icicle, island, oval, unicycle, United States. Note: oval isthe Odd O card (pages 6–7)

• 10 short-vowel picturecards: astronaut, alphabet,egg, elf, igloo, inch, omelet,October, umbrella, umpire(pages 8–9)

• 18 animal picture cards:yak, panda, ape, whale,elephant, leopard, eagle, seal,iguana, pig, tiger, mice, fox,octopus, skunk, duck, unicorn,mule (pages 10–13)

Odd O

F Skill: Identifying short- and long-vowel sounds

41

Players: Three or more

Object: To get rid of all one’s cards

How to Play

1. Photocopy and cut apart the picture cards.

2. Mix up and deal out all the cards. It’s okay if some playershave an extra card.

3. Players look at their cards and remove pairs of long- or short-vowel picture cards (for instance, acorn and apron or apeand whale), placing them facedown on the table.

4. Play as you would play Old Maid. Players fan out the remaining cards in their hands, picture sides facing theowner. The beginning player offers his or her hand to the nextplayer. That player selects a card from the fan (without seeingwhat he or she is picking) and adds it to his or her hand.

5. If the new card makes a pair (acorn and apron, for example),the player can remove the pair from his or her hand.

6. The same player then offers his or her hand to the next player.

7. Play continues until someone is left with the Odd O (the ovalpicture card).



Short-Vowel Dominoes

Players: Pairs

Object: To add all one’s dominoes to the chain

How to Play

1. Photocopy and cut apart the picture domino cards. Review picture names, saying each aloud.

2. Place the domino cards facedown. Each player takes seven.

3. Turn the remaining domino faceup in the center of the tableto start the game.

4. The first player places a domino picture that has the same vowel sound as on one side of the domino on the table. Then the next player takes a turn.

5. Play continues until a player cannot add a domino.

6. The first player to get rid of all his or her dominoes wins.

• 15 short-vowel domino picture cards (pages 43–45):

lamp plant yak ten

tent bed flag kiss

bell inch six pig

nest mop fish box

fox socks cat bus

dress sun wig skunk

doll truck brush duck

sandcastle clock

F Skill: Discriminating between short-vowel sounds

42

More Dominoes

Use the blank cards onpage 45 to make additionaldominoes.

Wild Dominoes

Use one or more of theblank cards on page 45 tomake a wild card.


#

10


#




Slap Down

4 picture cards of the samevowel sound for each player.Choose from:

• 10 long-vowel picture cards(pages 6–7)

• 10 short-vowel picturecards (pages 8–9)

• 10 long-vowel animal picturecards (pages 10–11)

• 10 short-vowel animal picture cards (pages 12–13)

F Skill: Identifying long- and short-vowel sounds

46

Mixed-Up Slap Down

Use a combination of long- andshort-vowel picture cards—forinstance, long a, short i, longe, short o, and long u.

Players: Two to five

Object: To collect four pictures with the same vowel sound

How to Play

1. Create a slap down deck for the number of players. Forexample, for five players, use 20 cards, such as: four long-a picture cards (acorn, apron, ape, and whale), fourlong-e picture cards (equal, easel, eagle, seal), four long-ipicture cards (icicle, island, tiger, mice), and four long-ocards (oval, overalls, mole, goat).

2. Mix up and deal out all the cards.

3. Each player keeps his or her hand hidden from the othersand, trying to collect four pictures with the same vowelsound, selects a card he or she does not want.

4. Players place their unwanted cards facedown on the table.When all children have their unwanted cards ready, theyslide them to the players to their left at the same time.

5. The first player to get four pictures of words with the samevowel sound slaps their cards down on the table.


Materials:

Players: Individuals, pairs, small groups, or whole class

Object: To solve riddles, using clues

How to Play

1. Photocopy and cut apart a set of letter cards for each player, pair, or group.

2. All players stand.

3. Read each riddle aloud (see pages 47–48). Give playerstime to spell the answer, using their letters.

4. Players sit down to show they have written their answer.

5. Walk around the room to check answers, or have a volun-teer read and spell the answer. Players get five points foreach correct answer.

6. Play again, and have children try to beat their previous score.

• Letter cards a to z (pages 27–29)

• Pencils and paper

Spell Me a Riddle

F Skill: Spelling Consonant-Vowel-Consonant (CVC) and Consonant-Vowel-Consonant-Final e (CVCe) words

47

Riddle This

Have children write their ownriddles for CVC or CVCewords on index cards. Usetheir riddles in future games.

u u u u u u u u u u u u u u u

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu


Short-a RiddlesF A short rest in the

afternoon (nap)F A grown-up boy

(man)F You carry groceries

in this (bag)


uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu


Short-e RiddlesF A color (red)F A dog, cat, fish, or

rabbit might be one(pet)

F Something to writewith (pen)


uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu


Short-i RiddlesF Find this in the

middle of a peachor plum (pit)

F Another word foredge (rim)

F Use a straw to dothis (sip)


48


uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu


Short-o RiddlesF Put this on top of a

lowercase i or j(dot)

F Frogs and rabbitsdo it (hop)

F Throw this awayafter you eat thecorn (cob)


uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu


Short-u RiddlesF This shines in the

sky (sun)F Dirt mixed with

water (mud)F This goes on the

floor (rug)


uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu


Long-a RiddlesF Opposite of early

(late)F You have a first and

a last one (name)F A purple jelly is

made from this fruit(grapes)


uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu


Long-i RiddlesF One more than four

(five)F 9:00 is this (time)F A type of grain

(rice)


uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu


Long-o RiddlesF Thick, heavy string

(rope)F This makes you

laugh (joke)F You might like your

ice cream in one ofthese (cone)


uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu


Long-u RiddlesF Ice often comes in

this shape (cube)F This animal makes

a hee-haw sound(mule)

F Another word forlarge (huge)


uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu


Mixed Short-Vowel Riddles

F One less than seven(six)

F An airplane mightbe this (jet)

F Wear this on yourhead (hat or cap)


uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu


Mixed Long-Vowel Riddles

F Something adorableis this (cute)

F A sweet-smellingflower (rose)

F A tart green fruit(lime)


uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu

uu


Mixed VowelRiddles

F The opposite of no(yes)

F Fly this on a windyday (kite)

F Dig to make this(hole)


reading skills games long&short vowels

Documents