SOUND OF THE DAY

4 "wh" activities below

wh - Coloring Sheet
A basic coloring sheet which helps children become familiar with their "wh" teacher - White Whale.   This is a good place to start after introducing the "wh" sound. Click the image at left for a quick HTML version which you can print out for your students.

 
wh - Classroom Activity
On this fun activity, the letters "wh" are placed many times over a full size image of White Whale.  The student is given the worksheet and asked to color the letters "wh."  We've made it challenging as the picture also shows the letters hw and mw so the child must look very carefully to make sure the correct letters are colored properly.  This is a highly motivational activity since children love to see if they were "smart enough" to find the correct and incorrect letters.  After completion go over together as a class and you'll be impressed with the enthusiasm.

 
Cut Outs
3 sounds on one 8x11 paper. Letters are large enough to easily be seen 30 feet across the room.  Print 2 or more copies - cut out the words and place around the classroom, hallways, on your Word of the Day hat -  anywhere that can attract attention.  Choose either Word or PDF format for downloading.

 
Oversize Teaching Letters
The "White Whale" will do a marvelous job in helping your student(s) remember this important (and difficult to learn) digraph sound - "wh."    "Wh" is a "tricky" sound to memorize because the child has learned previously that the letter "h" has its own special sound - but in "wh" it has no sound at all.  By associating the "wh" sound with a character as cute as our White Whale - your students will  remember this sound better than ever. The digraph sound "wh" is not as common as the other previous digraphs.  In fact, take a look through the dictionary and you'll see it appears at the beginning of only about 12 words appropriate for grades 1-3.  However, the words where it does appear (see it just appeared in the word - "where") are words which (hey - there it is in the word "which") are very common in 1st grade reading books and tests (i.e. what - why - where - when - etc.)   After downloading this file you can tape the letters onto the classroom board - wall - or to a special Word of the Day stand for daily teaching and reminding.