Short Vowel Sounds
Meet the 5 special letters called vowels! Every word needs at least one vowel to make it a word.
📖 What Are Vowels?
The 5 Special Letters
Out of all 26 letters in the alphabet, 5 of them are extra special. They are called vowels!
A - E - I - O - U
Vowels vs. Consonants
The alphabet has 26 letters. We can split them into two groups:
Vowels (5 letters)
The special letters!
Consonants (21 letters)
All the other letters!
Easy Way to Remember!
Say it like a chant: "A, E, I, O, U - these are the vowels, yes it's true!"
🔤 The Short Vowel Sounds
Each vowel makes a special sound. Today we'll learn the short vowel sounds. These are the sounds vowels make in short, simple words!
💡 More Words with Short Vowels
Here are more words for each short vowel sound. Say them out loud!
Short A /a/ - like in "apple"
Short E /e/ - like in "egg"
Short I /i/ - like in "igloo"
Short O /o/ - like in "octopus"
Short U /u/ - like in "umbrella"
🎵 Vowel Song
🎵 Short Vowel Song
Sing to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star":
E says /e/ in egg and bed,
I says /i/ in igloo small,
O says /o/ in octopus tall,
U says /u/ in umbrella too,
Now I know my vowels - do you?
🎵 A-E-I-O-U Chant
Clap and chant along!
Vowels are special, yes it's true! (clap, clap)
Apple, egg, and igloo too,
Octopus and umbrella - woo hoo!
✏️ Practice Time!
Look at each picture and word. What vowel sound do you hear? Pick the correct vowel!
Problem 1: What vowel sound is in this word?
Problem 2: What vowel sound is in this word?
Problem 3: What vowel sound is in this word?
Problem 4: What vowel sound is in this word?
Problem 5: What vowel sound is in this word?
Problem 6: What vowel sound is in this word?
🎮 Fun Activities
🔍 Vowel Hunt
Go on a vowel hunt around your home!
- Pick a vowel (like A)
- Walk around and find things with that vowel sound
- Say the word and stretch out the vowel: "c-a-a-a-t"
- How many things can you find for each vowel?
👐 Vowel Hands
Use your hand to show vowels!
- Hold up your hand with fingers spread
- Each finger is a vowel: thumb = A, pointer = E, middle = I, ring = O, pinky = U
- When someone says a word, hold up the finger for that vowel!
- Say "cat" - hold up your thumb (A)!
🎨 Vowel Sorting
Sort pictures by their vowel sounds!
- Draw or find 5 pictures for each vowel
- Make 5 piles - one for A, E, I, O, and U
- Put each picture in the right pile based on its vowel sound
- Check your work by saying each word!
🎲 Vowel Bingo
Play Bingo with vowels!
- Make a Bingo card with the 5 vowels
- A grown-up says words like "hat," "pet," "sit," "hot," "cup"
- Cover the vowel you hear in each word
- Yell "BINGO!" when you cover all 5 vowels!
✅ Check Your Understanding
Which letters are the vowels?
How many vowels are there?
What vowel sound do you hear in "BUG"?
📝 What We Learned
5 Special Letters
A, E, I, O, U are the vowels - the special letters!
Short A
/a/ like in apple, cat, hat, bag
Short E
/e/ like in egg, bed, leg, ten
Short I
/i/ like in igloo, pig, big, fish
Short O
/o/ like in octopus, dog, log, box
Short U
/u/ like in umbrella, bug, sun, run
Remember!
Every word needs at least one vowel. When you see a word, look for A, E, I, O, or U - there's always at least one hiding in there!
🚀 Next Steps
- Practice saying the 5 vowels: A, E, I, O, U
- Sing the vowel song every day until you know it by heart
- Look for vowels in books and signs around you
- Play the Vowel Hunt game with a grown-up
- Move on to learn Sight Words when you're ready!