Lesson 32: qu /kw/
Overview
Focus: q always comes with u; qu says /kw/
Graphemes and Heart Words
New grapheme: qu /kw/
New heart words: none
Heart words so far: the, I, a, said, to, do, of, see, he, be, me, from, look, book, are, was, you
No longer heart words: and, is, as
Letter Formation Cues
Big Q: Curve all the way around like O. Little slant line at the bottom.
Small q: Curve around like a. Line down below the bottom line, little flick. u follows q.
Say while modeling: "This is q. It says /kw/." Have the child say the sound each time they write the letter.
Word List
Words: lint, skin, nod, quit, skim, tip, quest, squid, quip, quips, lips, slips, slip, slap, flap, flat, flag, quilt, kilt, kit, skit
Sentences
- Did you quit the quest?
- The quilt is on the bed.
- Can you see the squid?
Parent guide: what to say for each slide
Use only previously taught letters and sounds during review before New Concept. Have paper, a marker, and letter tiles ready. Say sounds where slashes appear. For sentence dictation, keep the goose slide showing, read the sentence aloud, and reveal the next slide only after writing.
Slide 1 — Welcome to Lesson 32
SAY
Today we’ll learn a new letter, q, and the sounds it makes with u. Then we’ll read sentences together.
LISTEN FOR
Gets ready.
PARENT TIP
Have the known letter tiles ready.
Slide 2 — Blending Practice
SAY
Listen to my sounds. Put them together to tell me the whole word.
LISTEN FOR
Let your child settle into the next activity.
Slide 3 — Listen and blend
SAY
What word is /ă/ /t/? Now /s/ /ă/ /t/. Now /s/ /ĭ/ /p/. Now /p/ /ă/ /t/.
LISTEN FOR
at; sat; sip; pat.
PARENT TIP
Parent-supplied prompts for the ear picture. These words use letters already taught. Do not introduce q during this review.
Slide 4 — Segmenting Practice
SAY
Now listen to a whole word and tell me each sound you hear.
LISTEN FOR
Let your child settle into the next activity.
Slide 5 — Listen and segment
SAY
Say sip. Tell me its sounds. Now do sap. Now do mat.
LISTEN FOR
sip: /s/ /ĭ/ /p/; sap: /s/ /ă/ /p/; mat: /m/ /ă/ /t/.
PARENT TIP
Parent-supplied prompts for the ear picture. Tap one finger per sound. These three words each have three sounds.
Slide 6 — Visual Drill
SAY
Tell me the sound of each letter as it appears.
LISTEN FOR
Let your child settle into the next activity.
Slide 7 — Visual drill a
SAY
What sound does this letter spell?
LISTEN FOR
/ă/
PARENT TIP
Ask for the sound rather than the letter name. Model once if needed.
Slide 8 — Visual drill f
SAY
What sound does this letter spell?
LISTEN FOR
/f/
PARENT TIP
Ask for the sound rather than the letter name. Model once if needed.
Slide 9 — Visual drill j
SAY
What sound does this letter spell?
LISTEN FOR
/j/
PARENT TIP
Ask for the sound rather than the letter name. Model once if needed.
Slide 10 — Visual drill y
SAY
What sound does this letter spell?
LISTEN FOR
/y/
PARENT TIP
Ask for the sound rather than the letter name. Model once if needed.
Slide 11 — Visual drill x
SAY
What sound does this letter spell?
LISTEN FOR
/k/ /s/
PARENT TIP
Ask for the sound rather than the letter name. Model once if needed.
Slide 12 — Auditory Drill
SAY
Listen, say the sound back, and write the letter that spells it.
LISTEN FOR
Let your child settle into the next activity.
Slide 13 — Listen and write three letters
SAY
Listen to my sound. Say it back, then write the letter that spells it.
LISTEN FOR
/t/ → t; /s/ → s; /p/ → p
PARENT TIP
Give only three sounds, one at a time, in this order: /t/, /s/, /p/. Keep the answer slide hidden until your child has written the letters.
Slide 14 — Check your three letters
SAY
Let’s check your writing. Point to each letter and tell me its sound. Watch how the letter is made, then try it once more.
LISTEN FOR
t, s, p
PARENT TIP
These are the three letters shown. Pause or replay the formation animations as needed.
Slide 15 — Word Building
SAY
Let’s use our known letters to build and read.
LISTEN FOR
Let your child settle into the next activity.
Slide 16 — Get the letter tiles ready
SAY
Put your letter tiles where you can reach them. I’ll say a word. You’ll say the sounds, choose the letters, and read the word you built.
LISTEN FOR
Gets the known letters ready.
PARENT TIP
The board picture is a cue to use your own tiles or letter cards. Use the letters your child has learned; the decorative letters in the picture are not the word list.
Slide 17 — Build words with tiles
SAY
I’ll say a word. Say each sound, choose the letters, and read the word you built. Our review words are kit, tip, nod.
LISTEN FOR
kit: /k/ /ĭ/ /t/; tip: /t/ /ĭ/ /p/; nod: /n/ /ŏ/ /d/.
PARENT TIP
Use only letters and sounds from earlier lessons. Keep today’s new concept out of this review; introduce it in the New Concept section.
Slide 18 — New Concept
SAY
Now we are going to learn a new letter.
LISTEN FOR
Let your child settle into the next activity.
Slide 19 — Meet qu
SAY
This is uppercase Q and lowercase q. Q works with u. Together, qu spells /kw/. Say the sound with me.
LISTEN FOR
/kw/
PARENT TIP
Point to both letter forms in the supplied paired-letter image. The animated formation practice comes later in this lesson.
Slide 20 — Beginning sound
SAY
Quilt begins with /kw/. Say the first sound with me.
LISTEN FOR
Says /kw/ for the start of quilt.
PARENT TIP
Point to the qu at the start of the word. Remind your child that q always comes with u.
Slide 21 — Blend the sounds
SAY
Point to each part and say its sound: /kw/ /ĭ/ /t/. Now blend them together and read the word.
LISTEN FOR
quit
PARENT TIP
Slide your finger under the letters from left to right as your child says each sound. The qu is two letters but one sound unit, /kw/.
Slide 22 — Write lowercase q
SAY
Watch how to write small q. Curve around like a. Line down below the bottom line, little flick. u follows q. Now you try. Say /kw/ each time you write it.
LISTEN FOR
Writes q and says /kw/.
PARENT TIP
Have your child say the sound each time they write the letter.
Slide 23 — Write uppercase Q
SAY
Watch how to write big Q. Curve all the way around like O. Little slant line at the bottom. Now you try.
LISTEN FOR
Writes Q and says /kw/.
PARENT TIP
Let your child trace in the air first if that helps.
Slide 24 — Reading
SAY
Now we are going to read some sentences.
LISTEN FOR
Let your child settle into the next activity.
Slide 25 — Sentence 1
SAY
Read this sentence. Sound out any word you need to.
LISTEN FOR
Did you quit the quest?
PARENT TIP
Point to each word as your child reads. You and the are heart words. Celebrate the effort.
Slide 26 — Sentence 2
SAY
Read this sentence. Sound out any word you need to.
LISTEN FOR
The quilt is on the bed.
PARENT TIP
Point to each word as your child reads. The is a heart word. Celebrate the effort.
Slide 27 — Sentence dictation — listen and write
SAY
Listen to this sentence: Can you see the squid? Say the whole sentence back to me. Now write it.
LISTEN FOR
Can you see the squid?
PARENT TIP
Do not show the sentence before dictating it. Keep the goose-writing cue on screen. Say the sentence twice at a natural pace. Let your child repeat it, write it, and reread their own writing. Check the new concept, capitals, spaces, and punctuation. Then go to the NEXT slide to reveal the sentence and check together.
Slide 28 — Sentence reveal and check
SAY
Now let’s check the sentence you wrote. Read your writing, then compare it with this sentence.
LISTEN FOR
Can you see the squid?
PARENT TIP
This is the first time your child sees the complete dictation sentence. Check the new concept, capitals, spaces, and punctuation. Help with previously taught heart words as needed.
Slide 29 — Good Bye
SAY
Great job today! We learned the letter q, which always comes with u, and the sound /kw/.
LISTEN FOR
Says /kw/ when shown qu.
PARENT TIP
Celebrate the effort. Keep practice short and positive.
Slide 30 — Copyright
SAY
This slide is for the teacher or parent. There is nothing to read aloud.
LISTEN FOR
Nothing for your child to do here.
Workbook Pages
Letter formation
Do: Trace the big and small Q and q (q always comes with u). Circle the best one in each row. Say /kw/ each time you write it.
If stuck: "Show me where you start." Model once on a whiteboard, then have the child copy it there before the page.
Letter sort
Do: Cut out the letter cards. Glue every Q and q under ✓, even when it looks different. Glue the letters that are not q under ✗.
Missing sound
Do: Name the picture. Say the word slowly and listen for the middle sound. Circle the letter that makes it, write it in the empty box, then read the word.
If stuck: "Say the picture name slowly. What sound is in the middle?"
Heart word review
Do: Roll a die and find the column with the matching dots. The first time you roll it, read the word at the top. The second time, trace it. After that, write it by yourself in the next empty box in that column. Keep rolling until a column is full.
If stuck: "Is this a heart word, or can we sound it out?" Say it, spell it aloud, read it again.
Word search
Do: Read each word in the box. Find it in the puzzle. Words go across or down. Circle the word, then tick it in the box.
If stuck: "Read the word in the box. What letter does it start with? Look for that letter."
Reading fluency
Do: Read the heart words, then the phrases, then the sentences. Tick each sentence box after reading it. Read the page again the next day and listen for smoother reading.
Word ladder
Do: Read the ladder from the bottom up. Only one sound changes each step. Then write the words your grown-up says (Teacher's Guide).
Say: Dictate in order: quit → quilt → kilt → kit → skit.
If stuck: "What changed? Which sound is different from the word before?"
Dictation
Do: Read each sentence from the Teacher's Guide two times. The child says it back, counts the words on their fingers, then writes it on the lines. Check for a capital letter, spaces between words, and an end mark.
Say: Dictate: 1. "Did you quit the quest?" 2. "The quilt is on the bed."
Watch For
- Writing q without u.
- Reading qu as /k/ only.
Game: Quack Pond
Materials
- Paper ducks (or rubber ducks with a sticker on the bottom)
- A word on each duck: quit, quiz, quick, quack, quilt
- A blue towel or blanket for the pond
How to play
- Place the ducks on the pond with the words facing down.
- The learner picks a duck, turns it over, and reads the word. They say /kw/ at the start.
- After a correct read, they say "quack!" and the duck swims to the shore.
- Keep going until all the ducks are on the shore.
Word list
quit, quiz, quick, quack, quilt