Are you ready to dive into a fun word adventure? Today, we’re heading to the sunny beach to explore some cool words and learn about a special kind of letter team called a “digraph.” Don’t worry if that sounds a little fancy—we’ll break it down and have a blast together!

Add some more fun beach learning with this seashell identification worksheet!

What is a Digraph?

So, what exactly is a digraph? Well, it’s when two letters come together to make a special sound. Just like best buddies, these letters stick together and make things even more awesome! For example, think of the word “beach.” Can you guess which two letters are a digraph? You got it—it’s “ch”! When we say “ch,” it sounds different than just saying “c” or “h” separately.

A digraph is a special kind of letter team that consists of two letters coming together to make a new sound. These two letters join forces and create a unique sound that is different from the individual sounds they make on their own.

In simple terms, you can think of a digraph as a letter friendship or a letter duo. When they appear in words, they stick together like best buddies, and their combined sound adds a special flair.

Digraphs can be found at the beginning, middle, or end of words. Some common examples of digraphs are “sh,” “ch,” and “th.” Let’s take a closer look at these three digraphs:

SH: When the letters “s” and “h” team up, they make the sound “sh.” It’s like a gentle whispering sound, as if you’re feeling a soft breeze on your face. Think of words like “ship,” “fish,” or “brush.” The “sh” digraph is often found at the beginning or end of words.

CH: When the letters “c” and “h” combine, they create the sound “ch.” It’s like the sound you hear when you imitate the chatter of seagulls at the beach. Words like “chair,” “beach,” or “lunch” contain the “ch” digraph. It can be found at the beginning, middle, or end of words.

TH: The letters “t” and “h” unite to form the sound “th.” It’s similar to the sound of waves crashing against the shore. You’ll find the “th” digraph in words like “thin,” “bath,” or “smooth.” It can be found at the beginning or end of words.

Understanding digraphs is like having a secret code that helps us read and spell words correctly. They add an extra layer of fun and challenge to the world of words. By learning about digraphs, we become skilled word detectives, ready to decode and explore the amazing sounds that words can make.

Why are digraphs so important?

They play a big role in helping us become super-duper readers and writers! Digraphs are like secret codes that unlock the hidden sounds in words. When we understand digraphs, we can read and spell words more easily.

Think about it this way: words are like puzzles, and digraphs are the missing pieces that complete the picture. They give us important clues about how to say and write words correctly. Without digraphs, words would be a little trickier to figure out!

By learning about digraphs, we become word detectives. We train our ears to listen for those special sounds that digraphs make. And when we see a digraph in a word, it’s like a green light telling us how to say it.

Not only do digraphs help us with reading, but they also come in handy when we’re writing too! When we want to spell a word with a specific sound, knowing the digraphs makes it much easier. We can choose the right letters to put together and create the sound we need.

Imagine writing the word “ship” without knowing about the “sh” digraph. We might think it’s spelled “sip” or “s-h-i-p,” but the digraph “sh” tells us that those two letters work together to make the sound we hear at the beginning of the word.

Knowing digraphs also gives us a superpower—guessing new words! Once we recognize a digraph, we can use that knowledge to figure out other words that have the same sound. It’s like having a special key that opens the door to a whole world of words.

So, my awesome word explorers, digraphs are like our trusty sidekicks on our reading and writing adventures. They help us decode words, spell like champions, and unlock the magic of language. The more we know about digraphs, the more confident and skilled we become as readers and writers.

Keep practicing, keep learning, and keep celebrating the awesomeness of digraphs. They’re here to make our word journey even more exciting and filled with endless possibilities!

Beach Theme Digraph Sorting

Now that we know all about digraphs, it’s time to hit the beach and start sorting some words! We have a super cool printable activity just for you. 

On your printable, you’ll find a bunch of beach-themed words on shells all mixed up. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to sort them based on the digraph they have. 

Let’s get sorting! Take a close look at each picture, say it aloud, and listen for the special sounds. When you find the digraph in a word, put the shell in the bucket/pail that matches the digraph. 

Once you’ve finished sorting all the words, take a step back and admire your colorful masterpiece. You’ve successfully tamed those tricky digraphs like a pro! Give yourself a big round of applause—you deserve it!

If you’re feeling extra adventurous, try using some of these sorted words to write a cool story or a poem. Get creative and let your imagination soar like a seagull above the sparkling ocean waves!

If your kids are sensory seekers, try making this summertime sandy beach cloud dough and ‘hide’ the pictures in the sand!

How can I use this beach-themed printable to teach my child/student about digraphs? 

This printable activity is designed to make learning about digraphs fun and engaging. It provides an opportunity for children to practice sorting words based on specific digraphs. Encourage them to identify the digraph in each word and use the corresponding bucket to sort them. It’s a hands-on approach that helps children visually recognize and associate digraphs with specific sounds.

What is the recommended age or grade level for this activity?

This printable activity is suitable for children around kindergarten to first grade reading-level. However, it can be adapted for younger or older students depending on their individual needs and abilities. If you feel it might be too challenging or too easy for your child/student, you can modify the activity by focusing on one or two specific digraphs at a time.

How can I extend the learning beyond this activity?

Once the sorting activity is complete, you can encourage further exploration of digraphs. Engage your child/student in conversations about other words they know that contain the same digraphs or have different digraphs. You can also challenge them to create their own sentences using the sorted words or write a short story incorporating as many digraph words as possible. Additionally, you can provide them with books or reading materials that emphasize digraphs, allowing them to practice identifying them in a variety of contexts.

How can I track my child’s or student’s progress in understanding digraphs?

Observing your child’s or student’s performance during the sorting activity can provide some insights into their digraph knowledge. Notice how accurately they identify and sort the words. If they encounter difficulties, provide guidance and reinforcement. Additionally, you can create a simple checklist to keep track of their progress over time, noting their ability to recognize and use words with specific digraphs.

How to Use the Beach Digraph Sorting

The beach digraph sorting features shells and pails with the digraphs ch, sh, and th. The idea is to sort them between beginning digraphs and ending digraphs, but you could also use the set to sort between different digraphs in general.

Start by cutting out the pails and all the shells. I recommend using cardstock so they withstand a bit of use. You could also laminate them if you want them even sturdier.

Then have your child sound out the word and identify if the digraph sound is at the beginning of the word, or the end of the word.

If they have trouble, help them sound out the word really slow and emphasize the sound of the digraph.

Why are digraphs important?

Digraphs are letter pairs that make one sound. The most common digraphs are sh, th, ch, ph, and wh. Digraphs are not the same as blends. Blends are letter pairs that make two separate sounds, like st, ng, qu, and cr.

It’s important to learn the digraph sounds because they cannot be sounded out separately. If a kid tries to read ‘shark’ without knowing the sound for sh, they will say ‘sssss hark’. (Incidentally, there is a funny episode of Word World where this exact scenario happens. Season 1, episode 5).

I’ve found that repetition in recognizing the sound helps kids to read the words better. Mine had a lot of trouble in the beginning stages of reading remembering to look for digraphs. But the more they practiced, the faster they mastered the idea of digraphs.