Reception English and phonics: Two sounds for oo: moon and book

Method. Find the picture whose name has the sound long /oo/ as in moon in the middle.

1. Look at the vowel group in each name. Two or three letters together can make one vowel sound.
   pig: i · cup: u · moon: oo
2. Find the group oo. oo makes the sound long /oo/ as in moon.
   oo is in moon.
3. Write the answer. Use the word written under the picture.
   moon

Check. Say moon slowly. It has the sound long /oo/ as in moon. ✓

Watch out. Look for the whole vowel group, not only the first vowel letter.

Method. Find the picture whose name has the sound short /oo/ as in book in the middle.

1. Look at the vowel group in each name. Two or three letters together can make one vowel sound.
   book: oo · pig: i · rain: ai
2. Find the group oo. oo makes the sound short /oo/ as in book.
   oo is in book.
3. Write the answer. Use the word written under the picture.
   book

Check. Say book slowly. It has the sound short /oo/ as in book. ✓

Watch out. Look for the whole vowel group, not only the first vowel letter.

Method. Say the word, sound by sound. Then write one letter, or one group of letters, in each box.

1. Say the name of the picture. A grown-up says the word slowly.
   moon
2. Say each sound in order. Each sound is written as one box.
   m - oo - n
3. Write the letters in order. The letters go in the same order as the sounds.
   m-oo-n

Check. Read the letters back: m-oo-n. They spell moon. ✓

Watch out. Write the sounds from left to right, and leave no box out.

Method. Say the word, sound by sound. Then write one letter, or one group of letters, in each box.

1. Say the name of the picture. A grown-up says the word slowly.
   book
2. Say each sound in order. Each sound is written as one box.
   b - oo - k
3. Write the letters in order. The letters go in the same order as the sounds.
   b-oo-k

Check. Read the letters back: b-oo-k. They spell book. ✓

Watch out. Write the sounds from left to right, and leave no box out.

Method. Read the parts in order. Then say the sounds together, faster and faster, to make the word.

1. Read each part, one at a time. Each part makes one sound. Read them from left to right.
   m - oo - n
2. Say the sounds, then join them. Blending means joining the sounds together into one word.
   /m/ /oo/ /n/
3. Write the word. The blended sounds make the word.
   /m/ /oo/ /n/ = moon

Check. Check the picture of a moon. The picture matches the word. ✓

Watch out. Do not say each sound as a separate word. Join them together.

Method. Read the parts in order. Then say the sounds together, faster and faster, to make the word.

1. Read each part, one at a time. Each part makes one sound. Read them from left to right.
   b - oo - k
2. Say the sounds, then join them. Blending means joining the sounds together into one word.
   /b/ /oo/ /k/
3. Write the word. The blended sounds make the word.
   /b/ /oo/ /k/ = book

Check. Check the picture of a book. The picture matches the word. ✓

Watch out. Do not say each sound as a separate word. Join them together.

Method. The middle sound comes after the first sound and before the last sound.

1. Say the word slowly, sound by sound. Each letter makes one sound here.
   b-o-o-k
2. Find the sound that is not first or last. The middle one sits between the other two.
   The middle letter is oo.
3. Write the answer. Write the letter for the middle sound.
   oo

Check. Say the word again: b-o-o-k. The middle sound is oo. ✓

Watch out. Do not pick the first or last letter. Look between them.

Method. Say the word, sound by sound. Then write one letter, or one group of letters, in each box.

1. Say the name of the picture. A grown-up says the word slowly.
   spoon
2. Say each sound in order. Each sound is written as one box.
   s - p - oo - n
3. Write the letters in order. The letters go in the same order as the sounds.
   s-p-oo-n

Check. Read the letters back: s-p-oo-n. They spell spoon. ✓

Watch out. Write the sounds from left to right, and leave no box out.

Method. Read the parts in order. Then say the sounds together, faster and faster, to make the word.

1. Read each part, one at a time. Each part makes one sound. Read them from left to right.
   f - oo - t
2. Say the sounds, then join them. Blending means joining the sounds together into one word.
   /f/ /oo/ /t/
3. Write the word. The blended sounds make the word.
   /f/ /oo/ /t/ = foot

Check. Check the picture of a foot. The picture matches the word. ✓

Watch out. Do not say each sound as a separate word. Join them together.

Method. Say each word and listen to the middle sound with a grown-up.

1. Say moon. The middle sound is long.
   moon: long oo
2. Say book. The middle sound is short.
   book: short oo
3. Give your answer. Say whether the two sounds are the same.
   Accept any answer that says no: moon has a long oo, and book has a short oo.

Check. The two oo sounds are not the same. ✓

Watch out. Learn each word, then use it to remember the sound.

Method. Find the picture whose name has the sound long /oo/ in the middle.

1. Look at the vowel group in each name. Two or three letters together can make one vowel sound.
   moon: oo · cow: ow · tree: ee
2. Find the group oo. oo makes the sound long /oo/.
   oo is in moon.
3. Write the answer. Use the word written under the picture.
   moon

Check. Say moon slowly. It has the sound long /oo/. ✓

Watch out. Look for the whole vowel group, not only the first vowel letter.

Method. Say book one sound at a time.

1. Say the sounds. oo is one sound.
   b - oo - k
2. Count the sounds. Count each sound once.
   b, oo, k
3. Write the answer.
   3 sounds.

Check. Count again: b, oo, k. There are 3. ✓

Watch out. Count sounds, not letters.

Method. Say the word, sound by sound. Then write one letter, or one group of letters, in each box.

1. Say the name of the picture. A grown-up says the word slowly.
   zoo
2. Say each sound in order. Each sound is written as one box.
   z - oo
3. Write the letters in order. The letters go in the same order as the sounds.
   z-oo

Check. Read the letters back: z-oo. They spell zoo. ✓

Watch out. Write the sounds from left to right, and leave no box out.

Method. Say moon sound by sound.

1. Say moon. The middle sound is one sound.
   m - oo - n
2. Find the middle sound. oo makes one sound, /oo/.
   middle sound: /oo/
3. Write the answer.
   oo

Check. oo makes one sound in moon. ✓

Watch out. Write both o letters together.

Method. Read the parts in order. Then say the sounds together, faster and faster, to make the word.

1. Read each part, one at a time. Each part makes one sound. Read them from left to right.
   m - oo - n
2. Say the sounds, then join them. Blending means joining the sounds together into one word.
   /m/ /oo/ /n/
3. Write the word. The blended sounds make the word.
   /m/ /oo/ /n/ = moon

Check. Check the picture of a moon. The picture matches the word. ✓

Watch out. Do not say each sound as a separate word. Join them together.

Method. Think about how you know the sound of a word.

1. Look at the two words. moon and book have the same letters, oo.
   moon, book
2. Think about the sound. The sound is different in each word, so you must learn each word.
   long and short
3. Give your answer. Say how you learn the sound.
   Accept any answer that says there is no simple rule, and that the child learns each word, such as moon or book.

Check. Learn the words. ✓

Watch out. Read the word with a grown-up and say the sound.