Decodable High­Frequency Word Unit 

Lesson 3: High­Frequency Words 
with /th/ Digraph 
 

Performance Objective: 
Given a list of high­frequency words containing the /th/ digraph, 
students will state the words with 90% accuracy (nine or more correct 
out of 10 attempts). 

Resources/Materials Needed: 
● Letter cards 
● Lists of words to reference (Appendix G) 
● Poster with the /th/ chant written on it 
● Whiteboard and markers 
● Student whiteboards and markers 
● /th/ spinner board and paper clips 
● Game boards from Lessons 1 and 2 
● Digital links to assessment document/slideshow 
● Assessment papers for teacher to record student responses 

Time: 1 Hour 

Step 1: Pre­Instructional Activities 

Flip through letter cards one by one, with students stating the sounds 
of each letter chorally. Then, call on individual students to supply the 

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sounds of the letters, incorporating entry level skills review and 

practice, and allowing for corrective feedback as needed. Display 
the letter cards (Appendix D) on the document camera/TV to form 
consonant­vowel­consonant words for students to practice reading, 
creating a connection between prior learning and today’s lesson, 
which will incorporate a new sound into the types of words students 
are familiar with. Review a few /sh/ and /ch/ words from the 
previous lessons using letter cards to form them on document 
camera. Students should read them aloud, chorally, with the 
teacher providing necessary corrective feedback. Allow time for 
students to play the games they had created during the previous 
lessons as a way to review and activate prior knowledge. To provide 
motivation for the upcoming content presentation, display poster 
with the /th/ chant (Appendix E) written on it and read it for the 
class. Invite the class to read it too and teach them the simple hand 
and body motions that match (optional).  

Step 2: Content Presentation 

Ask the students to recall the types of words they read in the /th/ 
chant and what each of those words had in common. Students 
should recognize that each word contained the /th/ digraph. Use 
the letter cards to form and read several /th/ words with the class . 
Connect to students’ entry level skills knowledge of the individual 
sounds of /t/ and /h/. Teach the class that the letters /t/ and /h/ 
have distinct sounds when they are separate in a word, but when 
they are next to each other, they make a new sound. Introduce the 
vocabulary term, digraph, and explain that it means two letters that 
come together to make a new sound. Practice several more /th/ 
words whole group, making sure to use words that begin with /th/ as 

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well as those that end with /th/. Display these through the TV 
connected to the teacher computer using a Google Slideshow 
(Appendix B). 

Step 4: Learner Participation 

Students will retrieve their individual whiteboards, markers, and 
erasers and return to the learning area. They will write down five /th/ 
words that the teacher writes on the board and practice reading 
them to themselves. They will then partner with a peer to read the 
words together. The teacher will write five more /th/ words down, 
which the students will copy and read individually and with a 
partner. During this time, feedback will be given verbally to students 
as needed, based upon the responses they give. If students are 
struggling with the concept, the teacher will spend more time 
reading words whole group or with individual students. The students 
will then be given time to brainstorm as many /th/ words as they can 
in one minute and write them on their boards. They will switch 
boards with their partner and practice reading the words the other 
has written. Even if a child writes a nonsense word, their partner 
should read it using the phonics skills and letter sounds knowledge 
he/she has. 

Step 4: Assessment 
During the time the student are playing the game described in Step 
5: Follow­Through Activities, the teacher will call students over 
individually to read 10 words containing the /th/ digraph (student 
can either read the words from a Google Document in list format or 
a Google Slideshow that they can advance by clicking). All digital 
links and blackline masters can be found in Appendix A. The teacher 

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will use a checklist (Appendix C) to document whether or not each 

child was able to read the words and their percent of correct 
responses. The performance goal states that nine out of 10 correct 
responses or more (90%) is required to show proficiency. 

Step 5: Follow­Through Activities 

Introduce the /th/ spinner game to students and assign partners. 
Students take turns spinning the spinner (use a pencil to hold the 
paper clip in place to spin it) and reading the words. After students 
have had ample time to play, pass out blank spinner boards and 
invite students to write in their own /th/ words. The students should 
take turns using their game boards to continue playing the game 
and reading the words.   

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Lesson 3 Assessment Word List 

 
thin 
with 
this 
then 
math 
than 
path 
bath 
hath 
thud 
   

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Lesson 3 Assessment (for teacher use) 

 
Student Name:   /th/ Word Identification Assessment 

YES NO  thin 

YES NO  with 

YES NO  this 

YES NO  then 

YES NO  math 

YES NO  than 

YES NO  path 

YES NO  bath 

YES NO  hath 

YES NO  thud 

Total Correct:   

Percent of Proficiency:    
 

   

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Appendix D 
Letter cards for building words 

Link: 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1U7Q8NcEbWlft7f8xLE72zjjKO4_HlhFW
/view?usp=sharing   

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Lesson 3 Chant 

Link: 
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1jDa41p­42TgyhaW4Hgnh
CHFIeWswD7bWr4em_GlxAOE/edit?usp=sharing 

   

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Lesson 3 Game Boards 

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Appendix G 
● Consonant­vowel­consonant words to use for whole group 
practice 
 
mop  sub  dip  zap 
rat  lap  tub  den 
yes  lot  quit  pig 

 
● /sh/ words to use for whole group practice 
 
rash  shot  lash  dash 
dish  shut  rush  shop 
wish  fish  shed  ship 

 
● /ch/ words to use for whole group practice 
 
chip  much  rich  chin 
chop  chat  chunk  Chet 

 
● /th/ words to use for whole group practice 
 
moth  path  math  Beth 

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bath  Seth  thin  thud 

 
● /wh/ words to use for whole group practice 
 
whip  when  whiff  where 

 
● /ck/ words to use for whole group practice 
 
duck  lick  rock  pick 
kick  shock  Rick  neck 
back  pack  chick  sock 

 
● /am/ words to use for whole group practice 
 
ham  Sam  am  jam 
Pam  bam  ram  Tam 

 
● /an/ words to use for whole group practice 
 
can  than  pan  man 
fan  Jan  an  tan 
Dan  ran  Nan  van 

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