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Classroom · Phonics · CCSS RF.1.3c, RF.2.3b

worksheets for grades 1-2

When two vowels team up, they make one vowel sound: ee in tree, ai in rain, oa in boat, oo in moon. These free packs teach the most common vowel teams with bright pictures, seven kinds of practice and an answer key. Print in color or ink-saving black and white.

Vowel teams review

Vowel team detective, sort by vowel sound, an answer key and a Vowel Team Champion certificate.

Review pack(4 pages, color)Ink saver (B&W)

What is in each pack

  1. 1. Meet the wordsEight picture words with the sound in color, how to say it, and more words to read.
  2. 2. Which sound do you hear?Say each picture name and circle the right letters from three choices.
  3. 3. Match the pictureDraw a line from each picture to its word.
  4. 4. Fill in the missing lettersWrite the missing letters, then write the whole word on the line.
  5. 5. Sort the wordsA word bank to read and sort into columns.
  6. 6. Read, trace and findTwelve words to trace, then three short sentences. Children circle the target words.
  7. 7. Answer key and tipEvery answer, a teaching tip and the most common mistake to watch for.
ee and ea words worksheet with picture wordsee and ea words missing letters worksheet

How to teach vowel teams

  1. After silent e. Vowel teams are the next step once children read silent e words like cake and kite.
  2. One sound, two spellings. Ee and ea, ai and ay, oa and ow sound the same. Children learn which spelling each word uses by reading it often.
  3. Teach the place rules. Ai and oa usually sit inside a word (rain, boat); ay and ow often come at the end (day, snow).
  4. Mark the team. Children underline the two letters together, so they read them as one sound.
  5. Expect exceptions. Some ea words say short e (bread), ow can say the sound in cow, and oo has two sounds. Talk about them when they come up.

Common questions

What is a vowel team?

A vowel team is two letters that work together to make one vowel sound, such as ee in tree, ea in leaf, ai in rain, ay in play, oa in boat, ow in snow and oo in moon. Many vowel teams make a long vowel sound.

Is "two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking" true?

It is a handy start for ee, ea, ai and oa, where the first vowel says its name. But it does not work for every team (oo, ou, ie), so present it as a helpful hint, not a rule.

When do children learn vowel teams?

Usually from the middle of 1st grade into 2nd grade. In the Common Core, 1st grade children know common vowel teams for long vowel sounds (RF.1.3c), and 2nd grade children add more vowel teams (RF.2.3b).

Can I copy these worksheets for my class?

Yes. The PDFs are free to print and photocopy for classroom and home use, in color or in the black-and-white ink saver. Please link to this page rather than re-uploading the files.

Next: r-controlled vowelsCVC words worksheetsSight words worksheets

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