State the Objective
Tell the children that they will shout, shake, and shovel while they learn about words that start with the /sh/ sound, such as shut, shop, and ship.

Literacy Activities
Shout and whisper /sh/ 

• Write the letters sh and explain that the two letters together make the /sh/ sound.
• Tell the children that the sh can be used to tell people to speak quietly or whisper.  
• Point to the sh and have the children put an index finger to their mouths as they make the sh sound (shhhh).
• Write the word shout and tell the children to shout the word when you point to it.
• Point alternately to sh and shout and have the children say /sh/ or “shout!”

Shut, shake, and shovel sh letters

• Have the children write sh on small pieces of paper.
• Ask the children to hold up a sh and say /sh/.
• Let the children say /sh/, then fold the paper or shut it in a bag, box, envelope, or pocket.
• Shake up the sh letters that are shut in the container.
• Let the sh letters fall and shovel them up with a paper or pretend shovel (see example below).
   

Blend sounds into words

• Have the children clap out words: once for the initial /sh/, once for the rest of the word, and once for the whole word:
  • sh + eep = sheep
  • sh + op = shop
  • sh + ell = shell
  • sh + ip = ship
     

Read and write ship, shop, and shut

• Write the words shop, ship, and shut.
• Erase the words, then have the children write the initial sh and help them finish the words.
• Read the list of words together.