State and Model the Objective
Tell the children that they will write out numbers that start with /th/ and will count three, thirteen, and thirty candles on birthday cakes.

Literacy Activities
Count birthday candles

• Write three, thirteen, and thirty on the board and circle the th that makes the /th/ sound.
• Have the children draw a birthday cake and add three or thirteen candles.
• Invite the children to write th on their birthday cake.

Follow the path to the birthday bash

• Have the children write th on a piece of paper when you produce the /th/ sound.
• Place the th- cards (found below) and the th word cards (found below) in a path that leads to the drawings of birthday cakes.
• Explain to the children that they will follow the path to get to a birthday party. 
• Have the children read the th- words (e.g., throw, thin, thick, thank, think) or produce the /th/ sound when they see the th digraph along the path.

Throw a pretend birthday party

• Pretend to throw a birthday party for three, thirteen, or thirty imaginary friends.
• Ask the children to decide if they will need three, thirteen, or thirty candles.
• Comment on how the friends will be thrilled and thankful that you threw a birthday party.

Read about throwing a birthday party

• Read the target text Throw a Birthday Party (found below), and then with the children.
• Engage the children in reading the text again, fading support.
• Make a list of words with th with the children. 

Write about throwing a birthday party

• Help the children create a word wall of words with th (e.g., birthday, three, thirteen, thirty, path, throw, thanks, things, thoughts, thrilled, thankful, thrill, thin, think).
• Have the children write about throwing the birthday party (e.g., "I put three candles on the birthday cake." "We threw a birthday party for three friends").