State the Objective

Tell the children that they will wish for a fish in a dish as they read and write words ending in ish, such as fish, dish, swish, and squish.

Literacy Activities

Introduce target words

• Show the children the target words: wish, fish, dish, swish, squish.
• Read the words with the children.

Swish a fish

• Teach the children the Swish a Fish song (see below). 
• Let the children wish for a dish; give each child a paper or plastic dish, or let them pretend their cupped hands are a dish.
• Let children wish for a fish as you toss a toy, paper, or edible fish into each dish.
• Have the children sing the Swish a Fish song while they swish and squish their fish in the dish.
• If playing with a fish cracker/candy, let the children squish the fish in their mouth.
• Remind the children that we don’t squish real fish—only pretend fish.

Identify, blend and manipulate sounds

With word-building cards (see below), have the children make new words by changing a consonant or the vowel.

• Change the beginning consonant: dish → fish, wish → fish
• Change the vowel: dish → dash, rush→ rash
• Change the ending consonant: fish → fit, wish → win, dish → dip

Read and write target words

• Give each child a fish image (see below).
• Display the Swish a Fish target text (see below) and sing the song with the children.
• Have the children swish their fish every time they hear an -ish word.
• Let the children write -ish words on their fish from dictation.
• Have the children count the number of sounds in the -ish words and count the number of letters.