CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.3a

ELA1st GradePhonics and Word Recognition

The Standard

Know the spelling-sound correspondences for common consonant digraphs.

Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts

What This Standard Means

Students need to know that two consonants can work together to make one sound, like sh, ch, th, wh, and ph. They should see the letters, say the sound, and use that sound to read and spell simple words.

Mastery looks like reading words such as ship, chin, this, when, and graph without sounding out each letter separately. Students often get stuck by saying both sounds, like /s/ /h/ for sh, or mixing up voiced and unvoiced th in words like this and thin.

Ways to Teach It

  • Use letter tiles to build sh, ch, th, wh, and ph words, then have students sort picture cards under each digraph.
  • Ask students to write one silly sentence using two words with the same digraph, such as The shark shops.
  • Show five word cards and have students circle the digraph, say its sound, and read the word aloud.
  • Bring in labels, book titles, or classroom signs and have students hunt for sh, ch, th, wh, and ph words.

Plan a Lesson for CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.3a

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Related Standards

Standard text verified against corestandards.org on July 10, 2026.

Page updated July 10, 2026.

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