South Dakota ELA 2.RF.3.e

ELA2nd GradeReading Foundational Skills

The Standard

2.RF.3: Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding and encoding words.

Decode and encode words with silent letters.

South Dakota English Language Arts Standards (2025)

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students read words like knee, write, and lamb without saying the silent letter. They spell the words with that letter in the right place.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student reads knife and wrist without sounding out the first letter. They spell both words correctly and point to the letter they do not hear.
Common Misconceptions: Students may say the k in knee or the w in write as a separate sound. They may spell lamb as lam because they cannot hear the b.
How to Assess It: Show knee, write, and lamb. Have students read them aloud and point to each silent letter. Remove the list, say the words, and have students write them.

Lesson moves

Build knee, write, and lamb with letter tiles, then put a small sticker on each tile that makes no sound.
Ask partners, 'Why might someone spell lamb as lam?' Have them explain which letter is missing.
Play a sorting game: read knife, knee, write, wrist, lamb, and comb, then group them by silent letter.
Write a lost-item note that says 'My knit hat is by the sign,' then circle the silent letters in knit and sign.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 2.RF.3.e, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

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