Understanding and Using Vowel Sounds /ʊ/ and /u:/ Phonemic Awareness Diction Speech Work English Grammar Primary 5 First Term Lesson Notes Week 4

Subject: English Grammar
Class: Primary 5
Term: First Term
Week: 4
Age: 10 years
Topic: Blends and Digraphs
Sub-topic: Speech Work: Vowel Sounds /ʊ/ and /u:/
Duration: 1 hour

Behavioural Objectives:
By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

1. Identify and pronounce the vowel sounds /ʊ/ and /u:/ correctly.
2. Write words that contain these sounds.
3. Draw contrasts between the sounds when used in different words.
4. Construct sentences using pairs of words that contain these vowel sounds.

Keywords: Vowel sounds, /ʊ/ sound, /u:/ sound, Pronunciation, Diction

Set Induction:

• Begin the lesson by saying a few pairs of words that highlight the difference between the /ʊ/ and /u:/ sounds, such as “good” vs. “food.” Ask pupils to listen carefully and identify which sounds they hear.

Entry Behaviour:

• Pupils should be familiar with basic vowel sounds and how they differ from consonant sounds.

Learning Resources and Materials:

• Flashcards with words containing /ʊ/ and /u:/ sounds.
• Audio recordings of words with these vowel sounds.
• Visual aids showing the mouth positions for producing these sounds.

Building Background/Connection to Prior Knowledge:

• Review the consonant sounds learned in the previous lesson and introduce the concept of vowel sounds as a different category of speech sounds.

Embedded Core Skills:

• Listening and speaking skills
• Pronunciation
• Oral communication

Learning Materials:

• Flashcards
• Audio player
• Visual aids

Reference Books:

• Lagos State Scheme of Work
• English Grammar Textbooks for Primary 5

Instructional Materials:

• Whiteboard and markers
• Handouts with exercises on vowel sounds

Content:

1. Vowel Sound /ʊ/:
   • The /ʊ/ sound is a short vowel sound made by rounding the lips and raising the back of the tongue towards the soft palate.
   • It is found in words like “book” and “foot.”
   • Examples:
     • “book” /bʊk/
     • “foot” /fʊt/
     • “good” /ɡʊd/
2. Vowel Sound /u:/:
   • The /u:/ sound is a long vowel sound made by rounding the lips more tightly and raising the back of the tongue higher than for /ʊ/.
   • It is found in words like “food” and “mood.”
   • Examples:
     • “food” /fuːd/
     • “mood” /muːd/
     • “school” /skuːl/
3. Writing Words with /ʊ/ and /u:/ Sounds:
   • Practice writing words that include these vowel sounds.
   • Example words:
     • /ʊ/: “book,” “foot,” “look”
     • /u:/: “school,” “blue,” “move”
4. Drawing the Contrast between /ʊ/ and /u:/ Sounds:
   • Discuss how the /ʊ/ sound is short and the /u:/ sound is long. Compare pairs of words to highlight the difference in pronunciation.
   • Example contrasts:
     • “pull” /pʊl/ vs. “pool” /puːl/
     • “full” /fʊl/ vs. “fool” /fuːl/
     • “wood” /wʊd/ vs. “wooed” /wuːd/
5. Constructing Sentences with /ʊ/ and /u:/ Sounds:
   • Pupils should practice constructing sentences using pairs of words with these vowel sounds.
   • Example sentences:
     • “The book is good.”
     • “The food is cool.”
     • “I stood in school.”

Evaluation:

1. The word with the /ʊ/ sound is:
   a) book
   b) food
   c) mood
   d) school
2. The /u:/ sound is found in:
   a) look
   b) foot
   c) cool
   d) good
3. Which of these words has the /ʊ/ sound?
   a) food
   b) book
   c) mood
   d) school
4. The /ʊ/ sound is pronounced by:
   a) Rounding the lips and raising the back of the tongue
   b) Tightening the lips and raising the tongue higher
   c) Closing the lips
   d) Lowering the tongue
5. The word “school” has the vowel sound:
   a) /ʊ/
   b) /u:/
   c) /a:/
   d) /e/
6. A word that contrasts with “foot” using the /u:/ sound is:
   a) Book
   b) Look
   c) Mood
   d) Pool
7. Which word has the /u:/ sound?
   a) Good
   b) Blue
   c) Pull
   d) Full
8. The /ʊ/ sound is commonly found in:
   a) Long vowels
   b) Short vowels
   c) Consonants
   d) Diphthongs
9. Which sound is produced with the lips rounded and the tongue raised higher?
   a) /ʊ/
   b) /u:/
   c) /a:/
   d) /e:/
10. The sound in “pull” is:
    a) /ʊ/
    b) /u:/
    c) /a:/
    d) /e:/
11. The word “mood” contains the vowel sound:
    a) /ʊ/
    b) /u:/
    c) /a:/
    d) /e:/
12. Which of these words does not have the /u:/ sound?
    a) Food
    b) School
    c) Book
    d) Blue
13. The /u:/ sound is a:
    a) Long vowel
    b) Short vowel
    c) Consonant
    d) Diphthong
14. A word that contrasts with “good” using the /u:/ sound is:
    a) Food
    b) Book
    c) Foot
    d) Pull
15. The sound in “blue” is:
    a) /ʊ/
    b) /u:/
    c) /a:/
    d) /e:/

Class Activity Discussion:

1. What is the /ʊ/ sound?
   • The /ʊ/ sound is a short vowel sound made by rounding the lips and raising the back of the tongue.
2. Can you give examples of words with the /u:/ sound?
   • Examples include “food,” “mood,” and “school.”
3. What is the /u:/ sound?
   • The /u:/ sound is a long vowel sound made by rounding the lips more tightly and raising the back of the tongue higher.
4. How do you write words with the /ʊ/ sound?
   • Words with the /ʊ/ sound include “book,” “foot,” and “good.”
5. How can you practice distinguishing /ʊ/ and /u:/ sounds?
   • By listening to and repeating words that contain these sounds.
6. Give a sentence using a word with the /u:/ sound.
   • “The food is good.”
7. Why is it important to know the difference between /ʊ/ and /u:/?
   • It helps in pronouncing words correctly and understanding their meanings.
8. What happens to your mouth when you say /u:/?
   • The lips round more tightly and the back of the tongue raises higher.
9. What is the key difference between the /ʊ/ and /u:/ sounds?
   • The /ʊ/ sound is short, while the /u:/ sound is long.
10. Can you think of a pair of words that contrast /ʊ/ and /u:/?
    • “Good” and “food” contrast /ʊ/ and /u:/ sounds.
11. Which sound is more common in English words, /ʊ/ or /u:/?
    • Both sounds are common but in different contexts.
12. How does understanding these sounds help with reading and writing?
    • It improves spelling, pronunciation, and comprehension of words.
13. Which sound is produced by rounding the lips and raising the back of the tongue?
    • The /ʊ/ sound.
14. Can you give an example of a word with the /u:/ sound at the end?
    • “Blue” is a word with the /u:/ sound at the end.
15. What is the most important thing to remember when pronouncing /ʊ/ and /u:/?
    • The length of the sound and the position of the tongue and lips are key.

Presentation:

Step 1:

• The teacher revises the previous topic, reviewing consonant sounds and their pronunciation.

Step 2:

• The teacher introduces the new topic on vowel sounds /ʊ/ and /u:/, explaining how each sound is produced and pronounced.

Step 3:

• The teacher engages pupils in identifying these sounds in different words, and pupils practice constructing sentences using these sounds.

Teacher’s Activities:

• Demonstrate how to pronounce the vowel sounds /ʊ/ and /u:/ using visual and audio aids.
• Provide words and examples to illustrate each sound.
• Guide pupils in writing and pronouncing words containing these sounds.
• Encourage pupils to use the words in sentences.

Learners’ Activities:

• Listen to the sounds and repeat after the teacher.
• Write words with the /ʊ/ and /u:/ sounds.
• Construct sentences using the words provided.

Assessment:

• Pupils will be assessed on their ability to identify, pronounce, and use the vowel sounds /ʊ/ and /u:/ correctly in sentences.

Conclusion:

• The teacher goes around to mark pupils’ work, providing feedback on their pronunciation and use of vowel sounds /ʊ/ and /u:/.

More Useful Links 

• Speech Work: Minimal Pairs – Vowel Sounds /e/ and /i:/ Phonemic Awareness Diction Speech Work English Grammar Primary 5 First Term Lesson Notes Week 5
• Understanding Stress Patterns in Words Phonemic Awareness Diction Speech Work English Grammar Primary 5 First Term Lesson Notes Week 7
• Consonant Sounds /ʃ/ and /tʃ/, and Intonation in Sentences Phonemic Awareness Diction Speech Work English Grammar Primary 5 First Term Lesson Notes Week 9