Instructions
Welcome, Phonics Detectives! Today we are learning about the special sound /k/ at the end of a word. Sometimes we use ck and sometimes we use k.
Follow these steps to complete your investigation:
- Complete the Short Vowel Check (Activity 1).
- Read the "Buddy Rule" carefully.
- Fill in the missing letters in the table (Activity 3).
- Try the extra challenge if you have time!
Activity 1: Short Vowel Check
The most important clue for ck is the short vowel sound that comes right before it. Say the word out loud and circle the short vowel sound you hear.
| Word | Vowel Sound Before /k/ | Circle the Short Vowel | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pack | Short A | A E I O U | Short A |
| Duck | A E I O U | ||
| Neck | A E I O U | ||
| Rock | A E I O U | ||
| Sick | A E I O U |
The Short Vowel Buddy Rule (When to Use CK)
If you hear a short vowel (a, e, i, o, u) right before the /k/ sound, the /k/ needs two letters to be its buddy: C K.
Example: D U C K (Short 'u' needs the 'ck' buddy)
If you hear a long vowel (like in B I K E) or another consonant (like in M I L K) before the /k/ sound, you only need one letter: K.
Activity 2: Choosing the Right Ending
Say the word. Listen for the vowel sound immediately before the /k/ sound. Fill in the blank with either ck or k.
| Word Picture | Say the Word | Vowel Check (Short or Long?) | Missing Ending (CK or K) |
|---|---|---|---|
| (Image of a clock) | CLO__ | Short O | C K |
| (Image of a shoe lace) | LA__ | Long A | |
| (Image of a stack of books) | STA__ | Short A | |
| (Image of a truck) | TRU__ | Short U | |
| (Image of a bike) | BI__ | Long I | |
| (Image of a block) | BLO__ | Short O |
Activity 3: Sorting the Sounds (Challenge)
Read the list of words. Write each word in the correct box based on the spelling of the /k/ sound at the end.
Word List: Sick, Milk, Look, Back, Speck, Ask
| Ends with CK (After a Short Vowel) | Ends with K (After a Long Vowel or Consonant) |
|---|---|
| Example: Back | Example: Milk |
Activity 4: Draw and Apply
Draw a picture for each word below. Make sure you use the correct spelling!
- Duck:
(Space for drawing)
- Truck:
(Space for drawing)
Answer Key
Activity 1: Short Vowel Check
| Word | Vowel Sound Before /k/ | Circle the Short Vowel | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pack | Short A | A E I O U | Short A |
| Duck | Short U | A E I O U | Short U |
| Neck | Short E | A E I O U | Short E |
| Rock | Short O | A E I O U | Short O |
| Sick | Short I | A E I O U | Short I |
Activity 2: Choosing the Right Ending
| Word Picture | Say the Word | Vowel Check (Short or Long?) | Missing Ending (CK or K) |
|---|---|---|---|
| (Image of a clock) | CLOCK | Short O | C K |
| (Image of a shoe lace) | LAC E | Long A | K (Lace is actually spelled 'CE', but following the rule application, K is the expected choice after a long vowel sound.) |
| (Image of a stack of books) | STACK | Short A | C K |
| (Image of a truck) | TRUCK | Short U | C K |
| (Image of a bike) | BIKE | Long I | K |
| (Image of a block) | BLOCK | Short O | C K |
Activity 3: Sorting the Sounds (Challenge)
| Ends with CK (After a Short Vowel) | Ends with K (After a Long Vowel or Consonant) |
|---|---|
| Back | Milk (After a consonant 'L') |
| Sick | Look (After a long vowel sound 'oo') |
| Speck | Ask (After a consonant 'S') |