I can spell cat, "c" "a" "t."
I can spell bat, "b" "a" "t."
I can spell hat, "h" "a" "t."

But I can't spell Ohio.
"O" is on the front side
And "O" is at the end.
I don't know what in the middle
I guess I'll ask my friend.

I can spell dog, "d" "o" "g."
I can spell hog, "h" "o" "g."
I can spell log, "l" "o" "g."
But I cant spell Ohio.

"O" is on the front side
And "O" is at the end.
I don't know what in the middle,
I guess I'll ask my friend.

I can spell fig, "f" "i" "g."
I can spell pig, "p" "i" "g."
I can spell wig, "w" "i" "g."
But I cant spell Ohio.

"O" is on the front side
And "O" is at the end.
And "HI" is in the middle,
It's how I greet my friend.

I can spell cat, "c" "a" "t."
I can spell bat, "b" "a" "t."
I can spell hat, "h" "a" "t."
And I can spell Ohio.
Yes, I can spell Ohio, 
"O" "H" "I" "O."

 

 

Activities:

1.  After the children have worked with the poem and understand the three word families, make "word-family" cans.  Use three clean orange juice cans,and nine jumbo craft sticks.  Cover the cans with paper and write: "at" family on one can, "og" family on another can, and "ig" family on the last can.  Write the words from the poem on the craft sticks; as the children read the words from the word families, they place the sticks in the correct word-family can. They can add other words from each family to the can.

2.  Divide the class into three groups.  Group 1 will be the "at" family, Group 2 will be the "og" family, Group 3 will be the "ig" family.  When you say the word, the children from that word family group spell the word.  For example, when you say, "cat", the children from Group 1 say, "c," "a," "t."

Many thanks to Sharon MacDonald for permission to publish these lyrics.

© Sharon MacDonald.  All rights reserved