[tropical music]
[Caroline] [sighs in satisfaction]
I'm having such a fine [emphasizes long I sound] time [emphasizes long I sound]
on this divine [emphasizes long I sound] island [emphasizes long I sound].
I wonder where Becca is. Becca? Becca?
[Becca] [intense shivering] This igloo [stammers the short I sound] is
cold [stammering].
Coming here was a mistake [stammers the short I sound].
[Caroline] Oh, Becca, you went to an igloo [repeats the short I sound] with a short I,
but you should have come to an island [repeats the long I sound].
The letter I is here. [Becca shivers]
You would have really liked this island vibe [emphasizes the long I sound].
That was quite a vacation, but it's time to talk more about the letter I.
Hi! Hi [emphasizes long I sound], Letter I!
I bet you remember that vowels can say their letter names. Letter names are long sounds.
This is the letter I. This letter can say its letter name to make a long sound – I.
Practice making the long I sound. Can you say it with me?
I [long I sound]. I. I.
We open our mouth really wide, almost like we're making the short O [repeats short O] sound.
Then we start to close our mouth until we end the sound with a big smile.
Try it with me! I [long I sound].
Can you think of any words with a long I sound in them? Hm. How about island?
Gee, I wish I were back on that island. Say it with me.
Island [emphasizes long I sound].
Do you hear the long I sound at the beginning of the word?
I. What other words start with a long I sound?
How about idea. Idea. Long I can be found in the middle of words too. Oh! Like the word
smile. Say it with me. Smile. Do you hear the I [long I] sound in the middle? I bet
you see my
big smile when I make the long I sound. What other words have the long I sound in the middle?
Hm. How about vine? I also thought of dive, dime, kite, bike, knife, night, and dice.
Vowels can make short sounds too. Do you know the short sound for this letter? Short I makes
the sound I [short I sound]. Make the sound with me. I [short I sound]. I.
When I make this sound, I open my mouth just a little bit. Little [repeats short I sound] bit [repeats short I sound].
Can you see? My teeth are almost touching, but this is a vowel sound because the air
is still coming from the middle of my mouth. I [short I sound]. I [short I sound].
Practice making the I [short I] sound with me. Open your mouth just a little bit and
make the short sound. I [short I sound]. I. I.
The word zip helps me remember the short I sound because my mouth is open just a little
bit. It almost looks like a zipper. Zip. Zip [emphasizes the short I sound]. I [short I sound]. I. I.
Can you think of any words with the short I sound? Hm. How about igloo? Do you hear the
short I sound at the beginning of the word? That igloo sure was cold [shivers]! Say it
with me. Igloo. What's another word with short I at the beginning?
I [short I sound]. I [short I sound]. I [short I sound]. Insect! Say it with me. Insect.
Short I isn't always at the beginning of words; it can be found in the middle of words too,
like – oh! – like the word bit. Say it with
me. Bit. Do you hear the short I sound in
the middle? What about pig? Do you hear the I [short I] sound in the middle? What other
words have the short I sound in the middle? Hm. Oh! Gift. Hm. Bin! I can also think of rip,
slip, pin, win, squid, sit. Let's practice making our long I and short I sounds. I'm
going to make the sound three times, then you can make the sound three times. Let's
do long I first. Long I, like in island. I [long I]. I. I.
Keep repeating after me. I. I. I. Nice job!
How about short I, like in igloo or zip? Repeat after me. I [short I]. I. I.
Keep repeating after me. I. I. I.
Let's practice saying words and listening to sounds so we can hear the difference between
long I and short I. I'll show you a picture. You can say the word. Let's do this one first.
What is it? Ice. What sound do you hear? Long I or short I? Ice. I. I. I. Ice. Long I.
Remember opening our mouth wide and ending with a big smile? I! What about fin? What sound do you
hear? Long I or short I? Fin. I [short I sound]. I. Fin.
That's short I. Remember our short little sound with our mouth almost zipped [repeats short I sound] up?
Let's practice with some more words!
Fries.
That's long I. I [long I sound].
Wig.
That's short I. I [short I sound]. I. I.
Fire.
That's long I. I [long I sound].
Kid.
That's short I. I [short I sound]. I. I.
Mice.
That's long I. I [long I sound].
Fig.
That's short I. I [short I sound]. I. I.
Dig.
That's short I. I [short I sound]. I. I.
Like.
That's long I. I [long I sound].
Kit.
That's short I. I [short I sound]. I. I.
Knight.
That's long I. I [long I sound].
Lip.
That's short I. I [short I sound]. I. I.
Lime.
That's long I. I [long I sound].
Tin.
That's short I. I [short I sound]. I. I.
Nice job today.
[Becca] [gasps in awe] I'm finally here!
That igloo [repeats short I] was way too chilly [repeats short I sound],
but i'm finally [emphasizes long I sound] here. I had to drive, bike, and
swing from a vine to make it. It's so warm here on this gigantic island. Nice!
How did I miss it? What else did I miss?
[Caroline] Well, we learned that letter I can make a long sound, like the I in smile
or island, or a short sound like the I in zip or igloo. Keep practicing these two sounds
and keep an ear out for any I [long I] or I [short I] sounds you hear. And don't forget...
[Becca] ...to always be clever!
[Caroline] Don't forget to always be clever.
[Becca] [laughs] Woo!
[laughs]