A Birthday Full of Vowels!

By: Jamie Witt and Heidi Hess


Photographs by Google Images


Max is turning 7 years old. He is having a birthday party today and invited some friends from school. Each friend is bringing a present that matches the vowel sound in their name to give to Max. Let's see what the friends choose to bring!



Pat plays with Max at recess and they like to throw a baseball. Pat is bringing a bat. 

Do you notice how the vowel sound in Pat and bat sound the same? This is known as the short a vowel sound. 

Can you come up with other examples?



Max always plays with Fred's toy train when he is over to play. Fred is bringing Max a red train to the birthday party. 

 Do you notice how the vowel sound in Fred and red sound the same? This is known as the short e vowel sound.

Can you come up with other examples?



Max loves Halloween. Mitch wants to give Max a witch mask. 

Do you notice how the vowel sound in Mitch and witch sound the same? This is known as the short i sound. 

Can you come up with other examples?



Molly knows that Max likes to play sports. Molly is giving him a soccer ball. 

Do you notice that the vowel sound in Molly and soccer are the same? This is known as the short o sound.

Can you come up with other examples?



Gus and Max sit together on the bus on their way home from school. Gus thinks it would be funny to give Max a toy bus

Do you notice that the vowel sound in Gus and bus sound the same? This is known as the short u sound.

Can you come up with any other examples?



Max went to the zoo with Jake when they were in kindergarten and Max said his favorite animal was a snake. Jake is going to bring Max a stuffed animal snake

Do you notice that the vowel sound in Jake and snake sound the same? This is known as the long a sound. 

Can you come up with any other examples?



Max has a puppy and Bree wants to bring him a present that he can use with the puppy. Bree is going to bring Max a frisbee

Do you notice how the vowel sound in Bree and frisbess sound the same? This is known as the long e sound.

Can you come up with any other examples?



Max just learned how to ride a bike without training wheels. Mike wants to give Max a new bike

Do you notice how the vowel sound in Mike and bike sound the same? This is known as the long i sound. 

Can you come up with any other examples?



Max and Lola like to explore in the woods in Max's back yard. Lola is going to bring him a toad because they always try to catch the toads in the creek they explore in. 

Do you notice how the vowel sound in Lola and toad sound the same? This is known as the long o sound. 

Can you come up with any other exammples?



Ruth and Max like to dance together. Ruth is bringing Max crazy, funny music to dance to.

Do you notice how the vowel sound in Ruth and music sound the same? This is known as the long u sound.

Can you come up with any other examples?



Max was so happy to see that all of his friends could make it to the party. He had a great time opening up presents and spending time with his friends!



Max's birthday party helped teach us about short and long vowel sounds. Each of his friends and each of their gifts showed us more about the vowel sounds. Now let's see what vowel sounds are here:

Cake. (Short a or long a)

Leg. (Short e or long e)

Kite. (Short i or long i)

Pot. (Short o or long o)

Cup. (Short u or long u)


The End...