In the English language, the letter Q is almost always followed by U. They act like best friends who travel as a team because Q can’t make its usual sound without U helping out.

When Q and U go together, they make the sound /kw/ as in queen, quick, and quiet.  Teaching children that “Q and U are partners” helps them remember this special rule when they read and spell new words- and it makes phonics feel a little bit magical!

This week, Kindergartners donned their fanciest clothes for a timeless celebration to unite Q and U. Students took their seats as a quartet played gently in the background and whimsical decorations adorned the walls of our classroom. I had the great honor of performing the ceremony where U vowed to stand by Q forever and to make beautiful words together. The ceremony was immediately followed by students brainstorming a list of all the words that feature Q and U… most importantly UnQUowa! We toast the happy couple!