Last month we introduced CVCE words using Magic E. As I was planning ahead, I was a bit worried about how I would teach my students to remember two things:
1. The vowel will now make the long sound.
2. The “e” will not make any sound.
Over a couple weekends, I came up with a plan. My poor husband. I poured myself into this project!
Teaching CVCE with Magic E
I don’t know about you, but my students LOVE to sing. The first thing I did was come up with a song. Regardless of ten years of piano lessons, I was not about to make up my own tune. I wrote out some lyrics that we could sing to the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”
Go ahead and sing it, you know you want to! š Oh, and when you get to the word “silently,” you have to *whisper* it.
My kids immediately loved the song.
They sing it on the carpet. They sing it during transitions. And they sing it at lunch. I even heard one student singing it in the bathroom!
Every time they come across a word with Magic E they start to sing!
The next step was to make a craft! The students loved making Magic E, and I loved that this craft gave them something tangible to help them remember this new phonics “rule.” Not only did they get to take home the song (pictured in red), but while making the craft they had to distinguish between CVC and CVCE words and highlight Magic E. They had to read the words to a friend and to me before taking it home. Then I challenged them to teach their parents and siblings about Magic E!
The next day, we created an interactive anchor chart that would stay on the bulletin board as a reminder of Magic E since they just had to take their Magic E craft home right away. When they walked in, I had the poster and the “I Can” statement up and sticky notes on my front desk. They know what that means!
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| Sorry for all the little blue boxes, my students insist on writing their name on their sticky notes. I like to consider this pride in their work and run with it!
Because this was a new concept, we brainstormed words together. Then I let each student pick a word. They had to write and illustrate the word. Since I teach ESL students, I like to focus on reading and writing with listening and speaking, so they also had to share their sticky note with the class before adding it to the anchor chart. We are currently working on our Magic E centers and Magic E book!We are just doing a couple pages each day in our book so we have more time to focus in building those writing skills!  Students can’t just match the pictures cards, they have to record it! Writing the words and drawing the pictures makes the center twice as fun!
 But we can’t forget to reinforce and apply what we have learned!   All of this and more is available in my TPT store! Check it out by clicking here.   Do you have any fun ways to teach CVCE words? |
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