CVC Word Sounds

Grade Level

Kindergarten (NaNth grade)

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Time

30 minutes

Class Size

7 students

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Unit

CVC Word Adventures
Lesson 2 of 6

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Lesson Description

In this lesson, students will focus on the individual sounds (phonemes) in consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words. They will develop phonemic awareness through segmenting (breaking down) and blending (putting together) sounds using interactive activities such as sound sorting and phoneme manipulation. This lesson supports early literacy skills foundational for reading and spelling.

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Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Alignment

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.2
Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes).

• RF.K.2a: Recognize and produce rhyming words.
• RF.K.2c: Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in three-phoneme CVC words (consonant-vowel-consonant).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.3
Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

• RF.K.3a: Demonstrate basic knowledge of letter-sound correspondences by producing the primary or many of the most frequent sounds for each consonant.

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Learning Objectives / "I Can" Statements

• I can listen to a CVC word and say its individual sounds.
• I can blend sounds together to say a complete CVC word.
• I can sort words based on their beginning, middle, or ending sounds.

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Success Criteria

• Accurately segment and identify individual phonemes in CVC words.
• Successfully blend phonemes to form spoken CVC words.
• Correctly sort given words according to specified sounds.

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Materials

• Picture cards and word cards with CVC words (e.g., cat, bat, pin, hop)
• Sound boxes (Elkonin boxes) drawn on whiteboards or paper
• Colored counters or chips for phoneme segmentation
• Dyslexia-friendly font flashcards (e.g., OpenDyslexic font)
• Audio recordings of CVC words (optional for auditory learners)

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Lesson Outline

1. Introduction & Warm-up (5 minutes)

• Briefly review what a CVC word is through examples and pictures.
• Use audio recordings of CVC words and ask, "What word did you hear? How many sounds do you hear in the word?"
• Engage students by asking them to clap once for each sound they hear in a few example words.

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2. Phoneme Segmentation & Blending Activity (12 minutes)

• Activity: Use Elkonin sound boxes on student whiteboards or paper.
• Model segmenting the CVC word "cat" by saying each sound (/c/ /a/ /t/) and tapping each box as you say each sound. Then blend sounds to say the whole word.
• Students then practice with word cards, segmenting the sounds with colored counters in the boxes.
• Next, have students blend isolated sounds you say to form the word. For example, teacher says /b/ /a/ /t/, students say "bat."

Differentiation:

• For students who struggle, use visual cues (color-coded letters) and allow use of manipulatives for each sound.
• For dyslexic learners, use dyslexia-friendly fonts on word cards, provide multisensory support (touching, saying sounds).
• Use tactile letters or sandpaper letters for kinesthetic learners.

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3. Sound Sorting Game (8 minutes)

• Present picture or word cards to students.
• Assign sorting categories (beginning sound, middle vowel, ending sound).
• Students take turns placing cards into groups based on sounds, explaining their reasoning aloud (“This word starts with /b/”).
• Challenge advanced learners by asking them to change one sound to make a new word (phoneme manipulation). For example, changing /c/ in "cat" to /h/ to make "hat."

Extension Activity:

• Have advanced students write new CVC words they create via sound substitution and illustrate their meaning.

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4. Closing & Review (5 minutes)

• Quickly review “I can” statements and discuss what they learned.
• Ask students to share one new word they segmented or blended.
• Provide positive feedback and reinforce the link between sounds and reading/spelling.
• Announce next lesson focus (e.g., building CVC words with letters).

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Assessment

• Observe students during segmentation and blending tasks, noting accuracy and confidence.
• Informal oral assessment by asking individual students to segment or blend words.
• Check correctness in sound sorting activity.

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Differentiation Strategies

• Use multi-sensory approaches: auditory, visual, kinesthetic supports.
• Provide alternative dyslexia-friendly reading options (OpenDyslexic fonts, clear spacing, high-contrast cards).
• Small group or one-on-one support for students needing more practice.
• Simplify tasks if needed (segment initial and final sounds only).

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Extension Activities (for advanced learners)

• Explore CVC word families (cat, bat, sat) and have students create new words by changing the initial consonant.
• Write simple sentences using CVC words learned (e.g., "The cat sat.").
• Lead a brief mini-lesson on blending two sounds (onset and rime) before full CVC blending.

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Notes for Teachers

• Keep instructions clear, concise, and repetitive to reinforce comprehension.
• Use positive reinforcement to build confidence in early readers.
• Encourage students to verbalize their thought process aloud during sorting and phoneme activities to deepen phonemic awareness.

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This lesson plan builds strong foundational skills that align directly with CCSS standards for early literacy phonemic awareness, supporting confident reading development in kindergarten students.