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Step 4: Magic e (& Two Sounds for C, G Detour)

Magic e at the end of a word makes the vowel before it say it's name
Magic e
c says /s/ before an e, i, or y
g says /j/ before an e, i, or y
Usually c says /s/ and g says /j/ in front of e, i or y


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Definitions

Magic e Definitions:
VCE stands for Vowel, Consonant, e, which are the last 3 letters in a the Magic e syllable. The e signals that the vowel that is two spaces before it says it’s name. The Magic e is always at the end of a word (bike, explode). The Magic e can be at the end of the first word in a compound word (spacewalk, baseball). There can be an ending after the Magic e like in bikes.
CCVCE signals there will be blends (two consonants, cc) at the beginning of the Magic e words.

Teaching Videos and Written Stories

Magic e syllable
Magical alternate story for the Magic e Syllable
2 sounds for long ū (same video as on Open and Closed Syllable page)

Written Stories

  • Written Story: Magic e as told in Teaching Video
  • Written Story: 2 Sounds for Long u Story as told in Teaching Video
  • Alternate Explanation For the 2 Sounds of Long u:
    • The name of the letter u is pronounced like the word “you”.  This word has two phonemes (sounds): the /y/ sound (as in yes), and then the /oo/ sound (as in moon).  In words like use and cute the letter u’s full name is heard.
    • When the u is saying its name, it often goes by a nickname (a shorter version of its name).  For its nickname the u drops the first phoneme (sound) /y/ and we only hear the second phoneme (sound) /oo/.  We only hear the /oo/ sound of the u’s name in words like tube and flute.

PowerPoints and Google Slides PowerPoints for teaching short vowel words CVC Google Slides Icon

For the formatting of PowerPoints to be correct, click FILE, then DOWNLOAD, and download in Microsoft PowerPoint.

Teach Along the Way with Magic e Teach along the way with short vowels

TEACH ALONG THE WAY ●●●

Teach and add the relevant sounds (ce, ci, cy, ca, etc. and ge, gi, gy, ga, etc.) from the Big Sounds Pack to daily practice.

ce, ci, cy say /s/ and ge, gi, gy say /j/ See Detour for ore on this.

The letter u has 2 long sounds. See video above.

Vowel Protectors protect vowels from Magic e: As we learned in Steps 1 and 2, -ck, -ffsszzll, -tch and -dge come after a short vowel to protect it from a Magic e. Letters are also doubled in words to act as vowel protectors like in the words peppermint and planned.

We do not end words in v, j, i or u: In English, we do not end words in v, j, i or u. Exceptions are words borrowed from other languages, (spaghetti) and abbreviations of words (taxi), and the pronouns you, hi and I. In a word that ends in a ve, the vowel before the v may or may not say its name since the e may be there so the v is not at the end. The i in give says its sound, the a in gave says it’s name, and the i in live is pronounced both ways!

Magic e Teaching Activity Activity working together

Act Out Open, Closed and Magic e Syllables Just like teaching the Open and Closed syllables, make letter cards and act out what the vowel would say in different situations, and now include the Magic e running up to a word.  Find directions here.

Two Sounds for C, G Detour Detour

Two Sounds for C, G Page

c says /k/ or /s/
The letter c says the /k/ sound.  However, when it is followed by an e, i, or y it says the /s/ sound.  (Examples: city, cycle and cent).  We can thank the French for this softening of the c sound.

g says /g/ or /j/
The letter g says the /g/ sound.  However, when it is followed by an e, i, or y it usually says the /j/ sound.  (Examples: giant, gym and gentle).  We can thank the French for this softening of the g sound.

Tips Tips

Note on Spelling: It is important to be writing the words that are being worked on each step of the way. Use the words in the lists and stories. Word chains are particularly effective as they also work on identifying individual sounds within words.

Map Sounds to Letters

Map the sounds in the word to the letter(s) representing the sounds, even if it is not a letter combination that has been taught yet. Only an unusual sound/letter combination needs to be remembered “by heart.” Mapping the sounds to the letters is how we remember what words look like. See example below:

Map Sounds To Letters examples

Be sure to reinforce what you know and are learning about words, for example:
Schwa Sound: Any vowel might say /ŭ/. Point out that this happens in many common words like: the, of, was, some, from…

Key and Directions for Materials Key


KEY:
Blue Heart: Beginning, grades K-1K-1 Beginning
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-21-2 Growing
Pink Plus: intervention, challengeIntervention/Challenge

Bundle: Multiple types of materials (games, activities, stories…) bundled together.
Pack: Multiple pieces of the same type of material, for example a pack of books.

Directions for everything else:

More on the Directions Page

Sample Bundle


Practice Reading Practice Practice Reading


Beginning Reader Word Family BUNDLES and PACKS! Bundle

Magic e Bundles

Blue Heart Green Star: Beginning, grades K-1 and/or Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e with mostly CVC words Bundle Magic e level 1 with mosty CVC words with words, pyramids with flashcards, games and stories
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e with blends and multiple syllable words Bundle Magic e level 2 with blends and Multiple Syllable words with pyramids with flashcards, games and stories

Magic e Packs

Blue Heart Green Star: Beginning, grades K-1 and/or Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE Beginning Fluency Pyramids #1-10 Pack with wordlists and index (included in bundles above)
Blue Heart Green Star: Beginning, grades K-1 and/or Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE with only CVC words Games Pack (included in CVC Bundle 1 above)
Blue Heart, Green Star, Pink Plus: K-2 and interventionMagic e VCE Spelling Pack Word Chains 1-9
Blue Heart Green Star: Beginning, grades K-1 and/or Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE Pack 4 page with only CVC words 4 Page Stories #1-8 horizontal format (also in CVC Bundle above)
Blue Heart Green Star: Beginning, grades K-1 and/or Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE Pack 4 page with CVC words and blends 4 Page Stories #9-15 horizontal format (also in blends Bundle above)
Blue Heart Green Star: Beginning, grades K-1 and/or Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE Pack 4 page 4 Page Stories #1-15 all together
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE full page story Pack Full Page Story with List ALL

Word and Phrase Lists Lists icon

See Highlighting Word Lists.

Word Lists
Blue Heart, Green Star, Pink Plus: K-2 and interventionMagic e CVC to CVCE word pairs list It is the Sam Same Sock Sam (also in CVC Bundle above)
Blue Heart, Green Star, Pink Plus: K-2 and interventionMagic e CVC to CVCE fold to cover the e list Hide (also in CVC Bundle above)
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE word families Ace vertical lists
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE word families Cake For A Snake horizontal tracking
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e CCVCE by word family Snake Grape with blends
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE mixed word list 1 Is It Ripe
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE mixed word list 2 Bone
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE two sounds for ū Use Dude.
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE ce and ge list with and without challenge question at end

VCE Phrases
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE words and phrases activity How Many Can You Find and Say: Gross!
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE phrases a words A Safe Male Rat
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE phrases i words I Can Ride A Mile
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE phrases o words A Mole In The Hole
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE phrases 2 sounds for ū words A Cute Mule
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE phrases timing option Cube of Ice
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE phrases timing option In The Crate
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE sentences timing option Jake Has A Fake Snake

Multiple Syllable
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE 2 syllables to put together and read Explore
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Open, Closed and Magic e CV CVC VCE Multiple syllable divisions Which Side Should I Go? broken into syllables
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE compound words Inside
Green Star, Pink Plus: Grades 1,2 and/or intervention, challengeMagic e CVC CV VCE mixed practice multi-syllable divisions Robin
Pink Plus: intervention, challengeMagic e CVC CV VCE (mostly closed) mixed practice multi-syllable MUSTANG
Pink Plus: intervention, challengeMagic e Challenge CVC VCE multiple syllable words, definitions and sentences Divide and Define #1
Pink Plus: intervention, challengeMagic e Challenge CVC VCE multiple syllable words, definitions, sentences Divide and Define #2

Fluency Pyramids Fluency Pyramid

Pyramids are great for automaticity with words, feeling successful and fluency.

Blue Heart Green Star: Beginning, grades K-1 and/or Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE Beginning Fluency Pyramids #1-10 Pack with wordlists and index (included in bundles above)

Games Games Icon

Game Directions

Sound Games
Blue Heart Green Star: Beginning, grades K-1 and/or Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE a, i sounds Trains
Blue Heart Green Star: Beginning, grades K-1 and/or Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE o, u sounds Sports
Blue Heart Green Star: Beginning, grades K-1 and/or Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE o, a, i sounds Bird and Squirrel

Word Games (c cays /s/ and g says /j/ when followed by an e)
Blue Heart Green Star: Beginning, grades K-1 and/or Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE with only CVC words Games Pack (included in CVC Bundle 1 above)
Blue Heart Green Star: Beginning, grades K-1 and/or Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e CVC to CVCE words Cut a Cute Cape (included in CVC Bundle 1 above)
Blue Heart Green Star: Beginning, grades K-1 and/or Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e CVC to CVCE Do You See The e? (included in CVC Bundle 1 above)
Blue Heart Green Star: Beginning, grades K-1 and/or Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e CVC to CVCE We Hope to See Our Pals (included in CVC Bundle 1 above)
Blue Heart, Green Star, Pink Plus: K-2 and interventionMagic e CV to CVC to CVCE words Butterflies (included in CVC Bundle 1 above)
Blue Heart Green Star: Beginning, grades K-1 and/or Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE words I Like A Nice Bone (included in CVC Bundle 1 above)
Blue Heart Green Star: Beginning, grades K-1 and/or Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE words Ice Cream Cones Yum (included in CVC Bundle 1 above)
Blue Heart Green Star: Beginning, grades K-1 and/or Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE words Fun at the Lake (included in CVC Bundle 1 above)
Blue Heart Green Star: Beginning, grades K-1 and/or Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e CVC and VCE ZAP
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE words Ovals1 (included in blends Bundle 2 above)
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE words Ovals 2 (included in blends Bundle 2 above)
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e CCVCE words Trace the Whale (included in blends Bundle 2 above)
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e CVCE words Capture the Shark (included in CVC Bundle 1 above)
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e CVCE words Capture the Jellyfish (included in CVC Bundle 1 above)

Phrase Games
Blue Heart Green Star: Beginning, grades K-1 and/or Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE a phrases I Like to Bake (included in CVC Bundle 1 above)
Blue Heart Green Star: Beginning, grades K-1 and/or Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE i phrases Game Time (included in CVC Bundle 1 above)
Blue Heart Green Star: Beginning, grades K-1 and/or Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE o phrases Get the Hose (included in CVC Bundle 1 above)
Blue Heart Green Star: Beginning, grades K-1 and/or Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE u phrases Cute Mule (included in CVC Bundle 1 above)
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE phrases A Cute Red Rose
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE phrases Chimp on a Vine
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE phrases Name the Mice
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE sentences I Hid Your Gift (included in blends Bundle 2 above)

Spelling Lists icon

Practice with words from the lists, games etc., or use the lists below.
* Having learners spell with word chains where the coach says “change one sound in (chop) to spell (chip), now change one sound in (chip) to spell (sip)” is a powerful way to draw student’s attention to individual sounds in the words!

Use Magic e lists for spelling words. Mix Magic e words with closed syllable words. When spelling multiple syllable words pronounce and spell one syllable at a time.

Green Star, Pink Plus: Grades 1,2 and/or intervention, challengeMagic e VCE Spelling Pack Word Chains 1-9
Green Star, Pink Plus: Grades 1,2 and/or intervention, challengeMagic e VCE Spelling Word Chain Wake to Spit

Small Books Small Books icon

Small Book: 8 page assembly directions, 4 page folding directions, OR use horizontal format for reading on the screen in distance learning.

Blue Heart Green Star: Beginning, grades K-1 and/or Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE Pack 4 page with only CVC words 4 Page Stories #1-8 horizontal format (also in CVC Bundle above)
Blue Heart Green Star: Beginning, grades K-1 and/or Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE Pack 4 page with CVC words and blends 4 Page Stories #9-15 horizontal format (also in blends Bundle above)
Blue Heart Green Star: Beginning, grades K-1 and/or Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE Pack 4 page 4 Page Stories #1-15 all together
Blue Heart Green Star: Beginning, grades K-1 and/or Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE 8 page Cub in a Cube cvc cvce horizontal and vertical formats
Blue Heart Green Star: Beginning, grades K-1 and/or Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE 8 page I Like Mice foldable format
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE 8 page What to feed Cute Mice horizonal format
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE 8 page Who Is She cvc vc vce foldable format
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE 8 page Mice Are Nice ccvc vce horizontal and vertical formats
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE 8 page The Big Egg Mess cvc cvce ll ss horizontal and vertical formats
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE 8 page Would You Like To vce horizontal and vertical formats
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE 8 page Rub a Dub Dub cvc cvce horizontal and vertical formats
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE 8 page Brave Snake cvce ccvce horizontal and vertical formats
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE 8 page Bad, Bad horizontal and vertical formats
4 page Books:
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE 4 page Late For The Date -ate family horizontal and vertical formats
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE 4 page My Best Day -ake family horizontal and vertical formats
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE 4 page Cap Man cvc cvce horizontal and vertical formats
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE 4 page Jane and Mike Were Late horizontal and vertical formats
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE 4 page Who took a Slice horizontal and vertical formats
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE 4 page Vote for Super Hero horizontal and vertical formats
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE 4 page The Race with a Cheat (vowel team ea) horizontal and vertical formats

Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE teach vce + ing 8 page Baking horizontal format

Full Page Stories with Lists Full Page Stories with Lists

See Highlighting Word Lists

All included in blends Bundle 2 above
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE Full Page Stories with Lists Pack Full Page Story with List ALL

Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE Full Page Story with List -ake family Make a Joke
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE Full Page Story with List -ame family My Tame Goat
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE Full Page Story with List -ave, -ake, -ale families The Tale of Dave
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE Full Page Story with List mixed Dave was Late
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE Full Page Story with List mixed The Strike
Green Star: Growing, Grades 1-2Magic e VCE Full Page Story with List with c and g Bruce

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