Using visual and sound cues, compare and contrast closed and magic e (silent e) syllable types so readers can understand the characteristics of each and expand their decoding to more syllable types. If your readers are not familiar with the open and closed syllables, make sure to go over the lessons in Phase 3: Unit 1. Syllable Types & Syllable Division.
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Activity: Abracadabra, Magic e!
Standards
Know and apply phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
Reader Goals
I can read and spell words with the magic e spelling.
Target Words
• VC: kit, pet, can, cub, mop
• VCe: kite, Pete, cane, cube, mope
Helpful Hints
Guide
- Point to the picture on the left and Ask
What is the syllable type where one vowel is followed by a consonant sound?
(closed syllable)
What sound does the vowel make in a closed syllable?
(short vowel sound) - Say
I see the letter V, which represents the vowel, is locked inside. It is not free to go a long way and say its long sound, so the vowel makes its short vowel sound in a closed syllable. - Point to the picture on the right and Say
However, something magical happens when we add another vowel, the magic e, at the end of a closed syllable. It signals the vowel to say its long sound: the long sound is the same as the name of the vowel. We will call it a magic e syllable. Sometimes it is also called a silent e syllable. Let’s find out more about how this works for pronouncing a word.
Guide
- Say
Now we’ll learn about how the magic e at the end of the word signals the pronunciation of the other vowel that comes before the consonant.
Let’s get started! - Point to the word and Ask
How many vowels do you see in this word?
(1)
What is the vowel in this word?
(vowel i)
What comes after the vowel?
(consonant T)
What syllable type do you think it is?
(closed syllable) - Say
It is a closed syllable because there is one vowel with a consonant after it and the vowel makes its short sound.
Read the word with the short vowel pronunciation: /kĭt/.
(/kĭt/) - Push next to continue
Guide
- Point to the picture and Say
I see a kit. A baby fox is called a kit. - Read the word together
kit
(kit) - Say
Now let’s add the magic e at the end of the word kit. - Push next to continue
Guide
- Point to the word and Ask
How many vowels do you see in this word?
(2)
What are the vowels in this word?
(vowels i and E)
Is the magic e at the end of the word?
(yes)
Do you see the pattern VCe?
(yes) - Say
When you see the pattern VCe, the magic e, the vowel e after the consonant, signals the other vowel that comes before the consonant to say its long sound: the same as the name of the vowel. We will call this a magic e syllable because the magic e signals a different pronunciation for the other vowel, but it is silent.
So when you see a magic e at the end of a word, you might think of the magic e wizard saying: Abracadabra, fiddle-de-dee! I give you the power of magic e! The magic e is silent because it gives all its power to the other vowel to say its name.
Now read the word with the long vowel pronunciation: /kīt/.
(/kīt/) - Push next to continue
Guide
- Point to the picture and Say
I see a kite in the sky. - Read the word together
kite
(kite) - Say
So changing the pronunciation of the vowel changes the meaning of the word. That’s why it is so important to recognize the magic e pattern: VCe. Then you can read and spell more words.
Guide
- Say
Let’s do another one. - Point to the word and Ask
How many vowels do you see in this word?
(1)
What is the vowel in this word?
(vowel E)
What comes after the vowel?
(consonant T)
What syllable type do you think it is?
(closed syllable) - Say
It is a closed syllable because there is one vowel with a consonant after it and the vowel makes its short sound.
Read the word with the short vowel pronunciation: /pĕt/.
(/pĕt/) - Push next to continue
Guide
- Point to the picture and Say
I see a pet, a small puppy. - Read the word together
pet
(pet) - Say
Now let’s add the magic e at the end of the word pet. - Push next to continue
Guide
- Point to the word and Ask
How many vowels do you see in this word?
(2)
What are the vowels in this word?
(vowels E and E)
Is the magic e at the end of the word?
(yes)
Do you see the pattern VCe?
(yes) - Say
When you see the pattern VCe, the magic e, the vowel e after the consonant, signals the other vowel that comes before the consonant to say its long sound: the same as the name of the vowel. We will call this a magic e syllable because the magic e signals a different pronunciation for the other vowel, but it is silent.
Now read the word with the long vowel pronunciation: /pēt/.
(/pēt/) - Push next to continue
Guide
- Point to the picture and Say
Pete is cuddling with his pet. - Read the word together
Pete
(Pete)
Guide
- Say
Let’s do another one. - Point to the word and Ask
How many vowels do you see in this word?
(1)
What is the vowel in this word?
(vowel A)
What comes after the vowel?
(consonant N)
What syllable type do you think it is?
(closed syllable) - Say
It is a closed syllable because there is one vowel with a consonant after it and the vowel makes its short sound.
Read the word with the short vowel pronunciation: /kăn/.
(/kăn/) - Push next to continue
Guide
- Point to the picture and Say
I see a can. - Read the word together
can
(can) - Say
Now let’s add the magic e at the end of the word can. - Push next to continue
Guide
- Point to the word and Ask
How many vowels do you see in this word?
(2)
What are the vowels in this word?
(vowels A and E)
Is the magic e at the end of the word?
(yes)
Do you see the pattern VCe?
(yes) - Say
When you see the pattern VCe, the magic e, the vowel e after the consonant, signals the other vowel that comes before the consonant to say its long sound: the same as the name of the vowel. We will call this a magic e syllable because the magic e signals a different pronunciation for the other vowel, but it is silent.
Now read the word with the long vowel pronunciation: /kān/.
(/kān/) - Push next to continue
Guide
- Point to the picture and Say
I see a candy cane. - Read the word together
cane
(cane)
Guide
- Say
Let’s do another one. - Point to the word and Ask
How many vowels do you see in this word?
(1)
What is the vowel in this word?
(vowel U)
What comes after the vowel?
(consonant B)
What syllable type do you think it is?
(closed syllable) - Say
It is a closed syllable because there is one vowel with a consonant after it and the vowel makes its short sound.
Read the word with the short vowel pronunciation: /kŭb/.
(/kŭb/) - Push next to continue
Guide
- Point to the picture and Say
I see a cub, a baby lion. - Read the word together
cub
(cub) - Say
Now let’s add the magic e at the end of the word cub. - Push next to continue
Guide
- Point to the word and Ask
How many vowels do you see in this word?
(2)
What are the vowels in this word?
(vowels U and E)
Is the magic e at the end of the word?
(yes)
Do you see the pattern VCe?
(yes) - Say
When you see the pattern VCe, the magic e, the vowel e after the consonant, signals the other vowel that comes before the consonant to say its long sound: the same as the name of the vowel. We will call this a magic e syllable because the magic e signals a different pronunciation for the other vowel, but it is silent.
Now read the word with the long vowel pronunciation: /kūb/.
(/kūb/) - Push next to continue
Guide
- Point to the picture and Say
I see a cube. - Read the word together
cube
(cube)
Guide
- Say
Let’s do another one. - Point to the word and Ask
How many vowels do you see in this word?
(1)
What is the vowel in this word?
(vowel O)
What comes after the vowel?
(consonant P)
What syllable type do you think it is?
(closed syllable) - Say
It is a closed syllable because there is one vowel with a consonant after it and the vowel makes its short sound.
Read the word with the short vowel pronunciation: /mŏp/.
(/mŏp/) - Push next to continue
Guide
- Point to the picture and Say
I see a mop. - Read the word together
mop
(mop) - Say
Now let’s add the magic e at the end of the word mop. - Push next to continue
Guide
- Point to the word and Ask
How many vowels do you see in this word?
(2)
What are the vowels in this word?
(vowels O and E)
Is the magic e at the end of the word?
(yes)
Do you see the pattern VCe?
(yes) - Say
When you see the pattern VCe, the magic e, the vowel e after the consonant, signals the other vowel that comes before the consonant to say its long sound: the same as the name of the vowel. We will call this a magic e syllable because the magic e signals a different pronunciation for the other vowel, but it is silent.
Now read the word with the long vowel pronunciation: /mōp/.
(/mōp/) - Push next to continue
Guide
- Point to the picture and Say
When you feel sad, you might mope. - Read the word together
mope
(mope)
Guide
- Say
Let’s review how the magic e signals the long vowel sound in the words. - Point to each word as you Read: Say
Let’s read the words together.
kit – kite
pet – Pete
can – cane
cub – cube
mop – mope - Ask
So what happens when there is the pattern VCe?
(The vowel before the consonant makes its long sound but the magic e at the end is silent.) - Say
The magic e at the end gives all its power to the other vowel to say its name. That’s why we also call it a silent e syllable. So when you recognize this pattern in a word, it signals to you to pronounce the first vowel with its long sound.
