Magnetic Letters Literacy Centers to Teach Phonics
These magnetic letters activities focus on CVC, CCVC and CVCe words. They make a great addition to Kindergarten, First Grade and Second Grade phonics literacy centers.
CVC Phonics Literacy Centers
Kids who know their beginning sounds are usually ready to begin spelling simple CVC (consonant vowel consonant) words such as cub, cat and pin.
Preparation – Print and laminate the resources so they can be used with an erasable marker. You’ll also need the relevant magnetic letters.
How to Play
Spelling Cards: Say the individual sounds of each letter e.g. “/c/, /u/, /b/ – that spells cub!”. Then use magnetic letters to spell each word below the letters. Alternatively, write the word using an erasable marker. I prefer regular washable markers because they wipe off easily with a damp cloth.
Spelling Lists: Read each word on the list. Say the individual sounds of each letter e.g. “/k/, /i/, /d/ – that spells kid!”. Then write the word on the write and wipe cards using an erasable marker.
CCVC Phonics Literacy Centers
Once kids know how to spell simple CVC words such as cat, they will be ready to move onto learning about CCVC (consonant, consonant, vowel, consonant) words such as frog (blend) and ship (digraph).
Preparation– Print and laminate the resources so they can be used with an erasable marker. You’ll also need the relevant magnetic letters.
How to Play
Spelling Cards: Say the individual sounds of the letters e.g. “/c/, /r/, /a/, /b/ – that spells crab!”. Then use magnetic letters to spell each word below the letters. Alternatively, write the word using an erasable marker.
Talk about how digraphs have two letters but they only make one sound, for example we say the digraph /sh/ as /sh/, not /s/ and /h/. So the words containing digraphs will have three sounds and the words containing blends will have four sounds.
Spelling Lists: Read each word on the list. Say the individual sounds of the letters e.g. “/sh/, /i/, /p/ – that spells ship!”. Then write the word on the write and wipe cards using an erasable marker.
CVCe Phonics Literacy Centers
Kids often know CVCe (consonant, consonant, vowel, magic e) words such as cake and kite as words containing magic e or super silent e.
Preparation – Print and laminate the resources so they can be used with an erasable marker. You’ll also need the relevant magnetic letters.
How to play
Spelling Cards: Say the individual sounds of the letters e.g. “/c/, /a/, /k/, /e/” and then pronounce the word as it sounds. Kids usually laugh because it doesn’t sound right.
Ask the kids if that word makes sense and tell them how the “e” at the end of the word makes the vowel say its name. So when you see a magic e, you need to say the long vowel sound – which is the same sound we make when when we say the letter names AEIOU. Teach children the basic long vowel patterns containing magic e such as: a-e (cake), e-e, (these), i-e (kite), o-e (bone) and u-e (cube).
Use magnetic letters to spell each word below the letters.
Spelling Lists: Read each word on the list. Say the individual sounds of the letters e.g. “/c/, /a-e/, /k/ – that spells cake!”. Then write the word on the write and wipe cards using an erasable marker.
Tip – Kids can draw an arched line between the vowel and magic e to help them make a connection with the two letters.
These fun magnetic letters literacy center activities which cover: CVC (e.g. cat), CCVC (e.g. ship) and CVCe (e.g. cake) words are available here.
Learn more here.
