What Are CVC Words?

CVC words are a foundational aspect of early literacy instruction, standing for “consonant-vowel-consonant.” They refer to simple three-letter words where a consonant is followed by a vowel and then another consonant. Examples of CVC words include “cat,” “dog,” and “sit.” These words are often introduced to young learners as they begin to develop their phonemic awareness and decoding skills. Teaching CVC words helps children understand the relationship between letters and sounds as they learn to blend individual sounds together to form words. Mastering CVC words is a critical step in learning to read, as it provides a solid framework for building more complex words and sentences later on. Educators can effectively support their students’ early literacy development by incorporating activities and exercises focused on CVC words into instruction.

How to Use This CVC Word Building Resource

This resource is an interactive activity; therefore, no paper is required! Simply click the download button and choose between the resource’s Google Slide or PowerPoint version. Students will look at the picture and say the word. Then, they will sound out the word, finding each letter that matches the sound and dragging it into the place underneath the picture. When they are finished building the word, they will check their work by sounding out the word they have built to ensure it matches the picture on the slide. When complete, they will advance to the next slide. This activity provides 24 images for them to practice building!

This activity can also be used as a whole-class activity when teaching C-V-C words to your students. Work through the slides together as a class or have individual students come to the board and drag the letters into place using a Smartboard.

CVC Words List & Ways to Use Them

Looking for a list of CVC words to use with your students? Look no further. Here is a list of 20 common CVC words that you can use in your CVC lessons with your students.

• cat
• dog
• sit
• pot
• man
• bat
• rug
• sun
• bed
• pig
• log
• hut
• van
• pen
• web
• box
• nut
• jam
• lip
• rat

Our teacher team here at Teach Starter has developed 10 ways to use this list of CVC words in your classroom. By incorporating these varied approaches, you can cater to different learning styles and ensure your students develop a strong foundation in decoding and reading CVC words. Pick and choose the ones you think will be best for your students.

1. Word Families: Introduce CVC words that belong to the same word family (e.g., -at family: cat, hat, rat) to illustrate how changing the initial consonant creates new words.
2. Word Building: Provide students with letter tiles or magnetic letters to build CVC words on a magnetic board or on their desks. Encourage them to manipulate the letters to create different words.
3. Sensory Activities: Use sensory materials such as sand, salt, or shaving cream for students to practice writing CVC words with their fingers, reinforcing muscle memory and kinesthetic learning.
4. Picture-Word Matching: Display pictures representing CVC words and have students match them to the corresponding written words, reinforcing both reading and vocabulary skills.
5. Read and Match: Create simple sentences using CVC words and have students match the sentence to a corresponding picture or draw the scene, reinforcing comprehension and contextual understanding.
6. Word Hunts: Hide CVC word cards around the classroom or outdoor area for students to find. Once found, students can read the word aloud and use it in a sentence.
7. Word Sorts: Provide students with a variety of CVC word cards and have them sort the words based on common characteristics such as the vowel sound or the ending consonant.
8. Rhyming Activities: Encourage students to identify rhyming words within sets of CVC words, highlighting the phonemic patterns and reinforcing auditory discrimination skills.
9. Story Creation: Collaboratively create simple stories using CVC words, allowing students to practice reading fluency and comprehension in a meaningful context.
10. Word Walls: Display CVC words on a word wall in the classroom, encouraging students to refer to it during writing activities or for independent reading practice.

This resource was created by Lindsey Phillips, a teacher in Michigan and a Teach Starter Collaborator.

More CVC Worksheets

We know how important independent practice is regarding topic reinforcement, and we’ve got you covered! Here are some of our favorite CVC Worksheets for your students.

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Phoneme Segmentation Worksheets - CVC Words

Use this worksheet pack to give students practice at segmenting words into phonemes.

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CVC Word Chain Ladders - Worksheets

Build word chains with CVC words using this set of printable phonics worksheets.

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Read, Find, and Color – CVC Words

Practice decoding CVC words with this set of five "search and find" worksheets.