Silent final -e words are tough for new readers. 

They often ask what the point is if you can’t even hear the letter. 

The answer: Phonological Awareness. 

When readers see a word that ends in -e with a preceding vowel, they’ll be cued in that vowel has a long sound instead of a short one.

And your students will get to practice applying that knowledge with our i_e words board game!  

Decode i_e Words While You Play 

Through this activity, students will demonstrate their ability to read words with final -e conventions for representing long vowel sounds.

Players take turns choosing a card from the deck, reading the word, and moving their game piece to the first picture that matches the word on their card. 

The i_e words your students will be reviewing in this game:

kite five smile pipe bike

nine dime hive slide

Scaffolding + Extension Tips 

Support struggling students by encouraging them to use a visual reminder of letter sounds such as an alphabet chart or desk plate. 

Challenge fast finishers who already understand the concept to produce additional words for each vowel sound. 

Get our 10 Best Scaffolding Strategies here! 

One Game = Many Ways To Play with i_e Words

We created this resource for your reading center as an independent practice activity. You can also use it for small group and full-class instruction through scoot activities, lesson reviews, formative assessments, and more! 

We suggest these: 

💥 Swat! 

During small group instruction, create a grid of word cards on the table and give each student a fly swatter. Read the word on one of the cards. The first student to swat the word correctly sets the card aside in a pile to keep score. The student with the most cards wins.

👯 Match Me If You Can

In your guided reading group, shuffle cards and divide them evenly amongst players. Use the game board to call off words, saying them together as a group. The student (or students) who has the matching word card lays it down face up. The first person to have all their cards face up wins. 

🃏 Upcycle Into Playing Cards

Students can use these cards to play games like Match It, Go Fish, or Snap, to name a few. 

Easily Prepare This Resource for Your Students

Print on cardstock for added durability and longevity. Place all pieces in a folder or large envelope for easy access. 

Before You Download

Use the dropdown icon on the Download button to choose between the PDF or Google Slides version of this resource. 

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

 

Make vowel sound exploration a regular part of your student’s free play with these activities: