Rainbow Unicorn CVC Word Building Mat for Kindergarten

There’s something about unicorns that is very appealing to our young learners! I can’t say whether it’s the rainbow colors or the magic they possess, but it works! Your students will be intrigued and possibly mesmerized by these adorable unicorn graphics. Perhaps they’ll even draw on its magic to build the CVC words in the Rainbow Unicorn CVC Word Building Mat for Kindergarten. Throw together a few rainbow crafts and a science experiment or two, and you’ve got yourself a unicorn-themed unit!

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Learning About Kindergarten Literacy Centers:

SHORT VOWEL SOUNDS IN KINDERGARTEN

LEARNING CVC (CONSONANT/VOWEL/CONSONANT) WORDS IN KINDERGARTEN SETS A FIRM FOUNDATION FOR LONG VOWEL SOUNDS

Phonics in Kindergarten should be explicitly taught. Students need to understand the relationship between letters and sounds, and the idea that we blend the sounds together to make words.

I love building words because it’s a great hands-on way for students to explore vocabulary, letters, sounds, and blending!

Typically, I like to introduce CVC word building after I teach short ‘a.’ I teach the steps to word building as a whole class, or sometimes with small groups of students.

When I feel like most of the students understand what to do with the picture cards, I place the learning activity at the literacy center for independent practice.

In addition to practicing CVC words and short vowel sounds, students will improve phonemic awareness, letter-sound correspondence, and more!

Word building improves:

• Vocabulary
• Phoneme (sound) segmenting
• Phoneme (sound) blending
• Letter/sound correspondence
• Word reading fluency

What Can Kindergarteners Learn From CVC Word Games?

TEACHING KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS TO READ

THE COLORFUL CVC PICTURE CARDS HELP CHILDREN ASSOCIATE WRITTEN WORDS WITH REAL OBJECTS.

Engaging young readers with games that draw on everything from the colors of the rainbow to construction vehicles can really make a difference.

Reading activities for preschoolers and kindergarteners should be as hands-on as possible. Students need lots of opportunities to identify the picture, say the word, stretch the word, then build and write the word.

This free printable includes many learning opportunities!

• Children can expand their vocabularies as they explore the CVC word meanings
• They will improve their ability to break apart each word into three individual sounds
• Search for letters improves letter and sound recognition
• Finally, blending individual sounds into a word is a great oral reading skill
• If played with a partner, they will improve at taking turns and using good sportsmanship

Why Is It Important For Kids To Build CVC Words in Kindergarten?

Besides the fact that kids love unicorns and other rainbow activities for kindergarten, there are so many other reasons you should implement a word-building routine into your literacy instruction.

How To Use The Unicorn CVC Words In Kindergarten

WORD BUILDING IN KINDERGARTEN

TEACHING A WORD-BUILDING ROUTINE SHOULD BE EXPLICIT AND ALLOW FOR LOTS OF PRACTICE BEFORE YOU EXPECT STUDENTS TO PERFORM INDEPENDENTLY.

First, print the colorful word-building mat. I would use card stock and laminate the mats for longevity, but it certainly isn’t a requirement.

• Print enough mats for the whole class, or for a small group, depending on how you plan to introduce the activity.

Next, teach your students your version of a word-building routine. My routine includes:

1. Pick a star card and name the picture word, then place it on the mat.
2. Next, say the word slowly and hold up one finger for each sound.
3. Find the three letters that correspond to each sound and place them on the “Build it” part of the mat.
4. Write the letters on the “Write it” lines at the bottom of the mat.
5. Repeat with a new star card.

Children that are easily frustrated with writing letters can omit that portion of the activity.

Other Ways To Use The CVC Word and Picture Cards: