Magic E Teacher Guide Day 1 Intervention Plan • 35-40 Minutes Grade 3 • Tier 2 / Targeted Phonics
Magic E Masters: CVCe Long Vowels
Target: a_e, i_e, o_e, u_e
Instructional Objective
Students will accurately decode, map, and read 10+ CVCe words with 80%+ accuracy, explaining how silent e signals the preceding vowel to make its long sound, and read a 90-word decodable text with comprehension.
Required Tools
Magic E Decoding Worksheet
Decodable: The Secret Cave Hike
Whiteboard & Dry-erase markers
00-05 min
1. Phonemic Warm-Up & Sound Isolation
Oral Manipulation (No Print)
Teacher Script: "Listen to this word: /c/ /a/ /p/ — cap . What vowel sound? Short /ă/. Now if we change the middle sound to /ā/, the new word is /c/ /ā/ /p/ — cape !"
• rip → ripe • not → note • cub → cube
05-15 min
2. Explicit Modeling & Word Mapping (I Do / We Do)
Direct Phonics Instruction
Rule Anchor: "Silent e sits at the end of the word. It remains quiet, but gives all its power to the first vowel so it says its name!"
I Do: Write p-i-n. Tap sounds: /p/ /ĭ/ /n/. Add silent e : p-i-n-e. Draw a swoop arrow from e to i . Blend: /p/ /ī/ /n/ → pine .
We Do (Worksheet Part A): Guide students to map 4 sound boxes for words like bake , bone , time , and mule . Note: the final 'e' shares the vowel pattern sound.
15-28 min
3. Guided Decodable Reading (You Do Together)
Passage Application
Step 1 (Pre-read Scan): Have students highlight 5 CVCe words in The Secret Cave Hike before reading.Step 2 (Whisper Read): Students read the passage aloud at whisper volume. Prompt struggling readers: "Look at the end of the word. Is there a magic e? What does the vowel say?" Step 3 (Choral Fluency): Read together as a group to model phrasing and expression.
28-37 min
4. Comprehension Check & Written Dictation
Evidence & Writing
Students independently answer the 3 passage comprehension questions using text evidence. Teacher facilitates individual checks and conducts quick sentence dictation on the worksheet.
Dictation Sentence: "Jake rode his bike to the lake at nine." (Checks Jake, rode, bike, lake, nine ).
37-40 min
5. Wrap-Up & Exit Check
Rapid Flash Card Check
Quick flashcard checkout: Each student reads 2 target words (e.g., gate, slime, rope, fuse ). Tally accuracy for progress monitoring.
Support Scaffold:
Use physical letter tiles where the silent e is a sparkling gold tile. Physically slide the e to the end to trigger the vowel transformation.
Extension Challenge:
Have students identify compound words with CVCe syllables (e.g., sunshine, cupcake, firefly ) or write their own 2-sentence story.
Magic E Decoding Worksheet DAY 1 Phonics Power Quest
Name:
Date:
Magic Silent E Word Lab
Watch the magic silent e jump over the consonant to make the vowel say its name!
Rule Reminder Vowel + Consonant + E = Long Vowel
1 Magic E Power Switch: Add silent 'e' and write the new long-vowel word
h o p + e → h o p e (Example)
c a p + e →
r i d + e →
t u b + e →
2 Sound Mapping: Tap the sounds, map the letters, and write the full word
Remember: The vowel and magic e work as a team for 1 long vowel sound!
Word: cake 3 sounds (/k/ /ā/ /k/)
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Word: shine 3 sounds (/sh/ /ī/ /n/)
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Word: stone 4 sounds (/s/ /t/ /ō/ /n/)
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Word: mule 3 sounds (/m/ /ū/ /l/)
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3 Word Bank Sort: Read each word aloud and write it in the correct vowel box
flame chime globe tune brave slide smoke cube
Long A (a_e)
Long I (i_e)
Long O (o_e)
Long U (u_e)
4 Sentence Dictation: Listen to your teacher and write the complete sentence
Check: □ Capital Letter □ Magic E Spelled Right □ Finger Spaces □ Period / Punctuation
Secret Cave Decodable Passage DAY 1 Decodable Reader
Name:
Date:
The Secret Cave Hike
Read the story. Pay special attention to the words with long vowels and silent e .
Fluency Tracker
□ 1st Read □ 2nd Read □ 3rd Read
Warm-Up Word Bank (Silent E Words)
hike lake cave stone rope huge flame smile safe
[1] Jake and Luke went on a big hike by the blue lake. The sun was hot, but the pine trees made a cool shade. Jake held a strong rope in his bag. Luke had a map with a red line.
[2] They walked past a wide stone gate and found a huge cave in the cliff. "Look inside the cave!" said Luke with a wide smile. Inside, it was dark and damp. Jake lit a small flame on his torch to see the path.
[3] On the cave wall, they saw an old carved shape of a snake and a bone. It was a secret prize box tucked under a flat stone! They took notes in their log and made it home safe before sunset.
Comprehension Check
1. What did Jake and Luke find behind the wide stone gate?
A A deep blue lake
B A huge dark cave
C A lost red bike
2. Why did Jake light a small flame on his torch?
A To cook food
B To stay warm
C To see the dark path
3. What did the boys find under the flat stone? Write a complete sentence using text evidence.
Phonics Detective: Write 3 words from the story with the long /ā/ sound:
Digraph Quest Teacher Guide Day 2 Intervention Plan • 35-40 Minutes Grade 3 • Tier 2 / Targeted Phonics
Digraph & Blend Detectives
Target: sh, ch, th, wh & initial/final blends
Instructional Objective
Students will distinguish between consonant digraphs (2 letters = 1 sound: sh, ch, th, wh ) and consonant blends (2 letters = 2 sounds: st, cr, bl, nd ), accurately mapping and reading 10+ words and reading an 85-word decodable text with 80%+ accuracy.
Required Tools
Sound Detective Worksheet
Decodable: The Shipwreck Cove
Highlighters (green & yellow)
00-05 min
1. Phonemic Awareness & Sound Counting
Auditory Finger Tapping
Teacher Script: "Hold up your tapping fingers! How many individual sounds do you hear in ship ? /sh/ /i/ /p/ — 3 sounds! How many in slip ? /s/ /l/ /i/ /p/ — 4 sounds! Notice how /s/ and /l/ both keep their sound, while /sh/ glues into 1 new sound!"
• chin → 3 sounds (/ch/ /i/ /n/) • thin → 3 sounds (/th/ /i/ /n/) • spin → 4 sounds (/s/ /p/ /i/ /n/)
05-15 min
2. Explicit Phonics Rule & Sound Mapping (I Do / We Do)
Direct Instruction
Key Concept: Digraphs are 2 letters making 1 sound (1 sound box). Blends are 2 letters keeping 2 sounds (2 sound boxes).
I Do: Model mapping crash . Sounds: /c/ /r/ /a/ /sh/ (4 sounds). Letters: c | r | a | sh. Underline cr (blend) and box sh (digraph).
We Do (Worksheet Part A & B): Guide students through mapping thick , chest , whack , and shrimp into sound boxes on their worksheet.
15-28 min
3. Guided Decodable Reading (You Do Together)
Connected Text Reading
Step 1 (Color-Coded Hunt): Students use yellow highlighter for digraphs (sh, ch, th, wh ) and green for blends (st, cr, pl ) in the first 2 paragraphs.Step 2 (Whisper & Track): Students read The Shipwreck Cove using tracking fingers. Coach with: "Spot the glued sound /th/ or separate the blend /s/ /t/." Step 3 (Echo / Partner Read): Read in pairs alternating sentences for prosody and pacing.
Sound Detective Worksheet DAY 2 Phonics Power Quest
Name:
Date:
Digraph & Blend Sound Lab
Detect the difference: Digraphs make 1 sound. Blends keep both sounds!
Sound Rule Digraph = 1 Sound • Blend = 2 Sounds
1 Sound Classifier: Say the word. Count the sounds and check the correct box
s h i p 3 sounds
□ Digraph (sh) □ Blend
s l i p 4 sounds
□ Digraph □ Blend (sl)
t h i n 3 sounds
□ Digraph (th) □ Blend
2 Sound Box Mapping: Put 1 sound per box (Digraphs share 1 box! Blends get separate boxes!)
Tap each sound on your fingers first, then write the letters in the boxes.
Word: crash 4 sounds (/k/ /r/ /a/ /sh/)
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Word: thick 3 sounds (/th/ /i/ /k/)
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Word: bench 4 sounds (/b/ /e/ /n/ /ch/)
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Word: shrimp 5 sounds (/sh/ /r/ /i/ /m/ /p/)
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3 Sound Builder: Choose the correct blend or digraph from the bank to complete each word
sh ch th wh st cl gr
Clue: Small bird ____ i r p
Clue: ocean creature ____ a l e
Clue: not sharp b l u ____
Clue: green plant ____ a s s
4 Sentence Dictation: Listen to your teacher and write the complete sentence
Check: □ Capital Letter □ Digraphs/Blends Spelled Right □ Finger Spaces □ Period / Punctuation
Shipwreck Decodable Passage DAY 2 Decodable Reader
Name:
Date:
The Shipwreck on Crash Rock
Read the adventure story. Spot the digraphs (sh, ch, th, wh ) and blends (st, cr, cl ).
Fluency Tracker
□ 1st Read □ 2nd Read □ 3rd Read
Warm-Up Word Bank (Digraphs & Blends)
ship crash thick chest whistle flash stand clam path
[1] Chad and Beth stood on the wet sand at Crash Rock. A thick fog hung in the chill wind. Chad blew a loud whistle to call their black dog, Flash. Flash ran fast across the shell-filled path.
[2] "Look at that old ship stuck on the cliff!" yelled Beth. They rushed up the steep path to inspect the wooden deck. Under a stack of thick logs, Chad spotted a bronze chest trapped in the mud.
[3] Beth used a flat stick to chop the thick mud free. With a strong push, the latch fell open. Inside the chest was a shiny glass compass that spun north! "What a grand find!" cheered Chad with a grin.
Comprehension Check
1. Why did Chad blow a loud whistle at the start of the story?
A To call their dog Flash
B To scare away birds
C To stop the ship
2. How did Beth help free the bronze chest from the thick mud?
A She pulled it with rope
B She chopped mud with a stick
C She washed it with water
3. What treasure was inside the chest, and what did it do? Write a complete sentence.
Digraph Detective: Find and write 1 word for each target digraph from the text:
sh: ch: th:
Bossy R Teacher Guide Day 3 Intervention Plan • 35-40 Minutes Grade 3 • Tier 2 / Targeted Phonics
Bossy R Explorers: R-Controlled Vowels
Target: ar, or, er, ir, ur
Instructional Objective
Students will recognize that 'r' controls preceding vowels to produce new sounds (/ar/, /or/, /er/), correctly map and decode 10+ r-controlled words, and read a 90-word decodable passage with 85%+ accuracy and comprehension.
Required Tools
Bossy R Decoding Worksheet
Decodable: The Star Garden Barn
Cumulative 3-Day Exit Slips
00-05 min
1. Phonemic Warm-Up: Bossy R Sound Switch
Oral Auditory Manipulation
Teacher Script: "Listen to the word cat : /c/ /a/ /t/. When bossy 'r' steps in next to 'a', it steals the short vowel sound and makes /ar/! Now say cart : /c/ /ar/ /t/!"
• pot → port (/or/) • fist → first (/er/) • hut → hurt (/er/)
05-15 min
2. Explicit Modeling & Orthographic Mapping (I Do / We Do)
Direct Instruction
Anchor Triplet: Teach that er, ir, ur all make the identical sound /er/ (the "three triplets"). ar says /ar/ (like a pirate), and or says /or/ (like for).
I Do: Map storm . Tapping: /s/ /t/ /or/ /m/ (4 sounds, 5 letters). Note: 'o' and 'r' share one single sound box!
We Do (Worksheet Part A & B): Model mapping spark , fork , fern , and surf into sound boxes with partner verification.
15-28 min
3. Guided Decodable Reading (You Do Together)
Connected Text Reading
Step 1 (Preview & Highlight): Students scan The Star Garden Barn and circle target Bossy R words.Step 2 (Whisper Read with Coaching): Students read independently while teacher listens in. Focus on preventing vowel distortion (e.g., stopping student from reading farm as f-a-r-m instead of f-ar-m ).Step 3 (Echo / Choral Read): Read paragraph 2 together emphasizing smooth phrasing.
28-37 min
4. Comprehension Check & Sentence Dictation
