CVC Word Practice That Builds Accuracy.....Not Guessing

Support every student in decoding CVC words with practice that builds accuracy.

Short Vowel (CVC) Word Chains provide intentional decoding practice by changing one sound at a time, helping students focus on how words work so that accuracy comes before fluency.

This set of CVC word chains (PowerPoint and Google Slides™ format) gives students the structure they need to accurately decode CVC words, reduce guessing, and build a strong foundation for CVC word fluency.

⭐ What’s Included

Single-Vowel CVC Word Chains

• 3 Short A word chains
• 3 Short E word chains
• 3 Short I word chains
• 3 Short O word chains
• 3 Short U word chains

Mixed CVC Word Chains

• Short A & Short O
• Short E & Short U
• Short A & Short I
• Short E & Short O
• Short I & Short U

Advanced Mixed CVC Word Chains

• 4 sets of mixed CVC word chains containing all short vowels

🧠 Two Ways to Use the CVC Slides

These blending slides are flexible and can be used in two ways, depending on your instructional goal.

Option 1: Decoding & Blending Practice

• Students read one word at a time
• The teacher advances to the next slide
• Each word changes by only one sound

This approach supports accurate blending and builds CVC word fluency without making large orthographic jumps.

Option 2: Word Chains + Phonemic Awareness

Each digital word chain includes a simple teacher script that tells students which sound to change.

Example:

• Students read pat
• Teacher says, “Change /t/ to /d/.”
• Students say pad
• Advance the slide and read to confirm

This approach embeds phonemic awareness directly into print and strengthens decoding during CVC word practice.

✏️ Digital and Printable Options Included

This resource includes digital CVC slides in PowerPoint and Google Slides™ format, and printable CVC word chain lists, giving teachers flexibility across instructional settings.

Printable word chains allow teachers to intentionally support encoding (spelling) alongside decoding. Students can:

• write each word in the chain, changing only the letter that represents the new sound
• build words using letter tiles or magnetic letters
• say the sounds, write the word, and read it back

🎯 Perfect For

• Kindergarten and 1st Grade, remedial 2nd grade
• Reading intervention
• Teachers focused on accuracy before fluency
• Students with choppy or inconsistent blending