CVC Sounds: The Initial Consonant

Dee and Kala are visiting a sculpture garden. But when they try to read about the artwork, they notice that the first letter of each CVC word is MISSING! They want to help fix the problem, but how?! Let's help Dee and Kala by learning about, "CVC Word: The Initial Consonant." A CVC word is a special kind of word made up of three letters that follow the same pattern each time: a consonant, a vowel, and a consonant. Consonants and vowels are the names for the two types of letters in the alphabet. Vowels are the letters a, e, i, o, and u. Consonants are all the other letters that are not vowels. When we say initial consonant, we are talking about the first sound a letter makes when we say the word, but how do we figure out the first letter? Let’s practice together! Let’s look at this sculpture of a hen. Oh no! The first letter is missing on the nameplate! To figure out the initial consonant first, let's say the word aloud: hen. Next, let's touch and say the first sound we hear /h/. Then, let's name that letter: What letter says /h/? H says /h/! Finally, let's write the letter H where it belongs! H, E, N spells hen! Here's the next sculpture: a dog. Oh my! The first letter is missing again! First, we say the word aloud: dog. Next, we touch and say the first sound we hear: /d/. Then, we name that letter. What letter says /d/? D says /d/. Finally, we write d here where it belongs! D, O, G spells dog! Now it's your turn! The last sculpture is a cat and the first letter is still missing on the nameplate! Let's figure out the initial consonant! First, say the word aloud: cat. What is the first sound you hear in cat? /k/ What letter says /k/ in cat? Remember, there are two letters that make the /k/ sound, but in CAT, it's the letter C! So, write C where it belongs! C, A, T spells cat! Dee and Kala have finished! But who is this walking over to them? While they figure out who this is, let's remember! Today we learned about the first consonant in a CVC word. A CVC word is a special kind of word that is made up of three letters: a Consonant- a Vowel-and a Consonant. When we look for the initial consonant, we are talking about the first sound a letter makes when we say the word. To figure out the first letter of a CVC word: First, we say the word aloud. Next, we touch and say the first sound we hear. Then, we name the letter that makes that sound. Finally, we write the letter in its place. It was the sculpture artist coming over to Dee and Kala! He was so thankful for all their hard work, he has a surprise for them, a brand new masterpiece to add to the sculpture garden!