Little Lantern 0/12
✨ Month 2 · Lesson 1 · Reading & Spelling

The Magic e🪄

One tiny letter sneaks on to the end of a word — and the vowel wakes up and says its own name. Today you learn to make it happen.

⏱️ 15 minutes 🎮 4 games ⭐ 12 stars 🎨 Ages 5–7
A sunny reading corner with books and cushions
Spelling Workshop · Day 1
Crayons and letter cards on a desk
c + a + p + ?
1

Learn it: the silent e

🧢
cape
a says /ă/ — short and quick

A cap sits on your head.

a

Say it: cap 🧢

Three letters. The a makes the short sound /ă/, like a quick squeak.

b

Now wave the magic e 🪄

We slide a tiny e on to the end. Nothing else moves — not one letter.

c

The vowel wakes up!

Now the a is long and says its very own name: /ā/. Magic e always makes the vowel before it say its name.

d

New sound = new word

cap 🧢 became cape 🦸. A whole different picture — just from one silent letter.

e

The e is silent 🤫

It does all the work and takes none of the credit. Shhh — no sound at all.

f

It works everywhere

kit → kite 🪁 · pin → pine 🌲 · cub → cube 🧊 · hop → hope 🌟

🏮 The Lantern Rule

When a word ends in consonant + e, the vowel before it says its own name — and the e stays quiet.

2

Wave the wand

🧢 c a p
short a — /ă/
3

Which word is right?

🪁

It flies high in the sky on a long string.

4

Build the word

🪁

It flies high in the sky on a string.

5

Sort the word basket

Words to sort: pick one, then drop it in a basket.

🪄 Magic e

🧺 No magic e

6

Trace it, then draw it

🖍️ Crayons

Finished? Your grown-up can print the paper worksheet below too.

🏅

Your badge

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Earn 10 stars to light up this lantern.

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
🗺️

Where we are in Month 2

Lesson 1 · today
🪄

The Magic e

a_e · i_e · o_e · u_e

Lesson 2
🥾

Long i: hide & ride

i_e word families

Lesson 3
🏠

Home, rope, cone

o_e word families

Lesson 4
🪁

Read: Kite Day

decodable mini-story

Lesson 5
🎲

Game day & review

badge check-up

Month 1 · done
🌙

Short vowel sounds

a · e · i · o · u

🫶 Before you start

  • Sit side by side, not face to face — less pressure.
  • Five minutes is a win. Stop while it's still fun.
  • Tap any 🔊 button to let the page read aloud.

🧯 If they get stuck

  • Say the short word, then the long word slowly: cap… ca-ape.
  • Point at the vowel and ask: “which letter is hiding behind the e?”
  • Let them wave a real finger like a wand. Silly is sticky.

🛒 Everyday practice

  • Hunt magic-e words on packets: cake, grape, rice, juice.
  • Write three words on the steamed bathroom mirror.
  • Ask for one magic-e word at bedtime. Give one back.