Pirate Card Game:
Short to Long Vowel
Silent e
This Really Good Stuff® product
includes:
• 76 Short to Long Vowel
Silent e Pirate Game Cards
• This Really Good Stuff®
Teaching Guide
All teaching guides can be found online.
© 2013 Really Good Stuff 1-800-366-1920
www.reallygoodstuff.com #305638
Made in Guangzhou, China
®
Congratulations on your purchase of this Really Good Stuff® Pirate Card
Game: Short to Long Vowel Silent e, a fun learning game that develops
your students’ short and long vowel reading fluency.
Objective
Students will read short and long vowel silent e words.
Meeting Common Core State Standards
This Really Good Stuff™ Pirate Card Game: Short to Long Vowel Silent e
is aligned with the following Common Core State Standard for English
Language Arts:
Phonics and Word Recognition
R.F. 1.3b Decode regularly spelled one-syllable words.
R.F. 1.3c Know final -e and common vowel team conventions for
representing long vowel sounds.
This engaging pirate-themed game is a great way for young learners to
build reading fluency with short vowel (CVC) and long vowel (CVCe) words.
There are two color-coded sets of cards, one more advanced than the
other with beginning blends and more complex vowel sounds. The addition
of 3 types of Action Cards—the Pirate, the Anchor, and the Sunken
Ship—creates an element of surprise that makes learning fun.
Managing the Pirate Card Game: Short to Long Vowel Silent e
• Should you need this or any other Really Good Stuff® Teaching Guide,
download them from our Web site at www.reallygoodstuff.com.
• Photocopy the Pirate Card Game instructions. Laminate the
instructions for repeated use.
• When using the game at a literacy center, be sure to show students
how to store the playing cards and tidy the center when the activity
is complete.
Introducing the Pirate Card Game: Short to Long Vowel Silent e
The Pirate Card Game includes two sets of color-coded cards, each with
31 short and long vowel pairs. The red-bordered set is simpler in that the
pronunciation of the vowels change from short to long, but the consonant
sounds remain the same. The green-bordered set includes words with
beginning blends and more difficult short to long vowel switches, such as
stag/stage and cub/cube. On each card, there are two words that players
must read—one that is a short vowel word, such as cap, followed by the
that same word with an e added to the end—cape.
The Pirate Card Game is fun and easy to play. The game starts with one
color-coded set of cards face down on a table. Players turn cards over
and, depending on what is on the other side, they either read the words or
follow one of the Action Cards. At the start of each turn, players decide
how many cards they will attempt to turn over—from 1 to 3 cards at a
time—and announce that number to the other players. If they turn over a
Word Card and can correctly read the words, they keep it and start their
individual winning piles. The object of the game is to end up with the most
cards, which makes turning over more cards per turn appealing; however, it
also increases the likelihood of revealing a special card that requires a
certain action. Players must decide how much of a risk they want to take,
as each card has a consequence:
A.)Word Card: The player reads the words on the card and
keeps it to start his or her winning pile.
B.)Anchor Card: Stop! The player keeps the card but the
turn is over.
C.) Pirate Card: Argh! The turn is over and the player
must return all of his or her cards to the table.
This is the card to avoid! Once a player selects and
turns over the Pirate, he or she must return all of his
or her winning pile to the table, including the Pirate
Card itself. It is a best to remember the location of
the Pirate Card to avoid having to return cards
another time.
D.)Sunken Ship Card: No! The game is over. All players
count their cards. The player with the most cards is
the winner.
Players continue until all the Word Cards are turned over
and in the players’ winning piles. This means that there are only three
remaining cards face down on the table—the Sunken Ship Card and the
two Pirate Cards. The player with the most cards is the winner.
Model the game using the instructions until students are familiar with
the rules and procedures, and then allow students to play the games
independently or at a literacy center. Keep the Instructions nearby during
play. Remind students to play close attention to the location of the
Pirate Cards once they are revealed. Assign an aide or student volunteer
to set up and oversee the game.
Pirate Card Game: Short to Long Vowel Silent e Instructions
Players: 2 to 4
Object: Read short and long vowel words
Materials: one color-coded set of Pirate Cards
1. Shuffle the cards and place them all face down on the table or floor.
Decide on the order of play.
2. Player 1 announces how many cards he or she will attempt to turn
over—1, 2, or 3 cards—and turns the first card over. If there is are
words on the other side, the player reads them, keeps the card, and
continues with his or her turn. If the player incorrectly reads the
words, he or she returns the card to the table and the turn is over.
If there is an anchor on the other side of the card, the player gets to
keep it but the turn is over.
If there is a Pirate on the other side, the player must return all of his
or her cards face down to the table and the turn is over. (All the
players try to remember the location of the Pirate Cards that were
returned face down to the table.) If there is a Sunken Ship on the
other side, the game is over and all players count their cards. The
player with the most cards is the winner.
3. Play continues with players taking turns in this way. Players continue
until all the Word Cards are turned over and in the players’ winning
piles. This means that there are only three remaining cards face down
on the table—the Sunken Ship Card and the two Pirate Cards.
The player with the most cards is the winner.
4. When all the Word Cards are used, the game is over and players count
their cards. The player with the most cards is the winner.
Variations:
• To play a longer game, take out the Sunken Ship Card and play until all
the Word Cards have been read.
• At the end of the game, have students read the words in their winning
piles aloud.
Related Really Good Stuff® Products:
Pirate Card Game: Uppercase and Lowercase Letters (#305628)
Pirate Card Game: Beginning Sounds (#305631)
Pirate Card Game: CVC Word Families (#305640)