Lesson 22: Ee /ĕ/

What Will We Learn Today?

Today we’re learning the letter Ee, which spells the short vowel sound /ĕ/—as in echo or bed. In this lesson, your child will learn how to say the /ĕ/ sound, write uppercase and lowercase Ee, and blend and read short words, phrases, and connected sentences using this essential vowel.

How to Make the /ĕ/ Sound

The /ĕ/ sound is a voiced vowel sound made in the middle of the mouth.

Here’s how to help your child say it:

• Open your mouth slightly.

• Keep your tongue low and relaxed in the middle of your mouth.

• Turn your voice on.

• Stretch the sound: /ĕĕĕĕĕĕĕĕĕĕ/

Articulate

Say the sound together: “Let’s say /ĕ/ like in ‘echo’—/ĕ/!”
Try stretching it out: /ĕĕĕĕĕĕĕĕĕĕ/ Ask your child to feel their voice buzzing as they say it.

How to Write the Letter Ee

Time to grab your whiteboard and marker!

Uppercase E

• Draw a straight vertical line down.

• Add three short horizontal lines going right—one at the top, one in the middle, and one at the bottom.

Lowercase e

• Start in the middle.

• Draw a small line going right.

• Curve it around to make a small loop, ending in a closed circle.

Practice tracing and air writing, or form the letter with yarn or clay.

Let’s Practice Reading Words

Blend these CVC words with the /ĕ/ sound:

net – bed – pet – peg – den – set – men – pen – ten

Model slowly, then blend:
“/p/ – /ĕ/ – /t/” → pet

Let’s Practice Reading Phrases

• a big bed

• ten men

• a big den

• the pet pen

• a net and a peg

• a pen and a pet

Encourage your child to point and read each word, then reread for fluency.

Let’s Practice Reading Sentences

• I fed the pet dog.

• I bet the net is big.

• The cub is in the den.

• Get the net and the bed.

Practice rereading and identifying words with the /ĕ/ sound.

Let’s Practice Reading Connected Sentences

Meg and Deb got a pet. The pet is a dog. Deb fed the dog. Meg set a bed. The dog did not get in the bed.

Ask your child: What happened to the dog? Who set the bed?

Color, Trace, and Write

Use printable worksheets where your child can:

• Color pictures that have the /ɛ/ sound (e.g., bed, pen, net)

• Trace uppercase and lowercase Ee

• Write the letter Ee independently

Download the Ee Worksheet Here:

Flashcards – Beginning Sound Focus

Use picture flashcards to help your child hear and match the /ĕ/ sound in words.

Examples:

• leg

• net

• ten

• red

Ask: “Do you hear /ĕ/ in the middle of the word?” “Which letter spells that sound?”

Download Ee Flashcards – CVC Middle Sound Set Here:

Conclusion

The /ĕ/ sound helps unlock many common English words for young readers. Through writing, reading, and listening, your child is growing their fluency one sound at a time.

Keep practicing—and ask your child: “Can you find a word with the /ĕ/ sound around the house?”