Montessori Science of Reading CVC Sentence Frames for Early Readers | Decodable Reading & Writing Activity

Your child can read CVC words—but what comes next?

Moving from reading individual words such as cat, dog and sun to reading and writing complete sentences can feel like a big leap for beginning readers.

These Montessori-inspired CVC sentence frames help bridge that gap by giving children a clear, supportive structure for building complete sentences using mostly phonetic words, visual cues and repeated sentence patterns.

Designed for children who already know their letter sounds and can read and write simple CVC words, this resource helps early readers develop reading confidence, sentence structure, vocabulary and beginning writing independence.

Children use the picture cue to work out which word completes the sentence, then follow the visual prompts and letter-formation arrows to write the word independently.

📚 What's Included?

This printable resource includes two versions of each of the following 12 sentence frames:

• I can see a...
• Look at the...
• You can look at a...
• I went to see a...
• That is a...
• You can get in a...
• You can not get in a...
• It is in a...
• I am on a...
• I can get a...
• Can I see a...?
• Can I sit on a...?

Most of the words used in the resource are phonetic, with only a small number of non-phonetic words such as see, the and look.

Each page includes:

• A visual cue showing the word that belongs at the end of the sentence
• A repeated sentence frame to support fluent reading
• Arrows to help children form letters and write the final word independently

From CVC Words to Complete Sentences

Many early readers become confident at sounding out individual CVC words but still need support when they begin reading and writing at sentence level.

These sentence frames provide that next step.

Instead of asking children to generate an entire sentence from scratch, the repeated structure reduces the cognitive load and allows them to focus on:

• Reading the sentence accurately
• Using the picture cue for meaning
• Identifying the missing word
• Writing the word independently
• Noticing how words work together to form a complete sentence

This makes the activity particularly useful for children who need repeated, structured practice before they are ready for more open-ended writing tasks.

🌿 Who Is This Resource For?

These CVC sentence frames are designed for early readers who:

• Know their basic letter sounds
• Can read and write CVC words
• Have experience using the Montessori moveable alphabet
• Have been introduced to some high-frequency or heart words
• Are ready to move from isolated words towards simple sentences

What Skills Does This Resource Support?

Children will practise:

• Decodable reading using mostly phonetic vocabulary
• Sentence structure through repeated sentence patterns
• Beginning writing by completing sentences independently
• Vocabulary development through visual and written connections
• Reading comprehension by matching the picture cue to the sentence
• Letter formation using visual arrows for additional support

Perfect For

• Montessori language shelves
• Science of Reading-aligned literacy practice
• Kindergarten and early primary classrooms
• Literacy centres
• Small-group instruction
• One-to-one intervention
• Independent morning work
• Homeschool phonics lessons

Give Early Readers a Structure They Can Succeed With

Beginning writers often have plenty to say—but writing an entire sentence independently can still feel overwhelming.

These sentence frames give children enough support to experience success while still requiring them to read, think and write for themselves.

The repeated sentence structures build familiarity, while the picture cues and phonetic vocabulary help children become increasingly confident and independent.

Created by Lisa, a Montessori-trained teacher, NZ registered teacher, school principal and former homeschooler. My resources are designed with real learners in mind—including neurodivergent children—and focus on practical, affordable, low-prep materials that support independence.