Teach the Sounds of C with these City Mouse and Country Mouse Posters
If you’ve ever had to explain why the letter C says /k/ in cat but /s/ in city, you know it’s one of those phonics lessons that can leave kids scratching their heads. So I created something fun, visual, and totally kid-friendly to help - The Sounds of C- Hard & Soft C Posters featuring Cara the Country Mouse and Celia the City Mouse!
Why the Letter C Can Be So Tricky
We all know C is a copycat. Sometimes it sounds like /k/ as in cake, and other times it sounds like /s/ as in cereal. That’s a lot for little learners to keep track of! That’s why I wanted to turn it into a story — because stories stick.
Meet Cara and Celia!
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Cara the Country Mouse loves the quiet life, where C comes before a, o, or u and says /k/ — like car, corn, and cupcake.
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Celia the City Mouse lives a fancy life where C comes before e, i, or y and says /s/ — like city, cereal, and cent.
These two mice help anchor the rule and give your students a visual and character connection. Kids remember the rules so much faster when they can picture who is saying the sound!
What's Included in the Poster Set
✅ Full-color Hard C and Soft C posters
✅ Character posters for Cara and Celia with sound prompts
✅ Examples of words sorted by rule (and all real words — no nonsense words!)
✅ Bright visuals that are perfect for your sound wall, phonics board, or writing corner
✅ A quick anchor chart that shows when C says /k/ or /s/
Whether you're introducing C sounds for the first time or reviewing them during guided reading or intervention time, these posters make a great addition to your toolkit.
How I Use It in My Classroom
I love starting with a read-aloud of “The City Mouse and the Country Mouse”, and then I introduce our two phonics helpers: Cara and Celia. We make their sounds together, sort some C words, and do a quick “mouse match” — where students decide which mouse says the C sound in different words. It’s simple, visual, and sticks!
Want to Grab the Posters?
You can find the Sounds of C Poster Set in my TpT store. Simply print, laminate, and place on your classroom wall. This will also be available in my other stores soon.
Payhip
Let’s make phonics fun and stick like cheese! 🧀
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