Twelve sound and early phonics skills, each revisited across three weeks. Keep the pace flexible and use oral practice before print.
Before you begin
Pick the first skill that needs practice. The week numbers organize the sequence; they are not a deadline. If a child reads the sample comfortably, move ahead. If a skill is difficult, repeat with fresh examples and a related library book.
How to teach each week
- Say the sounds or pattern aloud. Model blending and spell one word together.
- Build and change words, then dictate two or three.
- Read the short passage, ask the question, and talk about its meaning.
- Reread with growing accuracy; dictate a sentence and note what needs another day.
Weekly lessons
Week 1 ยท m, s, a, t ยท Introduce and model
Teach: Teach /m/ /s/ /ฤ/ /t/. Blend orally before pointing to letters.
Words: sat ยท mat ยท Sam ยท am ยท at
Read together: Sam sat. Sam sat at a mat.
Ask: Where did Sam sit?
Dictate: Sam sat.
Week 2 ยท m, s, a, t ยท Practice and spell
Teach: Teach /m/ /s/ /ฤ/ /t/. Blend orally before pointing to letters.
Words: sat ยท mat ยท Sam ยท am ยท at
Read together: Sam sat. Sam sat at a mat.
Ask: Where did Sam sit?
Dictate: Sam sat.
Week 3 ยท m, s, a, t ยท Reread and use
Teach: Teach /m/ /s/ /ฤ/ /t/. Blend orally before pointing to letters.
Words: sat ยท mat ยท Sam ยท am ยท at
Read together: Sam sat. Sam sat at a mat.
Ask: Where did Sam sit?
Dictate: Sam sat.
Week 4 ยท p, i, n ยท Introduce and model
Teach: Review earlier sounds; introduce /p/ /ฤญ/ /n/. Model sliding through pin.
Words: pin ยท pan ยท nap ยท sip ยท tip
Read together: Sam sat in a pan. A pin is in a pan.
Ask: What is in the pan?
Dictate: A pin is in a pan.
Week 5 ยท p, i, n ยท Practice and spell
Teach: Review earlier sounds; introduce /p/ /ฤญ/ /n/. Model sliding through pin.
Words: pin ยท pan ยท nap ยท sip ยท tip
Read together: Sam sat in a pan. A pin is in a pan.
Ask: What is in the pan?
Dictate: A pin is in a pan.
Week 6 ยท p, i, n ยท Reread and use
Teach: Review earlier sounds; introduce /p/ /ฤญ/ /n/. Model sliding through pin.
Words: pin ยท pan ยท nap ยท sip ยท tip
Read together: Sam sat in a pan. A pin is in a pan.
Ask: What is in the pan?
Dictate: A pin is in a pan.
Week 7 ยท c, o, d ยท Introduce and model
Teach: Use hard c as /k/. Contrast cat and cot; explain is and on if unfamiliar.
Words: cat ยท cot ยท cod ยท dot ยท can
Read together: A cat sat on a cot. A dot is on a cat.
Ask: Where is the dot?
Dictate: A cat sat on a cot.
Week 8 ยท c, o, d ยท Practice and spell
Teach: Use hard c as /k/. Contrast cat and cot; explain is and on if unfamiliar.
Words: cat ยท cot ยท cod ยท dot ยท can
Read together: A cat sat on a cot. A dot is on a cat.
Ask: Where is the dot?
Dictate: A cat sat on a cot.
Week 9 ยท c, o, d ยท Reread and use
Teach: Use hard c as /k/. Contrast cat and cot; explain is and on if unfamiliar.
Words: cat ยท cot ยท cod ยท dot ยท can
Read together: A cat sat on a cot. A dot is on a cat.
Ask: Where is the dot?
Dictate: A cat sat on a cot.
Week 10 ยท g, u, e ยท Introduce and model
Teach: Introduce /g/ /ลญ/ /ฤ/. Point out got before reading.
Words: gum ยท Gus ยท dug ยท get ยท pet
Read together: Gus dug. Gus got a pet. A pet can dig.
Ask: What did Gus get?
Dictate: Gus got a pet.
Week 11 ยท g, u, e ยท Practice and spell
Teach: Introduce /g/ /ลญ/ /ฤ/. Point out got before reading.
Words: gum ยท Gus ยท dug ยท get ยท pet
Read together: Gus dug. Gus got a pet. A pet can dig.
Ask: What did Gus get?
Dictate: Gus got a pet.
Week 12 ยท g, u, e ยท Reread and use
Teach: Introduce /g/ /ลญ/ /ฤ/. Point out got before reading.
Words: gum ยท Gus ยท dug ยท get ยท pet
Read together: Gus dug. Gus got a pet. A pet can dig.
Ask: What did Gus get?
Dictate: Gus got a pet.
Week 13 ยท f, r, l ยท Introduce and model
Teach: Stretch /fff/ and /rrr/ during oral blending; revisit short vowels.
Words: fan ยท ran ยท fat ยท lap ยท rip
Read together: A fat cat ran. A cat sat in a lap.
Ask: What did the cat do first?
Dictate: A cat ran.
Week 14 ยท f, r, l ยท Practice and spell
Teach: Stretch /fff/ and /rrr/ during oral blending; revisit short vowels.
Words: fan ยท ran ยท fat ยท lap ยท rip
Read together: A fat cat ran. A cat sat in a lap.
Ask: What did the cat do first?
Dictate: A cat ran.
Week 15 ยท f, r, l ยท Reread and use
Teach: Stretch /fff/ and /rrr/ during oral blending; revisit short vowels.
Words: fan ยท ran ยท fat ยท lap ยท rip
Read together: A fat cat ran. A cat sat in a lap.
Ask: What did the cat do first?
Dictate: A cat ran.
Week 16 ยท b, h, v, z ยท Introduce and model
Teach: Review all taught letter sounds and blend unfamiliar CVC words.
Words: bat ยท big ยท bag ยท has ยท van
Read together: A big bag is in a van. A bat is in a bag.
Ask: Where is the bat?
Dictate: A bat is in a bag.
Week 17 ยท b, h, v, z ยท Practice and spell
Teach: Review all taught letter sounds and blend unfamiliar CVC words.
Words: bat ยท big ยท bag ยท has ยท van
Read together: A big bag is in a van. A bat is in a bag.
Ask: Where is the bat?
Dictate: A bat is in a bag.
Week 18 ยท b, h, v, z ยท Reread and use
Teach: Review all taught letter sounds and blend unfamiliar CVC words.
Words: bat ยท big ยท bag ยท has ยท van
Read together: A big bag is in a van. A bat is in a bag.
Ask: Where is the bat?
Dictate: A bat is in a bag.
Week 19 ยท short a ยท Introduce and model
Teach: Read and spell short-a CVC words; model has and on.
Words: map ยท tap ยท jam ยท sad ยท bag
Read together: Pam has a map. A cat sat on a bag. Pam can pat a cat.
Ask: What can Pam do?
Dictate: Pam has a map.
Week 20 ยท short a ยท Practice and spell
Teach: Read and spell short-a CVC words; model has and on.
Words: map ยท tap ยท jam ยท sad ยท bag
Read together: Pam has a map. A cat sat on a bag. Pam can pat a cat.
Ask: What can Pam do?
Dictate: Pam has a map.
Week 21 ยท short a ยท Reread and use
Teach: Read and spell short-a CVC words; model has and on.
Words: map ยท tap ยท jam ยท sad ยท bag
Read together: Pam has a map. A cat sat on a bag. Pam can pat a cat.
Ask: What can Pam do?
Dictate: Pam has a map.
Week 22 ยท short i ยท Introduce and model
Teach: Contrast sat/sit and pan/pin. Say each sound before writing.
Words: sit ยท fin ยท pin ยท lip ยท win
Read together: Tim has a pin. Tim can sit. A pin is in a tin.
Ask: Who has a pin?
Dictate: Tim can sit.
Week 23 ยท short i ยท Practice and spell
Teach: Contrast sat/sit and pan/pin. Say each sound before writing.
Words: sit ยท fin ยท pin ยท lip ยท win
Read together: Tim has a pin. Tim can sit. A pin is in a tin.
Ask: Who has a pin?
Dictate: Tim can sit.
Week 24 ยท short i ยท Reread and use
Teach: Contrast sat/sit and pan/pin. Say each sound before writing.
Words: sit ยท fin ยท pin ยท lip ยท win
Read together: Tim has a pin. Tim can sit. A pin is in a tin.
Ask: Who has a pin?
Dictate: Tim can sit.
Week 25 ยท short o ยท Introduce and model
Teach: Contrast hot/hat. Teach dog as a word if its vowel is unfamiliar.
Words: hop ยท hot ยท pot ยท log ยท nod
Read together: A dog sat on a log. It got hot. A dog can hop.
Ask: Where did the dog sit?
Dictate: A dog can hop.
Week 26 ยท short o ยท Practice and spell
Teach: Contrast hot/hat. Teach dog as a word if its vowel is unfamiliar.
Words: hop ยท hot ยท pot ยท log ยท nod
Read together: A dog sat on a log. It got hot. A dog can hop.
Ask: Where did the dog sit?
Dictate: A dog can hop.
Week 27 ยท short o ยท Reread and use
Teach: Contrast hot/hat. Teach dog as a word if its vowel is unfamiliar.
Words: hop ยท hot ยท pot ยท log ยท nod
Read together: A dog sat on a log. It got hot. A dog can hop.
Ask: Where did the dog sit?
Dictate: A dog can hop.
Week 28 ยท short u ยท Introduce and model
Teach: Blend sun and run; change one sound at a time.
Words: sun ยท cup ยท mud ยท run ยท bug
Read together: A bug sat in mud. Sun hit a bug. A bug can run.
Ask: What did the bug sit in?
Dictate: A bug can run.
Week 29 ยท short u ยท Practice and spell
Teach: Blend sun and run; change one sound at a time.
Words: sun ยท cup ยท mud ยท run ยท bug
Read together: A bug sat in mud. Sun hit a bug. A bug can run.
Ask: What did the bug sit in?
Dictate: A bug can run.
Week 30 ยท short u ยท Reread and use
Teach: Blend sun and run; change one sound at a time.
Words: sun ยท cup ยท mud ยท run ยท bug
Read together: A bug sat in mud. Sun hit a bug. A bug can run.
Ask: What did the bug sit in?
Dictate: A bug can run.
Week 31 ยท short e ยท Introduce and model
Teach: Compare pen and pin. Compare pen and pin. Revisit short-e blending.
Words: hen ยท pen ยท red ยท bed ยท ten
Read together: A hen is in a pen. A red hen sat. A hen has a pen.
Ask: Where is the hen?
Dictate: A red hen sat.
Week 32 ยท short e ยท Practice and spell
Teach: Compare pen and pin. Compare pen and pin. Revisit short-e blending.
Words: hen ยท pen ยท red ยท bed ยท ten
Read together: A hen is in a pen. A red hen sat. A hen has a pen.
Ask: Where is the hen?
Dictate: A red hen sat.
Week 33 ยท short e ยท Reread and use
Teach: Compare pen and pin. Compare pen and pin. Revisit short-e blending.
Words: hen ยท pen ยท red ยท bed ยท ten
Read together: A hen is in a pen. A red hen sat. A hen has a pen.
Ask: Where is the hen?
Dictate: A red hen sat.
Week 34 ยท mixed short vowels ยท Introduce and model
Teach: Mix known vowels so the reader must inspect each spelling.
Words: map ยท sit ยท hop ยท sun ยท pen
Read together: Pam has a red hat. Tim has a big bag. A cat can nap.
Ask: Who has a bag?
Dictate: Tim has a big bag.
Week 35 ยท mixed short vowels ยท Practice and spell
Teach: Mix known vowels so the reader must inspect each spelling.
Words: map ยท sit ยท hop ยท sun ยท pen
Read together: Pam has a red hat. Tim has a big bag. A cat can nap.
Ask: Who has a bag?
Dictate: Tim has a big bag.
Week 36 ยท mixed short vowels ยท Reread and use
Teach: Mix known vowels so the reader must inspect each spelling.
Words: map ยท sit ยท hop ยท sun ยท pen
Read together: Pam has a red hat. Tim has a big bag. A cat can nap.
Ask: Who has a bag?
Dictate: Tim has a big bag.
What to notice before moving on
Can your reader read and spell the taught pattern, read the short text with growing accuracy, and tell what happened? Revisit missed words before adding a new pattern.