You will learn
- Read CVC words with ease.
- Read words with digraphs and blends.
- Read words with silent e or vowel teams.
- Read a short decodable sentence.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- A decodable word can be read by sounds.
- We use the sounds we have learned.
- We blend, then check.
- We can read sentences made of such words.
Words to know
read a word using letter sounds
able to be read by sounds
smooth and easy
words that tell a whole idea
1. Discover: I can read it!
Ama looks at a sentence: The big ship is in the sun. She knows all the sounds! She reads: “The big ship is in the sun.” She smiles. “I read it all by myself!”
Think: Which word has a digraph?
2. Understand: Reading by sounds
Idea 1: Use what you know
When you see a word, use the sounds you have learned: CVC words, digraphs, blends and silent e.
Idea 2: Blend and check
Say each sound, blend them, and check it makes sense.
Idea 3: Read sentences
When you can read words by sounds, you can read sentences made from them.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Read a word
Read ship.
- sh is a digraph.
- Say /sh/ /i/ /p/.
Answer: ship
Example 2 (We do it together): Read a word
Read stop.
- st is a blend.
- Say /s/ /t/ /o/ /p/.
Answer: stop
Example 3 (You try): Read a sentence
Read: The cat sat on a mat.
Show the steps and answer
- Read each word.
- Read the whole sentence smoothly.
Answer: The cat sat on a mat.
Did you know?
With about 40 sounds learned, you can read thousands of words.
Why this matters
Reading by sounds lets you read new words on your own.
4. Explore: Word wall
Read words from a word wall.
- Pick a word.
- Say each sound.
- Blend and read it.
- Use it in a sentence.
Think about it: what did you notice?
You can read many words with the sounds you know.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- I read the word ___.
- The sounds are ___.
- The digraph is ___.
- The sentence is ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. Read ship.
ship
Question 2. Read stop.
stop
Question 3. Read: The cat sat.
The cat sat.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- Read frog.
- Read chip.
- Read cake.
- Read the sun is hot.
- A decodable word can be read by ___.
Level 2: Grow
- Read: The big ship is in the sun.
- Which word has a blend: stop or sit?
- Which word has a digraph: fish or fan?
Level 3: Stretch
- Write a sentence using a digraph word, a blend word and a CVC word.
- Why do we check words we read?
- Ayo reads ship as sip. How can he fix it?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: English in everyday life
Read a short sentence on a package or sign at home.
Show a sample answer
Big sale, hot tea.
Another one. Read a short sentence to a family member.
Show a sample answer
The dog ran to the pond.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Look at the letters.
Fix: Read slowly, then smoothly.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can read CVC words.
- I can read digraph and blend words.
- I can read silent e words.
- I can read a short sentence.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Use the sounds you know.
- Blend and check.
- Read words, then sentences.
- Practise often.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Phonics review and assessment. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Read the word ship. [1 mark]
- Read the word stop. [1 mark]
- Which word has a digraph: fish or fan? [1 mark]
- Read the sentence: The sun is hot. [2 marks]
- Explain how you read a word you do not know. [3 marks]
Total: 8 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- ship [1]
- stop [1]
- fish [1]
- reads all words correctly [1]; reads smoothly [1]
- look at the letters [1]; say each sound and blend [1]; check it makes sense [1]
Score guide: 7 to 8 = secure. 5 to 6 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 5 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- Read: ship
- Read: stop
- Read: frog
- Read: chip
- Read: cake
- Read: The sun is hot.
- Word with a digraph: fish or fan?
- Word with a blend: stop or sit?
- True or false: we can read by sounds.
- Write a sentence you can read.
Homework
Read five sentences with a family member, using sounds for hard words.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Read: ship | ship | 1 |
| 2. Read: stop | stop | 1 |
| 3. Read: frog | frog | 1 |
| 4. Read: chip | chip | 1 |
| 5. Read: cake | cake | 1 |
| 6. Read: The sun is hot. | The sun is hot. | 1 |
| 7. Word with a digraph: fish or fan? | fish | 1 |
| 8. Word with a blend: stop or sit? | stop | 1 |
| 9. True or false: we can read by sounds. | true | 1 |
| 10. Write a sentence you can read. | a valid sentence | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 frog; 2 chip; 3 cake; 4 The sun is hot.; 5 sounds. Level 2: 1 The big ship is in the sun.; 2 stop; 3 fish. Level 3: 1 a valid sentence; 2 to make sure they make sense; 3 look at the sh again.
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Read CVC words with ease | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Read words with digraphs and blends | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Read words with silent e or vowel teams | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Read a short decodable sentence | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: Guessing from the picture. Look at the letters.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Use CVC sentences only and finger pointing.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child practises reading words using the sounds they know. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Let your child try before you help.
- Praise sounding out.
- Read short sentences together.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: read CVC words with ease; read words with digraphs and blends; read words with silent e or vowel teams; read a short decodable sentence.
Prerequisite knowledge. Common long-vowel patterns.
Materials. Chart paper or board, pencils, picture or word cards, a reading book if available. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Write the key words and examples on the board or on cards before the lesson.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Write a sentence and let learners read it.
Explanation (10 min). Teach use what you know.
Guided activity (10 min). Practise with word walls.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners complete the practice and share.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What sounds do you see? Can you blend them? Does it make sense?
Teacher explanation notes. Move from the spoken word to pictures and then to print. Read aloud often, point to the words, and let learners hear and say before they read and write.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use CVC words and point to each letter. Extension. Read longer sentences.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Guessing from the picture. Look at the letters.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 8-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Use CVC sentences only and finger pointing. Enrichment. Read short stories with decodable words. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (official site): Grade 1 » Reading: Foundational Skills. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.
Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core RF.1.3 (know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words) and RF.1.4; IES What Works Clearinghouse practice guide Foundational Skills to Support Reading for Understanding in Kindergarten Through 3rd Grade (teach students to decode words); Cambridge Primary English Stage 1 (phonics and reading). These sources informed the lesson.