First Grade - ELA
1: Environment
Unit 1: Habitats and Homes
Lesson 1
My Environment
Students are prompted to add missing initial letters on the "Exploring My Home" pages (e.g., "__athroom", "__edroom", "__itchen") and to number and label rooms, encouraging them to sound out words and insert letters. Option 2 asks students to label rooms by sounding out words or copying words after an adult writes them. Activity 4 has handwriting and tracing practice for the letter Bb and the words "bed" and "bath," and the skills list includes showing that letters represent the sequence of sounds and attempting to read dictated text.
Lesson 2
What Is a Map?
Students are asked to complete partially filled labels for objects on the Map of a House worksheet (e.g., _e_ for bed, _athtu_ for bathtub), which requires them to identify and fill in conventional spellings. Students are asked to label items on a floor plan and are encouraged to sound out words as they write them, and the handwriting pages have them trace and copy words such as map, mom, home, and house. The teacher guidance includes walking students through letters and sounding them out while they write, supporting letter-sound correspondences during spelling tasks.
Lesson 3
Guide to Animal Habitats
The lesson asks students to "practice writing numbers (0-6)" and offers that if a child has mastered numbers they may "practice writing the names of the numbers instead," which requires spelling number words. The advanced sorting option asks students to "draw and label three of each" (plants, animals, insects), requiring students to write and spell item names. Several activities (labeling, drawing a habitat and possibly writing a story) give students opportunities to produce written words for objects and number names.
Lesson 5
Discovering Animal Habitats
Students are asked to identify and write habitat names by completing scrambled words (e.g., ORES, CEA, ESER) and by labeling pictures from a word box, which requires them to produce conventional spellings of those vocabulary words. Students practice handwriting specific words (Jeep, jungle) and trace/write the letter Jj, reinforcing written forms of words. Students also label animals and their food/water sources and may copy or write habitat labels when creating or drawing habitats.
Lesson 6
Exploring Animal Habitats
Students practice writing specific words on a handwriting page that focuses on the letter Z and the words "zebra" and "zoo." Students are asked to label drawings on the habitat observation sheet and to dictate a story which is recorded, read back, and for which they are encouraged to "sound out the words". Students also copy or write sentences that have words beginning with Z as part of handwriting practice.
Lesson 7
Tools in My Environment
Students are asked to record the names of three tools and are encouraged to write the names independently or copy them. The lesson tells students to "sound out the words and identify letter sounds" and to attempt recording at least the beginning letter of each tool. A handwriting sheet directs students to practice the words "it" and "inch" and to form the letter I, providing focused practice on letter formation and short-word writing.
Final Project
Animal Research / My Environment
Students are asked to write and label pictures on multiple pages (e.g., "Draw a picture of the animal and write its name," "The ______ is found in ______", "What _____ Eats and Drinks", and "Interesting Facts about ______"). The instructions explicitly tell caregivers to "help your child label his pictures" and to complete the descriptions at the top of each page, creating repeated opportunities for students to produce written words. Several student activity pages include blank lines or prompts for students to fill in words related to animals, places, foods, and facts.
Unit 2: Weather
Lesson 1
Reading the Skies
Students are asked to write vocabulary words beneath pictures in the Weather Words activity (Option 2) and to record a sentence using the vocabulary at the bottom of the page. An advanced option asks students to label pictures with the words after covering the word box, requiring them to produce spellings from memory. The skills list and activities also have students identify beginning letters and sounds and use new vocabulary in speech and writing, supporting phonics-related spelling practice.
Lesson 2
Types of Precipitation
Students practice writing and copying words in Activity 6 where they trace and write the letter R and the words "rain" and "round." In Activity 2 (Option 2) students are asked to write the name of each type of precipitation in the blank boxes (e.g., snow, hail, rain). In Option 1 students read the word for each type of precipitation at the top of the page and label pictures, reinforcing recognition and spelling of those words.
Lesson 5
Fall
Students practice writing and copying specific words in Activity 4 where they trace and write the letter F and the words "fall" and "fun." In Activity 1 students write the names of three items they circled and use each word in a sentence, then copy the sentences. In graphing and leaf activities students encounter and select color words (yellow, orange, brown, red, green) and may write or label them on pages.
Lesson 6
Winter
Students are asked to dictate a winter story and either attempt to record their own words or have their words recorded, using the vocabulary list (COLD, SNOW, FREEZE). Students practice handwriting and copying the words "wind" and "winter" and are prompted to write responses to the prompt "In the winter I _____." In Snowflake Math students match numerals to number words and Option 2/extension asks them to write number words for numbers 3–12 and to trace/copy number words such as "five," "six," "seven," and "eight."
Lesson 8
Summer
Students fill in blanks in a short story using a picture-word bank (e.g., beach, hot, trip, swim, pool) and are asked either to paste the words, copy them into the blanks, or write the beginning letter. In the advanced option, students are encouraged to copy full words into blanks and to write their own summer story using the provided summer words. In Activity 3, students write season names (or beginning letters) beneath a temperature continuum and complete sentences by writing the seasons in the correct blanks.
Final Project
Weather Games
Students are asked to write the name of each season above pictures in Activity 1 or cut and glue printed season names, giving them direct practice producing season words. In Activity 2 students match written weather and season words with pictures in the Weather Memory game, requiring them to recognize and use conventional word forms. In Activity 4 students record answers on the Weather Forecast page and prepare a spoken/written forecast, which involves writing weather-related vocabulary in context.
Unit 3: Community
Lesson 1
On the Town
Students copy or cut and paste community vocabulary words to complete sentences in Activity 2, filling blanks with words such as restaurant, park, school, library, and grocery store. In Option 2, students read a word bank and record the correct community word to complete sentences, practicing spelling in context. In Activity 4, students trace and write the letter P and practice writing the words "park" and "people," providing direct practice with at least one frequently occurring irregular word.
Lesson 2
My Community Environment
Students are asked to label places on a poster and write or dictate a brief description of how each place serves the community (Activity 2), which requires producing written words. Students are encouraged to copy the title of each book when selecting books with different communities (Activity 3), an activity that has them reproduce conventional word forms. The Student Activity Page shows labeled landmarks (Court, Police, Fire Station, Museum, Library, Grocery Store) that students might use as models when labeling their own work.
Lesson 7
A Citizen with Character
Students practice handwriting for the letter Kk and specifically write or copy the words "kid" and "kind" (Activity 7). The activity asks students to write or copy sentences that contain K-words, providing direct practice in forming and spelling those particular words.
Lesson 9
Caring for Our Communities
Students practice letter formation and word tracing for the letter C (uppercase and lowercase) and trace the words "citizen" and "care" on the handwriting page. The activity asks students to write or copy sentences that contain C-words, providing direct practice spelling those words during handwriting work. The student pages include dotted examples and practice lines to support correct letter and word formation.
2: Similarities and Differences
Unit 1: Amazing Attributes
Lesson 1
Describe It
Students practice letters and words by circling the first letter, sounding out words, and copying words from a provided word box onto the activity page (Option 1). Students write descriptive words from a word bank and add two original descriptive words beneath each picture in the advanced option (Option 2). Students also copy or write a sentence on handwriting paper that describes an object from the bag, providing additional practice producing written words.
Lesson 2
Animal Attributes
Students are asked in Living & Nonliving (Option 2) to write the names of living and nonliving objects in two columns and add two additional names, which requires spelling those words. In Body Coverings (Option 2) students must write the names of animals into the correct categories and add another example for each column. The Handwriting "Aa" page has students trace and copy the words "animal" and "ant," giving practice in forming and spelling those specific words.
Lesson 4
How Does It Feel?
Students read and copy texture adjective words from a provided word box (Option 1) and/or record two words from a list and invent a new describing word (Option 2). Students circle beginning letters of each word and can cut and paste or copy the texture words beneath the pictures. Students write or copy a sentence using an object's texture in Activity 3 ("______ feels _________").
Lesson 5
How Old?
Students practice handwriting and word copying on the "Oo" page, including the words "order" and "old," and are asked to copy or write sentences using those words. Students are asked to record names (at least the beginning letter) for pictured people and to write questions for each person, which gives them opportunities to spell words when composing. The activities prompt students to reread written questions and attempt to read written text, reinforcing written word forms through copying and production.
Lesson 6
The Measure of Things
Students practice handwriting and writing associated vocabulary: Activity 6 has explicit practice writing the letters L/l and the words "length" and "long." In Activity 1 students are prompted to write out words for measured items or complete fill-in-the-blank sentences (e.g., "The ___ is longer than the ___"), and multiple activity pages require students to record words for objects (toothbrush, pencil, hairbrush, sugar, milk, water). Several pages provide space for students to write estimates and measured values and to fill labels, which requires spelling words related to measurement.
Lesson 7
More Attributes
Students trace and write the uppercase and lowercase letter V and the word "Venn" on the Student Activity Page (Activity 5: Handwriting). The page provides guided tracing lines and space for freewriting the word "Venn," so students repeatedly produce the conventional letter sequence for that specific word.
Lesson 10
Earth Materials: Rocks, Soil, and Water
Students are asked to write words and phrases in multiple activities: they complete preposition fill-in-the-blank sentences (Option 1 and Option 2 require writing prepositions and prepositional phrases), and they create an "Earth Materials" book where they write properties of dirt, rocks, and water and add their name. Student activity pages prompt students to list and label soil types and properties, which requires writing content words related to the topic.
Final Project
Presenting Attributes
The lesson asks students to "use new vocabulary in conversation and writing" and to "use words that describe in speech and writing," and it requires students to include words and sentences on their posters (Option 2). Students are asked to decide what they will say about each attribute, have their ideas recorded, and practice presenting, which involves producing written labels or dictated text for the poster or recording ideas for the demonstration.
Unit 2: Senses
Lesson 1
My Five Senses
Students are asked to read and use a Senses Word List and to copy each word three times on handwriting paper, providing direct practice spelling those vocabulary words. Students are encouraged to recognize words by sight and to refer to the Senses Word List when encountering words in the text, which supports repeated exposure to conventional spellings. Students also write or copy a sentence about a sense (example: "I smell with my nose") and dictate/write four sentences describing a sensing experience, giving opportunities to produce spelled words in context.
Lesson 2
Senses and Body Parts
The handwriting activity asks students to practice the letter S and to trace the words "sense" and "see," with dotted-line tracing provided on the Student Activity Page. Activity 4 directs students to use each traced word in a sentence on the page, requiring students to write the words in context. The lesson includes repeated letter formation and word-level tracing focused on these specific sight/spelling words.
Lesson 4
Hearing and Seeing
Students practice handwriting and spelling of the words "eyes" and "ears" by writing each word in a sentence (Activity 8). Students cut out and place printed labels for parts of the eye and ear (e.g., retina, pupil, cornea, iris, lens, optic nerve; eardrum, cochlea, hammer, anvil), which requires them to read and match conventional spellings of those vocabulary words. Students are asked to attempt to read their own recorded descriptions aloud, providing additional exposure to printed word forms.
Lesson 5
Touch
Students practice writing specific words: Activity 5 asks students to practice the letter T and to write the words "touch" and "taste" in sentences. Students are asked to write opposites and to choose or generate adjectives on the "Touch It" pages and to draw and label their own objects on the "Touch Chart," giving multiple opportunities to write words related to the topic.
Lesson 6
Experimenting With Our Senses
Students are asked to read the name of each spice on the jar labels and copy the name onto index cards (or write the first letter if they cannot write the whole name). Students are asked to write or dictate and copy a sentence on handwriting paper about something they smelled or tasted today. Students are encouraged to attempt reading labels and to copy words from real-world print sources.
Unit 3: We're the Same, We're Different
Lesson 3
Different Personalities
Students are asked to sound out vocabulary words and, if unable, circle the first and last letters and say the sounds the letters make, which practices phonics decoding. Students trace and write the word "quiet" and the letter "q" in Activity 4, practicing correct letter formation and the spelling of that specific word. Students write or paste personality words in webs and record descriptive words for characters, giving opportunities to produce written word forms.
Lesson 4
Interests and Hobbies
The handwriting activity asks students to practice the letter Yy and to write the words "you" and "yes" and to use each word in a sentence, giving explicit practice spelling two high-frequency words. Activity 1 asks students to dictate and then copy or write a few sentences describing a hobby, requiring students to produce conventional spellings when writing. Activity 3 (Hobby Survey) provides multiple prompts where students read aloud and write responses, giving additional opportunities to practice spelling common words in context.
Lesson 6
Different Families
Students practice handwriting of the letter Dd and trace the word "different" multiple times on the Handwriting activity page. The Families Around the World worksheets provide lines where students can write sentence responses, and the Skills list includes "Complete sentences." These elements give students at least one explicit opportunity to see and reproduce correct spelling for a specific multisyllabic word.
Lesson 7
Different Homes
Students are asked to write comparison words beneath pictures in Activity 1 (Option 2), using word sets such as "big, bigger, biggest" and "small, smaller, smallest," which requires them to produce conventional spellings of regular comparative and superlative forms. The Student Activity Page has students read and record the correct word beneath pictures, and Activity 4 asks students to write a sentence about their home, giving additional opportunities to spell words in context.
Lesson 9
Different Modes of Transportation
Students are asked to fill in missing letters for transportation words in Activity 1 (Option 1), e.g., __ar (car), __lane (plane), __rain (train), __icycle (bicycle), __oat (boat), __orse (horse), __axi (taxi). In Activity 1 (Option 2) and Activity 2 (Option 2) students must write entire labels or write the mode of transportation for scenarios, requiring them to produce conventional spellings of those words. In Activity 4 students write or copy a sentence with blanks (I have ______ in/on a _________), which requires spelling words when completing the sentence.
Lesson 10
Wants and Needs
Activity 6 gives students handwriting practice for uppercase and lowercase N and has students trace and write the word "need." Several activities ask students to write or label items (Activity 1 labeling pictures as want or need, Activity 3 making lists of wants and needs, and Activity 4 recording survey responses), which requires students to produce common vocabulary words such as "water," "home," and "meal." Student activity pages also present pictured items with printed labels that students may copy or use as models when writing.
Lesson 11
Being Part of a Group
Students practice handwriting of letters Gg and Xx and copy the words "get," "group," and "extra" on the provided handwriting pages. In Activity 2, students are invited to attempt to fill in blanks in a short paragraph about a group, providing an opportunity to produce spellings independently. The skills list includes "Read or attempt to read own story or simple text," which supports exposure to written words.
3: Patterns
Unit 1: Identifying and Creating Visual Patterns
Lesson 5
Making Color Patterns
Students are asked to write color words or the first letter of color words to show patterns (e.g., Y, R, Y, R) in Activity 1, which requires them to produce word forms. Activity 3 asks students to write or copy a sentence describing something they created, giving them an opportunity to spell words in context. The skills list explicitly includes using words that describe color, size, and location, which involves selecting and writing common vocabulary words.
Lesson 6
Shapes and Patterns
In Activity 2 (Option 1) students are asked to circle the beginning letter of each word and to sound out each word before creating the pattern, which provides phonics-based word work. In Activity 3 students are asked to write or copy a sentence on handwriting paper about a pattern they found. The Words to Practice section has students practice writing the specific words shape, color, and size with modeled writing.
Lesson 8
Creating and Writing About Patterns
Students are asked to write words from a provided object word list (eye, nose, mouth, apple, orange, banana, worm, bug, hat) in Option 2 and to write the first letter of each object in multiple pattern sections. Activity 3 directs students to write the sequence words first, then, and next five times, and the Handwriting activity asks students to write or copy two or three sentences that describe a pattern. Several activity pages prompt students to fill in sentence frames (e.g., "First comes ____") that require writing words from the list or their chosen objects.
Unit 2: Patterns in Sounds, Words, and Actions
Lesson 1
Word Patterns
Students circle repeating word parts on activity pages (for example, hat/bat, hen/pen, frog/dog) and add new words that follow those patterns, which gives practice producing words with common spelling patterns. Students label pictures and copy or write words and sentences (Activity 1 Option 2, Activity 5), providing written practice of pattern-based spellings. In the Bear Hugs activities students match and write rhyming word pairs and the advanced option asks them to identify five pairs that follow the same spelling pattern and two pairs that rhyme but have different spelling patterns.
Lesson 2
Making Word Patterns
Students complete rhyming sentences by filling in missing words and make a rhyming sentence book (Activity 1). Students sort printed words into word-family groups, label cards with endings like "-un" and practice reading those grouped words (Activity 2, Option 1). In the advanced option students generate additional words by changing initial letters to complete patterns (Option 2). Students identify and record words from rhyming books that follow the same spelling patterns and copy/write a sentence containing two rhyming words (Activity 3 and Activity 4).
Lesson 3
Poetry Patterns
Students read poems and songs and are asked to identify and circle rhyming words and the parts of words that follow the same letter patterns. Students write rhyming words on a separate sheet, complete a fill-in-the-blank verse, and practice handwriting by copying lines from the song. Students are prompted to identify words that rhyme but are spelled differently and are provided assistance with spelling during activities.
Lesson 7
Making Sound and Action Patterns
Students cut out and manipulate labeled sound words (smack, stomp, slap, clap, tap) on the Creating a Sound Pattern activity pages, handling written word forms paired with pictures. Students are asked to write or copy a sentence on handwriting paper that describes a pattern they made today, which requires producing written words and reproducing conventional spellings. The student activity pages repeatedly present the same word forms in a grid, giving multiple opportunities to see and reproduce those specific spellings.
Unit 3: Patterns in Your World
Lesson 1
Patterns in Nature
Students are asked to write or copy a sentence from the reading on handwriting paper (Activity 4), which requires producing spelled words. Students are asked to label drawings of their favorite patterns (Activity 3) and the student activity pages include labeled items such as "zebra," "pine cone," and "watermelon," which require spelling when students copy or use those labels. Students complete Option 1 or 2 where they paste or create patterns and may write words to identify the animals or patterns.
Lesson 2
Patterns of Growth
Students copy teacher-modeled words (plant, grow, part) five times each in Activity 6 and are asked to write sentences about plant growth on the Student Activity Pages. In Activity 2 students label plant parts using a provided Word Box that lists root, stem, leaf, and petal (with first letters highlighted). The activity pages provide lines for writing and for recording observations, and one task asks students to sound out words and record the initial letter if they cannot write the whole word.
Lesson 5
Calendar Patterns
Students practice writing specific high-frequency words: Activity 6 directs students to write the words day, month, year five times each. Activity 2 asks students to write the numbers 1-10 and their number words on handwriting paper. Activity 5 instructs students to focus on spelling the days of the week and months of the year if they already know them, and Activity 1 has students fill in the first letter of each day of the week on an activity sheet.
Lesson 6
Seasonal Weather Patterns
Students are asked to write today's date, fill in missing season names on worksheets, and copy the months of the year on handwriting paper. The activity pages require students to write or fill in months and seasons and to place month names under the correct season, which provides repeated practice spelling those specific words. Students also record weather words from a word box beneath seasons on the Weather Patterns page.
Lesson 7
Patterns at Home
Activity 5: Handwriting asks the child to write or dictate and then copy a sentence that describes a pattern found in her closet. The activity requires students to produce written words on handwriting paper, which gives them practice with spelling words in context. Copying a sentence implies students will render words with conventional letter forms and spacing.
Lesson 8
Symmetrical Patterns
Students are asked to write or copy a sentence on handwriting paper: '________ has _________ lines of symmetry,' which requires producing conventional word forms. Students also are asked to write other letters of the alphabet and draw lines of symmetry during the Alphabet Symmetry activity, providing practice with letter formation and producing written words/letters.
4: Change
Unit 1: Changes on Planet Earth
Lesson 8
Plants and Change
Students are asked to draw and label plant parts using a provided word box (Option 2) and to glue printed labels such as "root," "stem," "leaf," and "flower" onto a diagram (Option 1). The wrapping up activity directs students to list the parts of a plant on handwriting paper, and several student activity pages include the target vocabulary for copying or labeling. These tasks require students to produce conventional spellings of specific plant-related words.
Lesson 9
Heat Causes Change
Students label the three bowls on the "Ice, Water, Steam" activity page using a provided word box that contains the words "ice," "water," and "steam." Students write or copy a sentence about something they observed during the experiment on handwriting paper (Activity 4). Students record words and labels on the "A Burning Candle" data sheet (rows/headers like "Candle," "Paper Clips," and "Inches"), which requires writing conventional word forms.
Unit 3: A First Look at History - Change Over Time
Lesson 1
People and Families Change
Students are asked to write a sentence about a way they have changed (Activity 3: Handwriting), to copy dictated ideas into a "Writing About Change" sheet (Activity 5), and to label names and ages in predictions about the future (Activity 6). The Student Activity Page requires students to fill in short sentence prompts ("My family used to...", "Then...changed", "Now my family is...") and to write or draw past and present descriptions. Several activities involve students writing, copying, or labeling words and phrases, sometimes after dictation or with teacher assistance.
Lesson 7
People of the Past
Students are asked in Activity 4 to write a sentence on handwriting paper about a historical person, which requires them to spell words. Students read and interact with the 'People in History' descriptions (Activity 2) and selected biographies (Activity 1), exposing them to frequently occurring words and common word patterns through reading.
6: Reading
Unit 1: Semester 1
Lesson 1
Letter Sounds Review I
Students build and read word-family words (at and ap) by placing letter cards in front of word-family cards and reading resulting words such as cat, sat, pat, cap, map, tap, sap. Students write letters and words on dedicated pages, tracing letters and writing words (e.g., sat, cap, fat, tap) and are asked to say sounds as they write. Sight words "the," "and," and "a" are introduced with cards for recognition and students are asked in at least one activity (Guess My Word) to write and say a sight word clue ("the").
Lesson 2
Letter Sounds Review II
Students build and spell many regularly spelled CVC and word-family words using letter cards and word-building activities (e.g., Activity 1.1: sat, sap, mat, map; Activity 3.2 and 5.2: rib, dig, fit, pig, man, bad and word chains). Students write words on guided pages (Activity 4.1 and 5.1) where they say the sounds and write words such as rip, bag, pin, pig, lid, can, rip, rat, bat. Students read and identify high-frequency sight words (Activity 1.3 and Day 3: "the," "and," "a," "of," "to," "in") and point to or say them from sight-word cards.
Lesson 3
Letter Sounds Review III
Students practice common spelling patterns by building and spelling many three-letter CVC words (Activity 3.2, Day 5 writing pages) and by sorting and writing word-family words for short o and short u (Activities 3.3 and 4.2). Students write words under pictures, trace and write letters and simple words (Activities 3.1, 4.1, 5.1), and decode regularly spelled one-syllable words as part of the word-building and reading tasks. Students are introduced to frequently occurring sight words (the, and, a, of, to, is, you, it) and practice recognizing and reading those words using sight-word cards (Activity 1.3, Activity 4.3).
Lesson 4
Letter Sounds Review IV
Students sort and read words into word families (et, en, eg, ed) and cut/glue words under the correct family, practicing common spelling patterns. Students build words with letter cards (three-letter words and challenge words), say each sound, and write the words on a laminated sheet, with an explicit instruction to make real words and not record nonsense spellings. Students read, practice, and use sight words (he, that, was) in reading, circling, and sentence-building activities, and they write words from pictures on the "Writing Words" pages.
Lesson 5
Adding s, More Word Families, Ending with ck
Students practice common spelling patterns through multiple word-family activities (am, an, ab, ag; am/ad; ack/eck/ick/ock/uck) where they build, sort, and glue words into columns and read them aloud. Students learn and apply the ck spelling rule by sounding out short-vowel words and building examples (duck, sack, deck). Students use conventional spelling for plurals by adding -s (building cat → cats, writing plural words to match pictures) and practice frequently occurring sight/irregular words (she, on, are, you, and, was, of, the) by reading, tracing, writing, and using them in dictated sentences.
Lesson 6
Open Syllables and Digraph th
Students build and read words using lowercase letter cards and word-building cards (for example: this, thin, with, math, them, path and dock, pack, luck) to practice common spelling patterns such as digraphs (th, ck) and open/closed syllables. Students write and copy open-syllable and closed-syllable words on activity pages (he, we, so, go, hi, she; my, me, no, be, I, by) and complete dictated word lists and sentences, producing conventional spellings. Students practice and read frequent irregular sight words (with, his, her, I, and noted exceptions like do and to) through flash-card reading, reading activities, and sentence dictation.
Lesson 7
Consonant Digraphs ch, sh, wh, ph
Students practice spelling and writing words that contain common consonant digraph patterns (ch, sh, wh, ph) in multiple activities: word-building tasks (Activity 3.2), fill-in-the-blank pages (Activity 5.1), and a dictated list of digraph words to write (Activity 4.2). Students also read, point to, sort, and write high-frequency sight words such as they, the, that, with, for, and she (Activities 1.3, Day 4 sorting, and the Sight Words Search). Sentence dictation (Activity 5.3) and student writing pages require students to produce conventional spellings when writing words and sentences that include these common patterns and sight words.
Lesson 8
Blends with s
Students practice conventional spelling of common patterns by building and spelling numerous s‑blend words (e.g., snap, snag, smog, skit, spot, slap, slip, stick) during Word Building and Word Chains activities. Students apply explicit spelling conventions such as ck after a short vowel (duck, sock, peck) and open‑syllable vowel naming (by, me; my, we, go) while writing and sorting words. Students read and write high‑frequency sight words (at, be, this, me, we, she) and complete sentence dictation that requires correct conventional spelling.
Lesson 9
Blends with l
Students build and spell multiple words using word-building cards (e.g., spell glob, glam, glad; plums, plus, plug; clip, clock, club, clips) and complete word chains that require changing one letter or blend to form new correctly spelled words. Students write dictated words on a laminated sheet (e.g., glad, plugs, glob, clock, clasp; black, flock, flash, blob, sloth) and fill in blanks on worksheets with initial blends (gl, pl, cl, bl, sl, fl). Students practice frequently occurring irregular/high-frequency words by reading and using sight words (have, had, or) in oral sentences and sentence dictation tasks where they write sentences containing those words.
Lesson 10
Blends with r
Students manipulate letter cards to spell words with r blends (e.g., Spell crab, crib, crack, brag, drag, frog, from) and use word-building activities (Day 2 and Day 3) to form conventional spellings. Students say words slowly to segment sounds and then write the words beside pictures on the "Writing Words" pages, and they copy target words (fret, broth, crisp). Students read, trace, and write sight words including "one," "from," and "by" on the "Writing Sight Words" page and write dictated sentences that use blend words.
Lesson 11
Ending Blends
Students practice spelling and writing words with common ending-blend patterns (nd, mp, lf, nt, sk, sp, st) by using lowercase letter cards and blend word-building cards to spell and then write words on the "nd/ mp/ lf/ nt Words" pages (Activities 2.2, 3.1, 4.1). Students underline and read blends in printed words (Activity 2.1) and sort pictures into columns by their ending blends (Activity 3.2), reinforcing conventional spellings for those patterns. Students copy and write high-frequency sight words and write dictated words and sentences that include frequently occurring irregular words (Activity 1.3 and Activity 5.2), practicing conventional spelling in context.
Lesson 12
Double ll, ss, ff, zz (FLOSS)
Students explicitly practice the FLOSS spelling pattern by listening to words, selecting ll/ss/ff/zz word-building cards to spell words (e.g., buzz, sniff, bill), underlining double consonants in written words (hill, fizz, dress, stuff, off, pass), and writing dictated FLOSS words and sentences. Students sort and glue words into ll word-family columns, complete ss and ff picture-to-word writing pages, and create words in the Alphabet Soup activity, providing repeated opportunities to produce conventional spellings for words with this common pattern. Students also practice frequently occurring irregular sight words ('what,' 'all,' 'were') by reading flash cards, flipping them, finding them in a word search, using them in written and spoken sentences, and writing sentences that include sight words.
Lesson 13
Glued Sounds ng and nk
Students practice conventional spelling patterns explicitly through instruction and word-building for glued sounds (ng, nk) and associated word families (ang, ing, ong, ung, ank, ink, onk, unk). Students sort and glue words into rule pages (Add s, ck rule, FLOSS rule), complete fill-in-the-blank exercises that require writing the correct digraph/ending, and write dictated words and sentences that use the target patterns. Students read and write sight-word cards (we, when, your) and are asked to write each sight word on the laminated writing sheet, providing practice with frequently occurring irregular words.
Lesson 14
Three-Letter Beginning Blends
Students repeatedly build and spell words that begin with three-letter blends (scr, str, spr, spl, squ, shr, thr) using lowercase letter cards and word-building cards (e.g., spell scrap, scrub, strap, spring, splash, quilt, shrimp). Students write words on a laminated writing sheet and on handwriting paper, complete fill-in-the-blank pages using the specified blends, and sort and glue words by blend category. Students are introduced to and practice frequently occurring irregular sight words ("can," "said," "there") by pointing to, reading, and writing them and by writing dictated sentences that include those words.
Lesson 15
More Ending Blends
Students build and read words that end with common spelling patterns (ct, ft, pt, lb, ld, lk, lp, lt) using letter and word-building cards (Activities 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 4.2). Students sort and categorize words by their ending blends and then read or glue them (Activity 3.2 and multiple Word Sort pages). Students read, trace, and write high-frequency sight words (e.g., use, an, each, plus other sight-word writing pages) and write dictated sentences that include those words (Day 4 Activity 4.1; Day 5 Activity 5.1).
Lesson 16
R-Controlled Vowels (ar)
Students spell and read many ar words and r-controlled ending blends using lowercase letter cards, word-building cards, and writing sheets (examples: bar, car, barn, harp, park, charm). Students complete fill-in-the-blank pages and word sorts that require them to write the correct blends (rk, rt, rp, rm, rn, rf) and to glue or write the conventional spellings for each pictured word. Students practice and write high-frequency sight words (which, as, do, what, when) and write dictated sentences that include these words.
Lesson 17
Semester Review
Students spell words using lowercase letter and word-building cards and then read the words aloud (e.g., bank, flags, lick, chop, black, brush, king, rink, milk, strong, barn). Students write dictated words (sang, fly, thick, pill, fluff, tank, spring, card) and identify/apply spelling patterns and rules (FLOSS rule, Bossy R, open syllable), and use word-building cards that include common patterns (ck, fl, ch, sh, bl, br, st, str, ing, ink, ong). Students practice frequent sight words (how, their, if and a longer list including their, which, said, from, there, when, were, they, what, words, have) through introduction, underlining, a word search, and reading activities.
Unit 2: Semester 2
Lesson 1
Long Vowels a and i with Silent e
Students practice the silent-e spelling pattern in multiple activities: they build words with letter cards (e.g., tap → tape, slid → slide), write dictated long-a and long-i silent-e words, and take a weekly spelling test that includes silent-e words (make, like, hike, kite, five, date, bake, wave, same). Students also sort pictures into short vs. long vowel columns, complete an "Alphabet Soup" activity to generate long-a and long-i words, and practice adding -s to silent-e words (game → games, like → likes). The lesson also includes sight-word work and a brief lesson distinguishing and using there/their in sentences.
Lesson 2
Long Vowels o, u, and e with Silent e
Students manipulate lowercase letter cards to change words (e.g., spell "cub" then add e to spell "cube"; spell "hop" then add e to spell "hope"), explicitly practicing the silent-e common spelling pattern. Students write words in columns by vowel pattern and complete a spelling test that requires them to write words using common patterns (hope, cube, note, doze, rule, dome, tube) and one irregular/frequent sight word (them) as well as challenge words (these, slope). Students also write dictated sentences that include high-frequency words (e.g., "They use the hose on the grass.") and repeatedly read and locate sight words (then, them, these, so) in word searches.
Lesson 3
Hard and Soft c and g
Students practice spelling target words with common spelling patterns using lowercase letter cards (e.g., clap, ice, race, cent, mice, price, lace, cave) and by writing words from a word bank into category boxes (Hard c/Soft c/Hard g/Soft g). Students complete a formal Spelling Test in which they write words such as cent, race, cage, face, gem, give, space, huge, mice, age and two challenge words (girl, stage). Students also write dictated sentences (The red gem is huge. Many mice are in the cage.) that require conventional spelling of learned words and add exception words (get, give, gift, girl) to their sight-word practice.
Lesson 4
More R-Controlled Vowels (er, ir, or, ur)
Students practice spelling and writing r-controlled vowel patterns (ar, er, ir, or, ur) by building words with lowercase letter cards, writing words on a laminated sheet, and spelling words aloud in multiple word-building activities. Students sort and glue words into columns for er, ir, and ur, and complete fill-in-the-blank worksheets that require choosing the correct vowel pair to name pictures. Students write and correct words on a formal spelling test and practice frequently occurring sight/irregular words (other, more, some, would) by reading, writing, and using them in sentences.
Lesson 5
Long a Spellings ai, ay
Students practice conventional spellings for long a with multiple activities: they build and spell words using silent e (lake, made, page), ay (may, way, play, tray) and ai (mail, rain, paint, brain) with letter cards and word-building tasks. They sort and categorize words by spelling pattern (ai Word Sorting, aid/ail/ain columns) and complete a spelling test and fill-in-the-blank activity that require writing these conventional spellings. Students also read and write sight words (may, way, him, has) and complete sentence dictation that requires correct conventional spellings in context.
Lesson 6
Long e Spellings ee, ey, ea
Students practice common long-e spelling patterns ee, ea, and ey by highlighting those letter groups in words (Activity 2.1) and by building and spelling words with letter cards that include ee and ea (Activity 2.2). They write words that use the ea pattern from picture prompts (Activity 3.2), create many long-e words in the "Alphabet Soup" activity (Activity 3.1), and take a spelling test and do sentence dictation that require conventional spellings of sight words and challenge words (Day 4 Spelling Test; Day 5 Sentence Dictation). Sight-word practice and the spelling test include frequently occurring irregular words (see, more, these, out, some, then, many, like, way, has), giving students opportunities to read and write those conventional spellings.
Lesson 7
Long i Spellings y, igh, ie
Students repeatedly practice conventional spellings for the long i patterns by building and spelling words with letter cards (Activities 2.2, 3.2, 4.1) such as cry, fight, pie, tied, and fried. Students sort and place words into columns by spelling patterns (i_e, y, igh, ie) in multiple word-sorting activities and glue the words into their Word Collection. Students write words on a laminated sheet, complete a written spelling test of long i words (Day 4 Activity 4.3), and write dictated sentences that include target words (Day 5 Sentence Dictation).
Lesson 8
Long o Spellings ow, oa, oe
Students practice conventional spellings for the long o sound (oa, ow, oe, and o_e) by highlighting those letter patterns in words, building words with letter cards, and sorting words by their long-o spellings. Students write oa words on picture-linked writing pages, complete a spelling test with long-o words, and transcribe dictated sentences that require correct long-o spellings. Sight-word practice and rereading activities give students additional opportunities to read and write a small set of high-frequency words (go, no, number).
Lesson 9
Long u Spellings ue, ew, ou
Students practice spelling and writing words that use the common long-u patterns u_e, ue, ew, and ou through word building activities, word sorting, and a spelling test that asks them to produce those conventional spellings. Students complete written tasks that require conventional spelling such as the Fill in the Blanks page, the Writing Sight Words pages, and sentence dictation where they must spell words correctly. Students also read and write frequently occurring irregular sight words (who, been, water) and use them in sentences and dictated writing.
Lesson 10
Other Long Vowel Patterns
Students build and spell words using lowercase letter cards and word-building cards for the patterns ild, ind, old, olt, and ost (Activities 1.2, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1). They write words and sentences on a laminated writing sheet, complete an Alphabet Soup page creating and writing many words, and take a Spelling Test that asks them to write target words and two challenge words. Students also practice sight words (most, two, people, does) by reading, using them in sentences, and including some in spelling and reading activities.
Lesson 11
Long Vowel Sounds Review
Students match long-vowel spellings with example words (Activity 1.2) by cutting out spellings and words and placing a_e with "bake," ai with "rain," etc. Students sort word lists into columns by spelling pattern (Activities 2.2 and 4.2) and glue the words into the correct a_e/ai/ay or e_e/ee/ey/ea columns. Students spell words using lowercase letter cards in Word Scramble activities and in the Life Application task, and they write words they find in readers or from a word bank into sentences (Activities 2.1, 3.1, 5.1).
Lesson 12
Other Vowel Sounds oi, oy
Students sort, read, and write words containing the common vowel-team patterns oi and oy (Activity 2.1, 2.2, Word Sorting pages). They build and spell words with oi/oy in word-building activities and a spelling test (Day 3 word building, Day 4 Spelling Test including boy, soil, boil, toy, point, joy, spoil, moist). Students also read and write frequently occurring sight words (did, am, long) in Sight Words activities, sentence dictation, and sentence-making tasks.
Lesson 13
Other Vowel Sounds ou, ow
Students repeatedly write and spell words containing the common ou/ow patterns in multiple activities (Writing o Words, Fill in the Blanks, Word Building, Word Scramble, and the Spelling Test). Students sort words by spelling and sound (Sorting ou and ow), highlight digraphs in words, and use letter cards to build and spell target words, with explicit tips (t and d often go with ou; l and n often go with ow). Students also practice sight words (down, now, get, come) by pointing to, reading, and reviewing them.
Lesson 14
Other Vowel Sounds aw, au
Students sort and glue words into aw/au/o columns and then highlight aw and au in words, directly practicing spelling patterns. Students use lowercase letter cards to spell words aloud and in writing (e.g., saw, haul, launch), and they complete alphabet-soup and word-building activities that require producing conventional spellings. Students write dictated sight words and sentences, and they take a formal spelling test of the lesson words (including challenge words) and correct errors.
Lesson 15
These Make More Than One Sound: oo and ea
Students practice conventional spelling through explicit word-building activities using letter cards and oo/ea word-building cards (e.g., spell wood, mood, seam, seat, bear, beat, pear, bread, meat, wear). Students complete a formal spelling test where they write groups of rhyming oo/ea words and receive correction (e.g., moon: soon, spoon; head: bread, dead). Students read and write this week's sight words (after, little, where) on laminated writing sheets and write dictated sentences, attending to how sentences begin and end. Students sort and glue words into columns by vowel-team patterns and note spelling regularities (for example, that book-like oo words often end in d or k).
Lesson 16
Silent Starts: kn, wr, gn
Students build and spell target words using lowercase letter cards and kn/gn/wr word-building cards (e.g., spell know, knit, knot, knob, wrap, wren, wreck, wreath). Students read and copy words on multiple "Writing Words" and "Writing Sight Words" pages and complete a Spelling Test listing words with silent beginnings (e.g., wrist, gnat, gnome, know, write, wrap, knot, knife, wren, gnaw, wreath, knock). Students write dictated sentences that include words with these spelling patterns and then read and correct their work.
Lesson 17
Year-End Review
Students sort and label words by long-vowel spelling patterns in the Long Vowel Sounds Sorting activity, explicitly grouping words by ā, ē, ī, ō, and ū spellings. Students build and write words in the Alphabet Soup activities using letter cards and word-building cards, producing spellings for many common patterns (e.g., oo, ea, aw, ow, ai, a_e). Students write sentences on the Sentence Writing pages and practice sight words (only, over) and find sight words in the Sight Word Search, reinforcing specific irregular and high-frequency word forms.