A systematic, research-based phonics and reading program that builds from CVC review through long vowels, vowel teams, and r-controlled vowels. Students develop fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary while reading God's Word and celebrating literacy as a gift from God.
Decode words with CVCe patterns, vowel teams, r-controlled vowels, and common affixes with 95%+ accuracy
Read grade-level text fluently at 40-60 words per minute with appropriate expression
Automatically recognize 100+ high-frequency words and apply comprehension strategies to understand main idea, details, and make inferences
Use phonics knowledge to spell words correctly and write simple sentences
Connect reading skills to understanding God's Word and celebrating the gift of literacy
Click any week to see daily lesson details.
Review phoneme segmentation with CVC words. Practice blending and segmenting short a words.
Phoneme segmentation and blendinghands-onReview all five short vowels in CVC words. Sort words by vowel sound.
Short vowel identificationgameUse letter tiles to build CVC words, changing one sound at a time. Practice encoding and decoding.
CVC encoding and decodinghands-onRead decodable text with CVC words. Introduce the concept that reading helps us understand God's Word.
CVC fluency and comprehensionreadingRead and illustrate a simple CVC decodable story. Retell the story sequence.
Reading fluency and comprehensionprojectReview the concept of digraphs. Focus on sh and ch sounds with picture sorts.
Digraph recognition (sh, ch)hands-onPractice voiced and unvoiced th. Read words with th digraph.
Digraph recognition (th)gameLearn wh digraph and practice reading wh words. Make connections to question words.
Digraph recognition (wh)discussionReview ck as a final digraph. Build and read words ending in ck.
Final digraph ckhands-onRead a decodable story featuring multiple digraphs. Practice fluency and expression.
Digraph fluencyreadingReview l-blends (bl, cl, fl, gl, pl, sl). Segment and blend words with l-blends.
L-blends decodinghands-onPractice r-blends (br, cr, dr, fr, gr, pr, tr). Build words with letter tiles.
R-blends decodinghands-onMaster s-blends (sc, sk, sm, sn, sp, st, sw). Play blend bingo.
S-blends decodinggamePractice final blends (nd, nk, nt, mp, st, lt, ft). Read words with final blends.
Final blends decodinghands-onRead decodable text with multiple blends. Track fluency and accuracy.
Blend fluencyreadingPractice substituting initial phonemes to create new words (cat → bat → mat).
Phoneme substitutiongameDelete phonemes from words to create new words (stand → sand, blend → bed).
Phoneme deletionhands-onAdd phonemes to words to create longer words (at → cat, lack → black).
Phoneme additionhands-onComplete word ladders by changing one phoneme at a time. Connect sounds to spelling.
Phoneme manipulation fluencyworksheetSegment and manipulate phonemes in Bible names (David, Moses, Noah).
Phoneme awareness with multisyllabic wordsdiscussionIntroduce the concept of silent e making vowels say their name. Focus on a_e pattern.
CVCe concept introductiondiscussionTransform CVC words into CVCe words by adding silent e. Practice with long a words.
Long a (a_e) decodinghands-onBuild and read a_e words (cake, make, take, lake, name, game).
Long a (a_e) encoding and decodinghands-onRead decodable text featuring a_e words. Practice fluency and expression.
Long a (a_e) fluencyreadingDistinguish between short a and long a_e words. Sort and read mixed words.
Short vs. long a discriminationgameIntroduce i_e pattern. Read and build words with long i (like, bike, time, five).
Long i (i_e) decodinghands-onTransform short i words into long i_e words. Practice with word pairs.
Long i (i_e) encodinghands-onSolve riddles using i_e words. Write i_e words to answer questions.
Long i (i_e) applicationgameRead a decodable story about letting our light shine for Jesus, featuring i_e words.
Long i (i_e) fluency and comprehensionreadingWrite sentences using i_e words. Illustrate sentences.
Long i (i_e) spelling and writingprojectIntroduce o_e pattern. Build and read words (hope, home, bone, rope, nose).
Long o (o_e) decodinghands-onCompare short o and long o_e words. Practice distinguishing between them.
Short vs. long o discriminationhands-onExplore word families with o_e (-ope, -one, -oke, -ose). Build rhyming words.
Long o (o_e) word familiesgameRead about hope in the Bible using o_e decodable text. Discuss what hope means.
Long o (o_e) fluency and biblical connectionreadingSpell o_e words from dictation. Write sentences with o_e words.
Long o (o_e) spellingworksheetIntroduce u_e pattern. Learn that u_e can say /oo/ or /yoo/ (cute, tube, rule).
Long u (u_e) decodingdiscussionTransform short u words to long u_e words. Build and read word pairs.
Long u (u_e) encodinghands-onSort u_e words by sound (/oo/ vs. /yoo/). Read words in both categories.
Long u (u_e) sound discriminationhands-onRead decodable text about following God's rules, featuring u_e words.
Long u (u_e) fluency and comprehensionreadingReview all CVCe patterns (a_e, i_e, o_e, u_e). Play review games and read mixed text.
CVCe masterygameIntroduce e_e pattern (these, Pete, complete). Note that this is less common.
Long e (e_e) decodingdiscussionBuild and read e_e words. Practice with word completion activities.
Long e (e_e) encodinghands-onReview and compare all five CVCe patterns. Sort words by vowel sound.
CVCe pattern discriminationgameRead decodable passages with mixed CVCe patterns. Track reading rate and accuracy.
CVCe fluencyreadingWrite and illustrate a short story using CVCe words. Share with family.
CVCe application in writingprojectIntroduce the concept of high-frequency words. Learn first 5 words (the, a, is, to, and).
High-frequency word recognitiondiscussionFind high-frequency words in decodable texts. Learn 5 more words (you, he, it, in, was).
High-frequency word identificationgamePractice writing high-frequency words in rainbow colors. Learn 5 more (for, on, are, as, with).
High-frequency word spellinghands-onFind high-frequency words in simple Bible verses. Learn 5 more (his, they, at, be, this).
High-frequency word applicationreadingPlay games to practice all 25 high-frequency words learned so far (have, from, or, one, had).
High-frequency word automaticitygameIntroduce vowel team concept: when two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking. Focus on ai.
Vowel team ai decodingdiscussionBuild and read words with ai (rain, train, brain, pain, wait, tail).
Vowel team ai encoding and decodinghands-onIntroduce ay as another way to spell long a. Note position (usually at end of word or syllable).
Vowel team ay decodingdiscussionBuild and read words with ay (play, pray, stay, day, way, say, may).
Vowel team ay encoding and decodinghands-onRead decodable text about prayer using ai and ay words. Discuss importance of daily prayer.
Vowel teams ai/ay fluency and biblical connectionreadingIntroduce ee vowel team. Build and read words (see, tree, bee, feet, meet, need).
Vowel team ee decodinghands-onPractice reading ee words through a game. Build fluency with ee pattern.
Vowel team ee fluencygameIntroduce ea as another spelling for long e. Build and read words (eat, read, teach, beach, each).
Vowel team ea decodinghands-onSort words by spelling pattern (ee vs. ea). Practice spelling both patterns.
Vowel teams ee/ea discriminationhands-onRead decodable text about Jesus teaching, using ee and ea words. Retell story.
Vowel teams ee/ea fluency and comprehensionreadingIntroduce oa vowel team. Build and read words (boat, coat, road, toad, soap, goat).
Vowel team oa decodinghands-onExplore word families with oa (-oat, -oad, -oak, -oal). Build rhyming words.
Vowel team oa word familiesgameIntroduce ow as another spelling for long o. Build words (snow, grow, show, know, blow).
Vowel team ow decodinghands-onSort words by spelling pattern (oa vs. ow). Note that ow often comes at end of word.
Vowel teams oa/ow discriminationhands-onRead about Noah's ark using oa and ow words. Discuss obedience to God.
Vowel teams oa/ow fluency and biblical connectionreadingPractice repeated reading strategy. Read the same passage 3 times, tracking improvement.
Reading rate developmentreadingLearn to use punctuation marks to guide expression. Practice with marked passages.
Reading with expressiondiscussionRead dialogue with different character voices. Practice making reading come alive.
Expressive readinggamePractice partner reading strategies (echo reading, choral reading, taking turns).
Fluency with supporthands-onPractice reading a simple Psalm expressively. Perform for family.
Fluency and biblical connectionprojectIntroduce r-controlled vowels concept. When r follows a vowel, it changes the sound. Focus on ar.
R-controlled ar conceptdiscussionBuild and read words with ar (star, car, jar, park, dark, farm, barn).
R-controlled ar decodinghands-onExplore word families with ar (-ark, -arm, -art, -ard). Build rhyming words.
R-controlled ar word familiesgamePractice spelling ar words from dictation. Write sentences with ar words.
R-controlled ar spellingworksheetRead about God's creation of stars using ar words. Connect to Psalm 19.
R-controlled ar fluency and biblical connectionreadingIntroduce or pattern. Build and read words (for, or, more, store, horn, corn, born).
R-controlled or decodinghands-onFind or words in decodable texts. Practice reading or words in context.
R-controlled or identificationgameCompare ar and or sounds. Sort words by r-controlled vowel pattern.
R-controlled vowel discriminationhands-onSpell or words from dictation. Use or words in original sentences.
R-controlled or spellingworksheetRead about Jesus being born in Bethlehem using or words. Discuss the Christmas story.
R-controlled or fluency and biblical connectionreadingIntroduce er, ir, ur as three ways to spell the same sound. Focus on er first.
R-controlled er decodingdiscussionBuild and read words with er (her, fern, serve, term, verb, perch).
R-controlled er encoding and decodinghands-onIntroduce ir pattern. Build and read words (bird, girl, first, shirt, third, stir).
R-controlled ir decodinghands-onIntroduce ur pattern. Build and read words (turn, burn, hurt, church, nurse, purple).
R-controlled ur decodinghands-onSort words by spelling pattern. Practice reading and spelling all three patterns.
R-controlled vowel discrimination (er/ir/ur)gameReview first 25 sight words. Introduce 5 new words (by, word, but, not, what).
High-frequency word recognitionhands-onWrite sentences using known sight words. Add 5 more (all, were, we, when, your).
High-frequency word applicationworksheetPractice rapid recognition of sight words. Add 5 more (can, said, there, use, an).
High-frequency word automaticitygameFind sight words in decodable readers. Add 5 more (each, which, she, do, how).
High-frequency word identificationreadingPlay bingo with all 50 sight words learned. Add final 5 (their, if, will, up, other).
High-frequency word masterygameIntroduce main idea concept. Practice identifying what a text is mostly about.
Main idea identificationdiscussionLearn that details support the main idea. Use graphic organizers to map main idea and details.
Supporting details identificationhands-onFind main idea in narrative texts. Distinguish between main idea and interesting details.
Main idea in fictionreadingIdentify main idea in Bible passages. Discuss the main message God wants us to know.
Main idea in biblical textsdiscussionChoose a favorite Bible story. Create a poster showing main idea and three details.
Main idea applicationprojectIntroduce soft c rule: c says /s/ before e, i, or y. Read words (cent, city, ice, mice).
Soft c decodingdiscussionCompare hard c and soft c words. Sort words by c sound.
C sound discriminationhands-onIntroduce soft g rule: g says /j/ before e, i, or y. Read words (gem, giant, gym, page).
Soft g decodingdiscussionCompare hard g and soft g words. Sort words by g sound.
G sound discriminationhands-onRead about Jesus' gentle nature using soft c and g words. Practice fluency.
Soft c/g fluency and biblical connectionreadingIntroduce plural concept. Add -s to make words plural (cat/cats, dog/dogs, book/books).
Suffix -shands-onLearn when to add -es (words ending in s, x, z, ch, sh). Practice with examples.
Suffix -esdiscussionSort words by which suffix to add (-s or -es). Build and read plural words.
Plural suffix applicationhands-onSpell plural words from dictation. Use plural words in sentences.
Plural suffix spellingworksheetRead about God's creation using plural words. List things God made (stars, trees, animals).
Plural suffix fluency and biblical connectionreadingIntroduce -ed suffix for past tense. Practice three sounds of -ed (/ed/, /d/, /t/).
Suffix -ed decodingdiscussionSort -ed words by ending sound. Read words in all three categories.
Suffix -ed sound discriminationhands-onIntroduce -ing suffix. Add -ing to verbs (jump/jumping, read/reading, help/helping).
Suffix -ing decodinghands-onAct out verbs with -ing. Read and perform action words.
Suffix -ing applicationgameRead about Jesus helping people using -ed and -ing words. Discuss how we can help others.
Suffix fluency and biblical connectionreadingIntroduce prefix un- meaning 'not' or 'opposite of.' Build words (happy/unhappy, kind/unkind).
Prefix un- meaningdiscussionPractice reading un- words. Use context to understand meaning changes.
Prefix un- decodinghands-onIntroduce prefix re- meaning 'again' or 'back.' Build words (read/reread, do/redo, tell/retell).
Prefix re- meaningdiscussionCompare un- and re- words. Sort words by prefix and discuss meaning changes.
Prefix discriminationhands-onRead about God's love that never fails using prefix words. Discuss what unfailing means.
Prefix fluency and biblical connectionreadingLearn to identify the root word when prefixes and suffixes are added.
Root word identificationhands-onCreate word family trees showing related words (help, helper, helpful, helping, helped).
Word relationshipsprojectAdd different affixes to root words to create new words. Discuss meaning changes.
Morphological awarenesshands-onUse sentence context to figure out word meanings. Practice with unknown words.
Context clue strategiesworksheetExplore word families in Bible vocabulary (faith, faithful, faithfulness).
Vocabulary and biblical connectiondiscussionIntroduce contractions concept. Learn that apostrophe shows missing letters.
Contraction conceptdiscussionLearn contractions with 'not' (isn't, aren't, don't, won't, can't, didn't).
NOT contractionshands-onLearn contractions with 'is' and 'will' (he's, she's, it's, I'll, we'll, they'll).
IS and WILL contractionshands-onMatch contractions to their two-word forms. Play matching games.
Contraction recognitiongameRead about following Jesus using contractions. Practice reading contractions fluently.
Contraction fluency and biblical connectionreadingReview syllable concept. Practice clapping and counting syllables in spoken words.
Syllable awarenesshands-onRead compound words by decoding each part (sunlight, rainbow, baseball, homework).
Compound word decodinghands-onDecode two-syllable words with known patterns (rabbit, napkin, sunset, basket).
Two-syllable decodinghands-onLearn to divide words between syllables. Practice with VC/CV pattern.
Syllable divisionworksheetPractice reading two-syllable Bible names (Moses, David, Rachel, Sarah, Peter).
Multisyllabic fluency and biblical connectionreadingReview first 50 sight words. Introduce 5 new words (about, out, many, then, them).
High-frequency word recognitiongameFind sight words in decodable readers. Add 5 more (these, so, some, her, would).
High-frequency word identificationreadingWrite sentences using new sight words. Add 5 more (make, like, him, into, time).
High-frequency word applicationworksheetTimed practice with all sight words learned. Add 5 more (has, look, two, more, write).
High-frequency word automaticitygameWrite a story using sight words. Add final 5 (go, see, number, no, way).
High-frequency word masteryprojectIntroduce cause and effect. Learn that cause is why something happens, effect is what happens.
Cause and effect conceptdiscussionLearn signal words (because, so, since, as a result). Identify cause and effect in sentences.
Cause and effect signal wordshands-onFind cause and effect relationships in narrative texts. Use graphic organizers.
Cause and effect in fictionreadingIdentify cause and effect in Bible stories (David trusted God, so he defeated Goliath).
Cause and effect in biblical textsdiscussionCreate chains showing multiple cause and effect relationships. Illustrate examples.
Cause and effect applicationprojectIntroduce oo vowel team. Learn it makes two sounds: /oo/ as in moon and /oo/ as in book.
Vowel team oo conceptdiscussionPractice long oo sound. Build and read words (moon, soon, spoon, room, zoom, cool).
Long oo decodinghands-onPractice short oo sound. Build and read words (book, look, cook, good, wood, foot).
Short oo decodinghands-onSort oo words by sound. Learn common patterns for each sound.
OO sound discriminationgameRead about the Bible as God's good book using oo words. Discuss why we read the Bible.
Vowel team oo fluency and biblical connectionreadingIntroduce oi and oy vowel teams. Both make the /oy/ sound.
Vowel teams oi/oy conceptdiscussionPractice oi pattern (usually in middle of word). Build and read words.
Vowel team oi decodinghands-onPractice oy pattern (usually at end of word). Build and read words.
Vowel team oy decodinghands-onSort words by spelling pattern. Practice spelling rules for oi and oy.
Vowel teams oi/oy discriminationhands-onRead about finding joy in God using oi and oy words. Discuss what brings us joy.
Vowel teams oi/oy fluency and biblical connectionreadingIntroduce ou and ow making /ow/ sound (different from long o). Note: ow has two sounds.
Vowel teams ou/ow conceptdiscussionPractice ou pattern. Build and read words (out, loud, shout, found, ground, cloud).
Vowel team ou decodinghands-onPractice ow making /ow/ sound. Build and read words (cow, now, how, down, town, brown).
Vowel team ow (/ow/) decodinghands-onReview that ow can say /ow/ (cow) or /ō/ (snow). Sort ow words by sound.
OW sound discriminationgameRead about praising God with shouts of joy using ou and ow words. Connect to Psalms.
Vowel teams ou/ow fluency and biblical connectionreadingIntroduce au and aw vowel teams. Both make the /aw/ sound.
Vowel teams au/aw conceptdiscussionPractice au pattern (usually in middle of word). Build and read words.
Vowel team au decodinghands-onPractice aw pattern (can be in middle or end). Build and read words.
Vowel team aw decodinghands-onSort words by spelling pattern. Practice reading and spelling both patterns.
Vowel teams au/aw discriminationhands-onRead about God's awesome creation using au and aw words. Discuss what awesome means.
Vowel teams au/aw fluency and biblical connectionreadingReview first 75 sight words. Introduce 5 new words (could, people, than, first, water).
High-frequency word recognitiongameFind sight words in simple Bible verses. Add 5 more (been, call, who, oil, its).
High-frequency word identificationreadingWrite a story using as many sight words as possible. Add 5 more (now, find, long, down, day).
High-frequency word applicationprojectPractice all 100 high-frequency words. Add 5 more (did, get, come, made, may).
High-frequency word automaticitygameAssess recognition of all 100 high-frequency words. Add final 5 (part, over, new, sound, take).
High-frequency word masteryassessmentAssess current reading rate and accuracy. Set personal fluency goals.
Reading rate assessmentassessmentPractice reading with appropriate expression for different punctuation marks.
Expressive readinghands-onPractice and perform a readers theater script. Focus on character voices.
Performance readingprojectRecord yourself reading. Listen and evaluate your own fluency and expression.
Self-monitoring fluencyhands-onRead a favorite story or Bible passage aloud to family with fluency and expression.
Fluency performanceprojectIntroduce inference concept. Learn that readers use clues from text plus what they know.
Inference conceptdiscussionMake inferences about how characters feel based on their actions and words.
Character inferencereadingUse text evidence to make predictions. Confirm or revise predictions as you read.
Predictive inferencehands-onMake inferences about Bible characters' feelings and motives. Support with evidence.
Inference in biblical textsdiscussionPractice supporting inferences with text evidence. Use sentence frames: 'I think... because...'
Evidence-based inferenceworksheetReview skills learned throughout the year. Compare beginning-of-year to end-of-year reading.
Year reviewdiscussionRead text featuring all phonics patterns learned. Celebrate decoding mastery.
Comprehensive phonics reviewreadingShare your favorite book from the year. Tell why you loved it and read a favorite part.
Book sharing and fluencyprojectRead a Bible passage independently. Celebrate the gift of reading God's Word.
Biblical reading applicationreadingCelebrate becoming a strong reader! Receive certificate and set goals for continued reading growth.
Celebration and goal-settingcelebrationStart with Day 1 and work through at your own pace. Each lesson builds on the last!