STAGES Dogs!

An engaging and motivating non-fiction decodable children’s book about dogs! The book moves through four difficulty levels by each chapter adding a few new sounds and high-frequency words. These sounds/words were chosen based on research of scope and sequences of 21 literacy curricula, and on the Science of Reading theory of introducing phonics skills from simplest to most complex.

What does “decodable” mean?

A decodable book is one that a child can read with relative ease based on the phonics skills and high-frequency words they have learned.

What phonics skills does a child need to read this book?  

Chapter 1 – Story 1 – Dogs!:

Consonants: d, g, s, f, n, c, m, h, t, j, b, w

Short Vowels: a, o, i, u

High-Frequency Words: do, the, be

Word Ending: -s

Chapter 2 – Story 2 – Dogs Can – Add:

Letter Patterns: All Consonants, Beginning and Ending Blends, Double Consonants

Short Vowel: e

High-Frequency Words: to, you

     A “blend” is two consonants that are next to each other and the sounds blend together. For example, beginning blends BL, CR, SW or ending blends NK, NG, FT.

     A “double consonant” is when a consonant is doubled, but only makes one sounds. For example, SS, LL, FF.

Chapter 3 – Story 3 – You and Your Dog – Add:

Letter Patterns: All Digraphs, Silent E, Silent K (Kn), K sound spelled -CK

High-Frequency Words: your, of, have, her

     A “digraph” is two letters that when put together make a whole new sound. For example, SH, TH, CH, WH.

     A “Silent E” word is when a word has a vowel-consonant-E letter pattern at the end of the word. The “e” is silent and it makes the vowel in the word a long sound. For example, bike, hole, or wrote.

Chapter 4 – Story 4 – Kinds of Dogs – Add:

Letter Patterns: R-Controlled Vowels, Silent W (Wr)

Word Ending: -ed, -es

High-Frequency Words: they, pounds, years, tail, hour, their

     An “r-controlled vowel” is when the vowel is next to an “r”, and the “r” makes it say a new sound. For example, OR, AR, IR, UR, ER.

*Dog Breeds are noted on pictures, these are not decodable based on these skills.

What age is this book suited for?

Children near the end of Kindergarten and through First Grade will have typically learned the phonics skills and high-frequency words to read the first story.

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