SPIRE Level 4

A Wonderful Day

Sunny day . . .
dream away.
Float on a cloud,
sing out loud,
sit on the grass,
time quickly will pass.
What great fun,
soaking in the sun.
This is the best summer day.
I wish it would not slip away.

44 oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review
twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,

vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels
A Wonderful Day

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

Sounds

I like the sounds of lots of things,
Streams that babble, bells that ring.
Crunching leaves and buzzing bugs,
The chug-chug-chug of little tugs.
I like the sound of happy play,
Yells and shouts that come my way.
The giggles at my silly jokes.
A big toad’s loud and boastful croaks.
The drip-drips from a leaky tap,
Pop and crackle, snip and snap.
Sounds are lost and sounds are found.
Listen! They are all around!

oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review 45
twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,
vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

Sounds

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ai rain paid braid fail
rail hail jail mail
sail pail snail tail trail
bail claim gain strain drain
nail grain train plain sprain
aim pain lain faint paint
brain chain stain bait gait
main wait waist stair chair
quaint strait hair pair fairest
wait fair fairy raid Spain
air saint maintain haircut laid
stairway aid maid sailboat paintbrush
taint mailbox ail railroad faith
staid sailfish waif raincoat airsick
wail
mailer

46 ai

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

New Sight Words

again, against, other, mother, brother, cover, father,
another

Review Sight Words

the, has, is, a, his, I, was, to, do, said, what, you, who,
into, of, full, pull, push, put, through, your, walk, talk,
want, live, give, have, one, done, some, come, something,
someone, where, there, were, are, somewhere, love, gone,
both, climb, clothes, they, says, today, goes, does, strange,
danger, listen, wonder, could, would, should, castle,
whistle, although, dough, doughnut, though

ai 47

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

finished painted sudden around croak
pail bucket bumping
mountain mailslot smacked outside doing
teacher tray shouting
faint happen stair treat cheater
stacking while little
snail toast

chair soak

waited train

In hail and rain, the men climbed up the mountain.
I slipped my letter into the mailslot.
The teacher told us not to cheat on the test.
Please stop bumping your chair against the wall.
My mother waited on the train until it was safe to leave.
Be careful not to fall on the slippery stairs.
A bucket is the same thing as a pail.
Josh was late, so I had to wait.
Did you paint the wall red?
The rain suddenly stopped.

48 ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review
twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,

vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels
Decoding and Sentence Reading A

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A Kind of Fairy Tale

“Rain, rain, go away.
Come again another day.
Little Sally wants to play.”
Sally just sat inside the house singing the song again
and again, but still it kept on raining. She felt sad. All she
wanted to do was to go out and play on her swing set.
She watched the pail that was sitting next to the slide fill
up with water. The shovel was floating at the top. The rain
made puddles in the sand in her sandbox.
A little snail was sitting on a rock letting the rain run
off its shell. A sailboat was just sitting in the middle of the
pond rocking in the waves made from the wind.
It was a gray day with no hope of sunshine sneaking into
the sky.
Sally’s mother walked into the kitchen where Sally was
sitting.

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twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,
vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels
A Kind of Fairy Tale

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

“Sally, why don’t you find something to do? It will pass
the time more quickly than just sitting there moping about
the rain. Use your brain to think of something fun to do.”

Sally just sat slouched in the chair. She did not want to
get up. She just felt like sitting there complaining about
the rain, but Sally’s mother didn’t want another thing said
about the rain. It was no use to sit and complain to her
mother. Her mother didn’t want to hear it. So, Sally got up
and walked like a snail to sit on the couch.

As she was walking to the couch, Sally tripped on her
brother’s train set that he hadn’t picked up. The train
began to go on the tracks. This gave Sally a scare, and she
leaned near the train to stop it. As Sally reached for the
switch, a little fairy landed on her hand.

“Stop,” said the fairy. “I’m here to help you. Do not be
afraid.”

50 ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review

twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,

vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

A Kind of Fairy Tale

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

Sally lifted her hand up, and the little fairy landed in her
ear, where she whispered, “Come with me on the train to
the land of dreams. There you will find something to do on
this rainy day that will make you and others happy. It’s not
helpful to you to just sit around complaining. Rainy days
can be a time to do things that make the day happy without
the sun. You can make sunshine for yourself.”

Sally found herself shrinking to the size of the fairy. The
fairy had long, golden hair that hung to her waist. The
fairy had her hair in a long braid. She told Sally to hold
onto the braid as they climbed aboard the train. Sally heard
a train whistle, and off they went to the land of dreams.

In the land of dreams, the train stopped at a children’s
hospital. In this hospital, the children were sick and
couldn’t get out of bed. Sally felt sad that the children
couldn’t get up and play outside on rainy days or on sunny
days. Suddenly, Sally felt selfish that she had acted so

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twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,
vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels
A Kind of Fairy Tale

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

grumpy. Surely there was something she could do to make
life a little better for these children.

Sally asked the fairy to take her back to her house. She
wanted to make something to make all the days for the
children sunny. The fairy was happy to take Sally back.

When Sally got home, she wrote letters to the children.
She sent them puzzles and made up riddles and mazes for
them. Sally was so happy that she was helping others that
she didn’t think about the rain. In fact, the sun began to
shine for Sally and the children.

Never again did Sally complain on a rainy day.

52 ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review

twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,

vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

A Kind of Fairy Tale

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away trucks airplane best taller
afraid house careful plants tail
found trapped waited monster ladder
waist running pebble hair back
inches reaches stretch stairs claim

Do you have a claim ticket to get your coat?
Last summer, June found a pure white pebble on the
sandy beach.
Be careful when you climb the ladder.
May-Ling’s hair is so long, it reaches her waist.
This small house has lots of stairs.
Which dogs have long tails?
My brother put on a monster costume and waited under
the stairs to scare me.
If I stretch, I am taller than you.
The plant is ten inches long.
Please pull your hair back into a braid.

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twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,
vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels
Decoding and Sentence Reading B

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Just Like Old Times

Kit sat in the den, watching the rain fall outside. It just
kept raining and raining, and the puddles got bigger and
bigger. Kit grinned. The puddles made her think of Katlin.
When Kit was little, Katlin was her best pal. They were Kit
and Kat.

On a rainy day, sometimes Kit would call Kat. Other
times, Kat would call Kit. They would say the same thing.
“I will be outside before you!” Kit would say.

“No, you won’t!” Kat would say back. “I will be outside
before you!”

Both of them would scramble into raincoats and rubbers.
They would dash outside and almost run into one another.
Then the real fun began. They would splash in the puddles.
They would try to catch raindrops. They would slide on
the wet grass.

54 ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review

twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,
vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

Just Like Old Times
S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

Then at lunchtime, sometimes Kit’s mother would call
them in. At other times, it was Kat’s mother who called. Kit
and Kat would dash inside and take off the wet things. They
were careful not to trail mud into the house.

As they ate a hot lunch, they would tell jokes to make
each other giggle. They would put cold hands around mugs
of hot tea until they were all toasty. Then they would
quickly bundle up in raincoats and rubbers, and dash
outside to play some more.

But that was before Kat and her mother had left East
Oakdale. Now they were in another state. Kit missed her
old pal. They would e-mail each other all the time. But it
was just not the same. Rainy days were no fun without Kat.
They just made Kit sad.

She sat up. She could hear sounds from the kitchen.
There were whispers and giggles.

ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review 55
twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,
vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels
Just Like Old Times

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

“What is going on?” Kit wondered. Was that her mom
on the stairs?

“May I come in?” someone asked. It was Kat!
“What are you doing here?” Kit shouted. She gave her
old pal a big hug. “It’s so funny. I was just thinking of you.
We had such fun on rainy days like this.”
“My mom had to come into East Oakdale. I talked her
into letting me come. So, let’s go! Get into your raincoat
and rubbers. There are mud puddles waiting outside!”
It was just like old times.

56 ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review

twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,

vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

Just Like Old Times

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

butterfly classes understand explained help
counter prayed healing
outside mouth time claim dressed
dreaming until bottom
happened tilted while really fifty

stone skimmed

coasted pounds

There are thousands of hairs on your head.
Rob lay dreaming in his bed.
May I be the speaker in the play?
The scale says that the dog is fifty pounds.
There is no peak I cannot climb.
I can play basketball inside in the winter.
Spring is baseball time.
The men helped to bring the whale from the sand to the sea.
“There must be two hundred ants,” Fred whispered to his
brother.
“Supper is ready,” said Mother.

ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review 57
twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,
vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels
Decoding and Sentence Reading C

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Sayings

Here are some old sayings. What do they mean to you?

It is raining cats and dogs.
A stitch in time saves nine.
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
Where there’s a will there’s a way.
They were eaten out of house and home.
We were in hot water!
He let the cat out of the bag.
She felt like a fish out of water.
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
He hit the nail on the head.
I have a frog in my throat.
The last one in is a rotten egg!
She is a real pack rat.
A rolling stone gathers no moss.

58 ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review

twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,

vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

Sayings

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sailboat goal hairy bottle jungle
helmet helpful
trumpet racket winning traffic muffin
happen watching
maintain thunder seacoast melted spotted

problem different hundred

railroad lifted halter

The rubber raft drifted in the pond.
The plant wilted in the hot sun.
Mother printed her list neatly on the notepad.
We will take the railroad train to the seacoast.
I went on a camping trip with Dad that lasted ten days.
Put on your bike helmet when you ride your bike.
Did you help your mom and dad before you left?
We were glad when the sad song ended.
The butter melted as the pan got hotter.
Libby lifted her chin and nodded.

ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review 59
twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,
vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels
Decoding and Sentence Reading D

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Rainy Day Complaining

I watch the rain raining,
But I’m not complaining.
I don’t say it shouldn’t,
I just wish it wouldn’t.
Then I could be playing
Instead of just saying,
Where is the sun?
Where is my fun?
But wait, is it done?
Well, well, I must run!

60 ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review

twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,

vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

Rainy Day Complaining

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My Wish

If life were like a fairy tale,
Into the sky we all could sail.
We all would swim as well as fish,
And I would get what I most wish.

If life were like a fairy tale,
I’d sing just like a humpback whale.
And men would stop to hear the song
That I would sing out all day long.

ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review 61
twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,
vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels
My Wish

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A Sister and Brother Speak Out

“I have a little brother.
His name is Dave.
I wouldn’t want another.
He is so brave.
If I fell in the sea,
(I cannot swim!)
Dave would come save me,
So I love him.”

“I have an older sister.
Her name is Kate.
When she was gone, I missed her.
She is so great.
When I was sick in bed,
I just felt sad.
She told me jokes instead.
And made me glad!”

62 ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review

twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,

vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

A Sister and Brother Speak Out

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

ee

see fee bee flee free
tree beech leech
glee three deed feed need
bleed greed reed
speech screech seek week cheek
eel feel heel
seed weed reel steel seem
keen queen green
beef reef keep sheep steep
beet peep deer
creek meek street feet meet
sneeze fleet greet
keel peel teepee squeeze speedy
sleepy indeed sixteen
seen screen nineteen fifteen volunteer
treetop canteen freedom
sweep deep asleep beehive tumbleweed

cheer creep

sheet sweet

breeze freeze

sleep coffee

needle tweeze

greedy sheepskin

teen weekend

chimpanzee nosebleed

ee 63

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

New Sight Words

friend, been, people

Review Sight Words

the, has, is, a, his, I, was, to, do, said, what, you, who,
into, of, full, pull, push, put, through, your, walk, talk,
want, live, give, have, one, done, some, come, something,
someone, where, there, were, are, somewhere, love, gone,
both, climb, clothes, they, says, today, goes, does, strange,
danger, listen, wonder, could, would, should, castle,
whistle, although, dough, doughnut, though, again,
against, other, mother, brother, cover, father, another

64 ee

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

breeze sleeping sadly feet felt
pepper stiffened feet
little herself shade eating plate
puddle tree branches
happy needed creep creepy sheep

spelled sweet

different printed

I feel like sleeping late today.
The tree branch broke when the heavy cat climbed it.
My feet feel cold from the puddles I stepped in.
This is the same kind of tree as that one.
The rain falling on my neck made me feel creepy.
Lee was a happy, sweet child.
The king and queen sat on golden thrones in the castle.
The man stiffened with fear as the robber came near.
The breeze felt a little cold on my back.
Do you need the salt and pepper?

ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review 65
twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,
vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

Decoding and Sentence Reading A

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A Fearful Tale

A ketch was sailing with a fleet of ships when a great
gust of wind came up. The sea became black and choppy,
tossing the big ships as if they were beanbags.

The skipper sat up in his bunk. He felt the rolling of the
sea and could hear the screeching wind. He rang the bell
calling all the mates to the upper deck. Then he quickly
dressed and climbed the deck ladder.

When the skipper came on deck, the wind and rain tore
into him. Hail beat against his cheek. He could barely see
the other ships in the fleet. He grabbed the ropes as the
ketch swung from side to side under the big sea swells.
Waves crashed on the deck, and the planks creaked from
the strain.

Each mate was squinting to see the skipper. They were
speechless with fear as they strained to hear him speak.
Deep inside, they were fearful. No one had seen such a

6666 ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review

twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,

vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

A Fearful Tale

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

wild sea before. Thick black clouds hung in the sky, waiting
to dump more rain and hail on the rolling ketch. The men
all wondered if the sea would sweep them off the decks to a
death at sea. Each man was thinking of home and wishing
he could be there, safe and sound.

As the skipper began to speak, a swell lifted up the ketch
and swept it on top of some rocks near the coast. The hull
was split, and the sea came gushing in.

The skipper yelled, “Get to the life rafts!” The men
jumped into the roaring black sea. They reached out
and clung to life rafts that were already floating on the
crashing waves.

They were a lucky bunch. Each man held onto the life
raft until he was close enough to drag himself to shore.
Then the men began to seek shelter from the rain. Some
went to huddle under trees, and some lay under rock cliffs.
Others found a small cave and kept safe there. They all

ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review 67
twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,
vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

A Fearful Tale

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

were picked up after three days. They needed a hot meal
and dry clothes, but were happy to have cheated death.

As the skipper will tell you, the sea can be your best
friend. But it can also be mean and greedy, wanting to grab
and keep those who ride its waves. This time, though, the
greedy sea lost.

6688 ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review

twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,

vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

A Fearful Tale

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sleepy kitchen unless instead proudly
number queen cheek
struggle sneeze indeed dreaming maiden
seek grateful cheer
sweep nosebleed bolder awake rested

next battles

inspire teaching

Will you sweep the kitchen, please?
Miss Wong is a proud teacher.
Jane got a nosebleed when she bumped her nose.
The teacher asked me to leave.
Did they call my number yet?
The tugboat whistled and pushed the ship into the dock.
The screen kept the fly out.
You can pull that hair out with the tweezers.
You sneeze when you have a cold.
The sweet grapes were ready to be picked.

ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review 69
twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,
vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

Decoding and Sentence Reading B

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Live Your Dream

When James Steel was little, he dreamed of olden times,
when men were brave and bold. He could see himself
roaming strange lands on his big white steed. He called his
steed Wind Sweeper, and she was as swift as the wind. He
would do great deeds.

Sometimes, he would save a fair maiden from danger.
She would give him a kiss and thank him sweetly. He
would not speak. He would just smile proudly.

Sometimes he would help a king and queen. They would
be so grateful to him that they would hand him bags filled
with gold. He would take the gold and give it to people
who needed it more than he did. They would cheer as he
rode off on Wind Sweeper.

When James Steel was a teen, he could see himself
sailing the seas. He would skipper a sleek ship. He called
his ship Wind Sweeper, and it was as swift as the wind. He

7700 ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review

twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,

vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

Live Your Dream

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

and his men would sail Wind Sweeper around the globe.
They would do great deeds.

Sometimes they would save people who had been swept
out to sea. Sometimes they would find people who had
washed up on lonely shores. Other times, he and his mates
would battle against dangerous men who wanted to steal gold
from the queen’s fleet. No matter where they were, people
would cheer when he and his men sailed off on Wind Sweeper.

Such were James Steel’s dreams. When he was a man,
he held onto his dreams of wanting to do great deeds. He
became a teacher. Sometimes when he talked, he would
take his class to olden times. Sometimes he would take
them around the globe. And when he was done speaking,
his class would cheer.

One day, a friend told James, “You really did hold onto
your dreams. You are still doing great deeds and helping
people. That’s what a teacher does!”

ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review 71
twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,
vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

Live Your Dream

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

waited fifteen felt better feels
quickly stayed jumped
understand toasting under small ground
helping winter kitchen
happening different coffee freedom greedy

meanwhile summer

sheepskin sixteen

Steve Reeves was a grumpy, greedy, man.
The robber waited fifteen years until he was free to leave jail.
I hope your mother feels better.
The toast was quickly toasting in the toaster.
Would you like some coffee with your muffin?
Father will mend the rip in your pants with a needle and
thread.
Meanwhile, please wait in the kitchen.
I understand that you’d like to stay here all of the week.
The bees are buzzing around the beehive.
What will you do this weekend?

7722 ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review

twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,

vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

Decoding and Sentence Reading C

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

This Will Pass

Neal was a sweet kid. He was happy with himself when
it came to most things. But he was not happy with his feet.
Neal felt his feet were just so big.

He complained to his mother. “The problem with my
feet,” said Neal, “is that they are as big as boat paddles.
They drive me nuts. Watch me run, Mom. See? I keep
tripping on my big feet. They make me feel creepy.”

Sometimes he would just sit and stare at his feet. “I can
feel them getting bigger,” he would joke. “When will they
stop? When they are as big as boats? Then I won’t fit in
my bed. My feet will stick out from the sheets. They won’t
make sneakers big enough to fit my big feet! People will gasp
when I come flapping my big feet as I walk up the street.”

“Cheer up, Neal,” said his mother. “I don’t see a problem
with your feet. They may have gotten bigger. But the rest of

ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review 73
twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,
vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

This WIll Pass

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

you will catch up. You are still young. At this rate, you will
be a tall man, like your dad. He loves being tall!”

Neal began to think. “Basketball players are tall. Maybe
I can play basketball some day.” He sat back, lost in a
dream. “I can see myself in a big game. I speed up the lane.
I get the pass. I cut to the basket and dunk the ball with
ease. Score!” Neal leaped up as he spoke.

His mother gave him a gleeful smile. “Way to go,
Champ!” she cheered.

Neal grinned back. He propped his feet up on the chair
beside him. “Well, feet, get as big as you want. We’re
going to play basketball some day!”

“Yes, feet,” said his mother. “But meanwhile, stay off
my chair.” She pushed Neal’s feet off the chair as she
winked at him.

7744 ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review

twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,

vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

This Will Pass

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

scoreboard haircut raining jumped bed
mountain puddle snail
pocket happen children monster taller
seek rumble free
fleet yourself upper stopped week

giggle basket

indeed itch

They added the number to the scoreboard.
I climbed to the top of the mountain and stayed and waited.
The children stay at this camp all week.
Do you like my haircut?
I cannot scratch the itch on my back.
You are walking like a snail.
Can you reach the upper shelf?
Children like to jump into mud puddles.
Loudly and clearly the thunder rumbles in the summer sky.
Funny sounds came from the big house on Tenth Street.

ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review 75
twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,
vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

Decoding and Sentence Reading D

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

A Bee and a Flea

A mean old bee and a sleepy flea
Had made a plan to come get me!
The bee said, “I’ll sting you and make you yell!”
The flea said, “I’ll bite you. You’ll itch and swell!”
Then I said, “But wait! Let’s play hide-and-seek.
I will go and hide. You can seek all week!”
So off I ran in a cloud of dust.
The bee couldn’t see, and the dusty flea fussed.
I ran and ran, I was fleet as a deer.
The bee and flea were gaining. I was filled with fear.
I climbed up a pine tree, and there I hid.
Both of them gave up on me. They really did!
I grinned, sang, and hummed. I was happy to be free.
But listen, can you help me get out of this tree?

7766 ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review

twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,

vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

A Bee and a Flea

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

oo (food)

too roof spool food soon
tool stool gloom gloomy loop
boom bloom spoon tablespoon loose
moon noon hoop goose tooth
droop stoop boot shoot classroom
broom root coop scoop shampoo
choose coo soothe troop groom
poor smooth boo moo boomerang
doomed mushroom foolish noose goofy
toadstool goof booth moose drool
zoo bedroom bathroom hoot roost
whoop loom zoom scooter poodle
loot snoop swoop bamboo broomstick
spooky root scoot booster groove
ooze igloo tattoo zookeeper scooped
rooster afternoon boost pool foolproof
noodle doodle teaspoon room roommate
toothbrush toothpick raccoon cool toothpaste
moody roomy toot proof

oo (food) 77

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

oo (cook)

cook book good good-by hood

childhood stood understood wood woods

woodpile woodshed hook wool fishhook

shook took look looked brook

brooks crook crooked goody goodness

hoof woolly woolen foot footstep

booklet bookshelf bookcase bookkeeper barefoot

footpath footprint footstool understood woodchuck

checkbook pocketbook woodpecker textbook woodcutter

notebook

7788 oo (cook)

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

New Sight Words

move, prove, shoe, truth, fruit, suit, bruise, cruise, whom,
whose, wolf, wolves

Review Sight Words

the, has, is, a, his, I, was, to, do, said, what, you, who,
into, of, full, pull, push, put, through, your, walk, talk,
want, live, give, have, one, done, some, come, something,
someone, where, there, were, are, somewhere, love, gone,
both, climb, clothes, they, says, today, goes, does, strange,
danger, listen, wonder, could, would, should, castle,
whistle, although, dough, doughnut, though, again,
against, other, mother, brother, cover, father, another,
friend, been, people

oo 79

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

blanket outside quickly path stopped
inside look better
paintbrush picked mouth afraid looked
around bundle shyly
rattlesnake reached hugged snoop rooster

himself plants

smoothly nodded

Beside her was a basket of soft, gray wool.
He stopped to look inside.
The sun slipped behind the mountain tops.
It was time for the sun to set.
The friends sat on a smooth rock.
I’m in a grouchy mood.
In a while I’ll feel better, and I’ll be more pleasant to be
around.
She has always been so fond of children.
He promptly got up and walked away.
When the cake plate and teapot were both empty, Mother
filled them.

8800 oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review

twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,
vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

Decoding and Sentence Reading A

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

A Lesson

Heather lived on the same street as Dave. She always
went to Dave’s house after school. They had been best
friends from the time they met.

One day before she left for school, Heather slipped her
father’s hammer into her backpack. She was aware that her
father would not be happy if he found it gone. He always
said that she could use the tools when he was with her. But
he insisted that she should not use them by herself. She
fooled herself into thinking that he wouldn’t mind if she
used them with Dave. Plus, she intended to put the hammer
back before her father got home, so he wouldn’t miss it.

When Heather took the hammer out of her backpack,
Dave was speechless. He was so happy to see the hammer. At
last they could finish the clubhouse! Dave found some nails in
the shed, and he and Heather headed to the woods to begin.

oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review 81
twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,
vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

A Lesson

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

All was going well. Dave nailed the boards, and Heather
sanded them smooth. When the boards were smoothed,
Dave and Heather planned to paint them. Dave was up on
the roof of the clubhouse, pounding a loose board, when
Heather began yelling. He quickly checked to see what was
the matter. Heather was standing on a stool in back of the
clubhouse and yelling. Dave’s sister had a pet goose. It had
gotten loose and was standing there, hissing at Heather.
The goose did not like the sound of the sanding. Dave got
a broom and shooed the goose back into its pen. “That was
close,” said Heather. “I almost fell off this stool!”

Dave went back to pounding with the hammer. Heather
reached up to sand a spot near him, and her sleeve became
snagged on a nail that was sticking out. Dave fixed the snag
and the nail, and went back to his hammering.

But soon Heather was whimpering softly. She didn’t
want to bother Dave again, but she had a sliver in her hand,
and she couldn’t get it out.

8822 oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review

twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,
vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

A Lesson
S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

This was one time Dave couldn’t help. Heather and
Dave went into the house to look for his mother.

Dave’s mother washed Heather’s hand and found a pair
of tweezers. She pulled the sliver out and put a bandage on
the little cut. Dave’s mother looked at Dave. “Dave, what
is that in your left hand?” Dave was still holding Heather’s
father’s hammer.

“Oh, this is just. . . .” At the same time that Dave was
beginning to tell his mother, Heather’s dad came to pick
her up. He stood in the hall and looked at the hammer in
Dave’s hand. Then he looked at Heather, who was looking
quite gloomy. “Well, Heather, get your things and my
hammer. It has been a long day, and I can see it is not going
to end too soon. We’ll talk on the way home.” Heather
understood. She quickly grabbed what she needed and got
into her father’s van. It would take a while to earn back her
father’s trust. She felt bad and wished she had listened.

oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review 83
twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,
vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

A Lesson

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

spooky speak tooth belong sticks
players candle moose
igloo goodness lunch eat cleaner
treetop oatmeal breakfast
footstool doodle teeth rest sixteen

swimming notebook

paintbrush shampoo

Please hang your coat on the hook.
Did you tell the truth?
I would like to invite you to come for a swim in our pool.
This shampoo will get your hair clean.
Does this boot fit on your foot?
When I step on this plant, slime oozes out.
The man had a snake tattoo on his back.
The zookeeper feeds the animals at noontime.
It is a fact that I love you!
The raccoon got into the trash and scattered it all around
the street.

8844 oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review

twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,
vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

Decoding and Sentence Reading B

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

Shooting Hoops

Dan Maxwell really wanted to make the school basketball
team in the fall. He was not much of a shooter, but he still
had a glimmer of hope that he could make the team. He had
all spring and summer to get ready.

Day after day, Dan would shoot baskets with his friends.
Time and time again, he would miss the hoop, but he kept
trying until he dunked one. When that happened, his
friends would cheer loudly.

Dan could dribble the ball better than most of the other
kids. He could dribble it in front and just as well in back.
He could dribble under his legs and all around the other
players. He was quick and nimble on his feet, and no one
could get the ball away from him. He was so quick that
they could never tell which way he was going to go. When
the other team made a pass, Dan would pick it off. He was
always stealing the ball. He could block shots, too.

oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review 85
twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,
vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

Shooting Hoops

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

Dan could pass the ball well, too, setting up other
players so that they made baskets. But when he shot the
ball, it would just clunk off the rim. Still, Dan never gave
up. After a while, his foul shooting got a bit better, but not
by much. His other shots were still not falling.

The day of tryouts came. Dan did his best but missed all
of his shots. He was still running, passing, stealing passes,
and blocking shots. He just wasn’t sinking his shots. The
coach watched Dan carefully. When the time came to
choose players to fill the slots, Dan Maxwell was number
one. The coach said that Dan would be a great team
member. With him on the team, the other team would
never get hold of the ball!

Dan’s best friend, Alvin Mays, was also picked. Alvin was
a great shooter. With the two of them on board, their team
won almost every game that year.

Good things can happen when you don’t give up!

8866 oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review

twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,
vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

Shooting Hoops
S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

beginning happened finished plopped explained
puffing
whispered keeping bedroom small cheek
moose
winter tucked sweet again splashed

spring splendid woolen snore

woodpile suddenly afternoon digging

The air was filled with the stinky smell of a skunk.
He stayed in the water a long time.
It was a sweet, splendid spring day.
A tree branch hit Gil on the head.
It was so cold, Amber wore a pair of woolen socks on top
of a pair of cotton socks.
My brother always snores when he sleeps.
I plopped in the chair and promptly fell asleep.
The woodpile became smaller as winter went on.
Kay has a small bedroom that she shares with her sister.
We will shoot hoops this afternoon.

oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review 87
twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,
vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

Decoding and Sentence Reading C

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

Rainy Day Picnic

“It’s such a rainy, cloudy, gloomy day,” said Milly. “To
tell the truth, I feel like climbing back into bed and pulling
the blankets on top of my head. Our plans for going on a
picnic at noon are doomed! This rain is not going to let
up.” She sat in the big den chair, helplessly watching the
rain as it streamed from the roof and made muddy pools on
the ground.

Milly’s mother nodded. She understood why Milly
was upset, but she didn’t like to see her sitting there
complaining. Milly’s mother felt that people should always
try to make the best of things. “We can’t swim in our
pool,” said Milly. “Why did this cool, rainy spell of weather
have to happen? We can’t shoot hoops outside because the
basketball hoop is dripping wet. And rain is streaming from
the roof and leaving big puddles all around the house.”

8888 oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review

twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,
vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

Rainy Day Picnic
S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

“Look at those ducks out by the pond,” said Milly’s
mother. “They are glad that it’s raining.”

“Well, maybe so,” said Milly, still in a bad mood, “but
I’m not a duck, and my friends are not ducks.”

“Look at the plants,” Milly’s mother went on. “They are
getting the water they needed so badly. Their roots were
drying out. But just look at them. They are standing tall
and proud, so happy that it’s raining.”

“Well, the plants may be happy, but not me,” said Milly
glumly.

“And look at that brook,” Milly’s mother went on
cheerfully. Nothing was going to stop her from trying to
boost Milly’s feelings. “That brook was drying up before.
Look at it bubble and babble. It’s so happy to see all this rain!”

Milly was beginning to understand. It didn’t make her
feel good to sit around and complain. It didn’t make her
mother feel good to hear her complain. Complaining didn’t
make the rain stop.

oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review 89
twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,
vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

Rainy Day Picnic

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

“Why don’t I call my friends,” Milly said to her mother.
“We can make some other plans.”

“That’s my gal,” said Milly’s mother. “Why not have
your friends come here and do a bake-and-eat day?”

“What a great plan!” Milly shouted. Soon she had called
all her friends. With her mother’s help, Milly made a list
of good foods that she and her friends could make, and got
everything ready. She got out the flour, salt, yeast, spoons,
teaspoons, milk, water, pots, pans, and lots of other things.
They were going to have a fun day after all!

Meanwhile, Milly’s mother put on her rain slicker and went
out to the woodshed to get some wood. She came back loaded
with logs and lit a fire in the family room. She got blankets
from the hall and laid them on the floor. Milly and her friends
could still have their picnic. It just wouldn’t be outside.

It never did stop raining that day, but no one seemed
to mind!

9900 oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review

twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,
vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

Rainy Day Picnic
S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

happy understood reached began rested
nearby strong
booth shampoo poodle hungry really
save teeth
someone teach beaver finish bedroom

wood branches food

woodchuck carefully walked

Before winter comes, the woodchuck eats a lot.
It stuffs itself with grass and becomes fat.
The woodchuck lives in an underground den.
Beavers save food to eat in winter.
Use the shampoo to wash your hair.
She stood carefully on the stool to reach the basket.
The wind tore some small branches off the tree.
The beaver made a dam in the nearby lake.
The poodle understood what his master wanted him to do.
Benny wanted to win the contest.

oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review 91
twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,
vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

Decoding and Sentence Reading D

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

A Good Rule

From here to there, it’s understood,
To brag too much is not so good.
People should, I think, be kind,
And good in others they should find.
Everyone has something great,
To think you’re best is a mistake.
We all have something good to give.
So by this rule, we all should live.

9922 oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review

twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,
vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

A Good Rule
S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy

Goofy Zoo

There was a zookeeper who lived in a zoo.
He had a baboon, a raccoon, and a cockatoo, too,
A rooster that always flew the coop,
A kangaroo that jumped through a hoop,
A moose that was always getting loose,
And a goose that felt he was a moose.
He had a snake with a man tattoo,
And a goat that always said moo.
He had a poodle that only ate noodles,
And an ape that always made doodles.
He had a woodchuck that always chucked wood,
And a woodpecker that on his head stood.
This zookeeper became a little goofy, it’s true.
But if you were he, so would you!

oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllables, ea, ou, nontwin-consonant syllable division, review 93
twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly,
vowel-consonant-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

Goofy Zoo

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 4 © SSI • Do Not Copy