SPIRE Level 5

birches river running ranch leather
thickest saddle
pebbles fanned soft copper lighter
counting surprise
suppose spread mountain beaches splashed

eastern desert adverb

blade different feeling

The king went into such a rage that he began jumping around.
The man stood on his hands, then he stood on his head,
and then he stood on his feet again.
The jester stopped playing his lute and began to giggle.
The princess was lying in bed, but she was wide awake.
The moon shone brightly in the night sky.
I hope we’ll be in time to stop the crime from happening.
The wind sang like the sound of the sea on a breezy day.
The group looked to me as its leader.
We had a meeting that night, and Justin told all of us what
he’d found out late in the day.
Hunger alone drove the man out to the reef to set his trap.

94 Decoding and Sentence Reading C

s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,
ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,
exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

Matter: Changes of State

All matter on Earth is made up of atoms, which may
combine into molecules. The three states of matter are
solid, liquid, and gas. In all three states of matter, the atoms
or molecules are always on the move.

A solid keeps its shape and volume as it moves about.
Think of a brick or a plastic ball. These objects hold their
shape when you pick them up or put them on the ground.

A liquid keeps its volume as it moves, but it takes on the
shape of the container that it is in. Think of a pitcher of
water. The water has the shape of the pitcher. If you take
all the water and put it in a bottle, it takes on the shape of
the bottle. But you still have the same amount of water.

A gas does not keep its shape or volume. It takes on both
the shape and volume of its container. For example, some
balloons are filled with a light gas called helium, which
makes the balloon rise into the air. The gas is the size and

Matter: Changes of State 95

s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,

ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

shape of the balloon it is in. If you pop that balloon in a
room, the helium atoms leave the balloon and spread out,
mixing with the air molecules until they fill the entire space
in the room.

A substance can change from one state of matter to
another and back again. Water is a good example of this.
As a solid, water is ice. As a liquid, it’s water. As a gas, it’s
steam. All three substances—ice, liquid water, and steam—
are made up of the same water molecules. They just differ
in their state.

Matter changes states when energy is added or
subtracted. Adding energy, such as heat, makes the
molecules or atoms in a substance move faster. For
example, as the water molecules in the solid, ice, move
faster, the ice melts into the liquid, water. As the water
molecules in water move faster still, the water changes to a
gas, steam. You can see this for yourself. Put an ice cube in
a pan and heat it on a stove. As the cube melts, the water

96 Matter: Changes of State

s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,
ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,
exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

changes state. The solid, ice, melts into a liquid, water. Let
the water heat up some more, and you will begin to see
steam rising up, as the liquid, water, turns into a gas, steam.
If you leave the heat on, all the water will turn into steam
and float off into the air. On the other hand, if you take the
pan of water and put it into the freezer, you will take away
more and more heat energy until the molecules are barely
moving. Bit by bit, the liquid, water, will turn back into a
solid, ice.

Matter: Changes of State 97

s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,

ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

raisin supposed please those ease
timid axes always impose driven
ledge surprise slacks nose uproar
expose dangle cramp serpent clumsy
lake playful close visited fierce

The group climbed single file, each tied to the other with a rope.
The Keller household was in an uproar when Helen displayed
her bad manners.
When Helen Keller was a toddler, she suffered a terrible sickness.
The illness left Helen Keller blind and deaf when she was
quite young.
I had heard a tale about sea serpents.
Out to sea, a whale spouts a jet of water.
All of a sudden, he began undoing locks and pressing buttons.
Their workout done, the three girls stopped bending and
stretching.
I hope never to see anything like that again.
The hungry tomcat stuck his nose into the trashcan and
sniffed around.

98 Decoding and Sentence Reading D

s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,

ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

Raisins

It may surprise you to find out that a raisin and a grape
are the same fruit. A raisin is a dried grape. Its name comes
from the French word for grape. Not all grapes make good
raisins. The best ones to use are white grapes that are quite
sweet and have tender skin. Raisins are used in puddings,
cakes, candies, cookies, and bread. They are also sold as
healthy treats that you can eat right out of the box.

Raisins have been around for a long, long time. The
ancient Egyptians first discovered that drying grapes kept
them fresh longer and made them taste sweeter.

Today, most of the world’s raisins come from the
United States. And almost all of our raisins are from the
state of California. Each year, California produces about
670 million pounds of raisins. What makes California the
world center for raisins?

Raisins 99

s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,

ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

During the 1700s, grapevines from Spain were planted
in what is now California. Around 1865, gold hunters
discovered that a place in California called Central Valley
was perfect for producing grapes. The dry, hot summers let
the grapes get very ripe. The lack of rain meant that grapes
could be kept on the vine to be sun-dried into raisins.

Raising grapes and drying them into raisins takes
time. Grapevines do not bear grapes for three years after
planting. But when they do, they may produce grapes
for one hundred years, if they are well cared for. It takes
about four-and-a-half pounds of grapes to make one
pound of raisins.

California grapevines begin to produce grapes in March.
The fruit is harvested around the first week in September.
In between, because there is so little rain, the vines must be
watered. Seedless grapes are kept ripening on the vine until
they contain about 20 percent sugar. The grapes are then
picked by hand and placed on trays between the vines. The

100 Raisins

s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,

ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

grapes in the trays may be turned after about eight days so
that they all dry faster. The sun dries the grapes into raisins
in 10 to 14 days. The raisins are then put in big bins called
sweatboxes. The boxes are sent to packing houses, where
workers remove vine stems. They then judge the size and
plumpness of the raisins by passing them on top of screens.
After that, the stem caps are taken off. The raisins then
are whirled through a fine spray of water to make sure that
they are clean. At the last step, the raisins are pressed into
sealed boxes.

Raisins can stay fresh for a long time. If they are kept
cool and stored in a sealed container, they will keep for a
long time. They can also be frozen. Raisins taste great and
give you lots of energy. That’s quite a trick for a dried-up
piece of fruit!

Raisins 101

s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,

ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

ow (snow)

snow row grown shadow snowman
show slow thrown
throw flow bowl shallow slowpoke
grow glow elbow
blow crow fellow willow widow
bow own yellow
low blown mellow pillow tow
mow flown growth
window sown

hollow

rainbow

tomorrow

ow (plow)

plow allow towel powerful clown
crowd powder drown
cow owl tower chowder frown
flower down brown
bow growl shower town crown
power gown downtown
now howl

chow prowl

brow prowler

102 ow (snow)

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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, move, prove, shoe, truth,
fruit, suit, bruise, cruise, whom, whose, wolf, wolves, sign,
any, many, once, heart

ow (snow) 103

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

looking winter faster owning dreams
happen quickly Randy
finish understood glide belong chief
believe trunk frown
creaked flown brown found hopped

noodles branches

rotten raccoon

Rex lay awake looking at the sky, dreaming of the day he
would own his own boat.

Winter came quickly.

One lucky day, a fisherman took Benny fishing with him in
his boat.

The ice skates of her dreams were snow white with
gleaming blades and little bells on the laces.

Mai-Ling would spend a lot of time alone in her room.

In the green field was a flock of brown and white cows.

Sandy felt that Uncle Rich understood her better than her
own father did.

Randy the clown took a few small steps into the center of
the ring.

Hold onto your dreams until they happen.

Strong winds whipped away the tree’s yellow leaves.

104 Decoding and Sentence Reading A

ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le

syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes,

-ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

Clowning Around

Kirsten was helping her mother wash the kitchen
windows. “I have to stop soon,” she said. “Howie’s coming
here in a little while. We have to work on our makeup.”

“You can’t wear makeup yet,” said her mom. “And I
would be surprised if Howie wears makeup.”

“Not that kind of makeup, Mom,” Kirsten said with
a giggle. “Our class is putting on a circus show for the
school. Howie and I are going to be clowns. We need to
decide what our clown faces should look like.”

Her mom washed a windowpane. “That’s right. You told
me last night,” she said. “Look, sweetheart, you can stop
washing the windows now. Go and get ready for Howie.”

Kirsten gave her mother a hug and ran up to her room.
She pulled out a box full of stage makeup that she had
gotten from an acting teacher in town. She took the box
into the bathroom. She was laying things out beside the

Clowning Around 105

ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le

syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes,

-ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

sink when Howie showed up. He was holding a box full of
old clothes.

“Wow!” he cried. “Look at all that stuff! I can’t wait to
begin.”

“Howie, I was thinking,” Kirsten said. “Let’s be very
different-looking clowns.”

Howie nodded. “I like that,” he said. “One could be
happy and the other could be mad, maybe. Which one do
you want to be?”

“You choose,” said Kirsten. She knew how to be a
good host.

“Happy clown!” said Howie. He put a towel around his
neck, to keep the makeup off his clothes. First he put white
paint on his face. Then he painted a big red smile around
his mouth and big black brows on his forehead. He pushed
a squishy red ball onto his nose.

While Howie was painting his face, Kirsten put a towel
around her neck. Then she began to paint her face yellow.

106 Clowning Around

ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le

syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes,

-ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

She used black paint to turn her mouth into a big frown.
Then she painted black lines on her cheeks and forehead to
give her face a mean scowl.

When they were done with their faces, they each picked
up a powder puff and put on some powder—to take the
shine off their faces.

Now it was time to pick the right clothes to wear.
Howie put on a shirt that had red and yellow flowers on it.
Then he pulled on some bright yellow pants. He put a big
green hat on his head and floppy red sneakers on his feet.
He began to clomp around in the hall.

Kirsten found a brown coat and some baggy black pants
in the box. She pulled out a banged-up black hat and some
old black sneakers. When she was dressed, she stepped into
the hall and scowled at Howie. He grinned and stuck out
his hand.

“My name is Smile E. Fellow,” he said with a wide
smile. “I’m happy to meet you!”

Clowning Around 107

ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le

syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes,

-ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

“Grrr!” growled Kirsten. “I’m Grumpy Chump, and I’m
NOT happy to meet you!”

“Yay!” Kirsten and Howie turned around. Kirsten’s
mom stood at the top of the stairs, clapping. “That’s a great
act!” she said. “You’re going to be the hit of the show.”

“You are too kind,” said Smile E. Fellow with a big grin
and a deep bow.

“Grrr!” growled Grumpy Chump with a deep frown.

108 Clowning Around

ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le

syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes,

-ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

rainbow prowler guzzle flashes clearly
quite surprise curly helper expected
candy thimble fishing serve spending
branch letter slow plow growth
follow finger thrown flower committee

A dog can have long, curly fur.
He was having such a good time.
The prowler in our house turned out to be a raccoon.
Penny watched Jessie roll out the top crust.
When the crust was brown enough, Jessie took out the pie.
After the shower, there was a huge rainbow in the eastern sky.
The children had clam hooks and a shovel.
The dog scrambles out of the way of the big truck.
All these shells look as if someone cracked them.
“While you are waiting, you could do some digging with a
stick,” called Fred.

Decoding and Sentence Reading B 109

ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le

syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes,

-ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

Feeling on Top of the World

It seemed as though Dad had just mowed the grass
yesterday, yet summer had passed a long time ago. Now it
was winter, and it had been snowing since Monday. Today
was Thursday.

Franny wondered if winter would ever end. It seemed as
if it had been winter all her life. When she looked out the
window, all she could see was white snow. It seemed as if
there were miles and miles of it.

It had snowed so much the past week that school had
been closed for three days. Franny missed her pals at
school. How she wished it would stop snowing right now!

The snow was so deep that the snowplow couldn’t get
down her street. It was stuck in a ditch on the other side of
town. At least that was what the newsperson said on TV.

“That’s a deep frown on your face,” said Dad, walking
into the room. “Do you know what you need? You need

110 Feeling on Top of the World

ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le

syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes,

-ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

some fresh air to make you smile. How would you like to
take a walk with me? We could walk to town and see what’s
going on down there.”

“Well, maybe you could do it,” said Franny, “but how
could I? The snow is up to my hips. l would get stuck in
the snow, just like the snowplow!”

“I think I can fix that problem,” said Dad as he took
out a big, flat box. Franny wondered what her dad was
up to. She crowded up next to him to see. Inside the box
was a pair of big, flat, round wooden things. Each one had
crisscrossing slats and leather straps.

“What are those?” asked Franny.
“Well, you don’t see these too often anymore,” said Dad.
“I’ve had them a long time. They are wooden snowshoes.
When I was small, I’d strap these on and go walking to town
with my dad. Here, try them on. They will help you walk on
top of the snow and keep you from sinking down too far.”
“Wow! Cool!” said Franny.

Feeling on Top of the World 111

ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le

syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes,

-ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

Then Franny’s dad pulled out a bigger pair of snowshoes
for himself. Franny picked up her pair of snowshoes and
followed her dad out to the back steps. He showed her how
to strap the snowshoes to her boots. Then Franny and her
dad stepped onto the snow. Franny giggled as she walked
across the top of the snow. She was clumsy at first, but
she got better. Then she and her dad tramped down the
street—on top of the snow all the way. It was great fun!

They came upon the snowplow that was stuck in the
ditch. Some people from town were pulling it out. A TV
team was there and took a shot of Frannie and her dad
standing on top of the snow with their snowshoes on.

That night, as Franny watched TV, she was thrilled to
see herself and Dad. “That’s us!” said Dad. “And look, they
got the snowplow out of the ditch.”

In fact, while they were watching, the snowplow came
and plowed their street. Soon, all the roads in town were

112 Feeling on Top of the World

ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le

syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes,

-ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

cleared of snow. The next day, when Franny showed up at
school, everyone crowded around her. They had seen her
on TV the night before. She had a lot to talk about.

That night, Franny said to her dad, “I can’t wait for it to
snow some more! I want to use the snowshoes again. They
are much more fun than just wearing boots!”

Her dad grinned. “It’s funny how you can change your
mind about things. I seem to recall that not too long ago,
you couldn’t stand the snow! Now you can’t wait for it to
snow again!”

Feeling on Top of the World 113

ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le

syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes,

-ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

offer sicken catching ending swift
blender melt plugged elbow disturbing
willow planned blanks sister care
shadow howl owl spilled reason
shelf ranch stepped trumpet safely

We went on a camping trip that lasted a week.
The rubber raft drifted across the river.
The house cast a long shadow in the afternoon sun.
Tom filled in the blanks on his spelling test.
The dog wags its tail when it is happy.
Dad grilled the hot dogs for lunch.
One of Benjamin Franklin’s chief talents was working a
printing press.
By the time Fred reached home, he was proud of himself.
I lay down on the yellow bedspread and took a quick nap.
A strong wind kept blowing snow in my face.

114 Decoding and Sentence Reading C

ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le

syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes,

-ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

High Seas, Calm Seas

Rafe asked his mother and father if he could have five of
his friends sleep at his house over the weekend.

“Your dad is going to be out of town,” said his mom.
“But if Tim will help me, you can invite your friends to
sleep over.”

Rafe begged his older brother to say yes. Tim frowned
and scowled at first, but in the end, he gave in. Rafe called
his friends, who checked with their mothers and fathers. It
was all set for the weekend.

When the time came, the kids all came with their own
sleeping bags. Tim helped his mother to lay them out, wall
to wall, in Rafe’s room. On each sleeping bag, they put a
fluffy white pillow. When they were done, the room was
a sea of sleeping bags, with the pillows looking like little
white sailboats floating on the sea.

High Seas, Calm Seas 115

ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le

syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes,

-ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

Rafe and his friends had dinner first, and then they
played games. Then they watched a tape that Rafe’s mom
had rented for them. After that, Rafe’s mom said that it
was bedtime.

Tim went up with Rafe and his friends and helped them
get ready for bed. When they lay down, Tim said, “You
kids are going to sleep in a sea of sleeping bags.” Rafe said,
“My brother Tim is a great teller of tales.” The five kids
all begged Tim to tell them a bedtime tale. “And make it a
thriller!” said Sam.

Tim grinned. He began to tell about a fleet of big ships
that were sailing the high seas. He talked about a big wind
whipping up the waves. As they listened, some of the kids
began rocking in their sleeping bags, as if they were ships
rolling in the choppy waves.

All of a sudden, someone yelled, “Watch out, a big wave
just tipped my ship!” Soon all the kids were slamming into
one another. At the same time, someone flung a pillow into

116 High Seas, Calm Seas

ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le

syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes,

-ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

the air. The pillow hit Tim on the head. “Come on you
kids, settle down!” Tim said.

But it was too late. Pillows were flying through the air.
“Wait until you see this powerful throw,” someone said. It
sounded like Sam. A pillow sailed across the room. It came
down on Rafe’s desk. The desk lamp crashed to the floor,
but it did not break.

“What was that?” Mom called from downstairs. “What
just happened?”

The kids grabbed their pillows and scrambled back into
their sleeping bags. Tim said, “Stay still!” and went out
into the hall to the top of the stairs. “It’s a funny thing,”
he called to his mother. “I was telling a tale about some
ships at sea. Suddenly, a high wind was blowing through
the bedroom and a sea of sleeping bags and pillow ships got
tossed all around.” He looked back at the room and then
down at his mother. “But somehow I think there will be
calm seas the rest of the night.”

High Seas, Calm Seas 117

ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le

syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes,

-ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” said his mom with a smile.
Tim began to come downstairs. “I think I’ll leave the
seas alone for a while, and then go up and check on them.”
He was grinning.
Tim spent some time downstairs, doing his homework.
He was right. The seas stayed quite calm. And when he
went up to look into Rafe’s bedroom a little while later,
everyone had fallen asleep.

118 High Seas, Calm Seas

ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le

syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes,

-ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

rapid glance robins hungry succeed
leafy summer straggle snowing grand
rain now thousands clenched place
rattle power allow clown store
flown seventy surprise crossroads prowl

All the troops went into battle, ready to fight.
Fish do not take care of their young at all.
The geese have flown south for the winter.
The bird sat on the windowsill and ate seeds from the bird feeder.
The children cheered when the circus clowns marched into the
center ring.
Last night, a raccoon was on the prowl and raided our trash cans.
You have to learn how to blow into a flute to make the
right sound.
It is not safe to cross the street without looking both ways.
Some woodwinds have a reed in the mouthpiece.
You play a woodwind by blowing into it to make air move
through.

Decoding and Sentence Reading D 119

ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le

syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes,

-ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

The Butterfly and the Moth

The butterfly, like its cousin the moth, is easily spotted
by its lovely wings, which are covered with very small
scales. If you handle a butterfly, you will see “dust” from
its wings on your fingers. The dust is, in fact, thousands of
these scales. The Latin name for butterfly means “wings
with scales.”

A butterfly is an insect. It begins its life as a small
egg. The eggs are laid in a place that gets a good deal of
sunshine. The creature that hatches from the egg doesn’t
look at all like the grown-up insect it becomes. It hatches
into a caterpillar. It eats as much food as it can and then
surrounds itself in silk so that it becomes a chrysalis.
The chrysalis hatches, and out comes a butterfly. Some
butterflies spend the winter as a chrysalis and then come
out as an adult butterfly in the warmer weather.

120 The Butterfly and the Moth

ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le

syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes,

-ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

The butterfly feeds on nectar from flowers. The
butterfly has a sucking tube in its mouth. It is very long
and flexible and can reach right down to the bottom of the
flower. The butterfly sucks up the nectar with this tube.
When the butterfly has eaten, this tube rolls up under
its head. To make the tube stick out again, the butterfly
pumps blood into it so it uncurls.

Although a moth and a butterfly look alike in many
ways, you can tell them apart. For one thing, most
butterflies are out during the day, fluttering from flower to
flower to feed. Most moths, on the other hand, come out
at night.

A moth is likely to be plump and furry, while a butterfly
is slim and hairless. Both insects have a pair of long feelers
on the tops of their heads, called antennae. A butterfly’s
antennae are long and slender, with little bulbs at the ends.

The Butterfly and the Moth 121

ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le

syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes,

-ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

But most moth antennae are hair-like and feathery, and
don’t have little bulbs at the ends.

A simple way to tell a moth from a butterfly, though,
is by looking at how the insect holds its wings. When a
butterfly rests on a flower, it tends to hold its wings up.
When a moth rests on your bedroom window, it tends to
spread its wings out flat.

122 The Butterfly and the Moth

ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le

syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes,

-ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

burning snowed running shadow yellow
flower helper pinup powerful grow
film camera happy curly person
pillow better slow crowd ladder
sister down shuttle space game board

Can you wiggle your fingers?
The glow from the fire was reflected on the window.
The snow blanketed the town.
What do you plan to be when you are grown up?
The huge crowd couldn’t fit into the small space.
The child felt nice and clean after her bath.
They sent me to eat in the kitchen.
A poodle is a dog with curly hair.
The housefly landed next to my elbow.
He was surprised when Kay treated him so coldly.

Decoding and Sentence Reading E 123

ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le

syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes,

-ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

The Housefly

What’s that prowling around on your windowpane? It’s
a housefly, and it can be a mighty powerful pest.

Although it’s related to the mosquito, the housefly does
not bite or sting. It’s not that kind of pest. Instead, it makes
problems for people by spreading disease. It picks up germs
as it feeds. The housefly doesn’t care about what or where it
eats. It is just as happy eating rotten food in a rubbish dump
as it is feasting on a plate of fresh food in your kitchen.

The housefly cannot pierce or bite with its mouth, so it
can’t eat solid foods. Instead, it squirts juices on the surface
of what it’s about to eat. This makes the food soft and very
mushy. The housefly has a pair of big, flat flaps hanging
outside its mouth that it uses to soak up the liquid. Then
the fly sucks the liquid out of the flaps and swallows it.

A housefly’s feet are sticky on the bottom. This is why
it can walk up and down your windowpane without falling

124 The Housefly

ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le

syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes,

-ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

off. But it also means that things stick to its feet—such as
the germs in that rubbish dump where it was last feeding.
Now it is sitting on your food. You swat it away, but it has
left some of its nasty germs behind. If you eat food that a
fly has been on, you are also eating those germs.

The housefly doesn’t just eat rotten food, it likes to lay
its eggs on anything rotting. Heat helps eggs hatch more
quickly, and heat is generated when rotting takes place.
The housefly eggs hatch into little white worms called
maggots. These flies-to-be have food all around them. Yes,
it’s rotten, but they don’t mind! As they eat, the maggots
grow very quickly. When a maggot is fully grown, it goes
through a huge change—from a little white worm into an
insect with wings. The maggot may spin a shell around
itself until the change is complete. Then out of the shell
comes a full-grown housefly. Another pesky insect is now
in our world!

The Housefly 125

ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le

syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes,

-ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

Get the flyswatter ready in the spring, when flies tend to
hatch and become pests. But don’t be too slow when you
swat at a housefly. It can take off in an instant, as soon as it
beats it wings. It does not need to run or jump to take off.
The housefly has two pairs of wings. It has one pair that
helps the fly keep its balance while flying. A housefly will
keep flapping its wings until it lands on something—like
that tasty bowl of chowder you’re about to have for lunch!

126 The Housefly

ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le

syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes,

-ed, ay, exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

kn (knot)

know knapsack kneel knob
known knave knickers knock
knot knead knight knoll
knife knee knit knuckle

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, move, prove, shoe, truth, fruit, suit,
bruise, cruise, whom, whose, wolf, wolves, sign, any, many,
once, heart

kn (knot) 127

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

oe (toe) Joe
Moe
toe tiptoe
woe doeskin
hoe toenail
foe oboe
doe floe
aloe
mistletoe

New Sight Words

sure, sugar

128 oe (toe)

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

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, move, prove, shoe, truth, fruit, suit,
bruise, cruise, whom, whose, wolf, wolves, sign, any, many,
once, heart

oe (toe) 129

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

thunder permit hunger subtract space
toenail Joe downstream
mammals different under monsters same
crowded cloudy powerful
followed searched yellow pebbles needle

meanwhile sudden

throw shadow

When we went to the mall last night, it was very crowded.
My piece of cake is smaller than yours, but Joe has the
smallest of all.
Please hand me the wooden spoon so that I can stir the batter.
People say that this winter will be longer than last year.
Tie a knot at the end of the rope.
There were many people standing around the place.
The doe came to the pond to drink, but she kept looking
around.
Do you know where Dad keeps the hoe?
One day, as he was walking through town, he stopped at
Mrs. Coe’s house.
I stubbed my toe on the curb, and it’s beginning to hurt.

130 Decoding and Sentence Reading A

oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

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

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

If You Can’t Say Something Nice

There was a very old man named Mr. Joe Meany who
always told people exactly what was on his mind. He never
stopped to think about how the other person might feel
about what he said. He took great pride in speaking out.
He would often say, “I’m proud to speak my mind. I’m not
afraid to say what I think. I always tell the truth!”

Behind his back, people would whisper, “Speaking your
mind is no excuse for being rude. Sometimes it’s better to
be kind than to speak the truth.”

One day, as Mr. Meany was walking through town, he
stopped at Mrs. Coe’s house.

“Good day to you,” he said.
Mrs. Coe, who was pulling a hoe through her flowerbeds,
looked up with a sinking heart. She didn’t like listening to
Mr. Meany go on, but she didn’t want to be rude to the old
man. So she smiled and said, “Good day, Mr. Meany.”

If You Can’t Say Something Nice 131

oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

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

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

“I see you are hoeing,” said Mr. Meany.
“Yes,” Mrs. Coe responded, trying to be nice. “I am
weeding my flower beds. It’s been a long time since I’ve
had a chance to work in the beds. As you can see, the weeds
have grown more than my flowers.”
“You can say that again,” exclaimed Mr. Meany. He
shook his head. “You’re an expert at growing weeds!
Why, I don’t see a single flower in bloom. It really is
quite a mess!”
Mrs. Coe slumped against a tree. At first, she just
felt bad, but slowly she got angry. In her mind she was
thinking, “My weeds are nothing compared to the big
patch of crabgrass that you are!” She didn’t say anything
to Mr. Meany, of course. She just went back to hoeing the
flowerbed.
Mr. Meany frowned. He waited for Mrs. Coe to say
something. When she didn’t, he sighed and said, “Good
day, Mrs. Coe.”

132 If You Can’t Say Something Nice

oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

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

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

“Good day, Mr. Meany,” Mrs. Coe said. Then she
turned around and scowled.

Mr. Meany came upon Jon Yee, who was in his
driveway, washing his jeep.

“Well, I’m glad to see you’re washing that pile of dirt at
last,” said Mr. Meany. “It’s about time!”

Jon just kept on working. He hadn’t had a chance to
wash the jeep since he’d come back from camping in the
backwoods. Jon was too angry to explain this fact to the old
man. Mr. Meany waited for Jon to tell him about his camping
trip. He was surprised when Joe treated him so coldly.

“What’s bothering him?” wondered Mr. Meany as he
went on his way. “I just told him that he was doing the
right thing, washing his jeep, but he won’t speak to me.
What a grouch!”

Just then, Mr. Meany ran into Mrs. Mendez. She was
out walking her French poodle. She was wearing a pair of

If You Can’t Say Something Nice 133

oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

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

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

doeskin gloves that her husband had given her as a birthday
present. Mrs. Mendez loved the feel of the soft leather on
her hand. “These are such nice gloves,” she was thinking.
“I can tell they cost a lot, too.” She was touched that her
husband had given her such a thoughtful gift.

“I see you are wearing doeskin gloves,” said Mr. Meany.
Mrs. Mendez looked up quickly. She had been so lost in
daydreaming that she had not seen the old man.
“Yes,” she said shyly. “I just got them from my husband.
I really love them.”
“Well, it’s beyond me how anyone could love something
made from a sweet little animal. That’s right, doeskin is the
skin of a female deer. I think it’s terrible that people wear
animal skin—or fur for that matter. How would you like
it if I had a poodle coat made from your poodle?” shouted
Mr. Meany.

113344 If You Can’t Say Something Nice

oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

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

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

Mrs. Mendez looked at Mr. Meany in shock. She
dropped her gloves and ran home, pulling her poodle
behind her. She was angry at Mr. Meany, but she did not
know why. And then it hit her—Mr. Meany had been
wearing leather shoes.

“Leather is made from animal skin,” she said to herself,
with an angry shake of her head. “The nerve of that man! He
just likes to hear himself talk. He doesn’t care what he says!”

Mr. Meany watched Mrs. Mendez rush off up the street.
He wondered why she dropped her gloves. He picked them
up and said to himself, “I’ll give them to her tomorrow
when I go to her house to ask her to give money to the
zoo. She’ll be glad to see me and her gloves.”

Mr. Meany went on his merry way. Many people crossed
the street to walk on the other side, so they didn’t have to
deal with Mr. Meany. “My, my,” he said to himself. “The
people in this town sure are rude! Why do they treat me so

If You Can’t Say Something Nice 135

oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

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

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

badly? Why can’t they stop and have a nice chat? My, my,
my. Woe is me.”

All the way home, Mr. Meany kept muttering to himself
and shaking his head.

When he got home, he went into the den and sat down
to read. In the hall, his wife tiptoed past. She had just
gotten a haircut and was not in the mood to hear what
her husband had to say about it. Although she loved her
husband and knew he meant well, it wasn’t always easy
living with a person like him. She wished that somehow,
long ago, someone had told little Joe Meany, “If you can’t
say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”

136 If You Can’t Say Something Nice

oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

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

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

mountain winter stood afternoon swerve
visited summer rounder powerful toe
furrow curled strong pity prize
strutted feeble teacher crossword dishes
invented waiting snowed greeted tools

Ming loves to do crossword puzzles.
School was canceled the next day, so Joe slept late.
Moe read the book before and after dinner.
Miss Tibbet pushed the door and burst into the room
without knocking.
The young man turned and greeted her with a grin.
I’m old and no longer as strong as I was as a youth.
The sea can be very powerful.
Out at sea, a whale spouts a jet of water.
I stuck my toe into the pond and quickly yanked it out again.
The waves today are powerful, so don’t swim out of my sight.

Decoding and Sentence Reading B 137

oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

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

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

Winter Wonderland

Winter brings cold and snow,
Gusty, frosty winds that blow.
Skaters whirl on ponds that freeze;
Watch their breath smoke in the breeze.
Snowflakes sparkle in the sun.
Winter’s wonders have begun.

138 Winter Wonderland

oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

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

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

Winter Walk

In the woods with my friend, Pete,
Crunching cold beneath our feet.
Through the glistening snow we go,
Sure and swift as any doe.
Footprints made along the way,
Will show us home this snowy day.
So have no fear, we can’t get lost.
Let’s go for a walk with Old Jack Frost.

Winter Walk 139

oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

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

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Snowman, Snowman

I made a chubby snowman.
I dressed him head to toe.
He was a jolly snowman,
But had no place to go.
Still, he looked quite glad to be there,
So I went inside to play.
But when I came back out again,
Why, he had gone away!

140 Snowman, Snowman

oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

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

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Hi, Joe!

Hi, Joe!
What do you know?
Just got back
From the baseball show!
It was good!
It was great!
But I really
Stayed too late.

Hi, Joe! 141

oe, kn, ow, s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa,

consonant-le syllable, ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division,

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

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or (fork) forest actor dormer
forget doctor dormouse
or forgot horse dormant
for forever normally dorsal
lord florist form dory
fort organ former Jordan
sort order hornet moray
port corner lore morbid
short border Morton scorch
sport boredom cord Morse code
support morning core thorny
important story cornet Morris
born history dorm Boris
corn torch loris
horn porch collector
torn cork ancestor
worn fork
thorn pork or (fork)
popcorn stork
north
forth
forty

142

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New Sight Words

door, floor, honor, tomorrow, worry, work, color

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, move, prove, shoe, truth, fruit, suit,
bruise, cruise, whom, whose, wolf, wolves, sign, any,
many, once, heart, sure, sugar

or (fork) 143

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