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Blow the Lid Off of the Reading
Skills Tests!
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In ONLY 20 Turbo-Charged Lessons!
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Skill Focus: CVC Mastery
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Guide 1

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 Introduction
Blow the Lid Off of the Reading Test Guides should be
used to fast-track your reader to benchmark or as a boost for on-
level students to reach benchmark more quickly!
While phonics instruction is only one part of learning to read,
it is the main part – and the single most common spot that
struggling students may suffer. Research has shown that a good
reader must have foundational skills, such as phonemic
awareness and phonics before they can successfully move onto
fluently read text, vocabulary development and independently
comprehending what they read.
The guides in this series cover all of the phonics elements
that are essential for prepping each of your students for TOTAL
COMPREHENSION MASTERY!

Special note: Each lesson in the guide has been designed to

be delivered in sequence until complete. If you find your
students are performing well during the program, that’s
fantastic! If you find that they are struggling to keep up or
have regressed, you should feel confident in repeating a
lesson until the skills are firm. For maximum results,
complete all of the lessons contained with the Guide.

1
 How to Use the Guides to Mastery
Each lesson in the Guides to Mastery follows an explicit
lesson sequence. Here is a look at each section:
Phonemic Awareness Activity
Every lesson begins with a phonemic awareness warm up
requiring students to blend and segment words. This is to be done
orally with the whole group. The National Reading Panel (2000)
found that segmenting and blending phonemes into words
contributes to learning to read and spell more than any of the
other phonological awareness skills. Think of the Phonemic
Awareness Activity as the ACTIVATOR for the lesson!
Segmenting is the first activity students will complete in this
section. For this activity, the teacher says the word “wax” and has
the students repeat the word. Then students count out each
sound they hear in the word “wax”. Students say /w/ /a/ /x/.
Next, the teacher has a list of words the students need to
blend. The teacher will say the sounds in the word “tip” - /t/ /i/ /p/ -
they do not say the word “tip”, just the sounds. The students then
will blend the sounds together and say the word “tip”.
Sound Spelling
Research recommends teaching a phonics sound spelling
explicitly in isolation. Students’ mastery of sound spellings will
help strengthen decoding skills. Following the Phonemic
Awareness Activity, there will be sound spelling/s that will either
be new for the day or a review from the previous lesson.
Typically, once a sound spelling/s is introduced, it is reviewed for
several days before a new sound is introduced.

2
 When introducing the new sound spelling/s the teacher
simply tells students the sound and how it is spelled and that will
be their focus for the next several days.
Words to Blend
This section contains a list of 15 words the teacher will have
the students blend using Sound by Sound Blending. All of the
words in this section contain the new sound spelling, along with
sound spelling/s that have been previously introduced.
Procedure for Sound by Sound Blending:
1. Print the first letter of the word Sam on the board.
2. Point to the S and say, “Sound?” Let the students say the
sound.
3. Print the letter a on the board, point right under it and say,
“Sound?” Let the students say the sound.
4. Place your finger back to the beginning of the word and say,
“Blend.”
5. After you say, “Blend”, swoop your finger under the Sa while
students say “SSSaaa”.
6. Print the letter m on the board, point right under it and say,
“Sound”? Let the students say the sound.
7. Place your finger back at the beginning of the word and say
“Blend”. After you say, “Blend”, swoop your finger under the
Sam while students say “SSSaaammm”.
Repeat this procedure with the rest of the words in this section.

3
Automatic Word Recognition
This section appears for the first time in Guide to
Consonant Blend Mastery. The goal of phonics instruction is to
prepare students to be able to fluently read words. Studies have
shown that when students are able to read words without having
to sound them out, their brain power is freed up, in a sense, to
begin the more complex task of making meaning.
Students need to practice reading words automatically in
isolation as well as in decodable text. Every Automatic Word
Recognition section contains 15 words that contain a previously
taught sound spelling. Teachers have the option to write these
words on the board, or use the pages in the resource section.
This section is different from the Words to Blend section
because students are required to read these words as a whole
word with no sounding out. The teacher simply points to the word,
pauses a second, says, “Word”? and swoops her hand under the
word as students read it.
Decodable
This is where the reading practice comes in. We are now at
the part of the lesson where the students will apply what they
have learned. This is why it’s so important to deliver the lesson in
sequence!
The decodable passages that have been provided contain
words that have spelling patterns that have already been
introduced to students. This is the opportunity for students to
practice their automaticity.

4
 An important thing to remember about decodable text, this is
for practicing phonics and fluency, this is not for working on
comprehension skills, so you will notice that we have not included
comprehension question in the Guide. However, a simple “who,
what, when, where, why, how” retell is a great add-in as you have
an extra minute!
Give the students the decodable passages and read through
the decodable several times as a group, prompting re-reads as
students make errors. We recommend that students keep the
passages in a notebook to practice reading daily, once they have
been introduced.
Word Work
Incorporating Word Work into every lesson allows students
the opportunity to practice not only reading words, but also
spelling. These Guides include four (4) rotated activities to add a
variety of work for students. Here is a peek at the 4 activities:
Elkonin Boxes
The Elkonin Box activity helps students to bridge the
sounds in words to the actual writing. Each Elkonin activity
has approximately ten (10) words. The teacher gives the
students the letter cards provided for that day and follows
this procedure:
1. Students are provided the cards for the activity and an
Elkonin mat (which can be found on the Resource
Section).
2. The teacher says the word to the student and the
student repeats it.

5
 3. The student then places the letters for the sounds they
hear in the boxes on the mat.
4. Once all the letters are placed on the mat, the student
reads the word.
5. Repeat with the rest of the words.
Word Sort
Word sorting requires students to pay attention to the
different elements of words and categorize them based on
their spellings. The way the words are to be sorted is listed
at the top of the page that provides the cards. For example,
“Words are to be sorted into two piles – one pile include
words with short a, the other pile short i. The teacher checks
for accuracy once the student finishes the sort.
Dictation
This is a important way for teachers to see how their
students are progressing in apply their sound spelling,
phonics and phonemic awareness skills. It is important for
students to know dictation is not a graded test, but just
practice for them. Teachers dictate the words for students to
spell, sound-by-sound. There is also a sentence for students
to write in each dictation activity.
Teachers have the option of two different ways for
students to do their dictation. These can be found in the
Resource Section.

6
 Word Building
The word building section allows students to see how
changing one letter of a word changes the whole word.
Teachers are provided a sequence of words. Each word
builds on the previous one, by either adding a letter, taking
one away or just changing one. The word building activities
are linked to the sound spelling focus of the day.

7
 Day 1

Phonemic Awareness Activity:

Segmenting: wax, mat, hip, kite, had
Blending: tip, joke, ran, hug, sight

Sound Spelling: a, i

Words to Blend:
in am sat
Sam fat lip
man sad mix
fan ran fit
rip mad rat

Decodable: (see page 8)

Word Work: Elkonin Box (see page 9)

8
 Decodable Work
Day 1

The man ran to his van.

The bib has a rib.
Jim and Dad ran.
Sam sat on the mat.
A ham is in the can.
A pin was in the hat.
Nan has six maps.
The fox hid from the dog.

9
 Word Work Day 1
Elkonin Boxes
Words for the lesson:
Sam fan
fat rip
lip fit
man fix
sad mix
Letter Cards

s a m f t

l i p n d

r x m

10
 Day 2

Phonemic Awareness Activity:

Segmenting: miss, rock, lug, ham, fast
Blending: path, deck, wed, hen, beg

Sound Spelling: a, i

Words to Blend:
sip wax bat
mix tan map
six man his
rat tin ad
had bit fix

Decodable: (see page 11)

Word Work: Word Sort (see page 12)

11
 Decodable Work
Day 2

Dad has gas in the van.

The cat is in the bag.
Gas can go in the can.
The fox hid from the dog.
Dan sat on Pat.
Ham is in the can.

Pam has a big fat hat.

The mat has a rip.

12
 Word Work – Day 2
Sort the following words according to the vowels a, i
Word Sort

in sat lip

had six tan

rat tip dip

sad map fan

mad bit fix

13
 Day 3

Phonemic Awareness Activity:

Segmenting: sat, math, hush, ramp, goat
Blending: dug, neck, path, bent, team

Sound Spelling: a, i

Words to Blend:
sip wax bat
mix tan map
six man his
rat tin ad
had bit fix

Decodable: (see page 14)

Word Work: Dictation (see page 15)

14
 Decodable Work
Day 3

It is a fig.
He hid the wig.
It is a bib.
She lit it.
It is a big fat yam.

Dan has a van and a fan.

The man is sad.
Pat has a bag and a fan.

15
 Word Work – Day 3

Dictation

Line 1: sip man fix

Line 2: had tin rat

Sentence: The man had a bat.

16
 Day 4

Phonemic Awareness Activity:

Segmenting: am, hit, cash, mend, dust
Blending: six, jot, peck, lamp, rope

Sound Spelling: a, i

Words to Blend:
map fix rat
tap bat hit
pat can hid
gas six mat
Dad fin pit

Decodable: (see page 17)

Word Work: Word Building (see page 18)

17
 Decodable Work

Day 4

I had a hat.
The cat sat on a mat.
She is not sad.
I ran to her dad.
I can pat the cat.
She is sad.

Dad has a big van.

Jim and Dad sat on a big mat.

18
 Word Work – Day 4

Word Building

Words for the lesson:

at

rat

bat

bit

pit

it

Letter Cards

a t r b i p

19
 Day 5

Phonemic Awareness Activity:

Segmenting: pat, hot, chin, lump, cast
Blending: cub, ten, thud, pond, sent

Sound Spelling: a, i

Words to Blend:
pat bib hid
hit pad Jim
bat sap mix
rip sit has
ham lip tan

Decodable: (see page 20)

Word Work: Word Building (see page 21)

20
 Decodable Work
Day 5
The cat is fat.
Sam taps Pam’s map.
The bib has a rib.
Nan has six maps.
Jim and Dan ran.
Hip has a hat.
Pam’s map is on the map.
The cat is in the bag.

21
 Word Work Day 5
Elkonin Boxes
Words for the lesson:
bib pin
gas tip
bat can
mix pat
hid ham
Letter Cards

b i g a s

t m x h d

p n c

22
 Day 6

Phonemic Awareness Activity:

Segmenting: ham, bet, chop, past, rash
Blending: dog, mop, whip, desk, lamp

Sound Spelling: o

Words to Blend:
ox mob on
mop max rat
nod fox Bob
rid rot map
not win rod

Decodable: (see page 23)

Word Work: Word Building (see page 24)

23
 Decodable Work

Day 6

Did you jog here?

Can you box?

I had a job.

Sit on the cot.

Did the log rot?

The hog is a pig.

It is too hot to jog.

Did Mom see the box?

24
 Word Work – Day 6
Sort the following words according to the vowels a, i, o
Word Sort

ox hit tap

bib nod bat

mop can pin

rid rat fox

rod bin ham

25
 Day 7

Phonemic Awareness Activity:

Segmenting: hum, rod, when, bump, rush
Blending: log, Jim, shed, pest, wind

Sound Spelling: o

Words to Blend:
Bob dot hop
fox tip rot
map cob jot
fix win tot
job sip Tom

Decodable: (see page 26)

Word Work: Word Building (see page 27)

26
 Decodable Work

Day 7

A cot is on the mat.

It is not my box.

Can you hop?

This is not my dog.

Can you hop on the mat?

Is the pig for me?

He had the rod.

I had six dogs and hogs.

27
 Word Work – Day 7

Dictation

Line 1: map job tip

Line 2: win hop Bob

Sentence: The map had a dot.

28
 Day 8

Phonemic Awareness Activity:

Segmenting: van, rug, mash, mend, ship
Blending: mix, dog, sock, lamb, shop

Sound Spelling: o

Words to Blend:
got cat box
jog pot tip
hot job Bob
cab not sob
cat fox pit

Decodable: (see page 29)

Word Work: Word Building (see page 30)

29
 Decodable Work

Day 8

She had a big dot on her cap.

Bob is in a van.

The dog ran to the fox.

The fox hid from the dog.

Bob can mop the mat.

The dog hid.

Bob hid the mop.

Dan is not mad.

30
 Word Work – Day 8

Word Building

Words for the lesson:

an

fan

fat

rat

rot

rob

Letter Cards

a o n f t r

31
 Day 9

Phonemic Awareness Activity:

Segmenting: dip, rub, deck, hand, shed
Blending: hit, bus, sack, lamp, chat

Sound Spelling: o

Words to Blend:
cat mop pit
dot cab rid
tin on map
fan bit nod
rib hip ox

Decodable: (see page 32)

Word Work: Word Building (see page 33)

32
 Decodable Work

Day 9

Bob has a big box.

Pam has a job.

The hot pot is on the rug.

He is in a cab on the job.

The mat was hot.

Dan sees Nan at her job.

The box had a dot.

He ran from the ox.

33
 Word Work Day 9
Elkonin Boxes
Words for the lesson:
cat hot
fan map
hip rib
bit pot
nod cap
Letter Cards

c a t f n

h i p b o

d r m

34
 Day 10

Phonemic Awareness Activity:

Segmenting: mop, run, dock, lick, whiz
Blending: can, hot, path, hint, chin

Sound Spelling: o

Words to Blend:
rat jig log
dot fox had
bat tip sit
pop can pat
him top tan

Decodable: (see page 35)

Word Work: Word Building (see page 36)

35
 Decodable Work

Day 10

The pan was hot.

Bob can jot on a pad.

Mom has a job.

Tom is on the lot.

Bob can hop on a pad.

The box had a top.

She is not sad.

Tim was on the cot.

36
 Word Work – Day 10
Sort the following words according to the vowels a, i, o
Word Sort

dot map jig

Dan sip pop

him hot cat

cab rib Bob

job hip rat

37
 Day 11

Phonemic Awareness Activity:

Segmenting: sap, mug, duck, mesh, whip
Blending: lid, pup, bath, tack, shop

Sound Spelling: u

Words to Blend:
us up sun
fun hot bun
rug map mud
hit rug fan
mug rub bib

Decodable: (see page 38)

Word Work: Word Building (see page 39)

38
 Decodable Work
Day 11

She had fun with the bat.

Did the buns rot?

Did you run here?

It is fun to jog.

She had my cup on the mat.

The rug is on the cot.

The pup bit the box.

Pam sat on the rug with the cup.

39
 Word Work – Day 11

Dictation

Line 1: fun mug bib

Line 2: sun fan rub

Sentence: The fan is on if it is hot.

40
 Day 12

Phonemic Awareness Activity:

Segmenting: bran, chip, mend, kick, kit
Blending: spot, fast, sand, tuck, pot

Sound Spelling: u

Words to Blend:
pup tip mut
cut ham rub
tub sob hut
log gut rob
nut bun hot

Decodable: (see page 41)

Word Work: Word Building (see page 42)

41
 Decodable Work
Day 12

The nuts are in a box.

The cub hid on the mat.
He hid my gum.
She cut the log.
Did Dan hug you?
The mug is on the rug.
Mom’s rug is on the cot.
Jim is in the mud.

42
 Word Work – Day 12

Word Building

Words for the lesson:

it
sit
bit
but
cut
cub

Letter Cards

u i t b s c

43
 Day 13

Phonemic Awareness Activity:

Segmenting: ship, chap, fund, pick, hen
Blending: trap, best, desk, gush, leg

Sound Spelling: u

Words to Blend:
fun pin up
rug sun bag
pun mug cab
nut bus rub
hog hug not

Decodable: (see page 44)

Word Work: Word Building (see page 45)

44
 Decodable Work
Day 13

The sun is hot.

The dog is in the tub.
The cat sat on a rug.
Pam and Tom had fun.
The cat is in the mud.
The fox hid in the mud.
The sun is up.
The bus sat in the sun.

45
 Word Work Day 13
Elkonin Boxes
Words for the lesson:
fun tip
mug bag
bus cab
pin ham
hit nut
Letter Cards

f u n m g

b s p i h

t a c

46
 Day 14

Phonemic Awareness Activity:

Segmenting: slim, shut, sent, mash, yes
Blending: drip, desk, cast, sock, pat

Sound Spelling: u

Words to Blend:
hug tip tub
rig bat rub
bus hot pup
got run cot
pup tug dog

Decodable: (see page 47)

Word Work: Word Building (see page 48)

47
 Decodable Work
Day 14

The cub got up with the sun.

The sun is hot.
The pig ran in the mud.
A rat ran from the hut.
The dog dug in a pit.
Kim has a nut in the cup.
Pam can rub mud on the cat.
It is fun to run in the sun.

48
 Word Work – Day 14
Sort the following words according to the vowels a, i, o, u
Word Sort

rug wax dim

lit bus tan

mob mix nut

sun tug win

rip dug got

49
 Day 15

Phonemic Awareness Activity:

Segmenting: grip, then, bump, dock, yet
Blending: crop, test, nest, bath, beg

Sound Spelling: u

Words to Blend:
sub tip run
rug sad up
bus fox mut
hot tug pat
rut fun hop

Decodable: (see page 50)

Word Work: Word Building (see page 51)

50
 Decodable Work

Day 15

The tot has a bug.

The cub ran to the mud.

Dan and Tom have a nut.

The rug is in the sun.

Kit has a pup.

Tim and Kit run with the pup.

The cub dug up a nut.

Meg has a pup on the mat.

51
 Word Work – Day 15

Dictation

Line 1: rug sat mut

Line 2: hop bus up

Sentence: We had fun in the hot sun.

52
 Day 16

Phonemic Awareness Activity:

Segmenting: clam, ship, hint, duck, doll
Blending: frog, risk, hand, path, mess

Sound Spelling: e

Words to Blend:
fed bid men
fit met led
rod get cat
let red lot
set let not

Decodable: (see page 53)

Word Work: Word Building (see page 54)

53
 Decodable Work

Day 16

The rug is very wet.

The pup bit my leg.

The cub hid in the den.

Ed fed his dog.

He let the dog get the red pen.

The men sat on the red rug.

Sam had a red bug on the web.

Six men sit on a bed.

54
 Word Work – Day 16

Word Building

Words for the lesson:

at

mat

sat

set

bet

bed

Letter Cards

e a t m s b

55
 Day 17

Phonemic Awareness Activity:

Segmenting: fail, keep, raid, save, night
Blending: play, team, clean, lick, tray

Sound Spelling: e

Words to Blend:
beg hen pep
den hum Ned
pat leg pot
lug ten tap
Ed beg pot

Decodable: (see page 56)

Word Work: Word Building (see page 57)

56
 Decodable Work
Day 17

Ed fed his dog.

He fed the big cat.
The bed is on the rug.
I am in the bed.
Nan met six dogs.
She led Pam to the mat.
Pam wed the man.
The box has a red tag.

57
 Word Work Day 17
Elkonin Boxes
Words for the lesson:
den bit
leg gas
rug pad
nut dot
tin log
Letter Cards

d e n l g

r u p t i

b a s o c

58
 Day 18

Phonemic Awareness Activity:

Segmenting: tail, beach, reach, pine, crate
Blending: maid, feed, sheep, side, tap

Sound Spelling: u

Words to Blend:
get bed hat
fed log net
ten met rod
pit set Mom
red sit jet

Decodable: (see page 59)

Word Work: Word Building (see page 60)

59
 Decodable Work

Day 18

Did you see my net?

I had ten cats.

My hat is wet.

She had a pet rat.

I had a red bag.

Let me run in the mud.

Did he beg you for the pet?

Get me the red net.

60
 Word Work – Day 18
Sort the following words according to the vowels a, e, i, o, u
Word Sort

fed hum cod

lug met lap

Nan pit red

hug cup set

tot beg rim

61
 Day 19

Phonemic Awareness Activity:

Segmenting: ray, sea, speak, drive, fame
Blending: mail, week, spray, ram, slap

Sound Spelling: u

Words to Blend:
rat met hit
bed jet pat
jig pen set
cap ten led
pet Ben tap

Decodable: (see page 62)

Word Work: Word Building (see page 63)

62
 Decodable Work
Day 19

I met him at the jet.

Tim and Dan had a red pen.
She set the cat on my lap.
Can you see the big hen?
Meg has a pet hen.
Pam led the hen to the pen.
Ten men get in the jet.
I bet Ted can run in the mud.

63
 Word Work – Day 19

Dictation

Line 1: hit pen cap

Line 2: set jig rat

Sentence: Ben’s pet is on the bed.

64
 Day 20

Phonemic Awareness Activity:

Segmenting: paint, beef, soap, fin, trade
Blending: train, eat, soak, pave, flake

Sound Spelling: e

Words to Blend:
red get sit
tap bet bed
ten hip lot
hem lad bet
let pup pen

Decodable: (see page 65)

Word Work: Word Building (see page 66)

65
 Decodable Work

Day 20

The cub is in the den.

I bet Ted can run in the mud.

Ed fed the pet cat.

Tom and Ted get in the van.

Tim fed his pet dog.

Pet the dog on the mat.

Ted let the men in.

Ben can wed Pam.

66
 Word Work – Day 20

Word Building

Words for the lesson:

in

fin

tin

ten

pen

pet

Letter Cards

e i n f t p

67
Resources

68
Elkonin Boxes

69
 Dictation

Day 3

Name _______________________

Line 1: __________ __________ __________

Line 2: __________ __________ __________

Sentence: ___________________________________________

Day 7

Name _______________________

Line 1: __________ __________ __________

Line 2: __________ __________ __________

Sentence: ___________________________________________

Day 11

Name _______________________

Line 1: __________ __________ __________

Line 2: __________ __________ __________

Sentence: ___________________________________________

70
 Day 15

Name _______________________

Line 1: __________ __________ __________

Line 2: __________ __________ __________

Sentence: ___________________________________________

Day 19

Name _______________________

Line 1: __________ __________ __________

Line 2: __________ __________ __________

Sentence: ___________________________________________

71
 Dictation Journal

CVC

Name __________________
72
 Day 3

Line 1: _____________ _____________ _____________

Line 2: _____________ _____________ _____________

Sentence: _______________________________________________

________________________________________________________

73
 Day 7

Line 1: _____________ _____________ _____________

Line 2: _____________ _____________ _____________

Sentence: _______________________________________________

________________________________________________________

74
 Day 11

Line 1: _____________ _____________ _____________

Line 2: _____________ _____________ _____________

Sentence: _______________________________________________

________________________________________________________

75
 Day 15

Line 1: _____________ _____________ _____________

Line 2: _____________ _____________ _____________

Sentence: _______________________________________________

________________________________________________________

76
 Day 19

Line 1: _____________ _____________ _____________

Line 2: _____________ _____________ _____________

Sentence: _______________________________________________

________________________________________________________

77