Image of a guinea pig sitting in front of a bowl of peas
© Klein-Hubert/Kimball Stock (guinea pig in Cup); iStockPhoto/Getty Images (guinea pig Guarding, guinea pig with Bowl, Hamster on Stool, Hamster with Pea, Hamster on Peach); Shutterstock.com (All Other Images)
Silly Decodable,

Please Pass the Peas

By Janice Behrens
From the February 2024 Issue

Learning Objective: Students will decode words with the vowel team ea and understand the sequence of events in a story.

Lexiles: 250L
Word List: please, least, steal, peas, eat, Bea, meal, leave, tea, beat, treat, feast
High Frequency Words: reach, peach
Challenge Words: you, the, have, I
Featured Skill: Fluency, Vocabulary,
Common Core Standards
  • RF.1.1.A Recognize the distinguishing features of a sentence RF.1.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words RF.1.4 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension SL.1.1. Participate in collaborative conversations with peers and adults
TEKS Standards
  • English Language Arts (2) Developing and sustaining foundational language skills—beginning reading and writing. The student develops word structure knowledge through phonological awareness, print concepts, phonics, and morphology to communicate, decode, and spell. The student is expected to: (B) demonstrate and apply phonetic knowledge by: (iii) decoding words with closed syllables; open syllables; VCe syllables; vowel teams, including vowel digraphs and diphthongs; and r-controlled syllables.

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Ha! I love peas.

They are mine to eat.

Hi, Ted. I see you have peas.

Please pass the peas.

No, Bea. You always 

eat my meal.

Please! You have a lot of peas.

Give me one at least.

Leave my peas and have a

cup of tea. You like tea, Bea.

But I want the peas.

They can’t be beat.


You cannot steal

them. You cannot

reach.

Fine. I will just eat a peach.

Oh, that peach looks good.

That is a good treat.


Um, Bea. Would you

please pass the peach?

OK, Ted. Would you

please pass the peas?

Here are the 

peas, Bea. 

What a feast!

Slideshows (1)
Activities (2)
Skills Activities
Answer Key (1)
Slideshows (1)
Activities (2) Download All Quizzes and Activities
Skills Activities
Answer Key (1)

More About the Article

English Language Arts Focus 

Phonics and Phonological Awareness

Fluency

Phonics Focus

vowel team ea

Word List

please, least, steal, peas, eat, Bea, meal, leave, tea, beat, treat, feast

High Frequency Words

reach, peach

Challenge Words

you, the, have, I

Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
Download the Lesson Plan

Implementation

  • Whole Group: Practice choral and echo reading to improve fluency.
  • Technology Time: Encourage students to listen and read-along to the read aloud feature with the article.

Pairings and Text Connections

  • From the Storyworks archive: ”Silly Story: Get Set and Go Slow!,” December 2022/January 2023
  • Suggested books: Should I Share My Ice Cream? by Mo Willems; LMNO Peas by Keith Baker; Fluffy Goes to School by Kate McMullan

Before-Reading Resources

  • Word Sounds Slideshow (3 minutes): Preview ea vowel team words from the story.

Suggested Reading Focus

Phonics and Comprehension (20 minutes)
  • Do a mini phonics lesson to review words with the ea vowel team spelling pattern. In words with an ea vowel team spelling pattern, the vowel commonly makes a long e vowel sound. Explain that sometimes words with the ea vowel team can make a short e sound or a long a sound.
  • One way to practice the ea vowel team pattern is through the use of minimal pairs, which help to contrast words with and without the vowel team spelling pattern. For example: bed/bead, set/seat, men/mean, red/read.
  • Review high-frequency words from the story. Students can practice reading words with a partner, as a class, and individually.
  • As children read, check comprehension. What does Ted like to eat? Who wants Ted to pass the peas? Why doesn’t Ted want to share his peas with Bea? When Ted shares the peas with Bea, what will she share with him?
  • Have students review the story and highlight words with the vowel team ea pattern. They can practice by reading words aloud.

After-Reading Skills Practice

  • Skills: Phonics; phonological awareness  (15 minutes)

Extension Activity

Skills: Phonics/drawing (15 minutes)

  • In the story, Ted and Bea share some treats. Have students make ea vowel team treats of their own! Have students draw a plate and mug. Then have them draw and label the following treats: peas, peach, ice cream, meat, beans, and tea.

Text-to-Speech