Image of a robot wearing a party hat
Marybeth Rivera (Yellow Robot, Hat); Marybeth Rivera (Yellow Robot, Hat); sudo takeshi/Getty Images (Pom-pom); Danny E. Rivera (lab coat, goggles); Shutterstock.com (All Other Images)
Silly Decodable,

Zap That Hat

Have fun with decodable text.

By Janice Behrens
From the September 2024 Issue

Learning Objective: Students will decode short-a CVC words and understand the sequence of events in a story. 

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: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking—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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Story Navigation

Max had a hat.

But Jax sat on it.

Now Max is mad.

Look at that hat.

It is bad.

It is flat.

Do not be sad, Max.

Jax is a pal.

Jax will zap the hat.

Jax is at the lab.

Zap, zap, zap.

Tap, tap, tap.

Look at that.

Max has a new hat.

Max and Jax are glad.

They dab.

Play Nosey's Phonics Game

Games (1)
Slideshows (1)
Activities (2)
Skills Activities
Games (1)
Slideshows (1)
Activities (2) Download All Quizzes and Activities
Skills Activities

More About the Article

English Language Arts Focus

Phonics and Phonological Awareness Fluency

Phonics Focus

short-a CVC words

Word List

Max, had, hat, Jax, sad, mad, at, bad, pal, zap, lab, tap, dab

High-Frequency Words

it, is, look, a

Challenge Words

that, flat, glad, new

Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
Download the Lesson Plan

Implementation

  • Whole group
  • Small group
  • Technology time

Pairings and Text Connections

  • From the Storyworks 1 archive: “Sam the Yam" (September 2022); "Mud Bath" (October/November 2022)
  • Suggested books: The Three Little Aliens and the Big Bad Robot by Margaret McNamara; National Geographic Readers: Robots by Melissa Stewart; Unplugged by Steve Antony

Before-Reading Resources

  • Word sounds slideshow (3 minutes) Warm up reading muscles by practicing short-a CVC words.

Suggested Reading Focus

Phonics and comprehension (20 minutes)

  • Review short vowel sounds with students. Isolate and practice the short-a sound. Discuss the mouth shape when making the short-a sound.
  • Practice the CVC short-a pattern by creating a word ladder. Using a dry-erase easel, write the following words in sequential order by erasing the changing letter:
    • sad → mad → had → hat
  • 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 did Max have? Why was Max mad? How was Jax going to fix the hat? What does it mean to be a pal? Where does Jax zap the hat? Is the hat at the end of the story the same as at the beginning? How do Max and Jax feel at the end of the story?
  • Have students review the story and highlight words with the short-a CVC pattern. They can practice by reading words aloud.

After-Reading Skills Practice

  • Skills: Phonics

Online Game

Nosey Digs Phonics game (10 minutes) 

  • This interactive game provides fun practice with reading short-a CVC words.

Text-to-Speech