SOUND CITY READING
  • Sequential Phonics Program
    • Welcome
    • Copyright Information
    • How To Navigate This Site
    • Information About The Sound City Reading Program
    • Information About The Author
    • How Was This Program Developed?
    • Why Are There So Many Different Books?
    • How To Get Started
    • What If I Can't Do Everything In This Program?
    • Information About Reading Street Materials
    • Reading Readiness
    • Understanding Consonants
    • Understanding Vowels
    • What Happened To The Old Web Site
    • Other Recommended Sites
  • Program Overview
    • Step Charts
    • Flow Charts
    • Teaching Levels
    • Books Used At Each Level
    • Color-Coded Vowels
    • Skill Sequence
    • General Information About Instruction
    • Integrating Phonics And Whole Language
    • Sound Story
    • Level 1 - Learning The Alphabet Overview
    • Level 2 - Exploring Sounds In Words Overview
    • Level 3 - Short Vowels Overview
    • Level 4. Phonics Patterns Overview
    • Level 5. Advanced Phonics Patterns Overview
    • Phonemic Awareness Picture Pages Overview
    • Handwriting Books Overview
    • Charts, Flashcards, And Games Overview
    • Newer Wall Charts
    • Previous Wall Charts
  • PDF Files
    • How To Work With PDF Files
    • Printers And Printing Supplies
    • PDF Files For Any Level
    • PDF Files For Handwriting
    • Level 1 - Learning The Alphabet PDFs
    • Level 2 - Exploring Sounds In Words PDFs
    • Level 3 - Short Vowels PDFs
    • Level 4 - Phonics Patterns PDFs
    • Level 5 - Advanced Phonics Patterns PDFs
    • PDF Files For Flashcards
    • PDF Files For Activities And Games
    • PDF Files For Newer Wall Charts
    • PDF Files For Older Wall Charts
  • Reading Street
    • PDFs Decoding Practice Pages
    • PDFs Spelling Worksheets
    • PDFs Word And Phonogram Cards
    • PDFs Reading Street Tests
    • PDFs Reading Street Stories
  • Pictures
    • Sound Story Pictures
    • Keyword/Sound Chart Pictures
    • Level 1 And 2 Pictures
    • Level 3 Pictures
    • Level 4 Pictures
    • Consonant Blends
    • Level 5 Pictures
  • Audio
    • Sound Story Part 1 - Alphabet Sounds
    • Sound Story Part 2 - Beyond The Alphabet Sounds
    • Sound Pictures With Letters - Part 1
    • Sound Pictures With Letters And Letter Patterns - Part 2
    • Individual Sound Pictures - Part 1
    • Individual Sound Pictures - Part 2
    • Individual Alphabet Sounds - ABC Order
    • More Letter Sounds - sh, th, ch, ng, oi, oy, ou, ow
    • Level 1 And Level 2 Sound Charts
    • Level 3 - Short Vowels - Sound Charts
    • Level 3 - Advanced Short Vowel Sound Charts
    • Level 4 - Book 1 - Sound Charts
    • Level 4 - Book 2 - Sound Charts
    • Two-Letter Sound Blending - Short U
    • Picture-Word Page Short U
  • Video
    • Sound Story Part 1 Videos
    • Robot Game a_e/safe Video
    • Advanced Sound Charts Videos (All SCR Patterns)
  • Blog
    • Contact Me
    • Share Your Experience
    • Take This Expanded Survey

 Teaching Materials


Scroll down to see the books used at each teaching level.

Materials Used At All Levels


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A Sound Story About Audrey And Brad

 Some Sound City Reading materials are used by students at all levels of instruction.  This includes A Sound Story About Audrey And Brad  which introduces all of the sounds in the English language, using pictures to represent specific speech sounds.  For example, students see a dog growling (r sound), the wind blowing (w sound), and a bouncing ball (b sound).  Each picture is paired with the capital and lower case letters (in two different fonts) that represent that sound in words.  The teacher reads each section of the story aloud and points out the picture and letters, giving their sounds.  Students listen and watch, repeating the sound as the teacher points to the picture and the letters.
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Part 1 teaches the alphabet sounds, including the consonants and the short vowel sounds.


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Part 2 teaches the remaining speech sounds, called
​The "Beyond The Alphabet Sounds."  It includes the long vowel sounds, dotted vowel sounds, and consonant digraphs.
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Sound charts are included at the end of the book that show all the possible letter patterns that can represent each vowel sound.  These can be removed and posted on the wall to create a "Sound City."

Sound Charts, Sound Cards, And Games

Wall Charts
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​Other Sound City Reading materials used at all levels include large versions of the sound charts that are in the books to hang on the wall in a classroom, letter and phonogram flashcards, and games to help students remember the alphabet and phonogram sounds. Games vary from one level to the next and are designed to reinforce the alphabet letters and phonogram patterns taught at that level.
​

Note: A phonogram is a written symbol that represents a sound.  Letters are phonograms, and letter patterns, such as sh, th, ee, igh, and oy are also phonograms.
Sorry, I cannot get these pictures to appear right side up.  This section still under construction!
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Sound Cards
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Raspberry Game
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Apple Alphabet Game
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Caterpillar Game

Color-Coded Short Vowel Lists

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Students read short vowel rhyming lists followed by body-coda lists, in which words begin with the same letters.  ​The vowels are color-coded, with a different color assigned to each short vowel sound.  The words are not illustrated.  This book does not contain sentences.
Color-Coded Short Vowel Lists

Level 4 - Phonics Patterns


 After students have learned the letters of the alphabet and learned to read and spell short vowel words, they must learn the many additional phonics patterns (phonograms) used to represent sounds in words.  There are three different sets of books to teach these patterns.  Each set teaches the patterns in the same order but has a completely different format.  This allows the teacher to adjust instruction to the students' needs. Short, illustrated practice stories are included in every set.  The three sets are listed here.  See more information about each set under the subheadings below.

  1. Phonetic Words And Stories, Books 1-8    (Very large, color-coded print, the words are illustrated, with ten words per pattern)
  2. Basic Phonics Patterns, Books 1-8            (Large all black print, the words are illustrated, with more than ten words per pattern)
  3. Know The Phonetic Code, Volumes 1-3    (Medium all black print, the words are not illustrated, with advanced word lists)

An additional book, Color-Coded Phonetic Lists, may be used as a supplement for additional decoding practice.  

The phonics (phonogram) patterns are taught in a logical, sequential order. The most common, most needed, and easiest patterns are taught first.  The less common patterns are taught later.  Patterns that are similar are grouped together, providing a logical framework to help students learn them and apply them as they read.

Students not only learn to read words with each new phonetic pattern, they also learn to spell them.  To spell a word, students say each sound, in order, as they simultaneously write the related letters and letter patterns.  As they say the individual sounds, students are segmenting the word.  This is a fundamental phonemic awareness skill that opens the door to reading and writing.  

 A few sight words are taught as exceptions to the rules after a new phonetic pattern has been taught.  For example, after learning to read words with the ee pattern (see, feet, keep...) students learn the sight word been.  After learning the ai pattern (rain, paid, sail...) students learn the sight word said.

After students have studied several new phonetic patterns and related sight words, they read a short practice story containing words with those patterns.

The first part of each book contains sound charts which show all of the phonetic patterns taught so far, including new and review patterns.  On the charts, each phonogram is paired with a sound picture from the sound story.  For example, a picture of a growling dog shows the /r/ sound, a squeaking mouse shows the long /ee/ sound, and a crow shows the /aw/ sound.  Students say the sounds from the charts as the teacher points to each pattern.  The sound charts are expanded to include new patterns as students progress through the books.  The last books will contain more charts than the first books.  Enlarged wall charts, showing the same letter patterns and sound pictures, are available to use in a classroom (see Materials Used At All Levels, above).  

After reviewing the charts the teacher uses a set of phonogram flashcards to review the same patterns.  This time students must recognize the patterns and say the sounds without picture cues.  

There are many patterns to learn, and daily review using the charts and phonogram cards provides the reinforcement needed for students to internalize the patterns so that they can apply them when reading and writing.  

Students can also play a learning game, the Caterpillar Game, in small groups to help them remember the patterns and their sounds.

The patterns are taught quickly, about one new pattern per day for first graders, so that students will be able to begin reading real books as soon as possible.  Second graders may be able to cover two or three patterns per day.

As soon as students learn enough patterns, students can begin reading several "easy to read" trade books.  These are listed in the sequence charts.   For students who are already reading, provide opportunities to read books and stories at the appropriate reading level from the start.

As they work through the program, students will also learn to read multi-syllable words, contractions, and words with suffixes.  

Phonetic Words And Stories - Book 1 - 8

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The Phonetic Words and Stories books may be used after students have learned to read short vowel words.  They work well with beginning readers and also with students who are already reading but need more practice to strengthen their spelling and decoding skills.  This set of books has the largest print.  Students are able to learn more easily when the text for the initial instruction is large enough.

Each new pattern is taught with a set if ten color-coded words.  This gives enough practice for each new pattern without being overwhelming.  Each vowel sound is printed in a different color. This make the vowel pattern "pop out" within the word so the students can see it clearly.  The colors provide a cue to help students remember the vowel sound.  For example, each short vowel is printed in a specific pale color. The related long vowel is  a darker shade of the same color.
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Phonetic Words And Stories
The colors help students organize their thinking as they learn new patterns.  Patterns that have the same sound are printed in the same color.  For example, the ai, ay, and a_e patterns are all printed in a dark red color.  Sometimes one pattern can show two or more different sounds, and the color-coding is helpful for these words as well.  For example, the ow pattern in the word cow is brown, while the ow pattern in the word slow is dark orange to show the long o sound.  

Each set of words is shown with matching pictures on the opposite page.  However the words and pictures are not in the same order.  This allows the teacher and students to do various activities reinforcing phonemic awareness and decoding skills.  One of these activities is called the "Robot Game."  The activities can be adjusted to the students' current level, depending on how much support the students need as they learn the words.  After doing the activities students will usually be able to read the words on the page.

Basic Phonics Patterns - Books 1 - 8

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The Basic Phonics Patterns, Books 1 - 8 have all black print.  The word lists usually contain more than ten words.  Each word is illustrated, with a small picture directly beside the word.  There are also a few sentences for students to read as they study each new pattern.  Students read the same short practice stories, but the words are not color-coded.  

This set of books works well for students are able to decode new words comfortably.  With the longer word lists, additional sentences, and all black print, the books provide a greater challenge compared to the Phonetic Words And Stories books.  The Basic Phonics Patterns books can be used for initial instruction or as extra practice after students have been introduced to the patterns in the Phonetic Words And Stories books.  Because they are printed in all black print they can be easily copied for take home reading practice pages.
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Color-Coded Phonetic Lists

Another book, Color-Coded Phonetic Lists, covers all the patterns taught in books one through eight.  The vowel pattern in each word is color-coded.  Patterns that are printed in the same color sound alike.  It includes both rhyming and body-coda (same beginning sounds) word lists.  The words are not illustrated, and there are no sentences or stories.  The word lists are designed to build decoding fluency for each new pattern that students study.  They should be used in conjunction with either the Phonetic Words And Stories books or the Basic Phonics Patterns books, or with both.

Know The Phonetic Code - Volumes 1, 2, And 3

These books are printed in smaller, all black print.  The word lists are not illustrated, and there are no sentences, but the same practice stories found in the Phonetic Words And Stories and Basic Phonics Patterns books are included and they are illustrated.  The word lists are set up so that students read one column of one-syllable words for each phonetic pattern, along with a number of two-syllable words that contain the pattern. 

Know The Phonetic Code - All

This book is also printed in smaller, all black print.  However in this book there are no practice stories.  This makes it possible to fit word lists for all of the phonetic patterns, including short vowels, phonics patterns, and advanced phonics patterns, in one book.  The word lists are set up so that students read one column of one-syllable words for each phonetic pattern, along with a number of two-syllable words that contain the pattern.  This book can be used as a challenge level for students who are learning the phonetic patterns or as a review book for students who are studying  Advanced Phonics Patterns From Children's Books.

Level 5 - Advanced Phonics Patterns


Advanced Phonics Patterns From Children's Books

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Students work through the Advanced Phonics Patterns book to learn the rest of the phonics patterns (patterns that are less common), more suffixes and prefixes, and common ending syllables (tion/nation, cial/special, sure/pressure, etc.)   The book has all black print.  Students read a set of words and sentences for each new pattern. The words are not illustrated.  Using sound charts, flashcards, and games, students review recent and previously learned phonics patterns.  

​Each new set of patterns prepares students to read a new trade book.  The list of trade books includes eight-one popular children's picture books,  ranging from the first grade through the fourth grade reading levels.  Students are ready to read each new book after they have studied all of the phonetic patterns needed to read the words in the book. Trade books must be checked out of the library or purchased separately.
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Sound City Reading

All Materials Copyright 2023 or earlier by Kathryn J. Davis, All Rights Reserved
Teachers, parents, tutors, and schools may download and print PDF files to use with the students they teach.  They are not to make a profit from distributing the materials.     
If you download one or more PDF files from this site, you may not make the files available from a different site.  However, you may share links to any of the pages on this website, including the pages that have PDF files.    
​Teaching videos are free to watch, and they may be downloaded for use with your own students, at home or in the classroom.  

In special cases I may grant written permission to individuals to use the materials in other ways.  
You can contact me at kathjdavis@gmail.com.
  • Sequential Phonics Program
    • Welcome
    • Copyright Information
    • How To Navigate This Site
    • Information About The Sound City Reading Program
    • Information About The Author
    • How Was This Program Developed?
    • Why Are There So Many Different Books?
    • How To Get Started
    • What If I Can't Do Everything In This Program?
    • Information About Reading Street Materials
    • Reading Readiness
    • Understanding Consonants
    • Understanding Vowels
    • What Happened To The Old Web Site
    • Other Recommended Sites
  • Program Overview
    • Step Charts
    • Flow Charts
    • Teaching Levels
    • Books Used At Each Level
    • Color-Coded Vowels
    • Skill Sequence
    • General Information About Instruction
    • Integrating Phonics And Whole Language
    • Sound Story
    • Level 1 - Learning The Alphabet Overview
    • Level 2 - Exploring Sounds In Words Overview
    • Level 3 - Short Vowels Overview
    • Level 4. Phonics Patterns Overview
    • Level 5. Advanced Phonics Patterns Overview
    • Phonemic Awareness Picture Pages Overview
    • Handwriting Books Overview
    • Charts, Flashcards, And Games Overview
    • Newer Wall Charts
    • Previous Wall Charts
  • PDF Files
    • How To Work With PDF Files
    • Printers And Printing Supplies
    • PDF Files For Any Level
    • PDF Files For Handwriting
    • Level 1 - Learning The Alphabet PDFs
    • Level 2 - Exploring Sounds In Words PDFs
    • Level 3 - Short Vowels PDFs
    • Level 4 - Phonics Patterns PDFs
    • Level 5 - Advanced Phonics Patterns PDFs
    • PDF Files For Flashcards
    • PDF Files For Activities And Games
    • PDF Files For Newer Wall Charts
    • PDF Files For Older Wall Charts
  • Reading Street
    • PDFs Decoding Practice Pages
    • PDFs Spelling Worksheets
    • PDFs Word And Phonogram Cards
    • PDFs Reading Street Tests
    • PDFs Reading Street Stories
  • Pictures
    • Sound Story Pictures
    • Keyword/Sound Chart Pictures
    • Level 1 And 2 Pictures
    • Level 3 Pictures
    • Level 4 Pictures
    • Consonant Blends
    • Level 5 Pictures
  • Audio
    • Sound Story Part 1 - Alphabet Sounds
    • Sound Story Part 2 - Beyond The Alphabet Sounds
    • Sound Pictures With Letters - Part 1
    • Sound Pictures With Letters And Letter Patterns - Part 2
    • Individual Sound Pictures - Part 1
    • Individual Sound Pictures - Part 2
    • Individual Alphabet Sounds - ABC Order
    • More Letter Sounds - sh, th, ch, ng, oi, oy, ou, ow
    • Level 1 And Level 2 Sound Charts
    • Level 3 - Short Vowels - Sound Charts
    • Level 3 - Advanced Short Vowel Sound Charts
    • Level 4 - Book 1 - Sound Charts
    • Level 4 - Book 2 - Sound Charts
    • Two-Letter Sound Blending - Short U
    • Picture-Word Page Short U
  • Video
    • Sound Story Part 1 Videos
    • Robot Game a_e/safe Video
    • Advanced Sound Charts Videos (All SCR Patterns)
  • Blog
    • Contact Me
    • Share Your Experience
    • Take This Expanded Survey