Lesson 44: Reading short words quickly

📖 READING (40 Lessons) • 🟢 A. Sounds and Words

← Back to Level 1

Objective

Read short words and simple sentences more quickly and smoothly, without sounding like a robot.

Materials

Mini-lesson — From slow sounds to smooth reading

In the last lessons, you learned how to:

  • Hear and say letter sounds.
  • Blend sounds to read words like sat and map.
  • Recognize sight words like the, and, we, and you.

Today you will practice reading short words and sentences more quickly.

Look at this word: sun.

  • First, you might read it slowly.
  • Then you read it a little faster.
  • Then you read it smoothly: “sun.”

You can do the same with map, pin, and net. Each time:

  1. Touch each letter and think about its sound.
  2. Slide your finger under the whole word.
  3. Say the word smoothly: “map,” “pin,” “net.”

Now try some short sentences:

  • “We run.”
  • “I see the sun.”
  • “The cat can nap.”

Read each sentence two times:

  1. First time: slow and careful.
  2. Second time: a little quicker and smoother.

When you read words you know quickly and smoothly, your brain can focus on what the sentence means, not just on the sounds.

Picture: Reading the same sentence first slowly, then smoothly.

Guided Practice — Fluency mini-book

How to use this mini-book:

  1. On each page, find the bold words.
  2. Read the sentence slowly one time.
  3. Read the same sentence again, a little faster and smoother.
  4. Have your child “scoop” 2–3 words with their finger (for example: the cat, can run).

After reading, pick 2 sentences from the mini-book to read a second time. Notice how much smoother it sounds.

Short words to read quickly
sat sun map net pin hop run nap cup red

Tip: Time a 1-minute “quick read” and see how many words your child can read accurately.

Mini-Book: Quick words in the park

1

We go to the park.

We sit in the sun and read a red map.

2

The cat can nap.

The cat naps on the mat. We can not nap. We run!

3

We run and hop.

We run up the path and hop off a rock.

4

We stop for a cup.

We sit on a log with a cup. We read the map one more time.

Reading Practice — Quick words and phrases

Choose the word or sentence that matches the quick, smooth reading idea in each question. Then press “Check answers”.

1) Which word can you read quickly from the sounds /m/ /a/ /p/?
2) Point with your eyes to the word sun.
3) Which group of words is best to read together as a quick phrase?
4) Which sentence is a good one to read smoothly?
5) Which word is easiest to read quickly?
6) Which sentence sounds like it came from the mini-book?
7) If a short sentence sounds choppy, what should you do?
8) Which word is a short CVC word you can read smoothly?

Quick Check (10 questions)

1) What does it mean to read short words quickly?

2) Which word can you read quickly from the sounds /p/ /i/ /n/?

3) Which short sentence is best for practicing smooth reading?

4) What should your finger do when you read a sentence?

5) Which sentence would be good to read twice to sound smoother?

6) If you read “We sit in the sun” very slowly and choppy, what is a smart next step?

7) Which group of words is a good phrase to “scoop” together?

8) Which word is a short CVC word you can practice reading quickly?

9) Why do we practice reading short words and sentences more quickly?

10) To become a smoother reader, you should…

Assessment (parent/teacher)

Exit ticket (student)

I will practice…

← Lesson 43 Lesson 45 →