Sound Detective Assessment Sound Detective Checkup
Grade 2 Phonics & Decoding Assessment
Page 1 of 2
Name:
Date:
Part 1
Real Word Reading
Read each row of words aloud to your teacher. Take your time and look closely at every letter pattern.
Row A • Digraphs & Blends
ship
chat
thin
frog
clap
brush
Row B • Silent-E Long Vowels
cake
kite
rope
tube
slide
grape
Row C • Vowel Teams
rain
team
boat
tree
play
coat
Row D • Mixed Skills
star
fern
cloud
coin
splash
sunset
Part 2
Alien Silly Words
These are made-up silly words! Use your sound detective skills to sound out each word aloud.
shib
chot
thup
blim
frap
vake
plone
spait
troam
cleed
Detective Tip: Look for silent-e and vowel teams before you read!
Turn to Page 2 →
Sound Detective Checkup • Written Tasks
Page 2 of 2
Part 3
Vowel Sound Match
Circle the word in each row that has the same vowel sound as the first word.
1. bake
bat
rain
bed
2. bike
sky
bit
chin
3. boat
hot
box
glow
4. feet
read
red
shed
Part 4
Missing Pattern Detective
Clue Box: sh • ch • th • ai • oa • ee
Write the missing letters from the Clue Box to finish each word.
ip
(sails on the sea)
ick
(a baby bird)
umb
(on your hand)
4. tr n
(rides on tracks)
5. b t
(floats on water)
6. tr
(has green leaves)
Part 5
Sentence Sleuth
Read each sentence. Circle the word that makes sense, then write a short answer to the question.
1. Jake rode his ( bike / bake ) down the steep hill.
Where did Jake ride?
2. The green frog will ( leap / lamp ) into the cool pond.
What will the frog do?
Great job, Sound Detective! Check your work before turning in your paper.
Sound Detective Teacher Guide Sound Detective Teacher Guide
Administration Directions & Scoring Benchmarks
Page 1 of 2
Target Grade & Time
Grade 2 • 5 min 1-on-1 (Parts 1–2) + 10 min independent (Parts 3–5)
Skills Assessed
Digraphs, blends, silent-e, vowel teams, & mixed patterns
Materials Needed
Student copy, Teacher Recording Sheet (p. 2), pencil/timer
Step-by-Step Administration Script
1. Part 1: Real Word Reading (1-on-1 Oral)
Place Page 1 in front of the student. Say: "Today you are a Sound Detective! Look at Part 1. Please read each row of words aloud from left to right. If you get stuck, sound it out the best you can."
Scoring: Mark ✓ on the Recording Sheet for each word read accurately within 3 seconds. Record any substitutions or sound-by-sound errors.
2. Part 2: Alien Silly Words (1-on-1 Oral)
Point to Part 2. Say: "These are made-up alien words. They aren't real words, so use your letter-sound clues to read each one aloud."
Note: Do not correct students if they pronounce a vowel with a valid alternative, but note if they miss the target digraph, blend, silent-e, or vowel team.
3. Parts 3–5: Written Decoding Tasks (Independent or Small Group)
Read the directions for Parts 3, 4, and 5 aloud to students, then allow 10 minutes for independent completion. Remind students to use the Clue Box in Part 4 and check their sentences in Part 5.
Mastery Benchmarks & Instructional Next Steps
Performance Level
Score Range
Instructional Next Steps
Mastery
80%–100%
(38–48 pts)
Ready for multisyllabic words, prefixes/suffixes, and fluency building in grade-level texts.
Developing
60%–79%
(29–37 pts)
Target specific missed patterns (e.g., vowel teams vs. silent-e) in small-group word sorts and decodable readers.
Needs Support
Below 60%
(0–28 pts)
Provide explicit, systematic review starting with digraphs/blends and short-to-long vowel contrast.
Total Assessment Points: 48 (24 Real Words + 10 Silly Words + 14 Written Items) Discontinue a row if a student misses 4+ consecutive words.
Oral Reading Recording Sheet
Mark ✓ for accurate reading; write miscues above the word.
Page 2 of 2
Student:
Date:
Total:
/ 48
Part 1: Real Word Reading (24 Points)
Row A: Digraphs & Blends Score: ____ / 6
☐ ship
☐ chat
☐ thin
☐ frog
☐ clap
☐ brush
Row B: Silent-E Long Vowels Score: ____ / 6
☐ cake
☐ kite
☐ rope
☐ tube
☐ slide
☐ grape
Row C: Vowel Teams Score: ____ / 6
☐ rain
☐ team
☐ boat
☐ tree
☐ play
☐ coat
Row D: Mixed Skills (R-Controlled, Diphthongs, Blends) Score: ____ / 6
☐ star
☐ fern
☐ cloud
☐ coin
☐ splash
☐ sunset
Part 2: Alien Silly Words (10 Points)
Score: ____ / 10
☐ shib
☐ chot
☐ thup
☐ blim
☐ frap
☐ vake
☐ plone
☐ spait
☐ troam
☐ cleed
Written Tasks Tally (14 Points)
Part 3: Vowel Sound Match ____ / 4
Part 4: Missing Pattern ____ / 6
Part 5: Sentence Sleuth ____ / 4
Teacher Observations
Compare Real Word (Part 1) vs. Silly Word (Part 2) scores to see if the student relies on sight memory or true decoding.
Sound Detective Answer Key Sound Detective Answer Key
Scoring Solutions & Diagnostic Error Analysis
Page 1 of 4
Part 2: Alien Silly Words (Pronunciation & Target Pattern)
shib
/shĭb/ • sh
chot
/chŏt/ • ch
thup
/thŭp/ • th
blim
/blĭm/ • bl
frap
/frăp/ • fr
vake
/vāk/ • a_e
plone
/plōn/ • o_e
spait
/spāt/ • ai
troam
/trōm/ • oa
cleed
/klēd/ • ee
Part 3: Vowel Sound Match (4 pts)
1. bake → rain Long /ā/
2. bike → sky Long /ī/
3. boat → glow Long /ō/
4. feet → read Long /ē/
Part 4: Missing Pattern (6 pts)
1. sh ip
2. ch ick
3. th umb
4. trai n
5. boa t
6. tree
Part 5: Sentence Sleuth (4 pts • 1 pt word + 1 pt answer)
1. Circled word: bike
Sample answer: Down the steep hill.
2. Circled word: leap
Sample answer: Leap into the cool pond.
Quick Diagnostic Error Analysis
Observed Error
Skill Gap
Targeted Mini-Lesson
Reads shib as sib or omits blend sound
Digraphs & Blends
Use Elkonin sound boxes to tap each phoneme; highlight 2-letter digraphs as 1 sound.
Reads vake as vack or plone as plon
Silent-E (VCe)
Practice minimal pairs (cap/cape , kit/kite ) and draw an arrow from silent-e back to the vowel.
Reads spait as spat or guesses vowel
Vowel Teams
Build word chains with ai/ay , ea/ee , and oa/ow ; sort words by vowel sound.
High Part 1 score, low Part 2 score
Over-reliance on Sight Memory
Student memorizes real words instead of decoding; integrate daily nonsense-word blending drills.
Sound Detective Checkup • Grade 2 Phonics & Decoding Assessment Bundle
Kite Rescue Answer Key
Decodable Comprehension & Word Hunt Solutions
Page 2 of 4
Part 1: Phonics Word Hunt (Accept any 2 valid words per column)
Digraphs (sh, ch, th)
• Beth, path, thin
• beach, reached
• shore, splash, shallow
• the, this, then, touched
Silent-E Long Vowels
• Jake, kite, waves
• shore, beside
• smile, saved
• gave, before
Vowel Teams (ea, oa, ee)
• beach, sea, team, reached
• float, boat, soaked, foam
• green, breeze
Part 2: Story Detective Questions
1. Why did Jake's kite float out over the waves?
Answer: B. A strong gust snapped the string.
2. How did Jake and Beth rescue the kite?
Sample Answer: They used a long stick from the shallow water to hook the kite's string before it hit the foam.
3. What does the word soaked mean in the story? How do you know?
Sample Answer: It means very wet. In the story, the kite was floating over the waves and splash, and at the end they were happy they stayed dry.
Decoding-to-Comprehension Connection
Have students read Kite Rescue aloud once for accuracy before answering the questions. If a student struggles with comprehension, check whether they misread key decodable words (such as snapped , float , or shallow ) that carry the story's meaning.
Sound Detective Checkup • Kite Rescue Worksheet Key
Starlight Campout Answer Key
Decodable Comprehension & Word Hunt Solutions
Page 3 of 4
Part 1: Phonics Word Hunt (Accept any 2 valid words per column)
Blends (tr, cr, st, fl)
• tree, trail
• creek, crisp, crunch, crawled
• stars, stump
• flat, flashlight
R-Controlled (ar, er)
• dark, stars, spark
• sister, under
• (also for , toward )
Vowel Teams (ee, ai, ea)
• green, tree, creek, sleep
• trail
• beam
Part 2: Story Detective Questions
1. What made the crunching sound near the stump?
Answer: B. A tiny gray raccoon.
2. Why did Nora zip the food bag tight inside the tent?
Sample Answer: She wanted to keep the raccoon from getting their snacks while they slept.
3. What did Sam use to see in the dark? What did he spot?
Sample Answer: Sam used his flashlight and spotted two round eyes belonging to a tiny gray raccoon.
Fluency & Expression Tip
Encourage students to scoop phrases together (e.g., "under a tall pine tree" ) during a second reading of Starlight Campout . Rereading decodable text builds automaticity with consonant blends and r-controlled vowels.
Sound Detective Checkup • Starlight Campout Worksheet Key
Coin Jar Mystery Answer Key
Decodable Comprehension & Word Hunt Solutions
Page 4 of 4
Part 1: Phonics Word Hunt (Accept any 2 valid words per column)
Diphthongs (oi, oy)
• coin, coins, noise
• toy, joy, Roy
Diphthongs (ou, ow)
• round, around, found
• couch, loud, out, count
• town, frowned, brown, tower, clown
Silent-E Long Vowels
• Kate, made, dimes
• hoped, smile, gave
Part 2: Story Detective Questions
1. What did Kate hope to buy with her coins?
Answer: B. A small wooden toy train.
2. What clue helped Kate find her missing coins?
Sample Answer: She found a tiny trail of bright dimes near the brown rug leading toward the couch.
3. Why did Kate laugh instead of staying upset at the end?
Sample Answer: She saw her little brother Roy had only used the coins to build a tower for his toy clown, and he helped put them back.
Diphthong Differentiation Tip
If students confuse ow in clown (/ou/) with ow in hollow (/ō/), point out both words in the story and sort other ow words by sound to build flexible decoding strategies.
Sound Detective Checkup • Coin Jar Mystery Worksheet Key
Kite Rescue Worksheet Kite Rescue
Decodable Story & Comprehension Check
Grade 2 Reading
Name:
Date:
Read Sound out each word carefully as you read the story.
On a bright spring day, Jake and his friend Beth walked down the sandy path to the beach. Jake held his green kite with a long, thin tail. A fresh breeze blew off the sea and lifted the kite high into the sky.
Suddenly, a strong gust snapped the string! The kite began to float out over the waves toward an old wooden boat near the shore. "Oh no!" cried Jake. "My kite will get soaked in the splash!"
Beth spotted a long stick beside a flat rock. Together, the team reached out from the shallow water and hooked the kite's string just before it touched the foam. Jake gave a big smile. They saved the kite and stayed dry!
Part 1
Phonics Word Hunt
(Find and write 2 words from the story for each clue.)
Digraphs (sh, ch, th)
Silent-E Long Vowels
Vowel Teams (ea, oa, ee)
Part 2
Story Detective Questions
1. Why did Jake's kite float out over the waves?
A. Jake dropped it in a boat.
B. A strong gust snapped the string.
C. Beth threw a flat rock at it.
2. How did Jake and Beth rescue the kite?
3. What does the word soaked mean in the story? How do you know?
Tip: Look back at the story to check your answers!
Starlight Campout Worksheet Starlight Campout
Decodable Story & Comprehension Check
Grade 2 Reading
Name:
Date:
Read Sound out each word carefully as you read the story.
At dusk, Sam and his sister Nora set up their green tent under a tall pine tree. They hiked a rocky trail to find a flat spot near a quiet creek. As the sky grew dark, bright stars began to spark above the clouds.
Suddenly, a crisp crunch came from a bush beside the stump! Sam clicked on his flashlight and aimed the beam toward the sound. Two round eyes blinked back at them.
It was only a tiny gray raccoon looking for a snack! Nora gave a soft laugh and zipped the food bag tight inside the tent. Soon, they crawled into their warm sleeping bags and drifted off to sleep.
Part 1
Phonics Word Hunt
(Find and write 2 words from the story for each clue.)
Blends (tr, cr, st, fl)
R-Controlled (ar, er)
Vowel Teams (ee, ai, ea)
Part 2
Story Detective Questions
1. What made the crunching sound near the stump?
A. A loud frog in the creek.
B. A tiny gray raccoon.
C. A falling pine branch.
2. Why did Nora zip the food bag tight inside the tent?
3. What did Sam use to see in the dark? What did he spot?
Tip: Look back at the story to check your answers!
Coin Jar Mystery Worksheet Coin Jar Mystery
Decodable Story & Comprehension Check
Grade 2 Reading
Name:
Date:
Read Sound out each word carefully as you read the story.
Kate saved every shiny coin in a round glass jar on her shelf. She hoped to buy a small wooden toy train at the shop in town. One morning, Kate shook the jar, and it made a soft, hollow noise. Half of her coins were gone!
"Who took my coins?" Kate frowned. She looked around the room for a clue. Near the brown rug, she found a tiny trail of bright dimes leading toward the couch.
Kate peeked behind the pillow and let out a loud laugh of joy. Her little brother Roy had stacked the coins into a tall tower for his toy clown! Roy gave a shy smile and helped Kate count every coin back into the jar.
Part 1
Phonics Word Hunt
(Find and write 2 words from the story for each clue.)
Diphthongs (oi, oy)
Diphthongs (ou, ow)
Silent-E Long Vowels
Part 2
Story Detective Questions
1. What did Kate hope to buy with her coins?
A. A tall brown clown.
B. A small wooden toy train.
C. A round glass jar.
2. What clue helped Kate find her missing coins?
3. Why did Kate laugh instead of staying upset at the end?
Tip: Look back at the story to check your answers!