Phonics & Reading Foundations

The starting point for all student agents, featuring the mission briefing and essential toolkits for the four program pillars.

Program-wide materials for the Mastermind Academy, including the parent information brochure and the student graduation certificate.

A final review and celebration of the skills learned throughout the Mastermind Academy program.

Students learn to identify and regulate their emotions to stay in the "learning zone."

Mind masters learn to switch their "brain gears" to focus on the task at hand and ignore distractions.

Specialists focus on the "cement" of writing: punctuation, capitalization, and grammar rules.

Engineers learn to expand their simple "blueprints" by adding descriptive adjectives and powerful verbs.

Sentence architects learn the foundations of a strong sentence, including subjects and predicates.

Explorers learn to organize their hunted ideas into a clear beginning, middle, and end.

Hunters learn to track down specific details that make their ideas stronger and more vivid.

Idea hunters head into the wild to find "sparks" of inspiration for their writing using their senses.

Detectives learn to pull specific information and evidence from texts to solve comprehension cases.

Young sleuths learn how to use context clues and word parts to uncover the meaning of tricky vocabulary.

Students become Clue Catchers, using detective strategies to decode unfamiliar words and sounds in text.

A cumulative review of all R-controlled vowels (ar, or, ore, er, ir, ur) through games and mixed decoding practice.

The final common /er/ spelling, 'ur' as in 'surf' and 'burn'. Practice with all /er/ variations.

Learning the /er/ sound spelled with 'ir' as in 'bird' and 'dirt'. Comparing with 'er' words.

Focusing on the /er/ sound as in 'fern' and 'her'. Introduction to the first of the three common /er/ spellings.

Learning the /or/ sound at the end of words with the 'ore' grapheme, like 'shore' and 'more'.

Exploring the /or/ sound as in 'fork' and 'storm'. Students learn to identify and decode words with 'or'.

The starting point for all student agents, featuring the mission briefing and essential toolkits for the four program pillars.

Program-wide materials for the Mastermind Academy, including the parent information brochure and the student graduation certificate.

A final review and celebration of the skills learned throughout the Mastermind Academy program.

Students learn to identify and regulate their emotions to stay in the "learning zone."

Mind masters learn to switch their "brain gears" to focus on the task at hand and ignore distractions.

Specialists focus on the "cement" of writing: punctuation, capitalization, and grammar rules.

Engineers learn to expand their simple "blueprints" by adding descriptive adjectives and powerful verbs.

Sentence architects learn the foundations of a strong sentence, including subjects and predicates.

Explorers learn to organize their hunted ideas into a clear beginning, middle, and end.

Hunters learn to track down specific details that make their ideas stronger and more vivid.

Idea hunters head into the wild to find "sparks" of inspiration for their writing using their senses.

Detectives learn to pull specific information and evidence from texts to solve comprehension cases.

Young sleuths learn how to use context clues and word parts to uncover the meaning of tricky vocabulary.

Students become Clue Catchers, using detective strategies to decode unfamiliar words and sounds in text.

A quick-fire 30-minute sub plan focusing on the 1-1-1 doubling rule for suffixes -ed, -er, -est, and -ing. Students act as 'Word Mechanics' to fix words before they leave the factory.

A two-part foundational literacy lesson focusing on phonogram categorization and identifying parts of speech in simple sentences.

A celebratory final session where students demonstrate their 'Master Pathfinder' skills and receive recognition for their growth in thinking and English.

Focuses on logic and decision-making by asking 'why' and 'how' questions about texts to understand cause and effect.

Deepens self-awareness through journaling and reflection, helping students recognize their own reactions and thoughts while reading and writing.

Encourages idea construction and creative writing, showing students how to fuel their mind machines with imagination to create original stories.

A comprehensive 2nd-grade literacy practice set focused on phonics (beginning, middle, and ending sounds), grammar (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs), and reading comprehension. Designed with a fun "Code Breaker" detective theme to engage students in essential IRead skills.

Guided practice in writing a short alliterative poem and illustrating the concept.

Focuses on creating and reading simple tongue twisters using alliterative word pairs.

An introduction to alliteration through letter-sound matching and identifying repeating start sounds in simple character names.

Guided practice in using onomatopoeia to create a 'Storm' poem using graphic organizers and fill-in-the-blank templates.

An introduction to identifying sound words (onomatopoeia) through a simple kitchen-themed poem and a sorting activity.

A playful introduction to spoonerisms and creative rhyming inspired by Shel Silverstein's Runny Babbit. Students will learn to swap initial sounds to create whimsical new words and poems.

Mastering complex clusters where two sounds slide together, focusing on s-blends, l-blends, and r-blends.

Investigations into special two-letter combinations that create unique single sounds, featuring sh, ch, th, and wh.

Detecting patterns in word endings, students explore common word families to build rhyme and reading fluency.

The first stage of the Sound Detective journey, focusing on the discovery of initial consonant sounds through interactive sentence puzzles.

A comprehensive week-long unit reviewing short vowels through explicit instruction, multisensory practice, and decodable text application.

A phonics lesson focusing on the vowel teams 'oi' and 'oy' and 2nd grade heart words, themed around pollinators (bees, butterflies, and flowers) for literacy center practice.

A week-long exploration of fishing techniques, river ecosystems, and aquatic life. Designed for struggling readers, blending high-interest outdoor skills with 2nd-grade level literacy instruction.

A week-long exploration of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), trail safety, and off-road mechanics. Designed for struggling readers with high-interest topics and 2nd-grade literacy supports.

A week-long exploration of construction principles, comparing Minecraft building to real-world engineering and architecture. Includes daily reading, spelling, and writing activities at a 2nd-grade level.

A week-long exploration of motocross culture, bike mechanics, and safety protocols. Integrates 2nd-grade reading levels with high-octane 5th-grade interest topics.

A week-long exploration of farming technology and practices, comparing video game simulations to real-life farm management. Includes daily reading, spelling, and writing activities.

A culminating creative project where students design their own underwater research log and describe a new sea creature.

Mastering the final stable syllable 'Consonant-le' found at the end of multi-syllabic words.

Analyzing how the 'Bossy R' influences the sound of the preceding vowel in R-controlled syllables.

Tracking down vowel teams where two vowels work together to create a specific long or unique vowel sound.

Deciphering the Magic E (VCe) pattern where a silent 'e' at the end of a syllable makes the preceding vowel long.

Exploring open syllables that end in a single vowel, which typically makes its long sound.

Investigation of closed syllables where a single vowel is followed by one or more consonants, resulting in a short vowel sound.

The starting point for all student agents, featuring the mission briefing and essential toolkits for the four program pillars.

Program-wide materials for the Mastermind Academy, including the parent information brochure and the student graduation certificate.

A final review and celebration of the skills learned throughout the Mastermind Academy program.

Students learn to identify and regulate their emotions to stay in the "learning zone."

Mind masters learn to switch their "brain gears" to focus on the task at hand and ignore distractions.

Specialists focus on the "cement" of writing: punctuation, capitalization, and grammar rules.

Engineers learn to expand their simple "blueprints" by adding descriptive adjectives and powerful verbs.

Sentence architects learn the foundations of a strong sentence, including subjects and predicates.

Explorers learn to organize their hunted ideas into a clear beginning, middle, and end.

Hunters learn to track down specific details that make their ideas stronger and more vivid.

Idea hunters head into the wild to find "sparks" of inspiration for their writing using their senses.

Detectives learn to pull specific information and evidence from texts to solve comprehension cases.

Young sleuths learn how to use context clues and word parts to uncover the meaning of tricky vocabulary.

Students become Clue Catchers, using detective strategies to decode unfamiliar words and sounds in text.

A final review and celebration of the skills learned throughout the Mastermind Academy program.

Students learn to identify and regulate their emotions to stay in the "learning zone."

Mind masters learn to switch their "brain gears" to focus on the task at hand and ignore distractions.

Specialists focus on the "cement" of writing: punctuation, capitalization, and grammar rules.

Engineers learn to expand their simple "blueprints" by adding descriptive adjectives and powerful verbs.

Sentence architects learn the foundations of a strong sentence, including subjects and predicates.

Explorers learn to organize their hunted ideas into a clear beginning, middle, and end.

Hunters learn to track down specific details that make their ideas stronger and more vivid.

Idea hunters head into the wild to find "sparks" of inspiration for their writing using their senses.

Detectives learn to pull specific information and evidence from texts to solve comprehension cases.

Young sleuths learn how to use context clues and word parts to uncover the meaning of tricky vocabulary.

Students become Clue Catchers, using detective strategies to decode unfamiliar words and sounds in text.

A quick-fire 30-minute sub plan focusing on the 1-1-1 doubling rule for suffixes -ed, -er, -est, and -ing. Students act as 'Word Mechanics' to fix words before they leave the factory.

A foundational literacy lesson focusing on decoding CVC and CVCE words through a short story about a boy and his pet. Students will practice reading fluency and inferring character feelings based on story events.

Applying common suffixes (-s, -es, -ed, -ing) and mastering spelling rules like doubling consonants and dropping the silent e.

Exploring common vowel teams like ai, ay, ee, and ea, and understanding how vowel combinations create long vowel sounds.

Learning the role of silent e in changing vowel sounds from short to long, focusing on common CVCE patterns.

Developing proficiency with consonant blends (bl, st, fr) and digraphs (ch, sh, th, wh) to decode and spell more complex single-syllable words.

Mastering short vowel sounds (a, e, i, o, u) through CVC word construction, reading fluency with simple decodable text, and basic spelling patterns.

A comprehensive 2nd-grade literacy practice set focused on phonics (beginning, middle, and ending sounds), grammar (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs), and reading comprehension. Designed with a fun "Code Breaker" detective theme to engage students in essential IRead skills.

Mastering the final stable syllable 'Consonant-le' found at the end of multi-syllabic words.

Analyzing how the 'Bossy R' influences the sound of the preceding vowel in R-controlled syllables.

Tracking down vowel teams where two vowels work together to create a specific long or unique vowel sound.

Deciphering the Magic E (VCe) pattern where a silent 'e' at the end of a syllable makes the preceding vowel long.

Exploring open syllables that end in a single vowel, which typically makes its long sound.

Investigation of closed syllables where a single vowel is followed by one or more consonants, resulting in a short vowel sound.

A collection of instructional resources and organizing tools for nonsense word fluency practice across various phonics patterns.

Program-wide materials for the Mastermind Academy, including the parent information brochure and the student graduation certificate.

A final review and celebration of the skills learned throughout the Mastermind Academy program.

Students learn to identify and regulate their emotions to stay in the "learning zone."

Mind masters learn to switch their "brain gears" to focus on the task at hand and ignore distractions.

Specialists focus on the "cement" of writing: punctuation, capitalization, and grammar rules.

Engineers learn to expand their simple "blueprints" by adding descriptive adjectives and powerful verbs.

Sentence architects learn the foundations of a strong sentence, including subjects and predicates.

Explorers learn to organize their hunted ideas into a clear beginning, middle, and end.

Hunters learn to track down specific details that make their ideas stronger and more vivid.

Idea hunters head into the wild to find "sparks" of inspiration for their writing using their senses.

Detectives learn to pull specific information and evidence from texts to solve comprehension cases.

Young sleuths learn how to use context clues and word parts to uncover the meaning of tricky vocabulary.

Students become Clue Catchers, using detective strategies to decode unfamiliar words and sounds in text.

Mastering the final stable syllable 'Consonant-le' found at the end of multi-syllabic words.

Analyzing how the 'Bossy R' influences the sound of the preceding vowel in R-controlled syllables.

Tracking down vowel teams where two vowels work together to create a specific long or unique vowel sound.

Deciphering the Magic E (VCe) pattern where a silent 'e' at the end of a syllable makes the preceding vowel long.

Exploring open syllables that end in a single vowel, which typically makes its long sound.

Investigation of closed syllables where a single vowel is followed by one or more consonants, resulting in a short vowel sound.

A collection of instructional resources and organizing tools for nonsense word fluency practice across various phonics patterns.

A lesson focused on decoding popular sayings using a variety of phonics patterns including CVC, blends, silent e, vowel teams, R-controlled vowels, and multi-syllabic words.

A cumulative review of all R-controlled vowels (ar, or, ore, er, ir, ur) through games and mixed decoding practice.

The final common /er/ spelling, 'ur' as in 'surf' and 'burn'. Practice with all /er/ variations.

Learning the /er/ sound spelled with 'ir' as in 'bird' and 'dirt'. Comparing with 'er' words.

Focusing on the /er/ sound as in 'fern' and 'her'. Introduction to the first of the three common /er/ spellings.

Learning the /or/ sound at the end of words with the 'ore' grapheme, like 'shore' and 'more'.

Exploring the /or/ sound as in 'fork' and 'storm'. Students learn to identify and decode words with 'or'.

Introduction to the /ar/ sound as in 'star' and 'park'. Students practice blending and reading words with the 'ar' grapheme.

A two-part foundational literacy lesson focusing on phonogram categorization and identifying parts of speech in simple sentences.

A collection of organized, visually-supported phonics labels designed for classroom organization and student reference. These labels cover core literacy concepts from short vowels to diphthongs.

A comprehensive set of practice materials for the ILEARN assessment focusing on vowel and consonant patterns (CVC, CCVC, CVCe, etc.). Includes grouped practice, a mixed test, task cards, and an answer key.