Grade 1 Reading - Phonics and Comprehension
You will receive the zoom link within a few hours of purchasing.
Course Description
In this course, students will build a strong foundation in reading using From Phonics to Reading (Grade 1) for phonics instruction and Core Knowledge: Fables & Stories (Unit 1) for comprehension. Together, these programs provide the essential skills for fluent reading, spelling, and vocabulary development while immersing students in timeless fables, folktales, and classic children’s stories.
The phonics portion focuses on phonemic awareness, sight words, blends, digraphs, and patterns (such as ai, ay, etc.) that allow children to read and spell confidently.
The comprehension portion develops vocabulary, listening skills, retelling, story elements, and moral reasoning through fables and stories from Aesop, Beatrix Potter, Anansi the Spider, and more.
This course follows the Science of Reading approach, ensuring your child receives structured, research-based literacy instruction.
Recommended for students in Grade 1 who already know most letter sounds and can blend simple words.
Schedule: Tuesday and Thursdays 1:00 - 1:45 EST (September 18 - December 17)
Materials
Required Textbook: From Phonics to Reading (Grade 1) (~$23)
Supplies: scissors, glue stick
Printouts: A few pages for comprehension will need to be printed by a parent
Optional Supplies: stamps, stickers, or markers for page-completion rewards
Homework
Daily: Read the provided phonics booklet aloud each night
Optional: 1–2 additional workbook pages per week (~15 minutes total HW per week)
Class Structure (45 minutes)
2 min – Welcome activity
2 min – Sight word / sound review
5 min – Phonemic awareness activity
15 min – Phonics main lesson, word study, written practice
5 min – Comprehension / vocabulary review
15 min – Read-aloud with questions and discussion
1 min – Wrap-up / goodbye
Week-by-Week Syllabus
Week / Lesson | Phonics /Word Study (From Phonics to Reading) | Comprehension (Core Knowledge) | Vocabulary Words |
Week 1 | Short a, plurals | The Boy Who Cried Wolf | company, shepherd, prank, startled, tended |
Week 2 | Short i, inflectional ending -s | The Maid and the Milk Pail | balanced, jealous, milkmaid, plumpest |
Week 3 | Short o, double final consonants (ll, ss, zz) | The Goose and the Golden Eggs | Delight, golden, goose, greedy |
Week 4 | Short u, double final consonants (dd, ll, zz) | The Dog in the Manger | budge, manger oxen, plow |
Week 5 | Short e, Plurals review | The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing | disguise, fleece, flock, pretend, prowled |
Week 6 | L-blends, possessives | The Fox and the Grapes | bunch, juicy, pluck, lunged, ripe |
Week 7 | S-blends, final blends | The Little Half-Chick (Medio Pollito) | abandoned, stream, brood, waste, stubborn |
Week 8 | R-blends, Contractions | The Crowded, Noisy House | advice, pondered, stunned |
Week 9 | Digraphs sh, th, inflectional ending -ed | The Tale of Peter Rabbit | Exert, mischief,m naughty, sobs, thief |
Week 10 | Digraphs ch, tch, wh, inflectional ending -ing | All Stories Are Anansi’s | acknowledge, approached, satisfied, quarreling |
Week 11 | Digraphs ng, nk, 3-letter blends | Comprehension review | |
Week 12 | Final e (a_e, i_e), Soft c and g | Unit summary and review | |
Week 13 | Final e (o_e, u_e, e_e), Inflectional ending -ing and -ed | Unit summary and review |
No class on Thanksgiving, Nov 27
(Exact phonics sequence may adjust slightly depending on pacing and student mastery.)
Assessments & Grading
Phonics Checks: Informal assessments during class (reading lists, decoding words). Results will be logged privately in a Google Sheet.
Workbook Completion: Students mark finished pages with a smiley face, stamp, or sticker.
Comprehension Checks: Participation in answering questions using methods like thumbs up/down, chat, group answers, or individual response.
Parent Goals: Families may share additional learning goals (e.g., increased confidence, speaking up more, sitting through class).
Teaching Style
My teaching is interactive, engaging, and fast-paced! Students will practice through games, interactive slides, and read-alouds. Each class balances phonics rigor with fun comprehension discussions. Positive reinforcement is emphasized—students celebrate success with affirmations, stamps, and stickers.
This is an academic focused class. Students will have chances to discuss and talk often, including connecting comprehension stories to their own lives, but conversations will always be guided back to the text and learning objectives.
Parent Communication
For quick questions, please email me anytime. info@akeebamaze.com
For more in-depth discussions about your child’s progress, we can schedule a short call after class.