Free printable · Kindergarten to Grade 1
Free short a decodable passage: Max the Cat
Max the Cat is a short story a beginning reader can sound out: short a CVC words like cat, nap, map, ham and jam, plus at, and, glad, and six heart words (the, a, is, to, was, said). The second page has questions with answers to circle.
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Make your own in seconds
Ask for a decodable story for short e, i, o or u, long vowels, or a pattern your student is learning, and SCAFLI makes it with questions.
Try asking for:
- “short e decodable passage”
- “short i decodable passage”
SCAFLI is in early access. The free PDF above needs no sign-up.
What it is
A decodable story for short a, with the words it uses named for the adult, and comprehension questions with three choices each.
How to use it
- Practice the heart words first.
- Have the student read the story aloud, then read it again more smoothly.
- Turn the page and circle the answers together, pointing back to the story.
Three quick tips
- Let the student sound out before you help.
- Read it on two or three days to build fluency.
- Point to the line in the story that answers each question.
Questions
- What are heart words?
- Words with a part that can't be sounded out yet, like said and was. The student learns them by heart.
- Is every word decodable?
- Every word is a short a word or one of the six heart words, and the note names the few that are not plain CVC (at, and, glad).
- Can I get other vowels?
- Yes. Ask for a short e, i, o or u decodable passage.
A starting point for your own professional judgment. Use initials only on any page about a student.