StudyDog Curriculum Standards

The Specific StudyDog Standards presented by grade level sequencing include the following:

Pre K and Kindergarten

Alphabet (3 lessons). The child identifies the capital and small letters of the alphabet in sentences and words. The child also learns how words and sentences are read left to right.

Single-Sound Consonants (3 lessons). The child matches single-sound consonants with the appropriate letters and vise-versa. The single sound consonants include Bb, Dd, Ff, Hh, Jj, Kk, Ll, Mm, Pp, Rr, Tt, Vv, and Zz. These sounds are the foundation for using phonetic skills to sound out words.

Multiple-Sound Consonants (3 lessons). The child identifies the multiple sounds of Cc, Gg, Nn, Qu, Ss, Ww, Xx, and Yy. For example, the letter C as two sounds heard in the words CITY and CUT. These letters and sounds can be difficult to master, but are critical for young readers to distinguish.

Beginning Sounds (3 lessons). The child identifies and hears the beginning sounds of words such as RAT, CUT, and KIT. These lessons strengthen the child's understanding of sounds in printed text by segmenting the beginning sounds of simple words.

Rhyming Words (3 lessons). The child blends sounds together to create rhyming words. This skill extends the range of words the child can sound out. These lessons introduce short-vowel sounds that are taught to mastery a little latter in the StudyDog curriculum.

Oral Comprehension (3 lessons). The child listens to and reads stories. Each story has a series of literal and analytical questions. These lessons introduce concepts of printed text, how text is read left to right and return, and models fluent reading.

Sight Words (2 lessons). The child recognizes high-frequency sight words needed to read text quickly and accurately. Some of these words include, for example, YOU, THEY, WITH, FROM, and, WHO.

Word Families (3 lessons). The child adds, deletes, or substitutes letters in words to form new words. The words the child makes builds on the sounds learned in the previous StudyDog lessons.

Oral Comprehension and Vocabulary (1 lesson). This unit provides a summary of the reading skills learned to this point. It provides a review of skills and a demonstration of each child's reading development.


First and Second Grade

Short-Vowel Sounds (2 lessons). The child hears and uses the short-vowel sounds in words like CAP, KIT, and MOP.

Long-Vowel Sounds (2 lessons). The child hears and uses the long vowel sounds in words like BIKE, KEEP, and MULE.

Contractions (3 lessons). The child identifies contractions from root words and separates contractions into the root words.

Oral Comprehension (3 lesson). The child listens to a story and reads along. The story has a series of literal and analytical questions for the child to answer. A short vocabulary review is also included.

Consonant Blends (3 lessons). The child learns to read words with consonant blends, including letters sounds such as SL, and TR as heard in the words SLEEP and TRUCK.

Complex Words (2 lessons). The child separates complex words by identifying prefixes and suffixes and root words; separating compound words into two words; and identifying common syllables in multi-syllabic words.

Oral Comprehension (1 lessons). The child listens to a story and reads along. The story has a series of literal and analytical questions for the child to answer. A short vocabulary review is also included.

Vowel Blends (3 lessons). The child reads words with spelling patterns including AI and AY with the long A sound, EE and EA with the long E sound, OA and OW with the long O sound.

Sight Words (6 lessons). The child identifies high-frequency sight-words. These words typically do not follow conventional sound or spelling patterns. Some of these words include CLOSE, GOES, MANY, QUICK, and COULD.

Independent Reading (1 lesson). The child listens to a story and reads along. The story has a series of literal and analytical questions for the child to answer. A short vocabulary review is also included.

Spelling (4 lessons). The child spells three- and four-letter, single-short vowel words, such as has, glad, stop, and put.

Word Families (2 lessons). The child identifies families of words with similar spelling patterns. The child learns to recognize word endings and word patterns, as found in words such as PINK, SINK, DRINK, THINK, and WINK.

Oral Comprehension and Vocabulary (1 lesson). This unit provides a summary of the reading skills learned to this point. It provides a review of skills and a demonstration of each child's reading development.