Dolch Word List

The Dolch List contains words that must be quickly recognized in order to have reading fluency.  If the child is spending too much time decoding, or figuring out words, then comprehension cannot occur.  The Dolch Words are the most frequently used words in the English language, making up 50 to 70 percent of any text!   Many of the Dolch words cannot be “sounded out” and must be learned by “sight,” or memorized.  PLEASE buy a blank set of index cards and drill sections of the word lists each evening.  Repetition and practice are very important to make these words automatic.  Again, once these basic sight words have been mastered, children will read more fluently, and this will have a positive impact on comprehension.

 

Pre-primer	Primer		Grade One	Grade Two		Grade Three
a and away big blue can come down find for funny go help here I in is it jump little look make me my not one play red run said see the three to two up we where yellow you	all am are at ate be black brown but came did do eat four get good have he into like must new no now on our out please pretty ran ride saw say she so soon that there they this too	under want was well went what white who will with yes	after again an any ask as by could every fly from give going had has her him his how just know let live may of old once open over put round some stop take thank them then think walk were when	always around because been before best both buy call cold does don’t fast first five found gave goes green its made many off or pull read right sing sit sleep tell their these those upon us use very wash which	why wish work would write your	about better bring carry clean cut done draw drink eight fall far full got grow hold hot hurt if keep kind laugh light long much myself never only own pick seven shall* show six small start ten today together try warm

 

 

 

 

When repeated reading of text or phrases is practiced regularly, students’ word recognition, fluency, and comprehension improve significantly. 

 

(This passage contains all of the 220 Dolch Basic Sight Words.)

 

 

 

The Best Thing In The World

 

Once upon a time, there were four brothers who lived in a far away

 

land. Their father was an old king. One day he said, "I will not live

 

long now. Today you must start out into the world. In a year, bring

 

back the best thing you have found. The one who can pick the best

 

thing shall be the new king." The first brother said, "I will look in every

 

city or town. I will buy the best thing I can for my father." The next

 

two brothers said, "We will both go on fast ships over the sea. We will

 

find something better." The last brother said, "I am going to ask the

 

people here in our own land to tell me the best thing." The other three

 

brothers began to laugh. "Then you will never be king!" They said.

 

 

 

The last brother started off. When he had gone about six miles, he

 

met a man. "What do you carry in those big bags?" he asked. "The

 

best thing in the world," said the man. "These are full of the good nuts

 

which fall from my five nut trees." "I don't think that would work,"

 

said the brother to himself, "I must try again." The brother went on

 

another seven miles. He found a small brown bird. It had been hurt,

 

so he put it in his coat where it could keep warm. As he went on, he

 

saw a little girl crying. He ran to meet her. "Why are you crying?" he

 

asked. "I want to get some water from the well," she said. "We use so

 

much. We drink cold water. We wash the clothes clean with hot water.

 

But I do not know how to pull it up. Please show me." The brother

 

said, "Hold this bird and I will help you. It does not fly around any

 

more because it got its wing cut." "Thank you. What a pretty bird!"

 

she said. "I wish you would give it to me. If you will let me keep it, I

 

will always be very kind to it. I will take care of it myself. I will make it

 

grow well again." "Yes, you may have it," said the brother. So he gave

 

her the bird and went on.

 

At night, he went to sleep under a round yellow haystack. When it was

 

light again he walked on. Every day he would walk eight or ten miles.

 

He asked the people about the best thing in the world. Some said it

 

was best to sing. Some said it was best to run and jump and play.

 

Some said the green grass was best. Some liked the red and blue and

 

white flowers best. One man said the best thing was to ride a black

 

horse. He always stopped to help people who needed it. Soon he

 

made many friends. All the people began to like him. They would say,

 

"See there goes the king's son. He would be just the right kind of king

 

for us." Every door was open to him. The people would call to him to

 

stop. They would ask him to come and eat with them. After he ate, he

 

would sit down and read to the children. After he read, he showed

 

them how to draw and write. Months went by. He still had no beautiful

 

thing to take to his father. Just before the year was done, he went

 

home again. 

 

 

 

The time came when the king called his sons together. "What did you

 

bring?" He asked them all. The other brothers had many beautiful

 

things. "And what did you bring?" said the king to the last brother.

 

"This istoofunny!" said the other brothers. "He has nothing!" But the

 

king was kind to the last brother. "What did you bring me?" the king

 

asked again. "I bring only the friendship of your people," said the last

 

brother. "That is the best thing!" cried his father. "You shall be the

 

new king."

 

The End

 

Key:

 

Pre-Primer Primer First GradeSecond Grade Third Grade

 

www.mrsjudyaraujo.com