The Reading Wizards: Learning to Read with Phonics

Learn how OU and OW can sometimes sound alike. Sketches: Seymour gives a "shout-out" to his friends. Bubba shows off his Sound Machine and Shower Tower with comical results. Atlanta Guthrie promotes Power Powder, which is great for cleaning. Words taught: ROUND, SHOUT, OUT, POUND, HOUND, MOUSE, SOUND, BROW, BROWN, POWER, POWDER, FLOWER, SHOWER, TOWER, TOWEL, HOW, NOW, COW, OWL.

Topics taught: the two sounds of OW and how the Apostrophe S shows ownership. Sketches: Paralee gets advice from Eliot on caring for flowers. Frida the Fish shows how her fins help her swim. Words taught: MOWER, DOWN, BLOW, SNOW, CROW, PROWL, SLOW, GROWS, GROWL, FLOW, FLOWER.

Topics: Contractions with N'T, the sounds of OI and OY, reviewing long O words formed with silent E. Sketches: Frida introduces her shy friend, Roy. Bubba cannot get coins out of his piggy bank. Paralee tells Spelling Bee how soil helps her flowers grow. Words taught: DIDN'T, HAVEN'T, HASN'T, AREN'T, BOY, JOY, ROY, TOY, OYSTER, JOYFUL, DESTROY, COINS, JOIN, JOINT, POINT, SOIL, SPOIL, NOISE.

Topics: words with the R-controlled vowels ER, IR, UR; reviewing long U words with silent E. Sketches: Spelling Bee admires Paralee's ferns. Bubba learns to clean dirty shirts. Nadine's snowman gets a sunburn at the beach. Bubba finally makes it to the gym. Words taught: FERNS, DIRT, DIRTY, SHIRT, SKIRT, BURN, SUNBURN, THIRSTY, HERD, WATER, BIRDS, CHIRP, CUBE, TUBE, CUTE, DUDE.

Topics: How PH and F can sound alike; reviewing long A words spelled with the silent E, AI, and AY. Sketches: Atlanta teaches Spelling Bee about old telephones; Tad changes his cap into a cape. Paralee and Eddie don't let rain spoil their beach day. Words taught: PHONICS, PHONE, PHOTO, PHOTOGRAPH, MADE, CAPE, SAME, SAY, STAY, PAY, PLAY, BAY, HAY, DAY, PAINT, SAIL, PAIL, RAIN, TRAIN, DRAIN.

Topics: Words containing TION; reviewing long E words with the Silent E, EA, and EE spellings. Sketches: Tad has a novel way of doing his subtraction problems. Nadine has an interesting solution to air pollution. Words taught: ACTION, ADDITION, SUBTRACTION, POLLUTION, SOLUTION, NATION, STREET, TREE, PEACH, REAL, SEAL, EASY, CANDY, STICKY.

Topics: OR words; adding the prefix UN to base words. Sketches: Spelling Bee explains why the fork, knife, and spoon are no longer friends. Duke demonstrates how his horns work. Dad is mad at Tad for getting his new shirt torn. Bubba has an unlucky horseshoe. Tad does not want to go skiing. Words taught: FOR, FORK, CORN, HORNS, TORN, THORNS, UNLUCKY, UNHAPPY, UNPACK, UNTIE, UNLOCK, UNBUTTON.

Topics: AR words; adding the suffix ED to base words. Sketches: Unable to find a place to park, Bubba drives his car inside the market. Duke receives a nice reward for a good deed. Eliot has another mishap while dusting a bust. Words taught: ARMS, CAR, CART, PARK, START, MARKET, SMART, HELPED, PLAYED, WALKED, PUSHED, SAVED, DRAINED, BAKED, ADDED, LIFTED, DUSTED, BUSTED, LANDED, PLANTED.

Topics: Adding plural S and ING to base words; reviewing the long I sound with the silent E, IE, and Y spellings. Sketches: Bubba buys the Adding App. Duke demonstrates how to add ING to words. Words taught: DUCKS, STARS, HAMMERS, FLOWERS, BOOKS, DONUTS, READING, TALKING, WALKING, WORKING, FLYING, RUNNING, SLEEPING, KITE, PRIME, DIME, RIDE, HIDE, FINE, PIE, TIE, LIE, SLY, SHY, SPY.

Topics: Words with QU; making contractions with apostrophe S in words; reviewing the long O sound with the silent E, OA, and OW spellings. Sketches: Nadine dreams she's a queen. Bubba's new app changes two words into contractions. Words taught: QUACK, QUESTIONS, QUIT, QUEEN, QUICK, IT'S, THAT'S, SHE'S, HE'S, COPE, ROBE, SLOPE, HOPE, NOTE, GOAT, OATS, GROAN, THROW, PILLOW, GROWN, KNOWN, SHOWN.

Topics: Words with ALK; apostrophe S shows ownership; reviewing how OU and OW can sound alike. Sketches: Eliot teaches Spelling Bee about stalks. Paralee buys Eddie a chalkboard. Atlanta interviews Bubba about all the food he's eating. Duke can't remember the word "cow." Words taught: TALK, WALK, STALK, CHALK, BUBBA'S BILL, ELIOT'S BOOKS; POUND, HOUND, MOUSE, CROWN, COW, SHOWER, TOWER, TOWEL.

Topics: Words with double consonants in the middle; the two sounds of Y. Sketches: Paralee explains how she makes a cake from the batter to Eddie. Tad and Dad eat a super supper. Atlanta tries doing stand-up comedy. Duke and Bubba revisit Dry Valley. Words taught: KITTEN, BATTER, BITTER, BUTTER, BETTER, HURRY, DILLYDALLY, DINNER, DINER, SUPER, SUPPER, KITTY, PUPPY, SLY, SPY, DRY, VALLEY, WINDY.

Topics: Adding ER and EST to base words; punctuation; and a review of the long U sound with the silent E, EW, UE, and OO spellings. Sketches: Duke, Paralee, and Bubba stage a daring demonstration. Bubba's loud music disturbs Duke's sleep. Eliot explains how punctuation works. Words taught: FAST, FASTER, FASTEST, SOFT, SOFTER, SOFTEST, STRONG, STRONGER, STRONGEST, TUBE, CUTE, GLUE, STEW, MOON.

Topics: Words with ALL; reviewing OI and OY words. Sketches: Spelling Bee helps Bubba retrieve a beach ball from a tall tree. Nadine heads out to the mall. Bubba has trouble with Joy, his piggy bank. Eliot gets frustrated explaining the word "point." Words taught: ALL, BALL, CALL, TALL, FALL, HALL, WALL, MALL, SMALL, STALL, ROY, OYSTER, JOY, JOYFUL, TOY, DESTROY, POINT, SOIL, SPOIL.

Words with IGHT; adding LY to base words; reviewing the two sounds of OW. Sketches: Eddie loves his new nightlight. Nadine learns how to read "delightful." Frida learns to speak softly to her friend Roy. Duke learns not to fear Spelling Bee. Seymour becomes a Junior Reading Wizard. Words taught: RIGHT, BRIGHT, LIGHT, NIGHT, DELIGHTFUL, SLOWLY, QUICKLY, LOUDLY, PROUDLY, QUIETLY, BRAVELY.