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Jane's Spring Garden

Adding -ing and -ed 2nd-3rd Phase 5
Jane's Spring Garden
Jane's Spring Garden, page 1
1Jane had a look out the window. The cold winter snow had finally melted, leaving the ground wet and brown. The warm sun was here! Jane had planned a big job for this very day. She wanted to make a beautiful garden in the yard.
Jane's Spring Garden, page 2
2She got her boots and ran outside to get started. First, she had to find her garden tools. Jane hunted in the dark garden shed until she found her old green spade. She dusted the spider webs off her spade. Next, she got a big bag of rich soil.
Jane's Spring Garden, page 3
3Jane spent a long time mixing the new soil into the dirt patch. She wanted the ground to be soft and perfect for her new seeds. Jane opened her bags of flower seeds. She made small, neat rows in the soft dirt.
Jane's Spring Garden, page 4
4After dropping the tiny seeds into the ground, she began packing the warm dirt over them. "Grow well, little seeds," Jane said softly. She planted red roses, sweet peas, and tall yellow flowers. After all that hard work, Jane sat on a bench, resting in the warm sunlight.
Jane's Spring Garden, page 5
5As she sat, she spotted a small brown rabbit in the grass. The rabbit was hopping along the edge of the yard. It was jumping over the small sticks. Jane did not want to make her new friend afraid, so she sat very still.
Jane's Spring Garden, page 6
6A bright blue bird flew down and landed on the wooden fence. The bird chirped a sweet song while the rabbit kept playing in the grass. Jane watched a tiny bug twisting slowly up a blade of grass.
Jane's Spring Garden, page 7
7"This is a wonderful spot," Jane whispered. She felt very happy to see so much life in her yard. Suddenly, Jane's dog, Gus, came running out of the back door. The rabbit quickly darted into the bushes to hide.
Jane's Spring Garden, page 8
8Gus made a happy sound and his tail was a fast blur. Jane grinned at her playful dog. He ran over and sat right by her feet. She clapped her hands and said, "Good dog, Gus! Help me watch my new garden."
Circle or highlight all the words with an -ing or -ed ending in the story above. How many did you find?

Comprehension Questions

After reading, ask these questions to check understanding:

  1. What did Jane find in the dark garden shed?
  2. Why did Jane sit very still on the bench?
  3. Where did Gus sit at the end of the story?
Keep practicing
Practice Adding -ing and -ed with 4 more free worksheets

The words from this story, on printable practice sheets:

Word sortPhrasing cardsRapid naming chartWord search
Get the Adding -ing and -ed worksheets →
Jane's Spring Garden printed mini-book cover Download Mini-Book
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Reader Details

Phonics Skill Adding -ing and -ed
Grade Level 2nd-3rd
Phase Phase 5
Worksheets Adding -ing and -ed Worksheets

Target Words

running hopping jumping playing resting twisting mixing packing kicking printing batted planted

Sight Words

the a and to was is it she he they said have with you are of for her there one into what when out about

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About This Decodable Reader

“Jane's Spring Garden” is a free printable decodable reader designed for 2nd-3rd students practicing adding -ing and -ed phonics patterns. This mini-book uses phonetically controlled vocabulary so beginning readers can successfully sound out nearly every word in the story, building confidence and reinforcing the specific phonics skills they're learning.

The free PDF is a full-color illustrated mini-book: a cover, eight picture pages with one or two lines of story text each, and a back page listing the adding -ing and -ed words, high-frequency words, and discussion questions. Print the five sheets, cut each one in half along the dashed line, and staple — your child has a real little book to hold. A read-aloud version with one large page per sheet is also included for projecting to the whole class.

This reader is part of our collection of 221 free decodable readers organized by phonics skill and aligned with the Science of Reading. For additional practice with adding -ing and -ed patterns, try our adding -ing and -ed phonics worksheets which include word sorts, phrasing practice cards, and rapid naming charts.