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Jane's Sunset Hike

Compound Words 2nd Phase 5
Jane's Sunset Hike
Jane's Sunset Hike, page 1
1Jane wanted to see the sunset from the high hilltop. She looked at her laptop to check the time. "The sun will go down soon," she said. She grabbed her big blue backpack to pack some treats for the trip.
Jane's Sunset Hike, page 2
2She went inside the kitchen to find a snack. Jane put a sweet pink cupcake and a bag of salty popcorn into her backpack. She wanted to bring a hotdog too, but she did not have time to cook it.
Jane's Sunset Hike, page 3
3Instead, she took a cold bottle of water. She was ready for her walk, but she still needed her camp seat from the garden shed. She ran outside and past the gray mailbox by the road.
Jane's Sunset Hike, page 4
4Her dog, Gus, ran after her. They walked past the sandbox where her little brother liked to play. Jane reached the old wooden shed. But when she tried to open the door, she saw a big padlock. "Oh no," Jane whispered.
Jane's Sunset Hike, page 5
5She could not open the padlock because a thick cobweb was spun right over it. She did not want to brush the sticky web with her hands. She went back to get a red dustpan from the deck.
Jane's Sunset Hike, page 6
6She used the dustpan to sweep the cobweb away. Then she opened the padlock. Jane grabbed her camp seat from the dim shed. She quickly locked the padlock again so the door would stay shut.
Jane's Sunset Hike, page 7
7With her heavy backpack on her back, she began her trek. The path was long, and she had to walk uphill. Gus wagged his tail and trotted right beside her. Finally, they reached the very top of the grassy hilltop.
Jane's Sunset Hike, page 8
8The sky was filled with bright pink and yellow light. Jane set up her seat and sat down to watch the lovely sunset. She opened her backpack, ate her sweet cupcake, and gave some popcorn to Gus. It was a lovely trip.
Circle or highlight all the compound words in the story above. How many did you find?

Comprehension Questions

After reading, ask these questions to check understanding:

  1. What did Jane look at to check the time?
  2. Why could Jane not open the padlock?
  3. What did Jane give to Gus at the end?
Keep practicing
Practice Compound Words with 4 more free worksheets

The words from this story, on printable practice sheets:

Word sortPhrasing cardsRapid naming chartWord search
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Jane's Sunset Hike printed mini-book cover Download Mini-Book
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Reader Details

Phonics Skill Compound Words
Grade Level 2nd
Phase Phase 5
Worksheets Compound Words Worksheets

Target Words

sunset backpack cupcake bathtub cobweb sandbox hilltop laptop hotdog pigpen sunfish catfish

Sight Words

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

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About This Decodable Reader

“Jane's Sunset Hike” is a free printable decodable reader designed for 2nd students practicing compound words 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 compound words 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 compound words patterns, try our compound words phonics worksheets which include word sorts, phrasing practice cards, and rapid naming charts.