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Kim's Cake Mistake

Prefixes pre-, dis-, mis- 3rd Phase 5
Kim's Cake Mistake
Kim's Cake Mistake, page 1
1Kim wanted to bake a special cake for her mother. She knew she had to preplan every step to get it right. She sat at the kitchen table with a pen, making a note in the book of what she needed.
Kim's Cake Mistake, page 2
2She did not want to make one mistake. She woke up at predawn, while the house was still dark and quiet. She crept down to the kitchen. Her first step was to preheat the big black oven. She had to preset the heat.
Kim's Cake Mistake, page 3
3She remembered her mother's rules and knew she must never disobey them. Kim began to mix the butter and cream. She looked at the old book. But she began to distrust the faded words. The page had a dark spot that looked like a misprint.
Kim's Cake Mistake, page 4
4Did it say one cup of salt or one pinch? She did not want a mismatch of salty and sweet. "I hope I did not misplace the sugar," she whispered as she searched the shelf. Suddenly, Kim noticed she had made a bad misread of the steps.
Kim's Cake Mistake, page 5
5She had mixed the milk in too early, and the mix was a big mess. The pretty picture in the book did mislead her, making it look quite simple. She could not dismiss the wet mess in the bowl. She knew her mother would dislike a bad cake.
Kim's Cake Mistake, page 6
6Her brother Ted walked into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes. "What is that smell?" he asked. Kim sighed. "I made a huge mistake," she said. "I think I broke the treat." Ted looked at the wet bowl. "Do not fret," he said. "We can fix this together."
Kim's Cake Mistake, page 7
7Ted helped her whip the mix until it was smooth. They poured a drop of fresh milk and beat the lumps away. Kim preset the oven timer once more and slid the pans inside. She watched the cake rise through the glass, feeling proud.
Kim's Cake Mistake, page 8
8When their mother came downstairs, the kitchen smelled amazing. The cake was yellow and beautiful. Kim was glad she did not let her early mistake stop her. Her mother smiled and took a big bite. "This is the best cake ever," she said.
Circle or highlight all the words that start with pre-, dis-, or mis- in the story above. How many did you find?

Comprehension Questions

After reading, ask these questions to check understanding:

  1. What did Kim write her note in?
  2. What early step did Kim misread?
  3. How did Kim’s mother feel about the cake?
Keep practicing
Practice Prefixes pre-, dis-, mis- with 4 more free worksheets

The words from this story, on printable practice sheets:

Word sortPhrasing cardsRapid naming chartWord search
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Kim's Cake Mistake printed mini-book cover Download Mini-Book
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Reader Details

Phonics Skill Prefixes pre-, dis-, mis-
Grade Level 3rd
Phase Phase 5
Worksheets Prefixes pre-, dis-, mis- Worksheets

Target Words

preheat preplan pretest preteen predawn prepay preset dislike distrust disband dismiss mistake

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

“Kim's Cake Mistake” is a free printable decodable reader designed for 3rd students practicing prefixes pre-, dis-, mis- 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 prefixes pre-, dis-, mis- 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 prefixes pre-, dis-, mis- patterns, try our prefixes pre-, dis-, mis- phonics worksheets which include word sorts, phrasing practice cards, and rapid naming charts.