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Pam's Big Trade

Short vs Long Vowels 1st Grade Long Vowels & Silent E
Pam's Big Trade
Pam's Big Trade, page 1
1There was a trade and sale stand on Pam's lane. Pam saw a blue globe on the stand, and she wanted it very much.
Pam's Big Trade, page 2
2A note on the globe said, "Five dimes." Pam had just one dime. She could not buy the globe.
Pam's Big Trade, page 3
3But she did not mope. She made a plan. Pam took off her red cap and ran to Ben.
Pam's Big Trade, page 4
4"Will you trade your cape for my cap?" she asked. Ben liked the cap. "Yes!" he said, and he gave her his black cape.
Pam's Big Trade, page 5
5Then Pam went to Kim. Kim had a kite kit, but she wanted a cape for a game. "I will trade you," said Kim.
Pam's Big Trade, page 6
6Pam gave her the cape and got the kit. Pam ran back to the stand. "Will you take this kit for the globe?" she asked.
Pam's Big Trade, page 7
7The man at the stand gave the kit a long look. "It is a fine kit," he said.
Pam's Big Trade, page 8
8"Yes, I will trade." Pam held the globe with both hands. She gave it a big spin. She spun that globe all the way home.
Find each short-vowel word and the long-vowel word made by adding silent E (like cap and cape). Circle the pairs.

Comprehension Questions

After reading, ask these questions to check understanding:

  1. What did Pam want from the stand?
  2. What did Pam trade to Ben for his cape?
  3. What did Pam do with the globe at the end?
Keep practicing
Practice Short vs Long Vowels with 10 more free worksheets

Picture worksheets to read, match and spell these words, plus this story's word sort, phrasing cards and word search.

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Pam's Big Trade printed mini-book cover Download Mini-Book
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Reader Details

Phonics Skill Short vs Long Vowels
Grade Level 1st Grade
Phase Long Vowels & Silent E
Worksheets Short vs Long Vowels Worksheets

Target Words

cap tap man kit pin rid hop not rob cub cape tape

Sight Words

the is a and to was it she he they said have

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About This Decodable Reader

“Pam's Big Trade” is a free printable decodable reader designed for 1st grade students practicing short vs long vowels 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 short vs long vowels 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 free decodable readers organized by phonics skill and aligned with the Science of Reading. For additional practice with short vs long vowels patterns, try our short vs long vowels phonics worksheets which include word sorts, phrasing practice cards, and rapid naming charts.