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Val's White Tape

Silent E — Long I 1st Grade Long Vowels & Silent E
Val's White Tape
Val's White Tape, page 1
1Val had a big job.
Val's White Tape, page 2
2Mike and Jen were in a five-mile bike race on the wide lane by the pines, and Val had to tell who would win the prize.
Val's White Tape, page 3
3Mike and Jen sped down the lane side by side. They crossed the line at the same time! "The prize is mine," said Mike.
Val's White Tape, page 4
4"No, it is mine!" said Jen. So they rode again. But it looked just the same to Val. Mike griped, and Jen griped too.
Val's White Tape, page 5
5Then Val had a plan. She got a thin white tape and stuck it from one pine to the other, right at the end of the lane.
Val's White Tape, page 6
6"Ride one last time," said Val. "The first tire to hit this tape will rip it."
Val's White Tape, page 7
7Mike and Jen rode as fast as they could. Rip! The tape split, and a long white stripe was stuck on Jen's bike.
Val's White Tape, page 8
8"I can see it! Jen wins the prize," said Val with a smile. Mike smiled too. "That was a close race," he said. "Nice ride, Jen!"
Circle or highlight all the silent E words where the vowel says its name (long sound). How many did you find?

Comprehension Questions

After reading, ask these questions to check understanding:

  1. What kind of race were Mike and Jen in?
  2. Why could Val not tell who won at first?
  3. Who wins the prize at the end?
Keep practicing
Practice Silent E — Long I 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.

Get the Silent E — Long I worksheets →
Val's White Tape printed mini-book cover Download Mini-Book
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Reader Details

Phonics Skill Silent E — Long I
Grade Level 1st Grade
Phase Long Vowels & Silent E
Worksheets Silent E — Long I Worksheets

Target Words

bike hike like kite bite hide ride side wide line mine pine

Sight Words

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

More Silent E — Long I Readers

Mike's Hidden Bike illustration
Mike's Hidden Bike
 Mike's Kite Rescue illustration
Mike's Kite Rescue
 Jake's Long Hike illustration
Jake's Long Hike
 Rose Plays a Game illustration
Rose Plays a Game
← Gwen and the Gold Bell Jen's Huge Ice Cube →

About This Decodable Reader

“Val's White Tape” is a free printable decodable reader designed for 1st grade students practicing silent e — long i 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 silent e — long i 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 silent e — long i patterns, try our silent e — long i phonics worksheets which include word sorts, phrasing practice cards, and rapid naming charts.