1 Decodable Reading Passage
A short, decodable story embedding comparing: -er and -est words. Students read the passage then highlight all the target words.
Mike wanted to fly his new blue kite. It was much bigger than his old one. Indeed, it was the biggest kite he had ever made. He called his friend Luke to help him. "Let us go to the top of the hill," Mike said. "The hill is the tallest spot in the land, and the wind is strong there." They grabbed the kite and began to walk.
As they walked, the dirt path became smaller. Soon, they were on the smallest path Mike had ever found. The trees around them got taller as they went deep into the woods. Mike pointed to a huge oak. "That is the tallest tree in the forest," he said. The thick leaves blocked the sun, making the air feel colder. "It is much warmer down by my house," Luke said, wrapping his jacket tight.
They wanted to reach the top before the sun went down. Luke began to run up the path. He was faster than Mike. "I am the fastest!" Luke yelled with a laugh. But Luke grew tired on the hard trail. He became slower as the path went uphill. Mike was quicker to jump over a big wet log. "I may be slower to run, but I am quicker to jump!" Mike joked.
At last, they reached the top of the hill. They looked down at the deepest part of the green valley below. They sat down on a patch of moss. The moss here was softer than the grass in Mike's yard. Indeed, it felt like the softest bed. Above them, the sky was turning gray. "That is the darkest cloud I have spotted all day," Luke said. "We must fly the kite now."
Mike took out his kite line. He had a long yellow line, but he also had a longer red one. "Use the longer one," Luke said. "No, use the longest line you have so the kite can go high!" Mike tied on the longest line. He ran across the softest moss, and the wind took the kite up. It sailed higher than the tallest trees.
They watched the blue kite dance. Mike felt like the richest kid in the land, even without any gold. Luke was the kindest friend for helping him climb so high. As the sun set, the air got even colder, but they did not fret. They had spent the longest, best day together.
This story is part of Level 5. Get all 25 Level 5 illustrated mini-books in one print-ready file ($14) →
2 Word Sort
Cut out the word cards and sort them into the correct columns: Adds -er vs Adds -est.
3 Phrasing Practice Cards
Practice reading these phrases for fluency. Cut out the cards and read them quickly and smoothly.
4 RAN Chart (Rapid Naming)
Read each word in the grid as quickly as you can. Time yourself and try to beat your best time!
5 Word Search
Find and circle the comparing: -er and -est words hidden in the grid. Words go across, down, and diagonally — a fun way to reinforce comparing: -er and -est word recognition.
📖 More Comparing: -er and -est Stories
A new decodable story with the same comparing: -er and -est sounds — each comes with its own set of worksheets.
