Word Families (-ot, -op, -og)

Free printable word families o phonics worksheets. Four practice activities: decodable passage, word sort, phrasing cards, and rapid naming chart.

Grade: K Phase 1: Foundations Pattern: CVC word families: -ot, -op, -og
dot got hot lot not pot rot cop hop mop pop top

1 Decodable Reading Passage

A short, decodable story embedding word families o words. Students read the passage then highlight all the target words.

Jon and Dot Jog
Skill: Word Families O  •  Sight Words: the, is, a, and, to, was, it, on, his, her
Jon and Dot Jog coloring page illustration
Coloring page included in PDF
Jon was out for a jog with his dog, Dot. Dot ran a lot. Soon, the sun got very hot. Dot did not want to run. "Are you too hot?" said Jon. "We must stop," he said. Jon led his dog to a big log. They sat on the log to rest. It was a good rest.
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Jon and Dot Jog decodable reader mini-book
Free decodable reader Read “Jon and Dot Jog” as an illustrated mini-book → The full printable story + coloring page, using only word families o sounds your child has learned.

2 Word Sort

Cut out the word cards and sort them into the correct columns: -ot / -op Family vs -og Family.

-ot / -op Family
-og Family
dot
got
hot
lot
not
pot
rot
cop
hop
mop
pop
top
bog
cog
dog
fog
hog
jog
log
tog
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3 Phrasing Practice Cards

Practice reading these phrases for fluency. Cut out the cards and read them quickly and smoothly.

the dot on got
a got in hot
the hot and lot
a lot with not
the not on pot
a pot in rot
the rot and cop
a cop with hop
the hop on mop
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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!

Decodable RAN Chart — Word Families O
hop
hog
hop
bog
not
bog
dot
not
dot
hog
bog
dot
hop
hog
not
dot
Target words: dot, not, hop, bog, hog
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5 Word Search

Find and circle the word families o words hidden in the grid. Words go across, down, and diagonally — a fun way to reinforce word families o word recognition.

Word Families O Word Search
Y
C
P
O
P
Y
C
I
R
O
C
O
J
G
M
W
R
O
J
P
C
P
O
W
O
D
J
M
O
P
R
Y
H
A
N
T
E
D
N
U
U
U
Q
T
P
O
T
F
O
M
U
G
N
H
O
T
D
R
T
T
N
Y
V
M
I
X
J
O
O
W
B
L
I
A
I
P
Y
H
T
T
J
N
N
E
I
F
L
O
T
O
Q
N
U
T
D
I
L
P
U
P
COP DOT GOT HOP HOT LOT MOP NOT POP POT ROT TOP
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📖 Decodable Readers for Word Families O

Next step: once your child can sound out these words, have them read a matching decodable mini-book. Each Word Families O reader is a printable story + coloring page using only sounds they've learned.

← CVC Review Worksheets View All Phonics Skills Silent E (o_e) Worksheets →

Free Printable Word Families (-ot, -op, -og)

The -ot, -op, and -og word families are essential CVC patterns for kindergarteners, building foundational decoding skills after students master individual letter sounds. These short 'o' families often present a unique challenge because the /o/ sound can be easily confused with the short /a/ or /u/ sounds, especially when quickly blending. For instance, a child might misread "pot" as "pat" or "put," or "dog" as "dag" or "dug." The subtle difference in tongue position for /o/ versus /a/ or /u/ requires focused practice. Additionally, the final consonant sounds /t/, /p/, and /g/ need clear articulation to differentiate words like "dot" from "dog," or "hop" from "hot," preventing common blending errors at this early stage. Mastering these distinct short 'o' CVC words solidifies a crucial step in their reading journey. To maximize the effectiveness of these worksheets, focus on explicit sound blending and segmenting for words like "hot," "mop," and "log." Begin by reading the decodable passage, "Kim's Garden Pot," multiple times, emphasizing the target words in context. Encourage students to identify the common "ot," "op," and "og" endings. Next, use the word sort activity to categorize words, helping students visually and auditorily group similar patterns. For fluency, practice with phrasing cards, reading short phrases containing these words smoothly, such as "a hot pot" or "the big dog." Finally, utilize the Rapid Automatic Naming (RAN) chart to build quick recognition of these CVC words, prompting students to say "dot," "got," "hop," "top," "bog," "fog" as quickly as possible, reinforcing instant recall.

For more early literacy resources, explore our sight word flashcards, tracing worksheets, handwriting worksheets, and coloring pages.