Reading Ladder

Letters first. Then words. One list at a time.

Free printables built in a NYC District 75 classroom. Each step is short, so students can master it before moving on.

Step 1

Alphabet

Print, cut and laminate. Use them for matching, sorting and letter names.

Uppercase cards

Plain capital letters.

3 pagesDownload PDF

Lowercase cards

Plain lowercase letters.

3 pagesDownload PDF

Picture cards

Colorful capital letters, each with a picture.

3 pagesDownload PDF

Picture cards, upper and lower

The picture letters with both cases.

6 pagesDownload PDF

Memory matching cards

Larger picture letter cards for matching games.

5 pagesDownload PDF
Step 2

Pre-Primer sight words

Forty words in four lists of ten, based on the Dolch list and put in a teaching order that was used in the classroom.

List 1a I you the and up look is it go
List 2see big in red away for run not we can
List 3me said to one play jump little funny down three
List 4blue come find help here make my two where yellow

Flashcards

Six cards to a page, in list order.

7 pagesDownload PDF

Spelling practice

One page per list. Write each word five times.

4 pagesDownload PDF

Assessment

One page per list, with room for 15 checks, each with a date and score.

4 pagesDownload PDF

Books for these lists

Sky City Readers use only words from their list and earlier lists, plus a few picture words shown with a small picture.

Pre-Primer List 1
Cover of Look Up! Nia and Jay point up at a round teal and gold sky ship.
Book 1 · Pre-Primer List 1

Look Up!

Nia and Jay spot a sky ship and go up, up, up to the moon. Ten pages, one short sentence on each.

11 × 8.5 in · 5 MBFull page PDF
6 × 4.6 in · 5 MBHalf size PDF
Cover of The Moon Robot. Nia, Jay and a small friendly robot stand on the moon, looking up.
Book 2 · Pre-Primer List 1

The Moon Robot

Nia and Jay land on the moon and meet a friendly robot. Jay puts down his tablet and looks up. Ten pages, one short sentence on each.

11 × 8.5 in · 5 MBFull page PDF
6 × 4.6 in · 5 MBHalf size PDF
Cover of Go Up, Star! Nia and Jay sit on a tree branch and wave at a big bird carrying a gold star.
Book 3 · Pre-Primer List 1

Go Up, Star!

A star gets stuck in a tree. Nia and Jay climb up, and a big bird carries it home. Ten pages, one short sentence on each.

11 × 8.5 in · 6 MBFull page PDF
6 × 4.6 in · 6 MBHalf size PDF
Pre-Primer List 2
Cover of Up and Away! Nia and Jay run up a hill toward a big red balloon, where their new friend Kit waves from the basket.
Book 4 · Pre-Primer List 2

Up and Away!

The map leads Nia and Jay to a big red balloon and a new friend, Kit. Ten pages, one short sentence on each.

11 × 8.5 in · 7 MBFull page PDF
6 × 4.6 in · 7 MBHalf size PDF
Cover of Run, Fox, Run! A red fox runs with the rolled-up map in its mouth while Nia, Jay and Kit chase it.
Book 5 · Pre-Primer List 2

Run, Fox, Run!

A playful fox runs off with the map, and the friends look everywhere for it. Ten pages, one short sentence on each.

11 × 8.5 in · 7 MBFull page PDF
6 × 4.6 in · 7 MBHalf size PDF
Cover of The Big Red Tree. Nia, Jay, Kit and the fox look up at a huge red tree with a tree house.
Book 6 · Pre-Primer List 2

The Big Red Tree

The bird guides the balloon to a huge red tree with a tree house, a swing and a surprise. Ten pages, one short sentence on each.

11 × 8.5 in · 8 MBFull page PDF
6 × 4.6 in · 8 MBHalf size PDF
Pre-Primer List 3
Cover of Three Funny Frogs. Nia and Jay kneel on the grass and laugh with three red frogs, with the big red tree behind them.
Book 7 · Pre-Primer List 3

Three Funny Frogs

Three red frogs start a jumping game and lead Nia and Jay to a pond. Ten pages, one short sentence on each.

11 × 8.5 in · 7 MBFull page PDF
6 × 4.6 in · 7 MBHalf size PDF
Cover of The Little Boat. Nia, Jay and three red frogs ride in a round red boat on a stream.
Book 8 · Pre-Primer List 3

The Little Boat

Nia, Jay and the frogs float down a stream, get stuck on a rock, and meet a helpful turtle. Ten pages, one short sentence on each.

11 × 8.5 in · 7 MBFull page PDF
6 × 4.6 in · 8 MBHalf size PDF
Cover of Down the Big Slide. Nia and Jay ride a blue and gold water slide with their arms up, with three red frogs behind them.
Book 9 · Pre-Primer List 3

Down the Big Slide

A huge water slide takes everyone to the beach, where they meet Pip and a funny little crab. Ten pages, one short sentence on each.

11 × 8.5 in · 6 MBFull page PDF
6 × 4.6 in · 7 MBHalf size PDF
Pre-Primer List 4
Cover of Where Is My Kite? Nia, Jay and Pip point at a yellow kite caught in a palm tree on the beach, with two blue crabs on the sand.
Book 10 · Pre-Primer List 4

Where Is My Kite?

Pip loses his yellow kite, and the crabs and the bird help everyone find it. Ten pages, one short sentence on each.

11 × 8.5 in · 6 MBFull page PDF
6 × 4.6 in · 7 MBHalf size PDF
Cover of Two Funny Kites. Nia and Jay hold up a blue kite and a yellow kite beside Sol in front of his round blue workshop.
Book 11 · Pre-Primer List 4

Two Funny Kites

Sol the kite maker helps Nia and Jay build two kites of their own. Ten pages, one short sentence on each.

11 × 8.5 in · 6 MBFull page PDF
6 × 4.6 in · 6 MBHalf size PDF
Cover of Come Down, Kites! Nia and Jay fly their kites on a green hill with a small robot beside them.
Book 12 · Pre-Primer List 4

Come Down, Kites!

The new kites get stuck in a tree, and a little robot jumps up to help. Ten pages, one short sentence on each.

11 × 8.5 in · 7 MBFull page PDF
6 × 4.6 in · 7 MBHalf size PDF
Step 3

Primer sight words

The next five lists, in the same format.

List 1do he she they all at was that this will
List 2yes who am are but like no now saw good
List 3there eat be have so went what get with say
List 4please black four want white brown came must new on
List 5did ate into our out pretty ran ride soon two under well

Flashcards

Six cards to a page, in list order.

9 pagesDownload PDF

Spelling practice

One page per list. Write each word five times.

5 pagesDownload PDF

Assessment

One page per list, with room for 15 checks, each with a date and score.

5 pagesDownload PDF

Books for these lists

Sky City Readers use only words from their list and earlier lists, plus a few picture words shown with a small picture.

Primer List 1
Cover of All Snow! Nia, Jay and a small robot stand on bright snow beside a snowman in a red hat.
Book 13 · Primer List 1

All Snow!

Nia and Jay land on a snowy island and build a snowman, then a tiny penguin takes its red hat. Ten pages, one or two short sentences on each.

11 × 8.5 in · 5 MBFull page PDF
6 × 4.6 in · 5 MBHalf size PDF
Cover of The Little Penguin. Nia and Jay kneel in the snow with a small penguin chick wearing a red hat.
Book 14 · Primer List 1

The Little Penguin

The little penguin follows Nia everywhere, until Tam and her sled help it find a big penguin. Ten pages, one or two short sentences on each.

11 × 8.5 in · 4 MBFull page PDF
6 × 4.6 in · 4 MBHalf size PDF
Cover of The Blue Cave. Nia, Jay and a small robot stand inside a bright blue ice cave, and Nia points up.
Book 15 · Primer List 1

The Blue Cave

Something in a bright ice cave keeps talking back. It is the robot, and a star shows a new trail on the map. Ten pages, one or two short sentences on each.

11 × 8.5 in · 6 MBFull page PDF
6 × 4.6 in · 6 MBHalf size PDF
Primer List 2
Cover of Who Am I? Jay holds a little pink pig and Nia pats a black and white cow in front of a red barn.
Book 16 · Primer List 2

Who Am I?

On a sky farm, Nia and Jay meet Bea and guess which animal is hiding behind the hay. Ten pages, one or two short sentences on each.

11 × 8.5 in · 7 MBFull page PDF
6 × 4.6 in · 7 MBHalf size PDF
Cover of Who Saw the Pig? A muddy little pig sits in a puddle while Nia and Jay stand beside it.
Book 17 · Primer List 2

Who Saw the Pig?

The little pig runs off, and the search leads to a duck, a goat, a mud puddle and a golden seed. Ten pages, one or two short sentences on each.

11 × 8.5 in · 7 MBFull page PDF
6 × 4.6 in · 7 MBHalf size PDF
Cover of The Good Seed. Nia and Jay stand beside a giant pumpkin with a little pig sitting on top.
Book 18 · Primer List 2

The Good Seed

Nia and Jay plant the golden seed, wait for rain, and grow a giant pumpkin. Ten pages, one or two short sentences on each.

11 × 8.5 in · 6 MBFull page PDF
6 × 4.6 in · 6 MBHalf size PDF
Primer List 3
Cover of What Can We Eat? Nia, Jay and Mo the cook smile around a huge silver pot of orange soup in a blue kitchen.
Book 19 · Primer List 3

What Can We Eat?

Mo the cook turns the giant pumpkin into more soup than anyone can eat. Ten pages, one or two short sentences on each.

11 × 8.5 in · 6 MBFull page PDF
6 × 4.6 in · 6 MBHalf size PDF
Cover of Soup for All. Nia, Jay, Kit, Pip and the fox stand around a red wagon with a big silver pot.
Book 20 · Primer List 3

Soup for All

The wagon of soup gets stuck on a hill, until Kit and Pip come running to help. Ten pages, one or two short sentences on each.

11 × 8.5 in · 7 MBFull page PDF
6 × 4.6 in · 8 MBHalf size PDF
Cover of Get a Drum! Lu plays a big yellow drum while Nia and Jay tap small silver pots with spoons, with the fox beside them.
Book 21 · Primer List 3

Get a Drum!

Lu shows everyone how a pot and a spoon can become a drum, and then a train goes by in the sky. Ten pages, one or two short sentences on each.

11 × 8.5 in · 7 MBFull page PDF
6 × 4.6 in · 7 MBHalf size PDF

More books coming

Books for List 4 and List 5 are on the way.

Step 4

First Grade sight words

Forty-one words in four lists, grouped so the words in each list work together in sentences.

List 1give giving thank him her some from take has had
List 2walk stop over then when let them just again after
List 3know think live old his once of an could were
List 4any as ask by every fly how may open put round

Flashcards

Six cards to a page, in list order.

7 pagesDownload PDF

Spelling practice

One page per list. Write each word five times.

4 pagesDownload PDF

Assessment

One page per list, with room for 15 checks, each with a date and score.

4 pagesDownload PDF
Step 5

Second Grade sight words

Forty-six words in five lists, in the same format.

List 1wash use your first before sit sleep work cold very
List 2read write sing tell call because why don't would us
List 3fast around pull goes off upon found right always does
List 4buy five many green gave made best both these those
List 5been or its their which wish

Flashcards

Six cards to a page, in list order.

8 pagesDownload PDF

Spelling practice

One page per list. Write each word five times.

5 pagesDownload PDF

Assessment

One page per list, with room for 15 checks, each with a date and score.

5 pagesDownload PDF
Step 6

Third Grade sight words

Forty-one words in four lists, in the same format.

List 1six seven eight ten pick carry bring hold full only
List 2grow cut drink hot warm clean small long much keep
List 3myself own try start done show draw never today together
List 4about better fall far got hurt if kind laugh light shall

Flashcards

Six cards to a page, in list order.

7 pagesDownload PDF

Spelling practice

One page per list. Write each word five times.

4 pagesDownload PDF

Assessment

One page per list, with room for 15 checks, each with a date and score.

4 pagesDownload PDF

Download PDF