Heart words is a strategy for teaching high frequency words (sight words) that aligns with the Science of Reading. These decodable short stories each focus on one heart word so your students can practice reading high frequency words in context.

Finally, a resource that allows your students to practice one targeted high frequency word (heart word) in the context of reading!

Every page (304 pages/words included) utilizes the same consistent, research-based practice so that your students can focus on the word at hand, and not new directions/activities.

What do students do on each page?

• Say the target high frequency word/heart word
• Tap the number of sounds in the word
• Write the number of sounds in the word
• Map the number of sounds in the word and add a heart where necessary
  • please note that hearts are not added for you - they're meant to be added by students during instruction.

• Find the targeted high frequency word/heart word in the story and circle it. Heart it if desired.
• Read the short story three times - coloring a numbered heart each time they read.

How short are the short stories?

• The stories range from 2-5 sentences in length. They are short and decodable to provide a quick - yet meaningful - win for your students.

How decodable are the short stories?

• These short stories include only
  • 1 - the targeted word;
  • 2 - VC and CVC words, and
  • 3 - pre-reading high frequency words as necessary 
    • The 10 pre-reading high frequency words are as follows: a, and, for, I, is, of, the, to, was, you 

What grade is it for?

• While these are ideal for Kindergarten and first grade, they can be used with any student(s) who can decode VC and CVC words and need(s) to learn high frequency words.

What words are included?

• I’ve combined multiple lists of high frequency words and found 304 of most common irregular/temporary heart words. The words are as follows:

 a
about
after
again
air
all
also
always
am
America
an
and
animal
another
answer
any
are
around
as
ask
at
ate
away
back
ball
be
because
been
before
best
better
big
black
blue
boo
both
boy
bring
brown
but
buy
by
call
called
came
can
can't
carry
change
clean
clue
cold
come
could
cut
day
did
different
do
does
done
don’t
down
draw
drink
each
eat
eight
end
even
every
fall
far
fast
find
first
five
fly
follow
for
form
found
four
from
full
fun
funny
gave
get
give
glue
go
goes
going
good
got
gray
great
green
grow
guy
had
hand
has
have
he
help
her
here
him
his
hold
home
hot
house
how
hurt
I
if
in
into
is
it
its
jump
just
keep
kind
knew
know
land
large
laugh
learn
let
letter
light
like
line
little
live
long
look
love
made
make
man
many
may
me
means
men
mind
moo
more
most
mother
move
much
must
my
myself
name
need
never
new
nine
no
not
now
number
of
off
old
on
once
one
only
open
or
orange
other
our
out
over
own
page
part
people
pick
picture
pink
place
play
please
point
pretty
pull
purple
push
put
ran
read
red
ride
right
round
run
said
same
saw
say
see
sentence
set
seven
shall
she
should
show
sing
sit
six
sleep
small
so
some
soon
sound
spell
start
still
stop
study
such
take
talk
tell
ten
than
thank
that
the
their
them
then
there
these
they
things
think
this
those
three
through
time
to
today
together
too
true
try
turn
two
under
up
upon
us
use
very
walk
want
warm
was
wash
watch
water
way
we
well
went
were
what
when
where
which
white
who
why
will
wish
with
word
words
work
world
would
write
years
yellow
yes
you
your
yours

About “Temporary” Heart Words

• Many high frequency words are phonetic, while some are truly irregular. 
• Phonetic high frequency words can be known as a temporary heart word if students have not learned the skill. (For example, he and me are phonetic, but would be temporary heart words if students have not learned long vowel sounds/open syllables.)
• This resource does include temporary heart words/flash words.

File Organization - Just for You!

I know this resource includes A LOT of high frequency words. For your convenience, you'll find the download organized the following 3 ways. Click on the file that is most convenient for you.

1. Old & New PDF 

• Did you own this before the huge update and you only want to download your print the new additions? You'll be looking for the PDF's that start with 1A and 1B. 1B - 175 New Heart Words Short Stories.pdf is the one you'll want to download and print!

2. Organized by Phonics Skill & Irregularity

• You'll want this PDF: 2 Heart Words Short Stories By Skill.pdf. This includes a clickable table of contents.

3. Organized Alphabetically

• You'll want this PDF: 3 Heart Words Short Stories Alphabetical.pdf This includes a clickable table of contents

❤️ More Heart Words Resources ❤️

• Heart Words Worksheets [editable + blank templates included]
• Heart Words Flash Cards [editable + blank templates included]
• Heart Words Secret Words Activity Center