Decodable Books for UFLI Foundations Lesson 84: ai, ay /ā/
We believe every child deserves books that match exactly what they are learning. These decodable books follow UFLI Lesson 84, where the vowel teams ai and ay spell long a. Children read ai words like aid, ail, rain and tail, and ay words like day, play and stay, in stories that build steady decoding habits.
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Dig, Says The Book
Ned just wants a home in his new world, but The Book insists there’s work to do first: digging. With hands too sore to punch another tree, Ned must learn to build his very first tool before he can dig into sand, dirt, and whatever else this strange land holds. Will his shiny new spade turn out to be the answer? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 84: ai, ay /ā/), this book practices words like ‘day’, ‘stay’, ‘wait’, ’train’, ‘aim’.
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Do Not Drop That Mango!
Harvest day has arrived, and a girl’s family is picking their mango tree bare before Gran’s basket catches every single one. Her friend races ahead shouting he’ll always pick the most, and Dog’s tail sways like he already knows who’ll drop one first. Will they get every mango to market without a single splat? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 84: ai, ay /ā/), this book practices words like ‘may’, ’today’, ‘stay’, ‘sway’, ’trail’.
A Fresh Plate for Ash!
Sam is proud of every bite on his tray, all grown in his own garden. But between digging straight rows, chasing off hungry birds, and keeping strays away from his crops, growing food is no easy task. Will his hard work pay off at dinner? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 84: ai, ay /ā/), this book practices words like ’tray’, ‘away’, ‘strays’, ‘days’, ’today’.
Fisi Has a Plan
Fisi the Hyena can’t stop eating, even when a strange echo in the rocks starts answering his questions. He decides a wise spirit must live in the crack, and he’s sure it’s telling him to grab every bone in sight, but the trail up the rocky hills is slippery and his nails can’t always find a grip. Will his big plan hold, or does he need to wait for something to go wrong first? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 84: ai, ay /ā/), this book practices words like ’trail’, ’nails’, ’today’, ‘waiting’, ‘stay’.
Ajapa Waits
A tortoise named Ajapa hears about the sky-people’s grand feast and longs to taste their famous dishes, even though everyone knows tortoises cannot fly. When the birds agree to lend him feathers so he can join them, will his clever trick actually work? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 84: ai, ay /ā/), this book practices words like ‘wait’, ‘away’, ’today’, ‘claims’, ’trays’.
Hot Dog for Cat?
Dot finally has a cat, but no name for him yet, and no idea what he likes to eat. Bread, apples, eggs, beef, she tries them all, and each time the cat just turns away. What could this fussy, silent cat possibly want? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 84: ai, ay /ā/), this book practices words like ‘way’, ‘stay’, ’today’, ’trail’, ‘wait’.
The Emerald Will Not Burn
A girl wakes to find the cursed emerald glowing on her table and marches it straight for the Nether portal, determined to burn it for good. But a strange snap flings her sideways into the desert instead, and the golem’s warning makes clear this gem will never let itself be destroyed so easily. Every plan she tries fails the same way. Can she find a way to beat the curse before it’s too late? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 84: ai, ay /ā/), this book practices words like ‘away’, ‘sideways’, ‘afraid’, ‘always’, ‘fails’.
Ben and His Birds
Ben has one small pet bird, and when it sings, the whole house fills with music. So Ben decides: what if he had ten birds instead of one? What will happen once Ben always gets his way and the cages start to fill? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 84: ai, ay /ā/), this book practices words like ‘day’, ‘waited’, ‘grain’, ’trail’, ‘away’.
Yonas Stays Away
Saba’s new stepson Yonas won’t eat, won’t smile, and slips outside every night to stare at distant hills, so a desperate stepmother sets off down a long trail to find a cure. But the wise woman’s remedy demands one whisker from a living lion. What does it take to reach a boy who feels forgotten? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 84: ai, ay /ā/), this book practices words like ’trail’, ‘waits’, ‘stays’, ‘afraid’, and ‘remains’.
That Fox Will Pay
A chicken shows up in the pen out of nowhere, and soon five more follow, promising fresh eggs every day. But when a hungry fox sneaks in and snatches one, can anyone stop her before she gets away? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 84: ai, ay /ā/), this book practices words like ‘away’, ‘stray’, ‘wailing’, ‘waiting’, ‘stayed’.
Just One More Dip
Ned has built the biggest, most beautiful beehive in the neighborhood, and its golden honey is the best thing he has ever tasted. One jar becomes three, then more, with honey on toast, honey on cake, and honey on every spoon he can find. But as his tummy grumbles and his face turns green, will Ned ever say “just one more dip” for the very last time? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 84: ai, ay /ā/), this book practices words like ’trail’, ‘away’, ‘stay’, ‘always’, ‘afraid’.
Pep Paints Everything
Pep has a big plan for the parade float, but a spilled paint disaster on his own house turns into something surprisingly beautiful. Now he’s got an idea: why stop at one cart when the whole village could use some color? One by one, doorways and rooftops burst into pink, purple, and gold, but not every animal is thrilled to find paint on their door. Will Pep’s neighbors ever forgive the mess he’s made? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 84: ai, ay /ā/), this book practices words like ‘paint’, ’trail’, ‘display’, ‘away’, and ‘painted’.
Can Tad Get It?
Frog stares up at the twinkling stars every night, wishing he could hold just one. Determined, he climbs a tall rock, a hill, and finally a giant tree, stretching as far as he can. But once he reaches the very top, he looks down and realizes he’s stuck, way, way up high. How will he ever get back down? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 84: ai, ay /ā/), this book practices words like ‘way’, ‘stay’, ‘afraid’, ‘wait’, ‘yay’.
Why Is Mama Last?
Every day at three o’clock, the school bell rings and every mom and dad takes off running. One mom always finishes last of all, huffing and puffing while the other kids’ parents zoom past her, leaving her little bear waiting alone by the gate. Will Mama find a way to stop being last? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 84: ai, ay /ā/), this book practices words like ‘away’, ‘always’, ‘day’, ‘maybe’, ‘stayed’.
No Shade Will Do
Gus the goat is having the worst, hottest day ever, and no shade seems to fit him. He tries the water, he tries the plants, but every spot is too small for a big goat like him. Could Gus ever build a place cool enough to call his own? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 84: ai, ay /ā/), this book practices words like ‘day’, ‘stay’, ’trail’, ‘brain’, ’today’.
Decodable Books Created to Align with the UFLI Foundations Scope and Sequence
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you know whether to write ai or ay?
Position is the main clue. The ai spelling usually sits in the middle of a word or syllable, as in rain, paint and wait, while ay usually comes at the end, as in day, play and stay. English words rarely end in ai, so this one tip helps children choose between the two spellings.
What are some ay words to start with?
Common ay words include day, say, play, stay, way, pay, tray, spray, clay and sway. They also appear inside longer words like today, playground and birthday, which makes them good practice for multisyllabic reading. Because so many rhyme, a quick word ladder, changing day to play to tray, gives children plenty of reading in a few minutes.
Are ai and ay vowel teams?
Both are vowel teams: pairs of letters that work together to spell one vowel sound, here long a. The old rhyme ‘when two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking’ fits ai and ay but fails for many other teams, so it is clearer to teach each team with its own sound. Ehri et al. (2001) found that systematic phonics instruction helps children learn to read, and teaching teams one at a time is part of that system.
How do the books for UFLI Lesson 84 teach ai and ay?
The ai and ay decodable books for UFLI Lesson 84 use words such as aid, ail, rain, day and play many times across each story, which is the idea behind decodable text. Rereading a favorite title builds speed. Some of these books are free to read online, and many free titles include read-along audio.
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