Green Series (Phonograms)
The green series is reading material for phonograms such as sh and ee, for children of about 5 to 7.5 who read blend words. On October 5, 2026 we found it from $41.85 for a pack of phonogram cards to $180.00 for a full printed bundle at US sellers. Cards and folders written at home do the same job.
The first lesson with it is Green Series: Phonograms. Not sure your child is ready for it? Two minutes of questions place your child on the sequence.
| Area | Language |
|---|---|
| Used in | |
| From age | 5 to 7.5 years |
| Make it | Easy to make at home |
| Buy it | About $42 to $180 (noted ) |
What the green series (phonograms) is for
Each phonogram gets a card and a set of words that use it: ship and fish for sh, tree and sheep for ee. The child learns the card by sound and reads the words until the pattern is automatic.
The green label is later than Montessori's books. Her 1912 sandpaper letters already included cards with groups of letters, and her 1917 book notes that English teaching uses phonograms because English spelling isn't phonetic.
| Part | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| Phonogram cards | One per letter group; Nienhuis's pack has 64, with the phonogram in red |
| Word folders or booklets | Words for one phonogram each; Nienhuis sells 45 booklets of 9 pages |
| Picture and word cards | For matching, like the blue series |
| Sentence strips | In Alison's bundle, for reading phonogram words in context |
The lessons that use the green series (phonograms)
Green Series: Phonograms
5 to 7.5 yearsLearning letter pairs that make one sound, such as sh or ee, then reading words built from them, the step after the blue series.
Buying one: 4 listings checked October 5, 2026
| Seller and set | Made of | Price |
|---|---|---|
| NienhuisPhonogram Cards (563800)64 cards, phonogram printed in red. US store price. | Paper | $41.85 |
| NienhuisPhonogram Booklets (563700)45 spiral booklets of 9 pages each. US store price. | Paper | $146.25 |
| Montessori ServicesTraditional Phonograms (L805)11 packets, 198 three-part cards. Made in USA. | Laminated recycled paper | $149.95 |
| Alison's MontessoriMontessori Green Language Series, Printed (L41)91 phonograms in four files: 455 word cards, 455 picture cards, 121 booklets, 342 sentence strips. Made in USA. Printed only; lamination costs extra. | 80 lb card stock | $180.00 |
- Nienhuis's 64 phonogram cards at $41.85 cover the letter groups themselves. The words to read can be written at home.
- Alison's $180.00 bundle is the most complete: words, pictures, booklets and sentences for 91 phonograms. It's printed paper, so plan on laminating or card stock sleeves.
- Start small. The first five phonograms keep a child busy for weeks.
- Montessori Outlet and The Montessori Room had no phonogram material we could find.
Making the green series (phonograms) at home
What to gather
- White card stock and a green or black marker
- Scissors or a paper trimmer
- Small envelopes or folded card for folders
- A box to hold the folders upright
| Piece | Size and marking | How many |
|---|---|---|
| Phonogram cards | About 8 by 10 cm, one phonogram each | 5 to start |
| Word slips | About 3 by 10 cm, one word each | 6 to 10 per phonogram |
| Folders | Card folded to about 10 by 12 cm | One per phonogram |
- 1Write each phonogram large on its card, the letters close together so they read as one.
- 2List six to ten everyday words for each: ship, shop, fish, dish, shell, sheep.
- 3Write the words on slips, the phonogram in green if you like.
- 4Put each set of slips in its folder with the phonogram on the front.
- 5Add a folder a week as the child reads the last one smoothly.
Keeping a full set on the shelf
- Keep each phonogram's slips in its own folder. Mixed slips are a good game later, not at the start.
- Replace folders the child reads from memory with new words for the same sound.
Questions parents ask about the green series (phonograms)
What is in the Montessori green series?
Phonogram cards and words to read for each phonogram, in folders or booklets. Some sets add picture cards and sentence strips. The words are chosen so each one uses the phonogram being learned.
Can I make green series materials?
Yes. Phonogram cards and word folders are card and a marker. The build above makes five in about half an hour.
What comes after the green series?
Reading books and the grammar work: the grammar symbols and then the grammar boxes, where the child reads whole sentences and sorts words by kind.
Before the green series (phonograms), make sure the work before it is solid. The blue series lesson lists the signs that a child is ready to move on.