Before you start: this is Lesson 16. It uses only sounds already taught in Lessons 1–15. If they have not done those yet it will feel too hard — ask their teacher where to start.
1. Say the practice words on the words page, then the heart words. A heart word has one part that cannot be sounded out — the little heart marks the bit to just remember.
2. Read the story on the next page. If they get stuck, don’t say the word. Point under the letters and say: “Say each sound, then say them fast” — “mmm – aaa – p … map!”
3. Read it three times — they color a circle each time.
4. They draw what happened, on the top half of the next page. No picture to copy — their drawing is how you see what they understood.
5. They write one sentence, on the lines under their drawing. The sentence to read aloud is in the box below.
“Gus got a pup and a pig.”
Once at normal speed, once slowly, and have them say it back before they write. If they get stuck on a word, say its sounds together — don’t spell it letter by letter.
Practice, not a test — don’t mark it wrong. If a word is misspelled, read it back exactly as they wrote it and let them hear the difference.
A wrong word, or a guess? Don’t say “no” — point at the word: “Try that one again — say each sound.” Fixing it themselves is the win.
Sounded it out twice, still stuck? Tell them the word and carry on. A few told words do no harm.
Stuck on nearly every line, or fed up? Stop — that is fine. Try an easier lesson, or this one tomorrow. Five happy minutes beat twenty cross ones.
1. What did the pig dig up?
A tin mug. The story says it. If your child is unsure, have them find the word mug and read that line again.
2. Was Gus happy at the end? How can you tell?
Yes — he and the pup patted the pig. Listen for the pat, and for the nut turning up inside the mug after all.
3. Tell me what the pig did, from the first dig to the last.
Dug in the mud, dug up a tin mug, and a nut was inside it. Lines four to seven, in order.
Checked word by word: all 56 words in this story use only sounds taught by Lesson 16, plus heart words already learned. Nothing here needs guessing.
The story is on the next page →
Gus got a pup and a pig. The pup can tug. The pig can dig. "Dig up a nut," said Gus. The pig dug and dug in the mud. The pig dug up a tin mug! "It is not a nut," said Gus. A nut is in the mug! Gus and the pup pat the pig.
Read it again if you need to. Then draw what happened.
Your grown-up will say one sentence from the story. Say it back, then write it.