Before you start: this is Lesson 33. It uses only sounds already taught in Lessons 1–32. 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.
“Mom got the van, but the cat hid!”
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 is a vet?
Someone who fixes pets. Mom says it in lines three and four. This is the word the whole story rests on, so it is worth checking they have it.
2. How do you know the cat did not want to go?
The cat hid when Mom got the van. That is evidence, not a guess — have them find the line and read it back.
3. Which part will you draw — the cat hiding, or the cat asleep on Gus?
Either. Line five is the hiding; the last line is the nap. The reason matters more than the pick.
Checked word by word: all 75 words in this story use only sounds taught by Lesson 33, plus heart words already learned. Nothing here needs guessing.
The story is on the next page →
Gus has a tan cat. It has a cut. "What can I do?" said Gus. "A vet can fix a cut," said Mom. "Vets fix pets. We can get in the van." Mom got the van, but the cat hid! Gus got it and set it on his lap. The vet has a wet rag. She rubs it. "You have a big, tan cat," she said. The cat naps on his lap in the van.
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.