Before you start: this is Lesson 34. It uses only sounds already taught in Lessons 1–33. 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.
“A bit of rag is in the zip!”
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. Why would the zip not go up?
A bit of rag was caught in it. Line four says it. Let your child reread that line rather than being told.
2. Who got the zip working again?
Liz did it herself. Line five says it. If they say Zac, ask them to find the line with the rag in it.
3. Tell me about a time something of yours got stuck.
Any story of their own. Liz's zip stuck on a bit of rag in line four. A real zip is a good prop.
Checked word by word: all 72 words in this story use only sounds taught by Lesson 34, plus heart words already learned. Nothing here needs guessing.
The story is on the next page →
Liz has a red bag, and it zips up. Zac and Liz set a bun and a nut in it. Liz tugs at the zip. It is not up. A bit of rag is in the zip! Liz tugs at the rag. Zip! It is up! "You did it," said Zac, and Liz nods. Liz and Zac zig and zag to the den. Liz has the bun, and Zac has the nut.
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.