Before you start: this is Lesson 37. It uses only sounds already taught in Lessons 1–36. 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 and Tom run to the red pot.”
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 could Mom and Tom not see the dog?
The fog. Lines one and two say it. Let your child reread rather than being told.
2. What did Tom spot that showed him where the dog was?
His red pot, up on the log. The dog naps at his pot, so the pot showed Tom where he was. Lines four and five say it.
3. Find the line that shows the dog was glad to see Tom. Read it to me.
Line seven — the dog got up and ran to Tom. Let them find it rather than hearing it from you.
Checked word by word: all 69 words in this story use only sounds taught by Lesson 37, plus heart words already learned. Nothing here needs guessing.
The story is on the next page →
Fog! Tom and Mom can not see a lot. "The dog is not in his box," said Mom. Tom and Mom look and look in the fog. A red pot! It is up on the log. "The dog naps at his red pot!" said Tom. Mom and Tom run to the red pot. The dog got up and ran to Tom. "You got us to the dog," said Mom.
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.