Before you start: this is Lesson 40. It uses only sounds already taught in Lessons 1–39. 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.
“It naps on his red bed.”
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 is the bed wet?
The hen sat in the fog and then napped on the bed. If they only say "the hen," ask "and where had the hen been?"
2. What do Mom and Dad get to clean up?
Mom gets a rag and Dad gets a mop. This is stated right in the story — have them reread that line if they cannot find it.
3. What was the problem with the bed? How was it sorted out?
The hen made it wet. Mom and Dad cleaned up and Ben made the hen a bed of rags. Lines four to seven.
Checked word by word: all 61 words in this story use only sounds taught by Lesson 40, plus heart words already learned. Nothing here needs guessing.
Heart words — read each one, then check the box.
The story is on the next page →
Ben has a pet hen and lets it in. The hen sat in the wet fog. It naps on his red bed. Ben gets in bed. It is wet! "The hen did it," said Ben. Mom gets a rag and Dad gets a mop. Ben sets a bed of rags in a bin. The hen naps in the bin. Ben nods.
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.