Before you start: this is Lesson 41. It uses only sounds already taught in Lessons 1–40. 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.
“The pig naps in the hot sun.”
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 does Sam use to get the pig clean?
A tub and a big rag. This one is stated right in the story — if they cannot find it, have them reread that line rather than telling them.
2. Why is Sam wet at the end?
Looking for cause and effect: Sam washed the pig in the tub, so Sam got wet too. If they just say "the tub," ask "and what happened in the tub?"
3. Which part will you draw — the pig in the mud, or the pig in the tub?
Either, as long as they say what made them pick it. Line three is the mud; line six is the tub.
Checked word by word: all 61 words in this story use only sounds taught by Lesson 41, 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 →
Sam has a big pig and a red tub. The pig naps in the hot sun. It gets up and runs to the mud. "Not the mud!" said Sam. Sam gets the tub and a big rag. He rubs and rubs. The pig sits in it. The pig is wet. Sam is wet! "You can nap in the sun," said Sam.
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.