Before you start: this is Lesson 42. It uses only sounds already taught in Lessons 1–41. 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.
“He rolls the ball off the top.”
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. Where does the ball land?
In a well. It is stated in the story — if they guess, have them find the line with the word well in it.
2. Who tugs the ball out of the well?
Bill does. Dad fetches the net and Bill dips and tugs. Lines five and six say it. Follow up with "and how did Dad know to come?"
3. The story says the ball is a mess. What does a mess look like?
Muddy, wet, not clean. Line seven says it. The ball had been down a well, so ask what got on it.
Checked word by word: all 63 words in this story use only sounds taught by Lesson 42, plus heart words already learned. Nothing here needs guessing.
The story is on the next page →
Bill has a red ball and a tall hill. He rolls the ball off the top. It falls in a well! "Dad! The ball fell in!" yells Bill. Dad gets a net, and Bill dips it in. Bill tugs and tugs and gets the ball! The ball is a mess. Bill gets a tub. Bill fills it up and dips the ball in!
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.