Before you start: this is Lesson 43. It uses only sounds already taught in Lessons 1–42. 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 big bull sits on 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. What is in the bag Tim pulls up the hill?
Nuts. It is stated in the story — if they cannot find it, have them reread the first line rather than telling them.
2. Why does Tim roll a nut off the hill?
The bull would not move, so Tim got it to run after the nut instead. You want cause and effect, not just "it fell."
3. What do you think Tim will take with him the next time he goes up that hill?
Any guess with a reason. A nut moved the bull in line five, so nuts are good thinking.
Checked word by word: all 58 words in this story use only sounds taught by Lesson 43, plus heart words already learned. Nothing here needs guessing.
The story is on the next page →
Tim has a bag full of nuts. He pulls it up a tall hill. A big bull sits on the top. "Go on, bull!" said Tim. No. It sits. So Tim rolls a nut off the hill. The bull runs and gets it. Tim pulls the full bag to the top. "You can have a nut," said Tim.
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.