Before you start: this is Lesson 50. It uses only sounds already taught in Lessons 1–49. 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.
“Ted and Phil look at ten shells.”
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 was the thin red shell that Ted picked?
In wet mud. Line three says it. If they guess, send them back to that line.
2. Digging with his hands did not work. What did Phil get so it would?
A red dish. Lines five and six say it. Two children, one job.
3. Which of the two shells would you have picked? What made you pick it?
Either. The thin red one is in line three. The reason is the part worth praising.
Checked word by word: all 82 words in this story use only sounds taught by Lesson 50, plus heart words already learned. Nothing here needs guessing.
The story is on the next page →
Ted and Phil look at ten shells. "Which shell do you want?" said Phil. Ted picks a thin red shell in wet mud. Ted digs and digs. It will not pop up. "When we get a dish, it will," said Phil. Phil ran back and got a red dish. Ted digs with the dish, and the shell pops. "I got it!" said Ted. Phil hops up. Then Ted digs and gets a shell as well. "That shell is your shell," said Ted.
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.