Before you start: this is Lesson 51. It uses only sounds already taught in Lessons 1–50. 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.
“When he sings, his dogs run off.”
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 do the dogs do when Ben sings on his own?
They run off. It is in the third line — have your child find the word dogs.
2. Who asks Ben to sing along?
The bug with the red wing. Line seven is the bug talking — have them find the quote marks.
3. If you drew one picture for this story, what would be in it?
Any moment — Ben on the log, the bug with the red wing, or all of them singing at the end.
Checked word by word: all 81 words in this story use only sounds taught by Lesson 51, plus heart words already learned. Nothing here needs guessing.
The story is on the next page →
Ben is a king. He has a red cap. But Ben can not sing well at all. When he sings, his dogs run off. Ben sits on a log. He is sad. A bug with a red wing sits on him. The bug sang a long song for Ben. "Sing with me," said the bug. Ben and the bug sang a long song. The dogs sat back. A dog sang as well. Ben sings a lot. His dogs sing with him.
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.