Before you start: this is Lesson 54. It uses only sounds already taught in Lessons 1–53. 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.
“Jane runs in to get a rag.”
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 did Jane and Mom put the big cake?
On a big plate. Line two says it. Let your child reread rather than being told.
2. Mom thinks a bug licked the cake. How does Jane show it was not a bug?
She spots cake on Jake the cat's chin. Line six is the clue — it is worth a little talk.
3. Tell me the bit you liked best — the cake on Jake's chin, or Jake's own small cake.
Either. Line six is the chin; line nine is the small cake. Ask them to read their line back.
Checked word by word: all 84 words in this story use only sounds taught by Lesson 54, plus heart words already learned. Nothing here needs guessing.
The story is on the next page →
Jane and Mom bake a big cake. They set the cake on a big plate. Jane runs in to get a rag. When she gets back, the cake has a lick! "Who did that?" said Jane. Mom thinks a bug. But Jane spots cake on Jake the cat's chin. "It was Jake!" said Jane. "Look at his chin." "We can make Jake a small cake," said Jane. They bake it, and Jake licks it up. Then Jane and Mom take the big cake 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.