Before you start: this is Lesson 55. It uses only sounds already taught in Lessons 1–54. 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.
“Then it lands in a tall pine.”
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 kite land?
In a tall pine. If they say "a tree," that counts, but ask which line told them.
2. Jumping up at the kite does not work. What does Mike do that does?
He gets the long stick Jill spots, stands on a rock and taps the kite. Lines seven and eight.
3. Have you ever had something stuck up high? How did you get it down?
Any answer. Mike used a long stick and stood on a rock, in lines seven and eight.
Checked word by word: all 85 words in this story use only sounds taught by Lesson 55, plus heart words already learned. Nothing here needs guessing.
The story is on the next page →
Mike runs in the sun with a white kite. A big puff lifts the kite up and up. Then it lands in a tall pine. "My kite!" said Mike. "I can not get it." Mike jumps up at it, but he slips. Jill stops next to him on a red bike. "Look! A long stick in the grass," said Jill. He stands on a rock and taps the kite. The white kite drops off. Mike grabs it. "Thank you, Jill!" said Mike with a smile.
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.