Before you start: this is Lesson 61. It uses only sounds already taught in Lessons 1–60. 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.
“Sage smells the ham and runs back.”
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 does Raj do first when Sage runs off?
He calls Sage by name, but Sage will not stop. Send them back to that line.
2. What finally gets Sage to come back?
A bit of ham that Raj sets on a page. If they say "the ham," ask where Raj put it.
3. Which moment will you draw — Sage running off, or Sage back in his cage?
Either. Line four is the run; line nine is the cage. Ask what made them pick that one.
Checked word by word: all 80 words in this story use only sounds taught by Lesson 61, plus heart words already learned. Nothing here needs guessing.
The story is on the next page →
Raj brings his pet rat to class. He has a huge cage up on the stage. "This is Sage," he said. "He is my rat." Sage hops from the cage and runs off! The class jumps up, but Raj is brave. He calls, "Sage! Sage!" Sage will not stop. Raj sets a bit of ham on a page. Sage smells the ham and runs back. Raj picks him up and shuts the cage. "That rat and his ham!" said Raj.
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.