Before you start: this is Lesson 64. It uses only sounds already taught in Lessons 1–63. 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.
“The pot tipped and the milk spilled.”
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 did the milk drip on?
The rug. It says so in the third line.
2. Why did Ted call for Mom?
His small rag filled up fast and the rug was still wet, so he could not mop it all. Send them back to that line.
3. Start at the pot tipping. What happened next, and next?
Milk on the rug, Ted mops, his rag fills up, he calls Mom, they mop it up. Lines two to eight.
Checked word by word: all 80 words in this story use only sounds taught by Lesson 64, plus heart words already learned. Nothing here needs guessing.
The story is on the next page →
Ted filled a big pot with milk for Mom. The pot tipped and the milk spilled. It dripped on the rug in many drops. Ted grabbed a small rag and mopped it. The rag filled up fast. The rug is wet. "Mom!" he yelled. "I spilled the milk!" Mom picked up a big rag and helped him. They mopped it up. Ted dumped the wet rag. "Is any milk left?" said Ted. "Lots," said Mom. Ted helped fill the pot.
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.