Before you start: this is Lesson 68. It uses only sounds already taught in Lessons 1–67. 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 the robot stops. It is silent.”
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 robot pick up?
A red tulip, which it gave to Mom. Stated in the story — send them back to the line.
2. Why did the robot go silent?
Ben's own bit of gum was stuck in it. He found it when he tipped the robot up.
3. Gum stopped the robot. What else could Ben check if it goes quiet again?
Any idea of their own. Ben tipped it up and found his gum in line eight — that is the model.
Checked word by word: all 92 words in this story use only sounds taught by Lesson 68, plus heart words already learned. Nothing here needs guessing.
The story is on the next page →
Ben has a little robot. It can hum. It can make music and open a box. Ben tells it to open the red box. The robot picks up a red tulip from it. It gives the tulip to Mom, and she grins. Then the robot stops. It is silent. Ben taps it, but it will not hum. He tips it up. His gum is stuck in it! Ben rubs at it, but the gum is stuck. Mom picks the gum off with a pin. The robot hums a tune and Ben claps.
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.