Before you start: this is Lesson 79. It uses only sounds already taught in Lessons 1–78. 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.
“It drops flat and Pam is sad.”
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 made the fort drop flat?
The big dog jumped on it. Send them back to that line if they guess.
2. How did Pam get the card to stand up the second time?
She set a rock on the short stick. If they say "Ben propped it," ask "did it stay up?"
3. Pam set a rock on the stick. What else could have held the card up?
Any idea. Line four is her first prop; line ten is the rock. Ask why the card kept falling.
Checked word by word: all 92 words in this story use only sounds taught by Lesson 79, plus heart words already learned. Nothing here needs guessing.
The story is on the next page →
Ben and Pam start a fort in the yard. The fort is a big box and a card. The card will not stand up by itself. Pam props it up with a short stick. Dad hands Ben a lamp for the dark part. Then a big dog jumps on the fort. It drops flat and Pam is sad. Ben starts to prop the card back up. The card falls flat, so Pam stops to think. She sets a rock on the short stick. The fort stands, and the dog naps in it.
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.