Before you start: this is Lesson 87. It uses only sounds already taught in Lessons 1–86. 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.
“At night the kite went up high.”
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. Why did Meg swap the small light for a big red one?
The small light was not bright at all.
2. How did Ben find the kite after it fell?
The bright light let him see it. That is why the big light mattered.
3. How did Meg feel when the kite cord snapped? Find the words that show you.
Sad — the story says she gave a sad sigh. Then the bright light let Ben find the kite.
Checked word by word: all 98 words in this
story use only sounds taught by Lesson 87, plus heart words already learned. Nothing here
needs guessing. The spelling ea, ey, ow can say more than one sound in English; every word here uses only the one taught so far.
The story is on the next page →
Meg made a big kite from sticks and cloth. Her plan was to fly it at night with Dad. First Meg tied a small light to the kite. That light was not bright at all. So Meg tied on a big red light. At night the kite went up high. Ben ran up to see the bright light. "That is not a star," said Meg. The wind was wild and the cord snapped. The kite fell, and Meg gave a sad sigh. But the bright light let Ben find it. At home Meg and Dad had hot pie.
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.