Before you start: this is Lesson 99. It uses only sounds already taught in Lessons 1–98. 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 rest had brushes, socks, and cups.”
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 could Nell not find the peaches?
All six boxes had the same red lid. Have them find that line.
2. What was Nell's plan?
She got a pen and made a mark on each lid — a dish, a cup, a peach, a brush.
3. What mark would you put on a box of cups? Tell me why.
Any answer. Listen for a reason — it has to be quick to spot.
Checked word by word: all 146 words in this
story use only sounds taught by Lesson 99, plus heart words already learned. Nothing here
needs guessing. The spelling ey, ou 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 →
Nell went to help Gran out in the shed. They packed six big boxes with tape and rags. One box had dishes. One had glasses. One had ripe peaches from the tree. The rest had brushes, socks, and cups. All six boxes had the same red lid. Gran sat down and said, "Get me the peaches." Nell lifted a lid. Dishes! Not peaches. She lifted the next lid. Just brushes. Six lids up and down. Nell got mixed up. "I know," said Nell. "I have a plan." She ran and got a pen from the shelf. She made a mark on each of the lids. A dish, a cup, a peach, and a brush. Now Nell can find the peaches at once. She lifted that lid and got them out. Gran said, "That was a smart plan, Nell." They sat down and ate a ripe peach.
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.