Before you start: this is Lesson 101. It uses only sounds already taught in Lessons 1–100. 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.
“This time Tim went slowly and softly.”
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 Tim not want to make a sound?
A big dog naps by that shed all day. Have them find that line.
2. What went wrong when Tim went in fast?
His foot bumped a tin pan and it fell loudly on the rocks.
3. Do you think Tim was scared of the dog at first? Why?
Any answer. Ask which words made them think so.
Checked word by word: all 159 words in this
story use only sounds taught by Lesson 101, 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 →
Tim went to look for his red ball. It was in the shed on a tall shelf. A big dog naps by that shed all day. He is brown and he naps in the sun. Tim did not want to wake him up. First he went in fast to get the ball. But his foot bumped a tin pan on the step. It fell loudly on the rocks by the shed. Tim stood still. The dog did not wake. Next he tried to reach up from the mat. His hand bumped the shelf and a cup fell. That was loud too, but the dog did not wake up. This time Tim went slowly and softly. He set each foot down neatly on the mat. He held the shelf and got the red ball. Then the dog got up and looked at Tim. It licked his hand kindly and sat down. Tim gave him a soft pat and went in.
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.