Before you start: this is Lesson 113. It uses only sounds already taught in Lessons 1–112. 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 licked her hand and her ear.”
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 was making the sound, and where was it?
A small wet pup, shut in a big box by the shed.
2. What did Fern try first to get the pup out, and did it work?
She tried to lift the lid. It was stuck, so she tipped the box on its side.
3. What would you have done if you heard that sound? Why?
Any answer works. Listen for a because, not for bravery.
Checked word by word: all 200 words in this
story use only sounds taught by Lesson 113, 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 →
It was a wet day at the start of the year. Fern went out to the yard after the rain. She could hear a small sound near the shed. It was not clear at all. It was very small. Fern felt a bit of fear and stood still. Then the sound came back, like a cry. "Dad, I hear a sound," she called. Dad came out and said, "I am near, dear." They went to the shed and looked all round. Fern got down and held her ear near the grass. The sound got more clear on that side. It came from a big box by the shed wall. A flat lid was shut on the top of it. Fern tried to lift the lid, but it was stuck. So she tipped the box on its side. Out slid a small wet pup, on to her lap! It had gone in to get out of the rain. Then the lid had slipped down and shut it in. The pup gave a big shake and got Fern wet. It licked her hand and her ear. "You have good ears, dear," said Dad. Fern has had that pup for a year now.
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.