Before you start: this is Lesson 114. It uses only sounds already taught in Lessons 1–113. 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.
“Tom tripped, and the plate fell and broke.”
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 Tom fall?
He did not see the cat on the mat. Have them find the line.
2. What did Tom try first with the eight bits, and did it work?
He tried to fit them back with his hands, but the bits slid apart. Then he got the glue and set them back on.
3. Why was that plate a big deal to Mom?
It was her mom's plate. It is in the fourth line.
Checked word by word: all 203 words in this
story use only sounds taught by Lesson 114, plus heart words already learned. Nothing here
needs guessing. The spelling 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 →
Mom made a great steak for the meal. The smell of it went all over the house. She set it on a big white plate. "That plate was my mom's plate," she said. "Hold it well, Tom. Do not break it." Tom took the plate up with both hands. It did weigh a lot with the steak on it. He went slow, one step at a time. But he did not see the cat on the mat. Tom tripped, and the plate fell and broke. It went into eight white bits on the floor. The cat got the steak and ran off with it. Tom sat down on the floor for a bit. Then he got the broom and cleaned it up. He set all eight bits up on the table. He tried to fit them back with just his hands. But the bits slid apart when he let go. So Tom got Dad to hand him the glue. He set the bits back on, one at a time. It took a long time, but the plate held. Mom said, "That is a great fix, Tom." After the meal, Tom did the dishes to help. The cat had the greatest meal of all.
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.