Before you start: this is Lesson 116. It uses only sounds already taught in Lessons 1–115. 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.
“He could not get both.”
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 did Ben nearly get first?
A red kite. He changed his mind when he saw the box of paints.
2. What did Ben paint after the spots?
A big red kite. He got his kite in the end, just not the one from the shop.
3. Would you pick the kite or the paints? Why?
Either choice is fine. The why is the part worth hearing.
Checked word by word: all 164 words in this story use only sounds taught by Lesson 116, plus heart words already learned. Nothing here needs guessing.
Heart words — read each one, then check the box.
The story is on the next page →
Ben went to the park and saw kids with kites. A big red kite went up over the trees. He had wanted a kite like that for a long time. The next day he went to the shop with his gran. He had six dollars in his hand. The red kite was there on a hook. But then he saw a box of paints. Ben stood there for a long while. He could not get both. He picked up the kite, then set it down. Gran just stood back and let him think. In the end he bought the paints. He brought them home and started painting. At first his art was just brown spots. He thought he had made a bad pick. So he stopped and had a good long look. Then he painted a big red kite in the sky. He hung it up next to his bed. Now his room is full of bright art. "The kite can wait," Ben thought.
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.