Before you start: this is Lesson 119. It uses only sounds already taught in Lessons 1–118. 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.
“Which train was Gran on?”
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 Ben and Pam's big question?
Which train Gran was on. Lines four and five set it up.
2. What happened when the first train came in?
They ran to look, but Gran was not on it. Pam felt sad.
3. What would you wear so a friend could spot you? Why?
Any answer is fine. Listen for a reason tied to being easy to see.
Checked word by word: all 166 words in this story use only sounds taught by Lesson 119, 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 →
Gran had been away on a long vacation. She sent Ben and Pam a card each week. Today she comes back on a train. Ben and Pam had one big question. Which train was Gran on? Mom drove them to the station to find out. The station was full of moms and kids. Trains came in fast, one after the next. A train came in. They ran to look. Gran was not on it. Pam felt sad. The next train had no gran on it at all. "We will not spot her in this crowd," said Pam. "But Gran has a big red hat," said Ben. So Pam sat up and did not stop looking. She looked past the shops and past the bins. Then she saw a red hat in the crowd. It was Gran, back from her vacation! "We found her!" said Ben with a grin. Gran had a small gift for each of them. Pam got a shell and Ben got a rock.
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.