Before you start: this is Lesson 126. It uses only sounds already taught in Lessons 1–125. 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.
“One seat was soft but very breakable.”
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 two things did Tom try before the bike shop?
A soft rag taped on, then a folded towel and cord. Both slid off.
2. Why did Tom pick the thick seat?
It was unbreakable. The other one was breakable — able to be broken. Point at the -able ending doing that job.
3. What is something of yours you wish were unbreakable? Why?
A toy, a cup, a tablet. The why is the part worth waiting for.
Checked word by word: all 176 words in this story use only sounds taught by Lesson 126, 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 →
Tom rides his bike to school each day. The way to school is long and bumpy. But the seat on his bike was hard as a rock. "It is not comfortable," he told Mom. By the third hill he had to stand up. First Tom taped a soft rag on the seat. It felt much better in the yard. But the rag slid off on the first hill. Then he tried a folded towel and some cord. That slid off as well and fell in the mud. So they went to the bike shop to look. One seat was soft but very breakable. "That one will crack," said the man in the shop. Tom picked a thick one that was unbreakable. It cost a bit more, but it will not break. Mom handed him the tools to fix it on. Tom took the old seat off and set the new one on. He sat on it and gave a big grin. Now his long rides are enjoyable. Tom rides all the way to school and back.
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.