Lesson 1: Word Families and Long Vowel Review

As needed, remind your child that the silent e makes the vowel say its name. Give him the "Word Pairs" page, and ask him to use the clues provided to fill in the correct word in the blank. Tell him that for each pair of words, he will find a word that fits in the first blank that also works in the second blank if you add a silent e.

Read the first sentence pair with him as an example, and encourage him to trace over the letters. Show him that the first letter of the words for each word pair is shown in a box beside the sentences. Image hints are also provided. If he needs extra clues, tell him a word that the first word rhymes with. (For example, "This word rhymes with 'hat.'") As needed, explain any words, such as "hare" (a bunny) and "colt" (a young horse).

Once he is done, check his work, and ask him to correct any spelling mistakes.

NOTE: It is quite common for children at this age to have difficulty spelling words. Your child may find it helpful to sound out words aloud at first, or to spell out a word with his finger before he writes it down. If it is a word he has read or written before, he may also try to remember what the word looked like. Be sure to tell your child that he is not being "graded" on his spelling in this type of activity and that it's ok if he misses words (even several words). Praise his efforts and assist him with correcting mistakes as needed.

Your child will read Fun and Then Cake on his own before reading it aloud to you. Encourage him to take his time and point to each word as he reads it. Review the tips on the "Teaching Your Child to Sound Out Words" page. If he encounters words he isn't sure about, encourage him to use the context of the sentence to help him figure out words. When he finishes reading the story to you, ask the following questions:

Have your child take the Learning Gates quiz for this day.