Parent guide: Grade 2 Phonics & Reading: Syllables and Stories 9.3 Narration and Summarizing

At a glance

Time: 5 sessions of 15–20 minutes
Goal: I can tap and blend words such as lark , nest , farmer . I can read “The Lark and Her Young Ones” and tell it back.
You need: Heart-word cards (printables pack)
Primary-ruled paper and a pencil
A King James Bible
Print: the lesson page (it also has an explainer to read aloud (about 8 minutes))

Steps

Warm-up
Do this: Read the story once. Close the book. Tell it back in order without looking.
Teach the new idea
Do this: Tap and blend. For each word your child touches each letter (or letter team) and says its sound, then sweeps a finger under the whole word and says it smoothly. Never guess from the first letter or a picture. If a word is misread, point to the part that was missed and blend again from the start.
Do this: Spell it. Say a word. Your child says it back, taps the sounds on his or her fingers, then writes one letter (or letter team) for each sound. Check together, sound by sound.
Do this: The week at a glance. Day 1: warm-up, new sound, handwriting. Day 2: card review, word lists, spelling. Day 3: second new sound or more words, heart words. Day 4: read the story, talk about it. Day 5: reread the story for fluency, play the game, quick check (10 words, 1 sentence, 5 spelling words). Read the read-aloud at another time of day.
Show how
Show: Blend lark.
Say this: “Touch and say: /l/ /ar/ /k/.”
Say this: “Sweep your finger under the word and say the sounds again, faster, without stopping between them.”
Say this: “Say the word: lark . Use it in a sentence.”
Answer: lark
Show: Blend nest.
Say this: “Touch and say: /n/ /e/ /s/ /t/.”
Say this: “Sweep your finger under the word and say the sounds again, faster, without stopping between them.”
Say this: “Say the word: nest . Use it in a sentence.”
Answer: nest
Practice together
Do this: Your child does these with you. Let them try first; help only after a real try.
Ask: Read: lark · nest · farmer · neighbors
Listen for: lark = l | ar | k; nest = n | e | s | t; farmer = f | ar | m | er; neighbors = n | eigh | b | or | s
Ask: Read: cousins · reap · harvest · ripe
Listen for: cousins = c | ou | s | i | n | s; reap = r | ea | p; harvest = h | ar | v | e | s | t; ripe = r | i_e | p
Ask: Read the sentence: The farmer said he would reap the field himself.
Listen for: Reads every word correctly: “The farmer said he would reap the field himself.”. Pauses at the full stop and sounds like talking on the second read.
2 more practice items on the lesson page.
Watch for
- Trying to read a long word all at once. Find the vowels, split the word into syllables, read each part, then put it together.
- Guessing from the first letter or the picture. Cover the picture and ask the child to tap every sound.
Handwriting and copywork
1. Write a three-sentence summary of the story.
2. Use the ball-and-stick lines: tall letters touch the top line, short letters touch the middle line, tails go below the base line.
Copywork: Write each word once, saying the sounds as you write: lark, nest, farmer, neighbors, cousins, reap.
Decodable story: The Lark and Her Young Ones
The Lark and Her Young Ones
A lark made her nest in a field of green wheat. Her chicks grew strong while the wheat grew tall and turned golden.
One day the farmer came. "This wheat is ripe," he said to his son. "Go and ask our neighbors to help us reap it tomorrow." The young larks were afraid. "Mother, we must move!" "Not yet," said the lark. "A man who asks his neighbors to do his work will wait a long time."
The next day no neighbors came. "Go and ask our cousins to help us," said the farmer. Again the chicks were afraid, and again the mother said, "Not yet."
The day after that, no cousins came. "Son," said the farmer, "tomorrow we will get up early and reap the field ourselves." "Now," said the lark, "it is time to go." And she flew away with her young ones that very night. If you want a job done, do it yourself.
Retold from Aesop. Before reading, show your child these story words and read them together: lark, neighbors, cousins, reap, reapers, tomorrow, himself.
Every word in this story uses only the sounds and heart words taught so far (checked by the School Launch decodability checker). Read a page a day on Days 3 and 4, and the whole story on Day 5.
Talk about the story
1. Where was the lark’s nest?
  Answer
  In a field of wheat.
2. Who did the farmer ask for help first?
  Answer
  His neighbours.
3. When did the lark decide to move?
  Answer
  When the farmer said he would reap it himself.
4. What is the lesson?
  Answer
  If you want something done, do it yourself.
Then ask your child to tell the whole story back in his or her own words (narration).
Read-aloud
Aesop: The Lark and Her Young Ones. Read the original.
The read-aloud is for listening, not decoding. Read it to your child at another time of day.
Game: Story Chain
Take turns telling one sentence of the story in order. Whoever forgets a part starts the next round.
Narration
Say this: “Tell me the new sounds you learned this week, and read me one word.”
Listen for: I can tap and blend words such as lark , nest , farmer .; I can read “The Lark and Her Young Ones” and tell it back.
Recitation
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Philippians 4:13 (KJV)
This week: Recital. Put it all together: stand tall, big clear voice, eyes up, steady pace, pauses, expression, a good beginning and ending.
- Day 1: The teacher says it twice; the child echoes it one line at a time.
- Days 2–4: Say it together each morning; drop one line of help each day.
- Day 5: Say the reference, then the verse, then the reference again. Stand up and say it alone for the family.
Scripture
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might;
Ecclesiastes 9:10 (KJV)
Do your work with all your strength.

Spread over the week

5 sessions of 15–20 minutes. Stop while it is still going well.

Session 1. Warm-up, then teach the new idea (steps 1 and 2).
Session 2. Warm-up again, then show how with the examples.
Session 3. Practice together, then play the game.
Session 4. More practice, handwriting and reading, and the daily habit.
Session 5. Quick check: narration and a few practice items. Move on when it is mostly right.

For you

For families. Keep each session short and cheerful: 15 to 20 minutes, then stop. If your child is tired or frustrated, stop and finish tomorrow. A lesson can take more than a week; move on when the quick check on Day 5 is mostly “Got it.”