Parent guide · Kindergarten Phonics & Reading: First Sounds, First Words · Unit 4
Lesson 4.1 b and f
Written for the parent. Read the Say this lines aloud as they are, or in your own words. Answers for you are marked Listen for.
At a glance
- Time
- 5 sessions of 15–20 minutes
- Goal
- I can say /b/ when I see b (as in bat ), and write it. I can say /f/ when I see f (as in fan ), and write it. I can tap and blend words such as bat , bed , big . I can read the heart words are , they and say which part is learned by heart. I can read “The Big Fig” and tell it back.
- You need
- Sound cards (printables pack)
- Heart-word cards (printables pack)
- Primary-ruled paper and a pencil
- A King James Bible
- the lesson page (it also has a short video (4:32) and an explainer to read aloud (about 12 minutes))
Steps
Do this: b or d? Make a bed with your hands: left fist thumb up is b, right fist thumb up is d. b-e-d: the bed has a b at the start and d at the end.
Do this: New sound: b. Show the card and say: “This says /b/, as in bat.” Your child says it three times, then writes it in the air, on the table with a finger, and on paper. Then play a quick ears game: you say words and your child gives a thumbs up whenever /b/ is in the word.
Do this: New sound: f. Show the card and say: “This says /f/, as in fan.” Your child says it three times, then writes it in the air, on the table with a finger, and on paper. Then play a quick ears game: you say words and your child gives a thumbs up whenever /f/ is in the word.
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: Heart words. A heart word is mostly regular. We tap it like any other word, and draw a heart over the one part that does not follow the rules we know yet. Practise the heart words on cards every day this week (see the table below).
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.
New cards:
- b says /b/, as in bat. Make a sound card: write b on the front and draw a bat on the back.
- f says /f/, as in fan. Make a sound card: write f on the front and draw a fan on the back.
Show: Blend bat.
Say this: “Touch and say: /b/ /a/ /t/.”
Say this: “Sweep your finger under the word and say the sounds again, faster, without stopping between them.”
Say this: “Say the word: bat . Use it in a sentence.”
Answer: bat
Show: Blend bed.
Say this: “Touch and say: /b/ /e/ /d/.”
Say this: “Sweep your finger under the word and say the sounds again, faster, without stopping between them.”
Say this: “Say the word: bed . Use it in a sentence.”
Answer: bed
Do this: Your child does these with you. Let them try first; help only after a real try.
Ask: Read: bat · bed · big · bun
Listen for: bat = b | a | t; bed = b | e | d; big = b | i | g; bun = b | u | n
Ask: Read: bus · fan · fit · fun
Listen for: bus = b | u | s; fan = f | a | n; fit = f | i | t; fun = f | u | n
Ask: Read: fig · fog · fib · cab
Listen for: fig = f | i | g; fog = f | o | g; fib = f | i | b; cab = c | a | b
6 more practice items on the lesson page.
- Adding "uh" to stop sounds (/tuh/, /puh/). Clip them short: /t/, /p/. Extra "uh" makes blending hard (tuh-a-puh is not tap).
- Mixing up b and d. Use the "bed" hands: left fist thumb up is b, right fist thumb up is d.
- b: Start at the top line. Straight line down to the base line. Go back up to the middle and circle forward around to close the ball.
- f: Start below the top line. Curve up and back like a cane, then straight down to the base line. Cross at the middle line.
- Trace three, then write three on your own on the printable handwriting page. Circle your best one.
Copywork: Write each word once, saying the sounds as you write: bat, bed, big, bun, bus, fan.
Word Sounds Heart part are /ar/ ♥ the whole word says /ar/; e is silent they /th/ /ā/ ♥ ey says /ā/ (regular in Grade 2) The Big Fig
Bob and Bess are at the figs.
A big fig is up on top. "Get it, Bob!"
Bob hops. Bob can not get it. Bess hops. Bess can not get it.
Bob gets on a tub. Bess gets up on Bob. Bess has the fig! They grin. They hug.
Original. Before reading, show your child these story words and read them together: Bob, Bess.
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.
- What did Bob and Bess want?
Answer
A big fig.
- How did they get it?
Answer
Bob stood on a tub and Bess climbed on Bob.
- What did they do then?
Answer
They grinned and hugged.
Then ask your child to tell the whole story back in his or her own words (narration).
- What did Bob and Bess want?
Aesop: The Fox and the Grapes. Read it. Ask: Were the grapes really sour, or did the fox just say so?
The read-aloud is for listening, not decoding. Read it to your child at another time of day.
Make the bed with your fists before each b/d word card: bad, dab, bud, dub, bid, did.
Say this: “Tell me the new sounds you learned this week, and read me one word.”
Listen for: I can say /b/ when I see b (as in bat ), and write it.; I can say /f/ when I see f (as in fan ), and write it.; I can tap and blend words such as bat , bed , big .; I can read the heart words are , they and say which part is learned by heart.; I can read “The Big Fig” and tell it back.
O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
This week: Eyes up. Look at your listeners, not the floor. Pick three faces (left, middle, right) and give each one a line.
- 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.
Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
Bob and Bess got the fig by working together.
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.”