Parent guide · Kindergarten Phonics & Reading: First Sounds, First Words · Unit 8
Lesson 8.3 r-Blends: br cr dr fr gr tr
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 tap and blend words such as brick , crab , crib . I can read the heart words their , been and say which part is learned by heart. I can read “Joseph and His Brothers” and tell it back.
- You need
- Heart-word cards (printables pack)
- Primary-ruled paper and a pencil
- A King James Bible
- the lesson page (it also has a short video (2:47) and an explainer to read aloud (about 10 minutes))
Steps
Do this: /g/ /r/ (gr): grin, grab. /t/ /r/ (tr): trip, trap. /d/ /r/ (dr): drum, drip.
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.
Show: Blend brick.
Say this: “Touch and say: /b/ /r/ /i/ /ck/.”
Say this: “Sweep your finger under the word and say the sounds again, faster, without stopping between them.”
Say this: “Say the word: brick . Use it in a sentence.”
Answer: brick
Show: Blend crab.
Say this: “Touch and say: /c/ /r/ /a/ /b/.”
Say this: “Sweep your finger under the word and say the sounds again, faster, without stopping between them.”
Say this: “Say the word: crab . Use it in a sentence.”
Answer: crab
Do this: Your child does these with you. Let them try first; help only after a real try.
Ask: Read: brick · crab · crib · drum
Listen for: brick = b | r | i | ck; crab = c | r | a | b; crib = c | r | i | b; drum = d | r | u | m
Ask: Read: drip · frog · from · grin
Listen for: drip = d | r | i | p; frog = f | r | o | g; from = f | r | o | m; grin = g | r | i | n
Ask: Read: grab · trip · trap · trot
Listen for: grab = g | r | a | b; trip = t | r | i | p; trap = t | r | a | p; trot = t | r | o | t
5 more practice items on the lesson page.
- Dropping a sound in a blend (sip for slip, fog for frog). Tap one finger for each sound.
- Guessing from the first letter or the picture. Cover the picture and ask the child to tap every sound.
- Capitals M N T W. Copy: The frog can trot.
- 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: brick, crab, crib, drum, drip, frog.
Word Sounds Heart part their /th/ /air/ ♥ eir says /air/ been /b/ /ĭ/ /n/ ♥ ee says /ĭ/ Joseph and His Brothers
Jacob had lots of sons. Joseph was the son he had a soft spot for. Jacob got Joseph a rich coat.
The brothers got mad. They sent Joseph off to Egypt.
In Egypt, God was with Joseph. Joseph got to be a big man, next to the king.
Then the brothers went to Egypt for grain. They did not spot him. Joseph said, "I am Joseph!" The brothers were upset. But Joseph said, "God did this to help us all." He hugged his brothers.
Retold from Genesis 37 and 45. Before reading, show your child these story words and read them together: Joseph, Jacob, Egypt, brothers, coat, grain, hugged.
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 Jacob give Joseph?
Answer
A rich coat of many colours.
- What did the brothers do?
Answer
Sent (sold) him away to Egypt.
- Who was with Joseph in Egypt?
Answer
God.
- What did Joseph say at the end?
Answer
God meant it for good. He forgave them.
Then ask your child to tell the whole story back in his or her own words (narration).
- What did Jacob give Joseph?
Genesis 37 and 45 (told in parts). Read Genesis 37:3–4, 23–28 and 45:1–8 over the week.
The read-aloud is for listening, not decoding. Read it to your child at another time of day.
Lay r-blend words on lily pads (paper circles). Your child hops to each pad and reads the word.
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 brick , crab , crib .; I can read the heart words their , been and say which part is learned by heart.; I can read “Joseph and His Brothers” and tell it back.
Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
This week: Begin and end well. Say the title and author (or the Bible reference) first. At the end, pause, then say “thank you” and sit down.
- 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.
But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
God can turn bad things to good.
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.”