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The –ies Word Ending: Making More Words Plural
We’ve already talked about plurality before, and this lesson will be similar. Really, adding the -ies word ending is just a fancy way of adding -s and so our initial lesson on making words plural is...
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Free Reading Lessons for Bob Books Set 3, Book 2
Bob Books Set 3 Book 2 (“Lolly-Pops”) introduces a whole new bunch of phonics rules … just like the previous book. Be content to go slow and do a lot of review — our goal is to never overwhelm our...
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Free Reading Lessons for Bob Books Set 3, Book 3
The third book of Bob Books Set 3 (“Frogs”) is also introducing some new material. Set three can be tough for some students, so don’t be afraid to slow down or even re-read an old book if your student...
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Free Reading Lessons for Bob Books Set 3, Book 4
The fourth book of Bob Books Set 3 (called “The Red Car”) only introduces one new rule, but it’s a pretty important one. It’s the long-e sound, the sound in which e says its own name. A whole new world...
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Free Reading Lessons for Bob Books Set 3, Book 5
In Bob Books Set 3, Book 5 (called “Summer”), we see the first instance of beginning a sentence with a capital I that does not actually say “I.” What I mean is, there is a sentence that begins with the...
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Free Reading Lessons for Bob Books Set 3, Book 6
For Bob Books Set 3, Book 6 (called “Kittens”), there are enough new rules introduced and new applications made that we need to break the book up into smaller lessons. Remember: we never want to...
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Free Reading Lessons for Bob Books Set 3, Book 7
Bob Books Set 3 Book 7 (“Funny Bunny”) is the second-to-last book in the set. From now on, the sets only have 8 books apiece, and I think that is likely because each individual book is so much longer...
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Basic Reading Skills: Introducing Contractions
At some point, we have to break it to our students that English can get a little messy — as can any language when you’re writing it out as it is spoken rather than the Official Proper Way. As usual,...
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When ou Says oo
This is a less common sound. Much of the time, ou says ow — as in loud. But this sound can and does say oo, and here’s the binder card to prove it: The post When ou Says oo appeared first on Teaching...
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Free Reading Lessons for Bob Books Set 3, Book 8
The first half of Bob Books Set 3 Book 8 (“Bed Bugs”) seems really simple, but then we reach the second half, and a number of new concepts are introduced in a short space. For that reason, we slow the...
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Special Sound: o as in one
English has a few very strange words, as I’m sure you’re aware. In the case of one, the reigning theory seems to be that there was a pronunciation war, but a settled spelling. So one is the spelling,...
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Free Reading Lessons for Bob Books Set 5, Book 7
This book is called Chickens. It’s quite a bit of fun! Here are the lessons: Lesson One Introduce new sound: special-o Review appropriate sections in the binder. Read: Set 5, Book 7 (“Chickens”) pp....
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Free Reading Lessons for Bob Books First Grade Sight Words, Book 10
And this is the last sight words book … as in ever! Pat yourself on the back, Mama, because you have done a great job, too! Here are the lessons for this book: Lesson One Review appropriate sections in...
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Teaching the ang Sound
There is a sense in which this is just your basic, run of the mill long-a sound. It’s true! But I like to teach this as a blend so that students see that there is an entire word family that uses this...
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Free Reading Lessons for Bob Books Set 5, Book 8
And this is your final Bob Books book! Congratulations! You made it! Take your student out to ice cream or something because this is a big accomplishment! Here are the lessons: Lesson One Introduce new...
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Looking Back: What I Wish I’d Known About Homeschooling in the Early Years
We all have our regrets, right? (If you’re new to homeschooling, just give yourself a day or two. Then, you will have regrets, too.) Preschool is only the beginning of things we give our children to...
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How to Teach Phonics to a Grump
You’ve been there, haven’t you? You sit down with your binder and your Bob Books to do what you think will be a pleasant little lesson, and your student shows up, frown on face. Or, the lesson starts...
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Five Authors to Read After Bob Books
When your child finishes Bob Books Set 5, he can’t just jump into chapter books. In fact, the five sets plus the two sight words sets do not teach all the necessary phonics rules. (That’s why we are...
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Five Favorite Christmas Picture Books You Should Add to Your Family Library
It’s getting close to that time of year again, folks! I’m writing this now because books are things you need to buy a bit in advance — you won’t have them when you need them if you haven’t already...
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Teaching Reading to the Imaginative Child (From the Mailbag)
My nearly 5 year old daughter has begun her Bob Book lessons and thoroughly enjoys them. She catches on quickly and remembers well, as long as we review properly. I however am a little overwhelmed by...
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