Sight Word Readers

The lion and the little mouse

A lion sleeps under a tree. A little mouse runs across his paw and wakes him. The lion catches the mouse, but he lets the small animal go. Some days later, hunters trap the lion in a net. The mouse hears his roar and comes quickly. With sharp little teeth, the mouse cuts the ropes. The lion is free and thanks his tiny friend. Children can read this story through short sentences, repeated sight words and picture clues. Lesson: A small friend can give great help.

Read together and talk

Read the title and look at the pictures before starting. Point to each word as you read, then invite your child to join in with repeated words or the final word in a sentence. Pause when a picture gives a clue, but let your child try the sentence first. Talk about what happened at the beginning, middle and end. Ask, "Why did the lion let the mouse go?" and "How did the mouse help?" Keep the talk simple for younger children and ask older readers to retell the story in their own words.

Activities after the story

Make a small word hunt by choosing three sight words from the reader and finding them on each page. Write the words on paper cards and ask your child to match each card to the same word in the story. Younger children can colour the animals and put three picture cards in story order. Older children can write one sentence about a kind thing they have done or draw a new ending. Act out the story with paper masks, soft toys or finger puppets, taking turns to be the lion and the mouse.