You will learn
- Say what a connected text is.
- Read three or four sentences in order.
- Use sounds and tricky words to read.
- Say what the text is about.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- A text is sentences that go together.
- Read the sentences in order.
- Use what you know about sounds and tricky words.
- Tell what the text is about.
Words to know
words that are written down
joined together
one after the other
the topic or main idea
1. Discover: Ben and the hen
Ayo reads four lines: Ben has a hen. The hen is red. The hen sits in a pen. Ben gives the hen a bun. “It is about Ben and his hen!” he says.
Think: What does Ben give the hen?
2. Understand: Reading a text
Idea 1: Sentences go together
A text is made of sentences that go together. They are all about the same thing.
Idea 2: Read in order
Read the first sentence, then the next, then the next. The order helps the text make sense.
Idea 3: What is it about?
After reading, say what the text is about in your own words.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Read the text
Ben has a hen. The hen is red.
- Read sentence one.
- Read sentence two.
Answer: Ben has a hen. The hen is red.
Example 2 (We do it together): What is it about?
Ben has a hen. The hen is red. The hen sits in a pen.
- Find who or what the sentences are about.
- Use the repeated word.
Answer: A hen
Example 3 (You try): Answer a question
Ben has a hen. The hen is red. What colour is the hen?
Show the steps and answer
- Find the colour word.
- Check the sentence.
Answer: red
Did you know?
The first books children read often repeat words so they can read them with ease.
Why this matters
Reading connected texts is real reading: it is how we learn from books and stories.
4. Explore: Read it and tell it
Read a short text and retell it.
- Choose a short text.
- Read it in order.
- Close the book.
- Tell a partner what it was about.
Think about it: what did you notice?
You can read a text and say what it is about.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- The text is about ___.
- The first sentence says ___.
- Then ___.
- At the end ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What colour is the hen?
red
Question 2. Who has a hen?
Ben
Question 3. What is the text about?
a hen
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- Read: Ben has a hen.
- A text is made of ___.
- What colour is the hen?
- Where does the hen sit?
- Read the sentences in ___.
Level 2: Grow
- What does Ben give the hen?
- What is the text about?
- How many sentences are in the text?
Level 3: Stretch
- Write three sentences about a pet.
- Why do we read in order?
- Kofi says the text is about a pig. Is he right?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: English in everyday life
Read a short text on a card, sign or book page at home.
Show a sample answer
The sun is up. We get up. We go to school.
Another one. Tell a family member what the text was about.
Show a sample answer
It was about Ben and his hen.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Start at the first sentence.
Fix: Ask what the text is about.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can say what a connected text is.
- I can read several sentences in order.
- I can use what I know to read words.
- I can say what the text is about.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- A text is sentences that go together.
- Read in order.
- Use what you know.
- Say what it is about.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Reading with phrasing. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- What is a text? [1 mark]
- What colour is the hen in the text? [1 mark]
- What does Ben give the hen? [1 mark]
- What is the text about? [2 marks]
- Explain how to read a text. [3 marks]
Total: 8 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- sentences that go together [1]
- red [1]
- a bun [1]
- Ben and his hen [2]
- read the sentences in order [1]; use sounds and tricky words [1]; say what it is about [1]
Score guide: 7 to 8 = secure. 5 to 6 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 5 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- Ben has a ___.
- The hen is ___.
- The hen sits in a ___.
- Ben gives the hen a ___.
- How many sentences?
- What is the text about?
- Read the sentences in ___.
- True or false: a text is one letter.
- Write two sentences about a cat.
- Tell a partner what the text was about.
Homework
Read a short text to a family member and tell what it is about.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Ben has a ___. | hen | 1 |
| 2. The hen is ___. | red | 1 |
| 3. The hen sits in a ___. | pen | 1 |
| 4. Ben gives the hen a ___. | bun | 1 |
| 5. How many sentences? | 4 | 1 |
| 6. What is the text about? | Ben and his hen | 1 |
| 7. Read the sentences in ___. | order | 1 |
| 8. True or false: a text is one letter. | false | 1 |
| 9. Write two sentences about a cat. | two valid sentences | 1 |
| 10. Tell a partner what the text was about. | a clear retelling | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 Ben has a hen.; 2 sentences; 3 red; 4 in a pen; 5 order. Level 2: 1 a bun; 2 Ben and his hen; 3 4. Level 3: 1 three sentences about a pet; 2 so the text makes sense; 3 no, it is about a hen.
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Say what a connected text is | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Read three or four sentences in order | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Use sounds and tricky words to read | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Say what the text is about | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: Reading the sentences in the wrong order. Start at the first sentence.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Use two-sentence texts with pictures.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child reads several sentences that go together. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Read short texts together.
- Ask what it was about.
- Praise good tries.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: say what a connected text is; read three or four sentences in order; use sounds and tricky words to read; say what the text is about.
Prerequisite knowledge. Common irregular words.
Materials. Chart paper or board, pencils, picture or word cards, a reading book if available. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Write the key words and examples on the board or on cards before the lesson.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Read the hen text aloud and ask what it was about.
Explanation (10 min). Teach reading in order.
Guided activity (10 min). Practise with short texts.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners complete the practice and share.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What is the text about? What happened first?
Teacher explanation notes. Move from the spoken word to pictures and then to print. Read aloud often, point to the words, and let learners hear and say before they read and write.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use pictures and two sentences. Extension. Read short stories and retell them.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Reading the sentences in the wrong order. Start at the first sentence.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 8-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Use two-sentence texts with pictures. Enrichment. Read longer texts with five or six sentences. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (official site): Grade 1 » Reading: Foundational Skills; Grade 1 » Reading: Literature; Grade 1 » Reading: Informational Text. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.
Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core RF.1.4 (read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension) and RL.1.1, RI.1.1; IES What Works Clearinghouse practice guide Foundational Skills to Support Reading for Understanding in Kindergarten Through 3rd Grade; Cambridge Primary English Stage 1 (reading). These sources informed the lesson.