8592 SSD workbook purple print ready watermark LR

STORY AUTHOR 

DR ROSEMARY ALLEN 

NAME: 

CLASS: 

© R.I.C. Publications® 

PURPLE 

Low resolution display copy 

© Prim-Ed Publishing 

EXPLORE THE 

STARS!

Star strategy decodable workbook 

(Purple) 

Copyright notice 

Published by R.I.C. Publications® and Prim-Ed Publishing 2024 

Copyright © R.I.C. Publications® 2024 

Copyright © of decodable stories Dr Rosemary Allen 2024 

R.I.C. Publications® acknowledges the Wadjak people of the 

Nyoongar Nation as the Traditional Custodians of the land on 

which our Western Australian office is based. We acknowledge 

the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia 

and pay our respects to Elders past, present, and emerging. 

R.I.C. Publications® recognises the role of First Nations Elders as 

Australia’s first educators. 

We acknowledge and appreciate all cultures and peoples. 

ISBN 978-1-922843-99-9 

RIC–8592 

Titles in this series: 

Star strategy decodable workbook (Pink) 

Star strategy decodable workbook (Yellow) 

Star strategy decodable workbook (Green) 

Star strategy decodable workbook (Purple) 

Disclaimer 

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accuracy of information; our team at R.I.C. Publications® and 

Prim-Ed Publishing cannot be held responsible for mistakes 

or omissions, but we do endeavour to rectify any errors found 

within our products. Please contact us to provide feedback. 


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© Prim-Ed Publishing

Foreword 

Hi there! Welcome to the Star strategy decodable workbook series. These special 

workbooks are here to help you become a language superstar. But what does 

that mean? 

Language superstars know that the sounds in words can be written as letters (or 

groups of letters), and that these symbols can be read as different sounds. It’s just like a special 

code. We can use this special code to help us spell and read the words that are all around us. 

Inside each workbook you will find lots of fun activities to help you learn how to become a 

language superstar. There are activities to help you learn the code and build the skills you need 

to encode (spell) and decode (read) words. Being a language superstar means mastering both 

of these important skills together. 

As you work through these books, you will learn and improve one step at a time. By the end, you 

will have all the skills you need to become a language superstar! So, let’s follow the stars to an 

exciting adventure with the Star strategy decodable workbook series. 

Contents 

Educator notes..................................................................................................................................................................................... iv 

Superstar steps................................................................................................................................................................................... vii 

Daily practice 1..............................2 

Skill builder 1...................................... 3 

Skill builder 2.....................................4 

Skill builder 3..................................... 5 

Skill builder 4..................................... 6 

Check in............................................... 7 

Star story 1......................................... 8 

Star story 2.......................................10 

Star story 3....................................... 12 

Star story 4......................................14 

Daily practice 2.............................16 

Skill builder 1.................................... 17 

Skill builder 2................................... 18 

Skill builder 3................................... 19 

Skill builder 4...................................20 

Check in............................................. 21 

Star story 1.......................................22 

Star story 2.......................................24 

Star story 3.......................................26 

Star story 4......................................28 


Skill builder 1.................................... 31 

Skill builder 2...................................32 

Skill builder 3...................................33 

Skill builder 4...................................34 

Check in.............................................35 

Star story 1.......................................36 

Star story 2.......................................38 

Star story 3...................................... 40 

Star story 4......................................42 

Star story 5...................................... 44 

Daily practice 4............................ 46 

Skill builder 1....................................47 


Skill builder 2.................................. 48 

Skill builder 3...................................49 

Skill builder 4.................................. 50 

Check in............................................. 51 

Star story 1.......................................52 

Star story 2...................................... 54 

Star story 3.......................................56 

Star story 4......................................58 


Skill builder 1.................................... 61 

Skill builder 2...................................62 

Skill builder 3...................................63 

Skill builder 4.................................. 64 

Check in.............................................65 

Star story 1.......................................66 

Star story 2.......................................68 

Star story 3.......................................70 

Star story 4......................................72 


Skill builder 1....................................75 

Skill builder 2...................................76 

Skill builder 3................................... 77 

Skill builder 4...................................78 

Check in.............................................79 

Star story 1...................................... 80 



Star story 2.......................................82 

Star story 3...................................... 84 

Star story 4......................................86 

Congratulations superstar!.............................................................................................................................................................88 

Authentic text.......................................................................................................................................................................................90 

Farewell...................................................................................................................................................................................................98 

Fluency checklist.................................................................................................................................................................................99 

Decoding strategies....................................................................................................................................................................... 100 

Removeable resources...................................................................................................................................................................101 

R.I.C. Publications®/Prim-Ed Publishing 978-1-922843-99-9 STAR STRATEGY DECODABLE WORKBOOK (PURPLE) iii

EDUCATOR 

NOTES 

Introducing the Star strategy 

Are you ready to embark on an exciting adventure to help your learner spell and read 

confidently? The Star strategy decodable workbook series is here to guide you along the 

way. Developed using a comprehensive body of research known as The science of reading, 

these unique workbooks offer a systematic and cumulative approach to teaching learners the 

connection between letters and sounds. 

How are the workbooks structured? 

Your learner will engage in a variety of activities designed to help them: 

• recognise and manipulate sounds 

• break whole words into individual sounds when spelling 

• represent the sounds they hear as letters or groups of letters 

• blend letters or groups of letters together to read whole words. 

The workbooks are divided into four levels, each one building upon the skills learned in the 

previous level. As your learner progresses, they will develop a solid understanding of how letters 

(or groups of letters) can be used to represent sounds in words (and vice versa). 

How can you make the most of the series with your learner? 

1. Introduce the letters and sounds, ‘Star words’, and ‘Bright star words’ using the ‘Daily 

practice’ page. In this workbook series, words with common spellings that have not yet 

been introduced are called Star words. For example, ‘school’ is a Star word in Set 4 as 

the ‘ch’ spelling for the /k/ sound has not yet been taught. Exception words with irregular 

spellings are called Bright star words. A star icon is used to indicate this irregular spelling. 

For example, ‘people’ is a Bright star word in Set 5 as the ‘eo’ spelling is making an irregular, 

long /e/ sound. The star icon under the ‘eo’ indicates that this is not a regular sound for 

this spelling pattern. Take a few minutes each day to practise these words and sounds (and 

review those previously learnt) with your learner. You may also like to ask your learner to try 

using the Star words and Bright star words in a sentence. 

You will notice marks under the letters and words throughout this book. 

This visual support may help your learner remember these letters as an 

individual sound or a group of letters that make one sound. 

a • 

: one letter making one sound. 

ch : 


two or more letters making one sound. 



a_e: two letters that make one sound that is split by another letter. 

• • 

a : ‘Bright star sound’, or letter that is making an irregular sound. 

An arrow is used under the Star words and Bright star words as a visual 

support to help learners blend the sounds together in the correct order. 

You may wish to add a direction arrow under other words to provide a 

similar scaffold for reading as your learner progresses through the Skill 

builder activities. 

iv 

STAR STRATEGY DECODABLE WORKBOOK (PURPLE) 978-1-922843-99-9 R.I.C. Publications®/Prim-Ed Publishing

EDUCATOR 

NOTES 

2. Work through the four ‘Skill builders’ with your learner at their own pace. These can be 

completed over several days. There are also small prompts throughout the workbook to 

guide your instruction. 

3. When your learner can confidently decode single words, and sentences, it is time for them 

to move on to reading a decodable story. There are four to five ‘Star stories’ for your learner 

to read in each set. This differs to previous workbooks which included two Star stories, 

and two Bonus star stories. Unlike the previous workbooks, where stories covered a mix of 

grapheme–phoneme correspondences (GPCs), each Star story in this workbook typically 

focuses on one sound and its different spellings. This purposeful change ensures that your 

learner is provided with targeted reviews of previously learnt spellings while consolidating 

their understanding of the new spellings that they will learn in this workbook. 

4. When your learner masters a Star story, they can colour the corresponding badge inside the 

back cover to celebrate their achievement. To ensure that your learner has practised all the 

focus sounds and spellings, it is recommended that they read all the Star stories in each set. 

5. Your learner is ready to move onto the next set when they are able to confidently complete 

the Skill builder activities and read the selected Star stories fluently. You can further assess 

their progress and readiness using the provided ‘Check in’ for each set. 

6. Three engaging ‘Authentic texts’ are also included at the end of each workbook. These are 

real-world texts that should be read to your learner. While they are not designed to directly 

teach reading skills, they play a vital role in enhancing your learner’s vocabulary and 

language comprehension when used with the provided questions. 

It’s time to get started! But before you do, here are some important things to remember: 

• Your most important role is to remain 

positive throughout your learner’s journey. 

Spelling and reading should never feel like 

a battle. Instead, keep it enjoyable and 

prioritise your learner’s self-esteem. If 

they hesitate on a word, provide them with 

the word or spelling rather than allowing 

them to struggle. Rest assured that with 

repeated reading and application of 

essential decoding and encoding skills, their 

confidence and ability to tackle challenging 

words will flourish. 


• Consistency is key. Once your learner has 

learnt the sounds, Star words, and Bright star 

words in a set, it is essential to review them 

regularly to consolidate their learning. 

• Using a multimodal approach will help 

strengthen your learner’s understanding by 

allowing them to make meaning through 

visual, auditory, and kinesthetic channels. 

When spelling a word, for example, say the 

word and segment it into sounds (auditory), 

then count each sound with your finger 

as you say it and write each letter down 

(kinesthetic), ensuring you look at each 

sound as it is written (visual). 

• It is okay if your learner reads only part of 

a Star story or reads one repeatedly. Even if 

they can decode all the words, reinforcement 

is crucial for fluency and comprehension. 

To make fluency exercises entertaining, try 

using different voices, such as a robot voice, 

a mouse voice, or even an angry voice, to 

read the story. This playful approach helps 

develop their fluency skills. 



The Star strategy decodable workbook series is a fun and effective tool to help your 

learner become a confident reader and speller. So, follow the stars, and enjoy the journey of 

learning together! 

R.I.C. Publications®/Prim-Ed Publishing 978-1-922843-99-9 STAR STRATEGY DECODABLE WORKBOOK (PURPLE) v

EDUCATOR 

NOTES 

Pre-assessment 

Use this assessment to determine whether your learner is ready to use this workbook. If your 

learner is unable to complete most of these activities successfully, it is recommended that they 

continue to use the Green workbook to build their skills. 

Skill 1: The learner can read and write CCVC and CVCC words. 

Script: ‘Write the word (say the word). Put a finger up as you say each sound, then write it 

(allow learner time to complete). Now, blend to read the word you have written.’ 

Practise: ‘/f/ (write “f”), /r/ (write “r”), /o/ (write “o”), /g/ (write “g”). Frog.’ 

desk stop lift glad drum 

Skill 2: The learner recognises that the same sound can be spelt in different ways. 

Script: ‘I will show you two words. Circle the spellings for the sound that is the same in 

both words.’ 

Practise: (Write the words ‘chin’ and ‘catch’.) “Chin” and “catch” both have the /ch/ sound.’ 

(Circle the spelling for these sounds on your written words and say the /ch/ sound as you do.) 

night sky jog badge 

Skill 3: The learner can read words with more than one syllable. 

Script: ‘Point to each word and read it out loud.’ 

bubble happy summer little floppy toaster 

Skill 4: The learner can read words with prefixes and suffixes. 

Script: ‘Point to each word and read it out loud.’ 

unzip unpack singing running 


lifted jumped chilled spotted 



vi 


JAM 

JAM 

JAM 

JAM 

JAM 

JAM 

JELLY 

JELLY 

JELLY 

Superstar steps 

Are you ready to become a language superstar? Follow 

these steps: 

DAILY 

PRACTICE 

SKILL 

BUILDER 

t 

p 

Complete your ‘Daily practice’ 

every day. It will help you 

learn the code that you need 

to spell and read the words in 

each set. 

STAR 

STORY 2 

Read each ‘Star story’. 

Choose one story to read out 

loud to an adult each day. 

CHECK 

IN 

Work on the ‘Skill builders’. 

They will help you 

develop your spelling and 

reading skills. 

When you can read a Star 

story smoothly, colour in the 

badge on the back cover. 

When you have completed 

the Skill builders and read 

the Star stories, it is time to 

do a ‘Check in’ and show off 

all your hard work! 

Well done! Keep trying your best with each set and you will be 

on your way to becoming a language superstar! 

R.I.C. Publications®/Prim-Ed Publishing 978-1-922843-99-9 STAR STRATEGY DECODABLE WORKBOOK (PURPLE) vii 

Set 1 

Set 2 

Willem’s magpies 

1 

Clair’s adventure 


1 

2 

2 

Clay sees a play 

Dad’s scooter 

3 

The messy cook 

The sellers’ market 



3

DAILY 

PRACTICE 1 

1. Tap and say each sound. 

ay ea ie oe u_e 

2. Tap and blend to read the Star words and Bright star word. 

Star words 

wear near year 

afternoon plea se ea se 

Bright star word 

Try to remember the Bright star sound! 

busy 




2 


1 

SKILL 

BUILDER 

Tap and say the sound. Trace and copy these letters. 

ay 

ay ay ay 

ea 

ea ea ea 

hay 

ie 

pie 

u_e 

ay 

ay 

ie ie ie 

ie 

leaf 

oe 


ie 

u e u e u e 

toe 

ea 

ea 

oe oe oe 

oe 

oe 



flute 

u e 

R.I.C. Publications®/Prim-Ed Publishing 978-1-922843-99-9 STAR STRATEGY DECODABLE WORKBOOK (PURPLE) 3

SKILL 

BUILDER 

2 

1. Say the word. Colour the sound you hear in the word. 

doe 

peach 

flies 

tube 

spray 

ay ea ie oe u_e ay ea ie oe u_e ay ea ie oe u_e 

2. Tap it 

(say each sound as you tap 

the circle) 

f 

oe 

s t r ea m 

Map it 

(write one sound in each box) 


c r ay o n 

3. Read the sentence. Does it match the picture? 

Colour if yes or if no. 

June cried when she stubbed 

her toe and dropped her jar of 

clay beads. 

Blend it 

(join the sounds together 

to read the word) 

foe 

stream 

crayon 



4 


3 

SKILL 

BUILDER 

1. These words have been broken into syllables. Circle the syllables 

that end with a vowel. What do you notice about this sound? 

re-lax pi-lot mu-sic vol-ca-no 

2. Change the ‘y’ to ‘i’ before adding the endings 

to these words. Write the new word on the line. 

dry 

spy 

es 

ed 

es 

ed 


Syllables ending with 

a vowel are ‘open’, 

and the vowel makes 

a long sound. Syllables 

ending with a 

consonant are ‘closed’, 

and the vowel makes 

a short sound. 



When a word ends in a consonant and then a ‘y’, 

change the ‘y’ to ‘i’ before adding the ending. If the 

ending begins with an ‘i’ (like ‘ing’), keep the ‘y’. 


SKILL 

BUILDER 

4 

1. Say these words. Colour the long vowel spellings. 

f e v er t i g er f r o z e n b a s i n 

d r ea m f l ie s t oe s s p r ay 

2. Read the sentence and draw a picture to match. 

Joe cleans and dries his car on a sunny day. 


3. Unjumble and write the sentence. 

Cupid in a peach plays sits a flute. tree and 



6 


CHECK 

IN 

Educator check 

Identifies taught grapheme–phoneme correspondences. 

Identifies words with unfamiliar or irregular sounds. 

Accurately decodes real and nonsense one-syllable words. 

Accurately segments to spell one-syllable and two-syllable words with learnt letter sounds. 

1. Say these sounds. 


2. Read these words. 

wear near year afternoon please ease busy 

3. Sound out and blend to read these words. 

beach cried play toe prune June 

4. Sound out and blend to read these nonsense words. 

glies spoe chay bute meast tway 

5. Listen as an adult reads one word at a time from the Dictation 

word list in the box below. Write the word you hear next to the 

matching letter. 


(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

(f) 

(g) 



(h) 

(d) 

(e) 

(i) 

(j) 

Dictation word list 

(a) flute 

(b) treat 

(c) pie 

(d) clay 

(e) doe 

(f) baby 

(g) pony 

(h) music 

(i) begin 

(j) pilot 


STAR 

STORY 

1 

Focus: ‘ie’ (revise ‘igh’) 

Willem’s magpies 

Willem lay on his back and looked up at the sky. Magpies 

were flying high, then swooping down to the trees. It was 

such a sight to see them. 

Willem sighed, ‘I wish I had a magpie for a pet. Dad said 

that you can teach them to speak. Maybe I could try to 

trap one.’ 

Willem spied a magpie pecking on a cob of dried corn 

in the pigsty. There were still some corn kernels left on 

the cob. 

‘Hmm! Magpies like dried corn.’ 

Willem began to plan. 

‘I could tie the dried cob with string. Then, if I lie very still, 

the magpie will fly down to eat. If I tug on the string, the 

magpie will step near to me. Then, I can grab the magpie.’ 

The magpie in her nest spied the dried corn. She swooped 

down from the tree. 


Willem kept very still. He tugged on the string. 

The magpie was near, but Willem’s plan failed. 



Snap! The magpie was too quick. Soon, she was back in 

her nest with the dried corn. 

With a sigh, Willem went back to planning. He tried and 

tried, but it was too hard. 

8 


1 

STAR 

STORY 

‘Magpies are trusting birds, Willem,’ said his Mum. ‘Here is 

an old meat pie. Toss bits of meat from the pie near to the 

tree. If you keep feeding magpies, soon they will eat food 

from your hand.’ 

Now, Willem has a flock of magpies waiting for him 

each day. 




Check for understanding 

1. What type of food did Willem first use to try and trap the magpie? 

2. Why do you think Willem’s first plan failed, even though the magpies liked 

the food he left them? 


STAR 

STORY 

2 

Focus: ‘ay’ (revise ‘ai’) 

Clay sees a play 

It was Sunday and Clay Dayton had plans for the day. 

‘Mum, may I catch the train into town?’ asked Clay. 

‘Why? It is a long way to go, Clay,’ said Mrs Dayton. ‘I 

think you should ask your dad.’ 

‘Dad, may I catch the train into town today?’ asked Clay. 

‘Kay and Faith Gray are going to see a play. The Little 

Mermaid is on at the town hall. I can pay for my ticket.’ 

‘It is a long way into town ...’ said Mr Dayton. ‘But The 

Little Mermaid is a good play. Maybe you should wait until 

we can all go.’ 

‘Kay and Faith said I could meet them on Hay Street. 

It is midway between the town hall and the train stop,’ 

begged Clay. 

Mr Dayton began to sway. ‘Okay, Clay, but do not stray 

from the busy main street. Stay with Kay and Faith until 

you return to the train stop.’ 


‘Okay, Dad, I will do as you say,’ said Clay. 

Clay ran all the way to the train stop. To his dismay, when 

he got there, he saw an alert. It said: Rain and strong 

winds. All trains are delayed. 



‘Hmm, “delayed” is not “stopped”. Perhaps I should wait.’ 

Clay was glad he did. It was not a long wait. 

The train reached the stop, and he was off to see the play 

with Kay and Faith. 

10 


2 

STAR 

STORY 





1. On which day did Clay plan to see The Little Mermaid? 

2. Why does Mr Dayton tell Clay not to stray from the main street and to stay 

with Kay and Faith? 


STAR 

STORY 

3 

Focus: ‘ea’ (revise ‘ee’) 

The messy cook 

Hello. I am Teagan Easton. 

My mother, Jean, and I rent a small flat. 

For three years, it has just been Mum and me. But now, 

Mum has a best friend called Dean. 

Dean has a neat shack by the beach. When it is a hot day, 

we visit him for a swim. Then, we stay for afternoon tea 

or dinner. 

Dean is a good cook. Mum is not such a good cook. 

On Saturday, Dean asked us to morning tea. He served a 

yummy peach tart with cream. Mum had coffee and Dean 

had green tea. I had a beaker of hot milk. 

On Sunday, he asked us to stay for a meal. He was very 

busy! For dinner, Dean roasted lean veal chops. He cooked 

green peas and carrots. For sweets, we had toffee tart 

and custard. 


Dean may be a good cook, but he is a messy cook. 

When we had eaten, Mum and I looked at the mess. The 

bench was greasy and splattered with fat. Liquid from 

the pot had spilled onto the cooktop. Carrot peel and pea 

pods were heaped on the bench. The messy roasting pan 

was in the sink. So were the pots. And sticky, burnt toffee 

clung to the tart dish. 



12 


3 

STAR 

STORY 

With a sigh, Mum said, ‘The cook should not be the one to 

clean up. Please let Teagan and me do the dishes.’ 

The clean-up did not take long. 

Then, we went to see the lights from the boats out at sea. 

Mum and I feel at ease with Dean, even if he is a 

messy cook. 





1. How long did Teagan and Mum live in their flat before Dean became 

their friend? 

2. Why do you think Mum said that ‘The cook should not be the one to clean 

up?’ Do you agree or disagree? 


STAR 

STORY 4 

Focus: ‘oe’, ‘u_e’ (revise ‘oa’) 

The lute, the flute, and the oboe 

Roscoe has a problem. His teacher is keen to teach 

Roscoe the flute. But his dad said an oboe is best for him. 

His pal, Joe, plays the lute. Joe wears a costume when he 

plays. The costume includes an old cloak and a hat with a 

plume in it. 

The flute, the oboe, and the lute all seem hard to play. 

Roscoe has seen charts that help you to play the flute. The 

charts tell where your fingers must go. There is a chart for 

your right hand and a chart for your left hand. But Roscoe 

is not keen to play the flute. 

Roscoe’s teacher thinks he needs to be older to play 

the oboe. 

There are charts to help oboe players, too. But oboe 

players need to have strong lungs. The oboe is hard to 

play, and Roscoe is not keen to play it. 

Nor is he keen to wear a costume. 


There are lots of strings to pluck on a lute. It is hard to 

play, and Roscoe is not keen to play the lute. 



Roscoe is confused. He does not want to be rude. But he 

has plans on how to stay busy on his weekends. Trying to 

play a lute, a flute, or the oboe is not in his plans. 

He plans to play football in June. He plans to float his 

boat in the pond. He plans to read books under the oak 

tree. He plans to coast down the hill on his scooter. 

14 


4 

STAR 

STORY 





1. What does Roscoe’s pal, Joe, wear as part of his costume when he plays 

the lute? 

2. Why do you think Roscoe’s teacher says he needs to be older to play 

the oboe? 


DAILY 

PRACTICE 2 


ear air ure 

2. Tap and blend to read the Star words and Bright star words. 

Star words 

why before 

Bright star words 

broth er 

Try to remember the Bright star sounds! 

bought sure often 

mild 


wild 



16 


1 

SKILL 

BUILDER 


ear 

CALENDAR 

2025 

year 

air 

chair 

ure 

secure 

ear ear ear 

ear ear ear 

air air air 

air air air 

ure ure ure 


ure ure ure 




SKILL 

BUILDER 

2 

1. Say the word. Colour the sound you hear at the end of 

the word. 

treasure 

gear 

pair 

ure air ear air ear ure ear ure air 

2. Tap it 


the circle) 

h 

c 

air 

ure 

Map it 



c l ear 



The bunny can hear the pair of large 

deer near the pure stream. 

Blend it 



hair 

cure 

clear 



18 


3 

SKILL 

BUILDER 

1. Add ‘ure’ to the end of these words. Say the complete word. 

What do you notice about the sound the consonant before 

‘ure’ is making? Did the ‘ure’ sound change? 

creat pict capt advent 

enclos meas treas 

When the ‘ure’ spelling comes after a ‘t’ or an ‘s’, it changes this sound. 

The ‘t’ usually makes a /ch/ sound. The ‘s’ usually makes a /zh/ sound. 

The ‘ure’ in both spellings makes an /er/ or schwa sound. 

2. Homophones are words that sound the same, but have 

different meanings and spellings. Add the correct homophone. 

1000 

dear deer hear here 

500 mL 




A 

My new train was 

very . 

lives in the woods. 

I can 

mum singing. 

You can play 

at lunch. 

my 


SKILL 

BUILDER 

4 

1. When we add ‘re’ to the beginning of a base word, it changes 

its meaning to ‘do again’. Add ‘re’ to the start of these words. 

start tell read play 


The man with the red hair and beard had to recapture the 

lost dog. 



The sits little creature in dark its lair. 



20 


CHECK 

IN 







ear air ure 


why before brother mild wild bought sure often 


pair fear cure year chair pure 


quair kear bure jair zear mure 





(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

(f) 

(g) 



(h) 

(d) 

(e) 

(i) 

(j) 


(a) fair 

(b) gear 

(c) stair 

(d) beard 

(e) lure 

(f) near 

(g) injure 

(h) creature 

(i) picture 

(j) repair 


STAR 

STORY 

1 

Focus: ‘ear’, ‘air’, ‘ure’ 

Clair’s adventure 

Clair Maclure sat on a chair next to the stairs. ‘It is not 

fair! My sisters can go to the funfair, but not me.’ 

The air was hot, and Clair was weary and teary. 

All of a sudden, a wee man appeared. He had a long 

beard and a pointed hat. Next to him was a wee person 

with long, fair hair and little wings. 

‘Who are you and why are you sitting on a mushroom?’ 

Clair asked. 

‘I am Faith, the fairy, and this is Earwin, the elf. And this 

is a toadstool, not a mushroom. Before you ask, it is not a 

stool for toads.’ 

‘Why are you here?’ Clair asked. 

‘It is clear from your tears you are sad,’ said Earwin. ‘But 

never fear my dear, we can cure tears.’ 

‘Who needs a funfair. There is adventure in your backyard,’ 

said Faith. ‘An adventure in nature is waiting for you at 

your garden pond. Plants lure creatures to your pond. It is 

fun to watch them.’ 




‘You can capture tadpoles and see them turn into frogs,’ 

said Earwin. ‘You can find a cocoon and watch a butterfly 

appear from it. You can capture beetles in a box and see 

what they do.’ 

‘But you must not injure the creatures. Be sure to let them 

go,’ said Faith. ‘Now, we must be off.’ 

22 


1 

STAR 

STORY 

Clair blinked. They had disappeared. Only a wee pink 

slipper could be seen under the toadstool. 

‘Clair, Mum and I agreed that you can go to the funfair 

with us,’ said Mr Maclure. 

‘No thanks, Dad. I have a jar and a box. I am off to the 

pond,’ said Clair. 





1. What type of creatures were Faith and Earwin? 

2. What made Clair change her mind about going to the funfair? 


STAR 

STORY 

2 


Dad’s scooter 

Blair would soon be seven years old, and he wanted 

a scooter. 

He had waited for so long for one. But his Mum and Dad 

said he was too small. 

His wish was granted when the family visited Granny. 

Granny greeted them and said, ‘There is an old scooter in 

the shed. It was your dad’s when he was seven. It is a bit 

rusted and busted, but it could be mended.’ 

‘Your dad has a welder. If he welded the stand, it would 

be secure,’ said Granny. ‘It needs painting and it needs 

the handle to be shifted a bit. You could have a look if 

you want.’ 

The scooter was under lots of boxes in the shed. Dad 

aided Blair to lift the scooter out. 

As Granny had said, it was busted and rusted, and the 

handle was wonky. 


‘Look, Dad,’ said Blair. ‘This scooter has a mud flap on the 

back. The scooters in the shops do not have mud flaps. 

This is a much better scooter than the shop scooters.’ 



New handles were dear, so Blair’s dad bought a secondhand 

one. He welded the stand and fitted the handle. He 

sanded the rust off and painted the scooter green. The 

mud flap was painted red. 

24 


2 

STAR 

STORY 

Soon, the scooter was mended and tested. 

Blair was seven years old when his dad handed him 

the scooter. 

Blair jumped onto the stand and coasted down the hill. He 

was sure that his was the best scooter ever. 





1. What does Blair’s new scooter look like? 

2. Would you prefer to have a new scooter, or the one that Blair received? 

Give reasons for your answer. 


STAR 

STORY 

3 

Focus: ‘ear’, ‘air’, ‘ure’, prefix ‘re’ 

The sellers’ market 

We are going to reappear at the sellers’ market 

next weekend. 

Last weekend we were unlucky. It was raining and the 

market was nearly empty. 

We need to restock with goods to sell. We need to retry 

selling our unsold goods from last weekend, too. 

Our orchard has stacks of plums, figs, and apples. Mum 

has cooked lots of fig jam, plum jam, and apple jelly. She 

will refill her empty jam jars to sell jam and jelly at the 

market. She has cooked crusty buns to sell, too. 

My old train set was unsold, so Dad has repainted it. Dad 

wants to sell his old tools. He plans to revamp an old chair 

to sell as well. 

My sister has a big garden plot. She digs up small plants 

and resets them into pots. So, she has seedlings and 

plants for keen gardeners to repot or replant. 


My brother has plucked apples to sell. He relit the cooktop 

and made toffee, too. His first batch failed. The toffee 

was too sticky. So, he had to retry and the next batch was 

good. Now, he has fifteen toffee apples to sell. 



I will pick figs, plums, and apples, and repack them into 

smaller boxes. 

26 


3 

STAR 

STORY 

I helped by rebooting my computer and reprinting 

pictures of the things we will sell. 

We will all help to reload the trailer next weekend. 

I cannot wait to revisit the sellers’ market. 

JAM 

JAM 

JAM 

JAM 

JAM 

JAM 

JELLY 

JELLY 

FIGS 

JELLY 

PLUMS 

TOOLS 





1. How many toffee apples does the writer’s brother have to sell? 

2. What do you think the word ‘revamp’ means in the sentence ‘He plans to 

revamp an old chair to sell as well’? 


STAR 

STORY 

4 


Granny Maclure’s flat 

Dear, old Granny Maclure was cold. 

She had sold her farm to shift to a small flat. 

It had been a mild winter, but Granny said she was 

still cold. 

The family visited Granny often. 

‘It is the frost and mist that is the root of the cold,’ she 

told them. ‘It makes everything moist. Every wild gust of 

wind enters my flat.’ 

‘Granny, there is a cosy blanket next to your chair. You 

must unfold it and hold it near to your chest,’ said Blair. 

‘Did you wear that snug vest we got you? The man who 

sold it to me said that it cost a lot as it is the best in 

the market.’ 

‘It is such a pest to dress in a vest,’ moaned Granny. ‘It is 

hard to twist the vest over my back.’ 


‘You must undo the buttons, Granny,’ explained Clair. She 

held up the vest and pointed out how to do it. 

Blair printed a list of the things Granny told him. Then, he 

printed a second list. This was a list of how he could stop 

cold air entering the flat. 



‘Soon, your flat will be so toasty and cosy, Granny,’ 

said Blair. 

28 


4 

STAR 

STORY 

‘Now, Granny, let me toast you a roast beef sandwich,’ 

offered Clair. 

Granny grinned. ‘Thank you, but do not forget to cut off 

the crust.’ 





1. Why did Granny Maclure not want to wear her vest? 

2. What is your opinion of Granny Maclure? What are your reasons for feeling 

this way? 


DAILY 

PRACTICE 

3 


a_e e_e i_e o_e u_e 

2. Tap and blend to read the Star words and Bright star word. 

Star words 

extra 

Bright star word 

won 

face 

Try to remember the Bright star sound! 

kind 

after 




These long vowel sounds are called 

‘split digraphs’. The ‘e’ at the end of 

the word is silent. It makes the vowel 

say its name (or, its long sound). 

30 


1 

SKILL 

BUILDER 


a_e 

snake 

e_e 

concrete 

i_e 

prize 

o_e 

bone 

u_e 

cube 

a e a e a e 

e e e e e e 

i e i e i e 


o e o e o e 



u e u e u e 


SKILL 

BUILDER 

2 

1. Say the word. Colour the sound you hear. 

bike 

nose 

tube 

spade 

a_e e_e i_e o_e u_e a_e e_e i_e o_e u_e a_e i_e 

2. Tap it 


the circle) 

b r o ke 

p r i ze 

Map it 



th e m e 

Blend it 

(join the sounds 

together to read 

the word) 

broke 

prize 

theme 





Eve takes a huge bite of the cake, 

but she does not see the note. 

 

June’s cake. 

Do not eat! 

32 


3 

SKILL 

BUILDER 

1. Say the words. Colour 

where you hear the 

sound. What do you 

notice about the spelling? 

/z/ sound 

An ‘e’ at the end of a word is 

not always a split digraph. 

It is important to look for 

spelling patterns when 

reading new words! 

/s/ sound 

n oi se p l ea se n ur se h or se 

2. In these words, the ‘e’ does not change the vowel sound, the ‘l’ 

does! Try reading these words with a short /o/ sound. 

mole vole pole hole 

3. Take away the ‘e’ before adding the endings to this word. 

Write the new word on the line. 

bake 

ing 

ed 




When a base word ends with a silent ‘e’, take away the ‘e’ before you 

add an ending that begins with a vowel (like ‘ed’ or ‘ing’). 

How would you add the ‘ing’ and ‘ed’ endings to these words: 

(a) smile (b) hope (c) use 


SKILL 

BUILDER 

4 

1. Read the word. Add ‘e’ to the end to make a new word that 

matches the picture. 

c u b t a p p i n r o b 


Nate used a spade to dig a hole under the pine tree. 


the Pete snake rides bike his at home. 




34 


CHECK 

IN 









extra won face after kind 


scale these slime rose flute crane 


mune keme hile lale shome puse 





(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

(f) 

(g) 



(h) 

(d) 

(e) 

(i) 

(j) 


(a) bone 

(b) cute 

(c) shine 

(d) snake 

(e) theme 

(f) flame 

(g) throne 

(h) costume 

(i) nose 

(j) purse 


STAR 

STORY 

1 

Focus: ‘a_e’ (revise ‘ai’, ‘ay’) 

Nate saves the day 

‘You ate my bit of cake, Nate. Mum left it on the plate for 

me when she took the train to the shop,’ cried Wade. 

‘Do not fuss, Wade. I made pancakes with Gran on 

Sunday. If you wait, I will make you a tray of pancakes. I 

can make a jam glaze for the top, too,’ said Nate. 

Nate takes out the frying pan and a deep dish. He cracks 

eggs into the dish and adds milk. Wade watches as Nate 

beats the eggs and adds extra things to the mixture. Nate 

lights the gas jet, then adds butter to the pan. The butter 

melts. 

But a tea cloth is too near the flame. Soon, it is burning. 

Nate tosses the pan and the cloth into the lane. 

Flames blaze, Wade and Nate gape. 

They run to the gate with a wet sack each. They beat the 

flames until there is just a haze. 


‘I am glad you are safe. You were very brave,’ said Mum. 

‘But you must not cook unless Gran or I are with you.’ 

It is a shame Wade did not get his pancakes. 



The mixture is still on the bench. 

‘Here is a bigger pan. I can watch you make them, Nate,’ 

said Mum. 

36 


1 

STAR 

STORY 





1. What ingredient did Nate add to the frying pan? 

2. Why do you think Nate’s mum said that he must not cook unless she or 

Gran is with him? 


STAR 

STORY 

2 

Focus: ‘e_e’ (revise ‘ee’, ‘ea’) 

Eve the athlete 

Eve is very fit. She is an athlete. She can speed down 

the track. 

This week she will compete in the Japanese games. 

Last year she went to Sweden and Crete to compete. Eve 

gained a gold medal in her events. 

Zeke and Pete are athletes, too. They went to Sweden 

with Eve. 

Zeke is good at discus. Pete plays badminton. 

Pete’s team won a silver medal, but Zeke did not complete 

his event in Sweden. He had a severe cut on his leg from 

falling on concrete. 

Eve is a good cook, as well as a good athlete. She can 

even bake cakes the way they do in Sweden. And she can 

make sweet grape jam and peach tarts the way they do 

in Crete. 


She trains every night, so she cannot bake each day. 

Perhaps she will make Japanese pancakes when she is 

back from Japan. 



At the Japanese games, Eve made sweet treats for the 

athletes in the evening. 

I crave a plate of Eve’s Crete tarts now. Maybe she will 

teach me how to cook the way they do in Sweden and 

Crete. Or maybe she will teach me to bake the way the 

Japanese do. 

38 


2 

STAR 

STORY 





1. What are the two things that Eve is very good at doing? 

2. Why do you think that Eve is unable to bake every day? 


STAR 

STORY 

3 

Focus: ‘i_e’ (revise ‘ie’, ‘igh’, ‘y’) 

Clive’s kite 

Clive set off on his bike to the old mine site. 

He had made a kite and he planned to fly it. The strong 

wind at the mine site was good for kite flying. 

He tied a long ball of string to the back of the kite. Now, 

he was all set to fly it. 

Clive held the kite in his right hand. He held the string in 

his left hand. 

Clive was good at running. He ran down the hill and tossed 

the kite high up into the sky. 

With a smile on his face, he saw the kite glide and dive. It 

glided by the mine. It dived up and down in the wind. 

The wind became stronger. The kite was hard to grip. 

Clive held on tight – but just then, the wind died down. 

‘No!’ cried Clive as the kite dived and hit the branch of 

a pine tree. ‘The pine tree is too high for me. My kite 

is stuck.’ 


Clive tugged and tugged on the string. The kite shifted a 

bit. He tugged again. The kite shifted a bit further. 



Then, it came fluttering down. 

Clive set off on his bike with the kite under his arm. 

Mum had baked a beef pie for dinner. Clive liked beef pie. 

40 


3 

STAR 

STORY 





1. Where did Clive’s kite get stuck? 

2. What do you think would have happened if the strong wind had not 

died down? 


STAR 

STORY 4 

Focus: ‘o_e’ (revise ‘oe’, ‘oa’) 

Conor and the cove 

Conor Malone liked to rove. Most of all, he liked the hills by 

the cove. 

‘The cove has seals and crabs,’ he told his Mum. ‘But I 

hope to see a doe or a mole or a vole in the hills today.’ 

Conor rode his bike to a grove of trees by the cove. 

He saw a hole by a large rock. ‘This could be the home of 

a mole, or a hole for a vole.’ 

He poked the hole with a short pole, but no luck! 

Conor kept looking. But all he spied was a man with a 

goat and a fat toad on the track. 

He went into a grove of trees. Then, all of a sudden, 

he froze. 

There, in the trees close to him, was a brown doe. 

He crept nearer, as he watched the doe. But he did not see 

a patch of thick mud. 


He slipped and slid down the steep slope. 



With skin off his nose and a broken bone in his foot, Conor 

limped home. 

‘I hope you can cope, Conor,’ said his dad as he stoked 

the wood stove. ‘You can just to read or doze. No roaming 

for you until the bone in your foot mends.’ 

42 


4 

STAR 

STORY 





1. What did Conor hope to see in the hills by the cove? 

2. Why did Conor’s dad tell him he could not roam until his foot mends? 


STAR 

STORY 5 

Focus: ‘u_e’ 

The play 

‘I hope I am in the school play this year, Gran,’ said Luke. 

‘I would like to play the part of the Duke of Hume. I would 

like to dress in a Duke’s costume.’ 

‘I think you would look very cute in a Duke’s costume,’ 

said Gran. ‘Tell me about the play. What happens?’ 

‘In the play, the Duke rides a huge, black steed as he 

checks his land. The name of his steed is Midnight. The 

Duke is not very kind. He is mean to his farmers. They 

refuse to look after his sheep and the cows. 

‘Then, on a sunny day in June, the Duke plans to ride 

Midnight to the sea. But Midnight stops at a high sand 

dune. Midnight refuses to go up the dune. The Duke 

fumes. He must look cross indeed. I can fume and act 

cross. I could be the Duke. 

‘Then, an old man singing a tune enters the stage. He is 

leading a huge, brown mule. “Excuse me,” the old man 

asks. “What is the matter?” 


“Midnight will not go up the dune,” the Duke tells him. 

“I have yelled and yelled at him, but it is no use.” 



“My mule will go up the dune. I do not need to yell,” the 

old man says. “Yelling has confused Midnight. You need to 

use soft speech and be kind. Your farmers will tend to the 

sheep and cows, too, if you are kind.” 

‘In the end, the Duke is kind to the farmers. He no 

longer fumes,’ said Luke. ‘You see, Gran, the play has a 

happy ending.’ 

44 


5 

STAR 

STORY 





1. What is the name of the Duke’s steed in the play? 

2. In the play, how does the old man’s advice help the Duke? 


DAILY 

PRACTICE 4 


ou ir oy ew 

2. Tap and blend to read the Star word and Bright star words. 

Star word 

school 



above 

once 

The ‘ou’/‘ow’ pattern 

We usually use ‘ou’ at 

the beginning or middle 

of a syllable, and use 

‘ow’ at the end or when 

followed by ‘l’ or ‘n’. 

caught 


The ‘oi’/‘oy’ pattern 

We usually use ‘oi’ 

at the beginning or 

middle of a syllable, 

and use ‘oy’ at the end 

or before a vowel. 



The ‘oo’/‘ew’ pattern 

We usually use ‘oo’ in the middle of a syllable, and 

use ‘ew’ at the end. 

46 


1 

SKILL 

BUILDER 


ou 

ou ou ou 

mouse 

ir 

girl 

oy 

boy 

ew 

ou 

ir ir ir 

ir 

oy oy oy 


oy 



ew ew ew 

brew 

ew 


SKILL 

BUILDER 

2 


bird 

dew 

house 

toy 

ou ir oy ew ou ir oy ew ou ir oy ou 

2. Tap it 


the circle) 

t w ir l 

s c r ew 

Map it 



s p r ou t 



A girl with curly hair found a toy 

cow at the new skate park. 

Blend it 



twirl 

screw 

sprout 



48 


3 

SKILL 

BUILDER 

1. Colour the spelling that is making the /er/ sound in these 

words. What are three ways to spell this sound? 

s k ir t t i g er t ur t le 

f er n d ir t r i v er 

2. Add the missing words to the story. 

The 

dew ground chirps 

spout bird joy 

waits on the 

roof. The soil sparkles from the 


‘ir’ 

morning 

Liquid spills from a 

. Splash! 

on the side of the house. The bird flies 

down and pecks the damp 

. The bird with 

as it gobbles up grubs. 

The ‘ir,’ ‘er,’ and ‘ur’ 

spellings all sound the 

same (/er/). In onesyllable 

words, there 

is no rule for choosing 

between them. 

But, ‘er’ is the most 

common, followed by 

then ‘ur’. 




SKILL 

BUILDER 

4 

1. Colour the sound that is the same in each pair of words. What 

do you notice about the spellings? 

l ou d c oi n m oo n 

b r ow T r oy g r ew 

2. Read the sentence and draw a picture 

to match. 

The noisy crowd shouted as the cowboy threw his hat in 

the dirt. 



with new sat toy. The 

her girl on the couch 

Some spellings are more 

common in the middle of 

words. Some are more 

common at the end of 

words. It is important to 

look for these patterns to 

improve your spelling! 



50 


CHECK 

IN 







ou ir oy ew 


school above once caught 


crew ploy sound bird threw skirt 


groy lound smirp plout shroy frew 





(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

(f) 

(g) 



(h) 

(d) 

(e) 

(i) 

(j) 


(a) chew 

(b) ground 

(c) food 

(d) toy 

(e) cow 

(f) down 

(g) spoil 

(h) twirl 

(i) curl 

(j) river 


STAR 

STORY 

1 

Focus: ‘ou’ (revise ‘ow’) 

The mouse 

It is winter. Black clouds block out the sun. The south wind 

howls around the trees, and loud thunder from above 

shakes the house. 

‘Do not go outside, Malik,’ said Dad. ‘The ground is wet, and 

it is about to rain.’ 

‘Do not pout and frown,’ said Mum. ‘Sit on the couch and 

read or watch TV.’ 

Malik sat down on the couch. He was not happy. 

Bow wow! Malik’s dog, Chow, began to bark. 

Then, Chow began to growl. What could it be? 

Malik looked around the room. There, cowering in the corner, 

was a small, brown mouse. 

Malik’s cat saw it too. She tried to catch the mouse. But the 

mouse was too quick. It ran around and around, and under 

the couch. 


‘Meow, meow!’ said the cat. 

Chow kept on growling. 



The mouse stayed under the couch. 

‘If it is brown, it must be a pet mouse,’ said Mum. ‘So, you 

can keep it, if you can trap it. You can keep it in a carton 

until we get it a real mouse house.’ 

52 


1 

STAR 

STORY 

Malik locked the cat and dog in his bedroom. 

He took a round container and propped it up with a stout 

stick. He tied string to the stout stick and set a bit of cheese 

under the trap. 

He did not have to wait long. The mouse crept out. Malik 

yanked the string. 

Bang! Malik caught the mouse. Now, how will Malik get the 

mouse into a carton? 





1. How did Malik trap the mouse? 

2. Why do you think Malik decided to lock the cat and dog in his bedroom 

after discovering the mouse? 


STAR 

STORY 

2 

Focus: ‘ir’ (revise ‘er’, ‘ur’) 

Kirsten’s garden 

Kirsten has been ill for a long time. 

When it is fine, Kirsten’s nurse takes her into the garden. 

Kirsten likes to be under the birch tree. Here, she can wave 

to the joggers as they run by her house. She likes it when 

they smile and wave back to her. 

But, best of all, she can see birds as they make their nests 

above her. 

Kirsten likes birds. She likes to hear them chirp and twitter. 

Her mum made a bird feeder. The feeder has birdseed 

in it. It hangs on a branch of an old fir tree where the 

birds perch. 

Each day, Kirsten fills a pan with water for thirsty birds. 

Kirsten’s dad lets her sit in the dirt to help him 

plant seedlings. 


Her skirt and her shirt get dirty, but she is happy digging 

in the soil. 

She planted purple and white asters under the fir tree. She 

planted a border of herbs, too. 



Under the birch tree is a big bird’s nest fern. As the fern 

fronds turn brown, Kirsten cuts them off. 

54 


2 

STAR 

STORY 

Kirsten likes the murmur of the wind as it stirs the leaves 

of the birch tree. She likes to hear the buzz of bees as they 

feed on nectar. She watches as grubs feed on the leaves. 

Kirsten may be ill, but she is content and happy. Her days 

are filled with nature. 





1. What does Kirsten like to do when she is taken to the garden by her nurse? 

2. Why do you think Kirsten likes it when the joggers passing by her house 

wave back to her and smile? 


STAR 

STORY 

3 

Focus: ‘oy’ (revise ‘oi’) 

Troy likes school 

Troy enjoyed school and he tried to be helpful. 

He liked his teacher, Miss Floyd. When Miss Floyd left the 

room, a few boys and girls became noisy. 

‘Sh ... sh ... We will disappoint Miss Floyd if we are noisy,’ 

said Troy. ‘We should not annoy Miss Floyd.’ 

Troy had lots of loyal school pals. They enjoyed the tricks 

he did. He made coins and cards vanish and then appear 

again. Troy could scrunch three different scarfs in his 

hand. And when he opened his hand, the scarfs were 

joined up. 

Troy never told them how he did his tricks as it would spoil 

the surprise. 

On dress-up day at school, Troy came dressed as a 

cowboy. He wore a cowboy hat, jeans, a checked shirt, 

and a red scarf. 

His pal, Roy, came dressed as a sailor. ‘Ahoy, Troy,’ Roy 

said. ‘I like your cowboy hat.’ 


‘Thank you. I like your outfit, too,’ said Troy. 



Joy dressed as a farmer. She had her pet pig with her. 

‘Oink, oink,’ said the pig. 

For news day, Miss Floyd said, ‘Bring the toy you enjoy the 

most. You can tell us what you like about it.’ 

Jan Boyd took her squeaky toy train to school. 

56 


3 

STAR 

STORY 

Helpful Troy got a can of oil from Miss Floyd. He handed 

the oil to Jan. 

But Jan soiled her skirt by spilling oil on it. 

‘Your skirt is not spoiled,’ said Troy. ‘This oil will not stain.’ 

Next, Roy held up his toy boat. He said, ‘My dad was 

a sailor. He gave me this boat for my birthday. It is a 

destroyer. Destroyers are boats that sail in convoys. They 

protect bigger troop ships.’ 

Everybody enjoyed show-and-tell day. 





1. What colour is Troy’s scarf? 

2. Why do you think Troy got a can of oil to help Jan with her toy train? 


STAR 

STORY 

4 

Focus: ‘ew’ (revise ‘oo’) 

Lewis the artist 

Lewis is very good at art. 

He once drew a picture of my yew tree. In the picture, he 

drew the flowers that grew under the yew. He drew three 

birds that flew into the yew. 

He drew birds that were swooping. And three birds that 

were roosting in my cashew tree. 

He drew my pet goose and the view from my porch, too. 

Lewis is good at art, but he is not always content with it. 

He tried to sketch a rocket zooming to the moon, but he 

was not happy with it, so he screwed it up and threw it in 

the bin. The next day, he redrew it and his dad put the new 

sketch in a frame. 

In school, Lewis drew a man standing next to a plane. 

‘Who is this, Lewis?’ asked Miss Brewer, the art teacher. 


‘This is my dad,’ replied Lewis. ‘Dad is a crew member. 

Yesterday he flew a plane to Hong Kong.’ 

‘Were you ever on a plane that your dad flew?’ asked 

Miss Brewer. 



‘Yes, Mum and I once flew to Cape Town with him. I liked 

the food on the plane,’ said Lewis. ‘And the crew let me go 

into the cockpit to see Dad. It was fun when we flew into 

the clouds. Your ears get blocked when you are up so high. 

Dad gave me gum to chew, and my ears felt better.’ 

58 


4 

STAR 

STORY 

‘Do you plan to join an air crew when you are older, 

Lewis?’ asked Miss Brewer. 

‘No, I would like to be an artist,’ replied Lewis. 





1. Where did Lewis and his mum fly to with his father? 

2. Why do you think Lewis’ dad put his second picture of a rocket in a frame? 


DAILY 

PRACTICE 5 


ue aw ow ph wh 


Star words 

more sore wh oa ph easant 



which come people 

lau gh tou gh rou gh 




60 


1 

SKILL 

BUILDER 


ue 

clue 

aw 

draw 

ow 

crow 

ph 

phone 

ue ue ue 

aw aw aw 

ow ow ow 


ph ph ph 



wh 

whale 

wh wh wh 


SKILL 

BUILDER 

2 


snow 

jigsaw 

glue 

ue aw ow aw ow ue ow ue aw 

2. Tap it 


the circle) 

t r ue 

p r aw n 

Map it 



w i n d ow 



A cow with a blue bow chews on 

yellow corn and straw. 

Blend it 



true 

prawn 

window 



62 


3 

SKILL 

BUILDER 

1. Add ‘ph’ or ‘wh’ to complete these words. 

oto eel istle dol in 

gra ele ant isk ale 

2. Add the missing 

words to the story. 

whales jaws When blow 

blue photo elephant 

This is a 

a right whale. They are much 

of 

bigger than an . 

Right 

deep, 

The ‘wh’ spelling is usually found at the 

start of words. The ‘ph’ spelling can be 

found at the start, middle, and end. 


live in the 

sea. 

they breathe, 



they 

air out of 

a hole on the top of their body. Right whales have large 

, but they only eat tiny plankton. 


SKILL 

BUILDER 

4 

1. Read the words and colour the 

spelling that makes the long /oo/ 

sound. What are five ways that 

this sound can be spelt? 

These are the 

most common 

ways to spell the 

long /oo/ sound. 

‘ew’ and ‘ue’ are 

usually used at 

the end of words. 

t u l i p t oo th f l u t e s t ew g l ue 


The black crow has a glue stick, a whisk, and a phone in its 

straw nest. 



seesaw, Prue takes photo a sits of 

the snow. white her on she While 



64 


CHECK 

IN 









which more sore whoa come people 

pheasant laugh tough rough 


glue paw crow graph photo whisk 


sprue blaw trow bliph phelp whock 





(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

(f) 



(g) 

(h) 

(d) 

(e) 

(i) 

(j) 


(a) clue 

(b) straw 

(c) grow 

(d) phone 

(e) whisk 

(f) true 

(g) jigsaw 

(h) throw 

(i) dolphin 

(j) whale 


STAR 

STORY 

1 

Focus: ‘ue’ (revise ‘oo’ (long and short) 

June’s bedtime story 

June’s sister, Cindy, is a good storyteller. Each night she 

tells June a story. 

‘Tell me a story about the bluebirds in our garden,’ 

begged June. 

‘Well, tonight’s story is about an unhappy bluebird,’ said 

Cindy. ‘This little bluebird was not content to be a bird. 

“I do not wish to be a bluebird and live in a blue gum 

tree,” he said. “I wish I were a dolphin swimming in the 

deep, blue sea.” 

‘An owl swooped down from her perch on a statue. “I 

can help you,” whispered the owl as she roosted next to 

the bluebird. 

“Do not be a fool,” said the bluebird’s pal, the goose. “Do 

not trust the owl, or you will rue the day you met her.” 

“Hoot!” said the owl. “Is it true you wish to be a dolphin?” 


“Yes,” said the bluebird. “I want to laugh and play like a 

dolphin. I do not want to eat blueberries. I want to eat fish 

and squid.” 



‘The owl hooted and flapped her wings. A blue haze 

whirled round the blue gum tree,’ said Cindy. ‘Poof! The 

bluebird was whisked away without a clue. 

“That cannot be true,” said the goose. 

66 


1 

STAR 

STORY 

‘Soon, the bluebird was swimming in the deep, blue sea. 

His blue wings were now dolphin fins. He swished his silver 

tail. He swooped deeper and chomped on fish and squid. 

‘Until … he came face-to-face with a shark. 

“Help! I might be the shark’s dinner,” he whimpered. 

“No, you will not,” said the owl. “I tricked you and the 

goose. Now you can see that life in the sea can be tough 

and cruel.” 

‘The bluebird sighed. He no longer wished to be a dolphin.’ 





1. What kind of food did the bluebird not want to eat? 

2. Why do you think the bluebird no longer wished to be a dolphin after 

facing the shark? 


STAR 

STORY 

2 

Focus: ‘aw’ 

Whit the lawman 

I watched an old cowboy show on TV last night. It was 

about a lawman named Whit White who resided near 

Hacksaw Town. 

Whit and his wife, Steph, rose at dawn most days. 

‘Wait while I whisk up some eggs and wheat toast before 

you leave for Hacksaw,’ said Steph. 

Whit ate quickly then saddled up his horse 

named Rawhide. 

It was Whit’s job to help those who dwelt in the 

quiet town. 

When he reached town, Whit tied up Rawhide. He gave his 

horse a drink and some straw. Then, he dawdled down the 

street to see who needed his help. 

He waved to Joseph, his nephew, riding his big horse. 

Whoosh! A hawk hunting a rat swooped down from 

a branch. 


Joseph’s horse reared up in fright and began to paw 

the air. 



The hawk squawked loudly. It was frightened, too. 

‘Whoa! Whoa!’ called Whit as he grabbed hold of 

the harness. 

‘Phew!’ said Joseph. ‘Thank you. You saved my life.’ 

68 


2 

STAR 

STORY 

Whit dawdled once more down the road. 

Soon, he came across a wagon which had hit a gopher 

hole and lost a wheel. 

Mr Thaw crawled out from under the wagon, to see his 

things sprawled in the dirt. 

Whit ran to help. ‘Phew!’ said Mr Thaw. ‘My jaw is sore, but 

I am fine.’ 

Some of the crowd gawked at the sight, while some 

helped Whit fix the wheel. 

Soon, the wagon was loaded again, and Mr Thaw was on 

his way. 

The rest of the day was busy for Whit White the lawman. 

By the end of the show, he had helped most of the people 

in Hacksaw Town. 





1. What kind of breakfast did Steph make for Whit? 

2. How do you think the people who live in Hacksaw Town feel about Whit 

White? Give examples from the story to support your answer. 


STAR 

STORY 

3 

Focus: ‘ow’ (revise ‘oa’) 

Owen rows his boat 

Uncle Barlow has a nephew named Owen. Owen lives with 

him in his bungalow. 

A river flows past the bungalow. So, Uncle Barlow gave his 

nephew a small rowboat of his own. 

Each day, Owen liked to row his boat down the river. 

‘The lawn has grown tall, Owen,’ said Uncle Barlow. ‘I need 

you to mow it this morning, while there is still no snow.’ 

‘But I feel like going for a row in my boat,’ replied Owen. 

‘When it is winter, it will be too cold to row.’ 

‘It is winter now, nephew, and the lawn needs mowing.’ 

Owen went out to the shed to fetch the mower. But it had 

a wheel missing! As Owen looked for the wheel, he spotted 

his boat tied up under the willow tree. 

So, he bent low under the window. 


Then, he towed his boat to the river while Uncle Barlow 

was busy. 

Owen rowed into the deep. 



All of a sudden, a rough wind began to whip and blow. 

Dark clouds began to billow. Then, it began to snow, and 

the flow of the river slowed. Owen was too cold to row. 

Owen yelled to a man, ‘Can you tow my boat to the 

shallows? I am too cold to row.’ 

70 


3 

STAR 

STORY 

The man helped Owen to the riverbank. ‘Phew!’ said Owen 

with a big wheeze. 

‘You might have been thrown out of the boat!’ scolded 

the man. 

Owen thanked the man and ran to the shed. He took out 

the three-wheeled mower and tried to cut the lawn. 

‘You had better come inside, nephew. There is too much 

snow now for you mow the lawn,’ said Uncle Barlow. 

Owen and his uncle sat by the fire and watched the 

snow fall. 





1. Why did Uncle Barlow ask Owen to mow the lawn? 

2. Why do you think the man scolded Owen after he helped tow Owen’s boat 

to the riverbank? 


STAR 

STORY 

4 

Focus: ‘ue’, ‘aw’, ‘ow’, ‘wh’, ‘ph’ 

Helping animals 

When the season turns to winter, a lot of animals 

suffer. The days and nights grow cold, and the sky is no 

longer blue. 

When the wind whirls, whooshes, and whines, it shakes 

the trees. Bird nests fall onto the ground where deep snow 

carpets our lawn. There are very few seeds for the birds 

to eat. And the deer and their fawns cannot graze on the 

woodland grass. 

At our house, we try to help the animals survive the winter 

storms. Dad makes wooden nest boxes which he fills with 

straw for the birds. He hangs them in the willow tree and 

in the blue gum trees. 

Gran puts on her wool jacket, her shawl, and her boots to 

go outside. She throws straw over the snow for the deer 

and the fawns to eat. 

We remember to feed the birds, too. While Mum puts out 

wheat for the pheasants, Dad feeds the crows and the 

hawks. He drops raw meat into net bags and nails the 

bags onto poles which he sets up in the woods. 


My sister, Sue, and I throw seeds below the trees for the 

robins, sparrows, and bluebirds. We see squirrels crawl 

across the snow to feed on the nuts we leave for them. 



My brother has a camera with which he takes 

photographs of the animals. Mum puts the photographs 

in frames. 

I am glad that we can give the animals food in winter. 

72 


4 

STAR 

STORY 





1. What kind of jacket does Gran wear to go outside and help the animals? 

2. Why do you think Dad feeds the crows and hawks raw meat while the 

other birds get wheat? 


DAILY 

PRACTICE 6 


ue ey au 

ea g c 


Star words 

autumn 

audience 


audio 

monkey 


against becau se qu eue pretty 




Gentle Cindy 

When ‘c’ and ‘g’ come before ‘e’, ‘i’, or ‘y’, they 

usually make a soft /s/ and /j/ sound. 

74 


1 

SKILL 

BUILDER 


ue 

barbecue 

ey 

key 

au 

ue ue ue 

ue 

ey ey ey 

ey 

ea 

bread 

g G 

gem 


au au au 

c C 

ea ea ea 

ea ea ea 

g g g 

G G G 

c c c 



sauce 

au 

circus 

C C C 


SKILL 

BUILDER 

2 


haunt 

fuel 

sweat 

donkey 

ue ey au ea ue ey au ea ue ey au ea 

2. Tap it 


the circle) 

ar g ue 

w ea th er 

Map it 



l au n ch 

Blend it 

(join the sounds 

together to read 

the word) 

argue 

weather 

launch 





Paul rescues a turkey from the stormy 

weather and gives it some bread to eat. 

 

76 


3 

SKILL 

BUILDER 

1. Read the words. Colour it blue if the ‘c’ makes a soft /s/ sound. 

Colour it green if it makes a hard /k/ sound. 

pencil corn celery bouncy 

2. Read the words. Colour it blue if the ‘g’ makes a soft /j/ sound. 

Colour it green if it makes a hard /g/ sound. 

magic gum cage energy 

3. Add the missing words to the story. 

On 

magic launch Tuesday 

fancy key head 

held a 

, Aubrey 

show in 

her lounge room. With a clap of 

her hands, she made a 

vanish! For her 

What do you notice 

about the letters 

that come after the 

soft sounds? 




next trick, she made a 

hat appear on her 

. Last of all, Aubrey made an apple 

high into the air. What fun! 


SKILL 

BUILDER 

4 

1. Add the correct homophone to each sentence. 

MAY 

SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 

1 2 3 4 5 6 

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 

28 29 30 31 

There is 

the leaf. 

due dew pause paws 

My homework is 

on Tuesday. 

on 

Mum told me to 

my game. 

The dog has big . 


The giant rescues the princess from a haunted house that 

has a red chimney. 





nice The gives gingerbread to donkey the sad dinosaur. 

78 


CHECK 

IN 







ue ey au ea g c 


autumn audience monkey audio pretty 

against queue because 


haunt rescue valley bread giant circle 


blaud zengue borkey pread gelm cerp 





(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

(f) 



(g) 

(h) 

(d) 

(e) 

(i) 

(j) 


(a) value 

(b) donkey 

(c) launch 

(d) spread 

(e) circus 

(f) argue 

(g) turkey 

(h) sauce 

(i) feather 

(j) gentle 


STAR 

STORY 

1 

Focus: ‘ue’, soft ‘c’, soft ‘g’ 

The firefighter’s lesson 

It was Tuesday morning and Cindy Mueller was due at a 

school in the city. Cindy is a firefighter, and she speaks to 

children about fire safety. She tells them about the job of 

a firefighter. She explains how firefighters use ladders to 

rescue those who are trapped. 

‘Fire can help us, but we must respect it. Children should 

not play with fire. You must be with a grown-up when you 

use fire,’ Cindy says. She tells the children that most fires 

are an accident, but some people light fires on purpose. 

‘People who light fires on purpose are called “arsonists”,’ 

she says. ‘It is against the law to light a fire on purpose.’ 

She continues to explain that fire destroys the things 

we value. 

‘Is it true that firefighters rescue animals, too?’ asks a 

child called Ginny. 

‘Yes,’ replies Cindy. ‘We are often called to rescue animals 

because they are stuck in tricky places. Last week, I was 

called to rescue a kitten twice. First, she was stuck on top 

of a tall statue, then, she got caught in a fence.’ 


‘Are you in danger when you fight a fire?’ asks a child 

called Gemma. 



‘Sometimes the fires we attend are not very risky,’ replies 

Cindy. ‘Last Tuesday, we were called to Third Avenue. The 

owner was cooking a barbecue when fat from the meat 

caught on fire. The backyard was blazing, but it was quick 

and easy to put out the fire.’ 

80 


1 

STAR 

STORY 

‘I live in a flat,’ says a child called Cedric. ‘What do I do if 

there is a fire?’ 

Cindy tells Cedric, ‘If there is a fire in a big block of flats, 

the firefighters will organise the flat owners. You must 

follow what they say and form a proper queue to leave 

quickly. Stay calm and be gentle. Do not argue or rush 

past others. The rest of the firefighters will use hoses and 

ladders to fight the blaze.’ 

It is time for recess. Before the children play, Cindy asks 

them to tell her what they found out about fire safety. ‘Fire 

is useful, but it can be tragic. Animals must flee from their 

homes,’ says Ginny. 

‘The sky takes on a red hue and smoke fills the air. Things 

that you value can be burnt to ashes,’ says Gemma. 

‘We must be safe with fire!’ says Cedric. 





1. Why are firefighters called to rescue animals? 

2. Why do you think Cindy told Cedric to ‘stay calm and be gentle’ if there is 

a fire in his block of flats? 


STAR 

STORY 

2 

Focus: ‘ey’ (revise ‘ee’, ‘ea’) 

Paisley gets free 

Stanley, the keeper, opened the gate of the zoo’s 

monkey house. 

He turned his back and, in a flash, Paisley the monkey was 

free from her cage. 

She unlocked the gate of the donkey’s pen. She tweaked 

his ear and yanked his tail. Then, she rode on his back 

down the valley to the village markets. 

Paisley saw the food in the village market. She sneaked a 

trolley and leaped up to grab things from each shelf. She 

filled the trolley with goods from the freezer, too. 

Paisley was not nice. She ate a bag of peanuts and threw 

peanut shells at the shop keeper. 

In the trolley were green peas, a bag of rice, a turkey, 

some parsley, a bunch of celery, a head of lettuce, and 

sweet treats. 

Smash! A jar of honey and a jar of chutney fell from 

the trolley. 


Plop! A bag of barley and a bag of kidney beans fell out 

and split. 



Barley and kidney beans mixed with the honey 

and chutney. 

Blimey! What a huge, sticky mess to clean! 

82 


2 

STAR 

STORY 

Paisley left the market and ran down an alley. She swung 

from a tree to the roof of a two-storey home. Then, she 

slipped down the chimney and found a hockey stick. 

Clatter, bang, crash! Paisley swung the hockey stick. 

Crikey! What a giant mess she made! 

Soon, Paisley ran out of energy and grew tired of the 

game she was playing. So, she curled up on a bed and 

went to sleep. 

Stanley found her by following the mess she had made. 

Soon, she was back in the monkey house at the zoo. 

And Stanley went back down the valley to clean up 

Paisley’s mess. 





1. What did Paisley do after she escaped from the monkey house at the zoo? 

2. Why do you think Paisley escaped from the zoo? 


STAR 

STORY 

3 

Focus: ‘au’ (revise ‘or’, ‘aw’) 

Autumn and spring 

August is a nice time of the year. 

In the place where Claud lives, winter is ending and spring 

is near. In the place where Gage lives, summer is ending, 

and autumn is near. 

In spring, mornings are hotter and baby animals are born. 

New green shoots can be seen on shrubs and trees. Tulips 

bloom, so Claud goes for a jaunt in the hills to see them. 

Or he launches his rowboat and drifts down a stream. 

Autumn is cooler and leaves begin to gently fall from the 

trees. ‘In autumn, it looks as if an artist has been here,’ 

says Gage. ‘It seems like the artist has used a paint brush 

to daub each leaf. The red, yellow, and orange leaves 

are pretty.’ 

Gage is an author of audio books. He often reads a story 

he has published to an audience. His best story is about 

a rocket launch and an astronaut in space. He also tells 

a daunting story about a haunted house. His audience 

applauds when he ends his tale. 


In August, Gage saunters to the baker’s shop. The baker 

makes yummy pies. Gage eats his pie with sauce. 



In August, Claud hauls out the barbecue. Then, he cooks 

sausages on it. He eats his sausages with coleslaw. 

84 


3 

STAR 

STORY 

Both spring and autumn are good for those who like 

gardening. It is not too hot or too cold for digging 

and planting. 

What season is August in the place where you live? 





1. What was Gage’s best story about? 

2. Why do you think August is in a different season for Claud and Gage? 


STAR 

STORY 

4 

Focus: ‘ea’ 

Heather’s dream 

Heather Barnstead liked to boast that she was strong. 

‘See the barbells over there? They are as light as a feather 

for me,’ she boasted. ‘I am in good health, so I can lift 

that large, heavy rock. I am so strong I can lift a bag 

of cement.’ 

That night, Heather went to bed and dreamt she was an 

athlete. She dreamt she was to compete at the games. 

At the games, she was meant to lift barbells to win a 

gold medal. 

‘Put your silver and leather belt on,’ said her coach. ‘It will 

protect your back when you lift the barbells.’ 

The cheers from the crowd were deafening. They cheered 

as Heather leapt onto the stage. They cheered as Heather 

took a deep breath and tied up her long, ginger hair. They 

cheered when Heather was ready to lift the barbells. 

But the lead barbells were large and too heavy. The 

weather was cold, but Heather’s face was hot and red. 

Heather was unsteady. She began to sway. 


Sweat! Puff! Pant! Bang! The barbells fell to the ground. 



Heather woke up the next morning feeling foolish. Lifting 

barbells was not pleasant. ‘I will think twice before I boast 

again,’ she said. 

86 


4 

STAR 

STORY 

‘Would you like to attend the health club with me this 

morning?’ asked her mum. 

‘No, I think I will stay home and eat my breakfast 

instead,’ replied Heather. ‘I will not lift barbells until I grow 

bigger and stronger.’ 

1st 





1. What colour hair does Heather have? 

2. Why do you think Heather decided not to attend the health club with her 

mum the next morning? 


Congratulations superstar! 

You have now completed the Purple workbook. But the fun does 

not stop there! Try some of these fun bonus activities. 

Choose one of the stories to illustrate. 

Put on a play by asking some people to help you act out a 

story as you read it. 

Use different colours to find and circle the focus letters 

and letter patterns in a story. 

Imagine a different ending to one of the stories you have 

read. Retell the story and add your own twist. 

Think of a list of questions for one of the stories. Challenge 

someone to answer them. 

Choose one character from a story and create a drawing 

of what you think they look like. 

Record the main events of a story on sticky notes. Mix 

them up, then challenge yourself to arrange them in the 

correct order. 

Seek and find 


1. How many toadstools are on page 23? 

2. What animal is hiding beneath the table on page 27? 

3. How many worms are on page 55? 



4. How many fir trees are on page 71? 

5. How many firetrucks are there on page 81? 

Turn over the page to find your certificate of 

completion, and three fun texts for an adult 

to read to you. 

88 


Congratulations 

This certificate is presented to: 


for completing the Purple Star strategy 

decodable workbook. You have mastered new 

spellings, read 25 stories, and have expanded 

your vocabulary by reading over 6500 words. 

Keep up the stellar work! 



Signed: 


AUTHENTIC 

TEXT 

The Authentic texts on the next pages have been designed for you to read to your learner. They 

include different texts that your learner may come across in the real world and will read for 

a purpose. 

Listening to reading is an important part of the ‘Star strategy’. It provides many benefits to 

beginner readers, such as: 

• helping them build a strong vocabulary by hearing and learning new words that they might 

not come across in everyday conversations 

• allowing them to focus on understanding the story without worrying about reading the 

words themselves 

• encouraging them to think about the text, which leads to rich conversations and questions 

• observing how to read fluently with the right tone and expression 

• creating a special bond between the educator and the learner and helping to develop a love 

of reading. 

When reading to your learner, find a comfortable space without distractions, and make it an 

enjoyable activity. Allow them to discuss the book and ask questions as you read. If they feel 

confident, encourage them to identify any words in the text that they can read independently. 

Although it is not compulsory, the following questions may be used to support comprehension 

before, during, and after reading the Authentic texts together. 

Creepy creations in 1C 

A classroom blog post about creepy, Halloween creations in Year 1. 

Before reading During reading After reading 

• Introduce the concept of 

a blog to your learner. Ask 

them why someone might 

keep a blog. 

• Read the title and ask your 

learner to predict what the 

blog might be about. 

• Discuss the features of the 

blog, such as the comment 

section. Why might these be 

important features of this 

type of text? 

• Discuss some of the 

vocabulary used in the text, 

such as ‘thrilling’. Why would 

Mrs Condon’s blog use 

words like this? 

• While reading, prompt your 

learner to identify what the 

learners in Mrs Condon’s 

class created this week. 

• Discuss how the learners 

made the slimy eyeballs. 

Pause before reading on 

to ask your learner what 

they think the class did with 

them afterward. 


• Ask your learner to consider 

why the class stuck their 

eyeballs all over the room, 

including on the ceiling. 

• Discuss the purpose of the 

blog with your learner and 

why the class wrote it. 

• Ask your learner to share 

how they would feel if they 

were in Mrs Condon’s Year 1 

class and participated in 

making the sticky eyeballs. 

• Encourage your learner to 

predict what might happen 

in the next classroom 

adventure based on the 

blog’s ending. 



90 


AUTHENTIC 

TEXT 

Wholesome kid’s corner menu 

A children’s menu with a range of healthy, tasty food options. 


• Read the title to your 

learner and discuss the 

meaning of the word 

‘wholesome’ (nutritious 

and healthy). 

• Ask your learner to 

predict which types 

of foods they think 

will be on the menu. 

Encourage them to 

make predictions based 

on the headings (e.g. 

‘Mains’ and ‘Drinks’). 

• Have your learner 

look at the images 

of the food items. 

Discuss which one they 

find most appealing 

and why. 

• Pause after reading 

each item on the menu 

and ask your learner 

to describe what this 

food might taste like. 

Encourage them to 

make connections 

to foods they have 

tried before. 

• Point out some of the 

adjectives that are used 

to describe the menu 

items. Ask your learner 

to think about whether 

this makes the foods 

more appealing. 

• Ask your learner to share which 

of the food items they find most 

appealing. Was this different or 

similar to their original choice? If 

different, what is the reason for 

this change? 

• Ask your learner to draw 

comparisons between the 

‘Wholesome kids corner’ and other 

places that they have eaten at 

before, such as fast food places. 

Which option do they think is better? 

Ask them to share their reasons for 

their opinion. 

• Would your learner like to eat at 

the Wholesome kid’s corner? Ask 

them to share their reasons why or 

why not. 

The colour of friendship 

A script which tells the story of six colourful friends who celebrate their uniqueness and the 

beauty of friendship. 


• Look at the text with 

your learner and point 

out the headings that 

indicate a character is 

speaking. Ask them to 

share why the text is 

structured in this way. 

What is its purpose? 

• Read the title of 

the play and the 

characters’ names to 

your learner. Ask them 

to share what they 

think the text might 

be about based on 

this information. 

• Pause at different points in the script 

to discuss the character traits of 

each friend. 

• Ask your learner to describe how 

they feel when they see each of the 

colours. Connect their feelings to the 

traits of each of the friends. 


• Encourage your learner to visualise 

what each of the characters might 

look like as you introduce them. 

• Pause after all characters have 

shared about themselves and ask 

your learner to share what makes 

them special. 

• Ask your learner to 

identify the main 

idea of the text (i.e. 

celebrating uniqueness 

and friendship). 

• Which character does 

your learner identify 

with the most? Ask 

them to share the 

reasons why. 



Look at the text with your learner before reading and 

have them highlight any words they can read on their 

own. Try this each time you read the story together. 


AUTHENTIC 

TEXT 

CREEPY CREATIONS IN 1C 

Creepy creations in 1C 

By Mrs Condon Published 4 hours ago Comments (2) 

BOO! Did we scare you? If not, the activities in Mrs Condon’s Year 1 

class this week sure will! 

Welcome to our classroom blog, where we share all our thrilling 

adventures in 1C. 

Today, we had a blast creating the creepiest and slimiest sticky 

eyeballs you have ever seen! The 

classroom was buzzing with excitement 

as we worked in teams and followed 

instructions to make our slimy eyeball 

mixture. Then, we poured the mixture into 

special eyeball-shaped moulds and set 

them in the fridge. After lunch, our slimy 

eyeballs were ready for us to play with. 

They were so creepy that they gave Mrs 

Condon goosebumps! 

As you can see in the photo, we had a 

blast sticking our eyeballs all over the 

classroom – even on the ceiling! Seeing 

everyone’s reactions when they looked up and saw our creepy 

creations staring back at them was hilarious. 


We are so excited to show off our sticky eyeballs to our friends and 

family on Halloween night. Thanks for reading our blog and stay tuned 

for more updates on our Year 1 classroom adventures! 

Mrs Condon’s Year 1s. 



92 


AUTHENTIC 

TEXT 

Comments (2) Sort by: Popular 

Reply 

Comments 

Lachlan’s Dad > Mrs Condon 


29/11/2023 10:19 am 

Wow, those sticky eyeballs look so realistic and creepy! It’s great to see 

that the children had so much fun making them. Mrs Condon’s Year 1 

class sounds like such an exciting place to learn. 



Kaylee’s Nan > Mrs Condon 

29/11/2023 12:01 pm 

I am looking forward to seeing all those sticky eyeballs on Halloween 

night. It’s great to see that the children are having so much fun while 

also learning new skills. Keep up the great work! 


AUTHENTIC 

TEXT 

Wholesome 

kids’ corner 

Snack attack platter 

A colourful platter featuring a 

mix of fresh fruits, cheese cubes, 

and wholegrain crackers. 

MAINS 

Dino tacos 

Crunchy tacos with dinosaurshaped 

grilled chicken or 

vegetarian options. Served with 

a side of colourful veggie sticks. 




Veggie power bowl 

A bowl full of goodness! Brown 

rice, mixed veggies, and grilled 

chicken or tofu for a protein 

boost. 

Veggie galaxy pizza 

Explore a universe of veggies on 

a whole wheat crust, topped with 

a sprinkle of cheese. 

94 


AUTHENTIC 

TEXT 

10 

Whole wheat race car pasta 

Zoom through a wholesome meal 

with whole wheat pasta, lentil 

and tomato sauce, and a variety 

of nutrient-packed veggies. 

Aquatic quencher 

Iced water served 

with a splash of lemon 

or cucumber for a 

refreshing twist. 

DRINKS 


Super smoothie 

A supercharged blend of banana, 

berries, spinach, and yoghurt. 

Fruit fusion frozen yoghurt 

A delightful swirl of frozen 

yoghurt with mixed berries and 

a drizzle of honey for a sweet, 

healthy treat. 

Tropical paradise splash 

A tasty, refreshing mix 

of pineapple, mango, 

and coconut water to 

keep you hydrated. 



Enjoy your healthy and tasty adventure 

at our kids’ corner! 


AUTHENTIC 

TEXT 

The colour of friendship 

Characters: 

Narrator Red Blue Yellow Green Orange Purple 

ACT ONE 

SCENE 1 

NARRATOR Welcome to the magical world of colours! Today, we 

meet six colourful friends who love to play and share the 

things that make them special. Let’s join them on their 

colourful adventure. 

Characters Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, Orange, and Purple stand in a line, 

waving to the audience. 

NARRATOR Once upon a time in the land of colours, there were six best 

friends: Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, Orange, and Purple. Each 

friend was unique and special in their own way. 

RED 

BLUE 

YELLOW 

GREEN 

ORANGE 

PURPLE 

(Waving) Hi, everyone! I’m Red. 

(Waving) Hello, friends! I’m Blue. 

(Waving) Hi there! I’m Yellow. 

(Waving) Hey, pals! I’m Green. 

(Waving) Hi, friends! I’m Orange. 

(Waving) Good day! I’m Purple. 

NARRATOR One day, the colourful friends decided to have a party to 

celebrate their friendship and uniqueness. 

Characters gather in the centre, forming a colourful semicircle. 

RED 

BLUE 

Let’s play a game! Each of us will share what makes 

us special. 

(Stepping into the middle of the semicircle) Great idea, Red! 

I’ll start. I am the colour of the sky and the ocean, and I 

bring a sense of calmness to everything around me. 

Blue steps back to the edge of the semicircle. 

YELLOW 




(Excitedly, stepping into the middle of the semicircle) And I 

am the colour of the sun! I spread warmth and happiness 

wherever I go. 

Yellow steps back to the edge of the semicircle. 

96 


AUTHENTIC 

TEXT 

GREEN 

(Stepping into the middle of the semicircle) I am a mix of 

blue and yellow, the luckiest colour of them all! I remind 

people of nature and make everything look so fresh and lush! 

Green steps back to the edge of the semicircle. 

ORANGE 

(Energetically, stepping into the middle of the semicircle) 

I am a vibrant mix of red and yellow. I bring energy and 

excitement to our colourful world. 

Orange steps back to the edge of the semicircle. 

PURPLE 

(Stepping into the middle of the semicircle) I am a regal 

blend of red and blue. I am wise and creative and add just a 

little bit of mystery wherever I go! 

Purple steps back to the edge of the semicircle. 

RED 

(Smiling, stepping into the middle of the semicircle) And I am 

the colour of love and excitement. I make everyone around 

me feel passionate and courageous! 

Red steps back to the edge of the semicircle. 

NARRATOR As Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, Orange, and Purple shared 

their uniqueness, they realised that together, their powerful 

friendship made the world a more beautiful place to live. 

ALL 

(Together) Hooray for colours and friendship! 

Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, Orange, and Purple wave to the audience as they 

exit the stage. 

NARRATOR And so, the colours learnt that even though we are all special 

in our own way, together, we can make the world a more 

vibrant place. 





Farewell 

palm 

Well done, superstar! You have learnt the most 

common spellings for all the sounds, but did you 

know that there are even more ways to spell them? 

Find the new spelling patterns in the picture below. 

Try looking for more words with new patterns in the 

books you read, and keep following the stars! 

ocean 

climb 

rose 

earth 

treasure 

parachute 

hare 

collage 

thief 

bear 

boulder 

school 

wrench 


knight 

pyramid 

gnome 



potion 

worm 

juice 

soup 

steak 

98 


Fluency checklist 

‘STARS’ is a special word that can help you remember five ways 

to become a fluent reader. 

Spot the punctuation. Take a short 

breath when you see a comma (,) 

and pause when you see a full stop 

(.) Remember to change the sound of 

your voice when you see a question 

mark (?) or exclamation mark (!) 

Take your time. Don’t read too 

fast or too slow. Just read at a 

comfortable pace. 

Accuracy is important. Try to read 

each word correctly and don’t guess 

if you’re not sure. Use the decoding 

strategies on page 100. 


Read with feeling. Remember, don’t 

talk like a robot! Use your talking 

voice and make the story exciting 

with lots of expression! 



Scoop the words and phrases. Try 

scooping the words and phrases 

together like a little song to make 

your reading sound smoother. 


Decoding strategies 

If you get stuck, try following these tips to help you decode 

tricky words. 

Point to the word you do not know. 

pop 

corn 

Look at the whole word from left to right. Can you 

see any letter patterns you know? 

For longer words, use the vowel sounds to help 

you chunk the word into syllables. 

Point to each letter or letter pattern, and slowly 

blend the sounds together as you read them 

out loud. 


Listen to the word. Does it make sense? Try 

reading the whole sentence again. 



If you are still stuck, ask an adult for help. 

100 


Removeable resources 

Cut out these letters to practise building words with the spellings 

learnt in this workbook. 


ear air ure 


ou ir oy ew 



ue ey au ea g c 



Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Set 4 Set 5 Set 6 

BRIGHT! 

Bookmark 

YOUR 

FUTURE 

IS 




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