Meg Has Fun

Overview

Across four 15-minute small-group sessions, students build secure knowledge of the sounds e, u, b, g, r, h, practise oral blending and segmenting, and apply this knowledge when reading the familiar decodable text Meg has Fun. Each session combines explicit teaching, supported practice, and a brief check for understanding.

Learning intentions

• WALT say the sounds for e, u, b, g, r, h.
• WALT blend sounds together to read words.
• WALT segment spoken words into sounds.
• WALT use our phonics knowledge to read a decodable text.

Success criteria

• I can say the focus sounds clearly.
• I can push sounds together to read a word.
• I can pull a word apart into its sounds.
• I can use the letters and sounds to help me read Meg has Fun.

Curriculum links

• English — Reading: use knowledge of letters and sounds to decode words in a familiar decodable text.
• English — Oral language: listen, speak, and respond during phonological-awareness activities and discussion.
• English — Writing Processes / Planning: build knowledge through reading, discussion, and relevant learning experiences.
• Te Mātaiaho English — participate and contribute positively through turn-taking, listening, and collaborative learning.

Lesson structure (4 × 15 minutes)

Session 1 — Meet the sounds

1. 0–2 min · Hook. Open with the sound-picture introduction and ask students what they notice about the letters and pictures. Students say any known sounds and listen for the focus sounds.
2. 2–6 min · Explicit teaching. Model the phonemes e, u, b using clear articulation and continuous blending where appropriate. Students echo each sound, watching the teacher’s mouth and matching the sound to the letter.
3. 6–10 min · Oral blending. Say sounds slowly, such as /b/ /u/ /g/, without showing the word. Students repeat the sounds, blend them, and say the whole word.
4. 10–13 min · Oral segmenting. Say simple words containing the focus sounds. Students tap one counter or finger for each sound, then say the sounds in order.
5. 13–15 min · Quick check. Use the phonics practice sheet for students to trace or point to e, u, b and say each sound. Note students who confuse letter names and sounds.

Session 2 — Add sounds and blend

1. 0–3 min · Review. Return to the sound-review slides. Students rapidly say e, u, b, then learn and repeat g, r, h.
2. 3–7 min · Articulation and recall. Model each new sound, emphasising that g is the sound heard in gum. Students use “my turn, your turn”, then identify the correct letter when the teacher says a sound.
3. 7–11 min · Blend and segment. Orally blend and segment short words made from the taught sounds, including words such as bug, rug, and hub where appropriate. Students use counters to represent each sound before saying the whole word.
4. 11–14 min · Supported word reading. Display the word-reading routine on the blend-and-read routine: “Look at each letter; say each sound; blend; check.” Students practise with the teacher and then with a partner.
5. 14–15 min · Exit response. Each student reads one displayed word or gives the sounds in one spoken word. Record whether the student needs further modelling, prompts, or independent practice.

Session 3 — Prepare to read

1. 0–3 min · Sound warm-up. Use the rapid sound-review slide for a quick cumulative review of e, u, b, g, r, h. Students respond together, then individually when invited.
2. 3–6 min · Oral phoneme work. Say a word from the text or familiar class vocabulary. Students blend sounds to identify it, then segment it using fingers or counters.
3. 6–9 min · Book orientation. Show the cover and pages of Meg has Fun. Invite students to notice the title, pictures, print direction, and repeated or familiar words without asking them to guess from pictures.
4. 9–13 min · Teacher-led first reading. Read the text with students, pointing under each word. Pause at decodable words and prompt: “Say the sounds. Now blend them.” Students join in, reread phrases, and discuss what is happening.
5. 13–15 min · Check and practise. Students complete the matching or sound task on the text-linked phonics practice and read one selected word back to the teacher.

Session 4 — Apply and reread

1. 0–3 min · Retrieval review. Use the final sound-and-reading review. Students say the six sounds, blend two or three spoken words, and explain what they do when a word is tricky.
2. 3–6 min · Partner rehearsal. Model rereading a line of Meg has Fun with phrasing and tracking. Students practise taking turns: one reads while the other points, then they swap.
3. 6–11 min · Familiar text reread. Students reread the text with teacher support as needed. Prompt them to decode from left to right, rather than relying on pictures or guessing.
4. 11–13 min · Meaning talk. Ask: “What happened?” and “Which words helped you know?” Students answer in complete oral sentences and refer to the text or illustrations.
5. 13–15 min · Plenary and assessment. Display the success-criteria recap. Each student reads a word or short phrase and completes: “I can use sounds to…” The teacher records the student’s next step.

Resources

• Meg has Fun from the Phonics Plus reading books
• the four-session phonics and reading deck
• the cumulative phonics practice sheet
• Magnetic letters or letter tiles: e, u, b, g, r, h
• Small counters or fingers for phoneme counting
• Mini whiteboard and marker
• Teacher observation notes

Assessment

• During sound practice, check accurate phoneme production and whether students identify the lowercase grapheme when hearing a sound.
• During blending and segmenting, note whether students can hold sounds in sequence, blend without guessing, and represent each phoneme.
• During the final reread, record independent, prompted, or not-yet-secure decoding of taught words and phrases. Use this to select the next teaching focus.

Differentiation

• Support students with mouth modelling, continuous sounds where possible, counters, finger tracking, repeated teacher modelling, and the sentence stem: “I can see __. The sounds are __.”
• Keep the group moving together, but give students who need it an extra response turn before moving on. Avoid asking students to memorise a word they can decode.
• For students ready for more challenge, ask them to blend unfamiliar combinations of the taught sounds or explain which letter helped them solve a word.
• Provide a clear view of the print, minimise visual distractions, and accept oral responses. Pair students thoughtfully so partner reading remains supportive rather than competitive.