Read Locally Waco is a project to promote literacy in Waco. Throughout the semester we will post stories that use sight words our children are learning in Waco ISD. You can print these stories and lists of words to use with your children or with other children in your life. This week’s story uses words from the First Grade Sight Word List. For a printable version of this story and word list, click here: The Boy With Two Hearts.
The Boy with Two Hearts
One day in May a baby boy was born quite late at night.
His sister came to meet him just as soon as it was light.
She checked him over carefully…she counted all his toes,
She peeked into his little ears and pinched his little nose.
“This baby seems just fine,” she said. “I give him my OK.”
So, they put him in the car, and brought him home that very day.
But when they got her brother home, she soon began to wonder…
“Was bringing this kid home with us a big, enormous blunder?”
Sometimes he gurgled, laughed and smiled and acted like he loved her.
Then other times he cried and screamed. He was a little monster!
She thought, “There must be something that I missed in my inspection.”
“I will study him more carefully … this problem needs correction.”
She poked his fat. She stretched his legs. She could not see her error.
Why did this boy switch back and forth from “cutie pie” to “terror?”
She tried to ask her mom and dad, but they were tired and busy.
“I really need some help,” she thought. “I’ll go ask Doctor Lizzie!”
Doctor Lizzie listened carefully. She checked the baby’s charts.
Then she said, “I hate to tell you this…your brother has two hearts.”
“One heart is good and full of love, sweet as a jelly bean.
The other is a selfish heart. It can be downright mean.”
“A baby brother with two hearts will be hard work for you,
But, if you think you’re up to it, I’ll tell you what to do.”
The Sister stood up straight and tall, a brave look in her eye.
“I’ll do whatever I must do to help this little guy!”
“Ok,” said Doctor Lizzie. “Here’s the thing you need to know.
You must give him extra goodness, so that his Good Heart can grow.”
“He might be mean and nasty; he might act just like a pig,
Still, you must treat him kindly, so his Good Heart will get big.”
“He will sometimes make you angry; you won’t understand his ways,
But hug him when he’s grumpy, and be nice on those bad days.”
“And if you do these things, my dear, you’ll see when he is taller,
That his Good Heart will get bigger, and his Mean Heart will grow smaller.”
The Sister thought this sounded…well… a little hard to take.
But, she decided she would try it for her baby brother’s sake.
When he cried she sang him lullabies and stroked his fuzzy head.
When he yelled, she felt like yelling back, but stayed polite instead.
And so, the years went flying by, as years will sometimes do,
And Sister saw that Doctor Lizzy’s crazy words came true.
Her brother wasn’t perfect, but he was a whole lot better.
He pitched a fit from time to time…but not so much that it upset her.
His Bad Heart had grown so tiny, he was hardly ever bad.
His Good Heart was now gigantic, and his goodness made her glad!
She was thinking of her brother, his two hearts, and their effects,
When she noticed Doctor Lizzy on a walk with her dog, Rex.
She called out, “Doctor Lizzy! Hey! How did you get so wise?
How did you know my brother had that extra part inside?
The Doctor grinned and winked and said, “I’m not so very smart.”
“I pulled a trick on you, my dear… All people have two hearts.”
First Grade Sight Words in this Story
- All
- Big
- Back
- Her
- Over
- This
- With
- Was
- Give
- Good
- Of
- Night
- Very
- Walk
- His
- Put
- Him
- Saw
- Help
- Day
- When
- Your
- Had
- Know
- Then
- Ask
- Why
This Act Locally Waco blog post is by Ashley Bean Thornton, she has lived in Waco almost 20 years now. Far longer than she ever lived anywhere else. She likes to walk. If you see her out walking, honk and wave and say “hi!”
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
Read Locally Waco is a project to promote literacy in Waco. Throughout the semester we will post stories that use sight words our children are learning in Waco ISD. You can print these stories and lists of words to use with your children or with other children in your life. This week’s story uses words from the First Grade Sight Word List. For a printable version of this story and word list, click here: How Living at the Zoo Leads to Trouble .
How Living at the Zoo Leads to Trouble
The teacher frowned and asked me why I do the things I do.
I told her all the trouble starts with living at the zoo.
A monkey and a panda bear, a piglet and a snake …
All moved into the room next door. They’re keeping me awake!
The monkey plays the guitar. The panda bangs on cans.
The piglet kicks the wall all night. The snake beats pots and pans.
They call it making music. They practice every day.
They think they sound fantastic. (To me they’re just OK.)
So, I didn’t get to sleep last night till way, way after dark.
All the animals were snoring. I could hear them through the park.
I got up very early to pick out my clothes to wear,
But, the tiger swiped my shoes and socks and took them to her lair.
She would not give them back to me. She made me beg and beg.
And while I was distracted, the rhino ate my eggs!
The Lion woke up hungry, licked his lips and grinned at us.
So, I had to feed the lion, even if I missed the bus.
The zebra stole my mom’s new car. The cheetah took my bike.
The hippo flattened granny’s truck, it was a sad, sad sight…
Because of this I had to walk at least a million miles.
And when I finally got to school, I wasn’t full of smiles.
I’m tired and mad and hungry. I hardly slept a wink!
It’s true I pulled Chameka’s hair. She deserved it, don’t you think?
First Grade Sight Words in this Story
- All
- Back
- This
- With
- Night
- Why
- Was
- Don’t
- Give
- Of
- Were
- Because
- Every
- New
- Walk
- Her
- Had
- Day
This Act Locally Waco blog post is by Ashley Bean Thornton, she has lived in Waco almost 20 years now. Far longer than she ever lived anywhere else. She likes to walk. If you see her out walking, honk and wave and say “hi!”
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
Read Locally Waco is a project to promote literacy in Waco. Throughout the semester we will post stories that use sight words our children are learning in Waco ISD. You can print these stories and lists of words to use with your children or with other children in your life. This week’s story uses words from the First Grade Sight Word List. For a printable version of this story and word list, click here: Rosie Likes to Drive Around.
Rosie Likes to Drive Around
Rosie likes to drive around. Robert likes to walk.
For weeks she drove right by him. Then, one day she stopped to talk.
“You are very boring!” Rosie stopped and said that day.
Said Robert to Miss Rosie, “Well, you don’t have to stay.”
“Every day you walk and walk. You go so very slow.
Why don’t you drive a car like me? That’s all I want to know.”
“If you really want to know me, all you have to do is ask.
You never stop to talk to me; you always drive right past.”
So, Rosie stopped her yellow car, and parked it on the street.
She took her sneakers from the trunk, and put them on her feet.
As she and Robert walked along, he showed her many things…
He showed her where he liked to play and pushed her on his swing.
They said “Hello” to Mrs. Jones and patted her dog Chico.
They waved to June and Christopher and their new baby, Rico.
They bought a sno-cone from a truck and each of them ate half.
“Your lips are blue!” “Your lips are blue!” They both said with a laugh.
When they walked back to Rosie’s car, the moon was big and bright.
They had walked and walked and walked and walked till day had turned to night.
Rosie likes to drive around. Robert likes to walk.
Now she never drives right by him. She always stops to talk.
First Grade Sight Words Used in this Story
- Every
- Laugh
- Many
- New
- Night
- Very
- Walk
- Why
- His
- Put
- Him
- By
- Day
- Your
- Them
- Had
- Know
- Ask
This Act Locally Waco blog post is by Ashley Bean Thornton, she has lived in Waco almost 20 years now. Far longer than she ever lived anywhere else. She likes to walk. If you see her out walking, honk and wave and say “hi!”
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
Read Locally Waco is a project to promote literacy in Waco. Throughout the semester we will post stories that use sight words our children are learning in Waco ISD. You can print these stories and lists of words to use with your children or with other children in your life. This week’s story uses words from the First Grade Sight Word List. For a printable version of this story and word list, click here: Don’t eat me, Monster.
Don’t eat me, Monster!
What was that sound? I heard it again!
I think it’s a monster – please don’t let him in!
I know I am little and look very sweet,
But please, Mr. Monster, I’m not good to eat.
I come from a town where the kids all taste bad.
Don’t eat me! Don’t eat me! If you do, you’ll be sad.
I’m yucky and greasy and covered with fuzz.
Who tastes better than me? Almost everyone does!
I’ll make a burrito out of big brother, Zack.
When I add a few chips, he will make a good snack.
I’ll give you a tip, because you’re my good buddy…
My sister tastes good. She’s crunchy and nutty.
If I were you, Monster, I’d go for a pizza.
Or maybe some nachos topped with old Aunt DeLisa.
I didn’t bathe. My breath really stinks.
You could eat Uncle Tony. He smells like hot links!
DON’T EAT ME, MONSTER! I TASTE LIKE GREEN SLIME!
Oh… Hi, Momma and Daddy…I saw you the whole time…
First Grade Sight Words Used in this Story
- was
- what
- didn’t
- don’t
- eat
- from
- give
- good
- make
- of
- out
- saw
- were
- when
- again
- because
- could
- does
This Act Locally Waco blog post is by Ashley Bean Thornton, she has lived in Waco almost 20 years now. Far longer than she ever lived anywhere else. She likes to walk. If you see her out walking, honk and wave and say “hi!”
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
Read Locally Waco is a project to promote literacy in Waco. Throughout the semester we will post stories that use sight words our children are learning in Waco ISD. You can print these stories and lists of words to use with your children or with other children in your life. This week’s story uses words from the First Grade Sight Word List. For a printable version of this story and word list, click here: The Bad Friends.
The Bad Friends
All of my friends came over to play.
We made a big mess. Then they all ran away.
My mom saw the mess, and it made her laugh.
“If one person would help, then your work would be half!”
This mess was no joke. I worked hard to clean it.
I have to have help the next time, and I mean it!
“I need some new friends!” I thought to myself.
“I want some good friends who will stay here and help!”
“I want friends who will help with the messes we make!”
“I want friends who will pick up a broom for my sake!”
Now, where can I find some good friends today?
Are you that good friend? Do you want to come play?
Sight Words used in this story (From the First Grade Sight Word List)
- all
- big
- away
- back
- her
- over
- this
- want
- who
- with
- came
- have
- help
- next
- now
- are
- some
- then
This Act Locally Waco blog post is by Ashley Bean Thornton, she has lived in Waco almost 20 years now. Far longer than she ever lived anywhere else. She likes to walk. If you see her out walking, honk and wave and say “hi!”
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
Waco ISD Superintendent Dr. Marcus Nelson has declared literacy to be one of the top goals for our school district. We all have a part to play in making sure our children grow to be terrific readers! Act Locally Waco is looking for a way to help. We have come up with an experiment. We hope you will join us.
For now, we are going to focus on “sight words.” Sight words are commonly used words that children need to memorize so that they recognize them and can say them easily and automatically. Throughout this semester, we will share lists of sight words with you to work on with the children in your life.
Teaching sight words is as easy as writing the words on index cards or scrap paper and reviewing them with children flashcard style. We will also be sharing short stories that use sight words from the list. You can use these stories to practice the words with the kids you know.
This week we are using some of the words on the First Grade Sight Word List. Here are links to the stories we have posted so far, if you would like to print it out for your child to read or illustrate:
- The Bad Friends.
- Don’t eat me, Monster!
- Rosie Likes to Ride Around
- How Living at the Zoo Leads to Trouble
Do you have ideas about how to make this project better or more fun? Would you like to submit a story using some of the sight words? Would you like to illustrate a story? Email [email protected] with your ideas.
Together we will make Wacotown a Reading town! #readlocallywaco!
This Act Locally Waco blog post is by Ashley Bean Thornton, she has lived in Waco almost 20 years now. Far longer than she ever lived anywhere else. She likes to walk. If you see her out walking, honk and wave and say “hi!”
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.