When the Ground Shook Reading guide

Phonics focus

Lesson 60: apply split digraphs in words and sentences

Practise split digraphs in sentences in these words: a_e: Grace, shape, make, shake, safe, place; i_e: Mike, wide, line, slide; o_e: home, hope, rope; u_e: use, cube, June. Review all four spellings through the guide and earlier books. Blend practice words using the focus spelling and compare short and long vowel examples where appropriate. Use the programme lessons to introduce new sounds; the story is original.

Bold red vowel letters and bold blue consonant letters show the selected focus spellings. Read split digraphs as one spelling across the intervening consonant; do not add a separate final-e sound. Only their paired vowel letters are bold red. Soft c and g focus letters are bold blue. Colours identify letter categories, not pronunciation. Read the guide note for each pattern. Help children with other letters and patterns in the word when needed. A highlighted letter does not mean the whole word is independently decodable.

Adult supported words

An adult reads the title with the child. Preview school, cards, table, Ms Green, nearby, which, comes, next, asks, room, starts, cup, drop, cover, hold, says, hands, knees, crawl, under, sturdy, heads, necks, arm, leg, other, hand, too, stay, while, shaking, stops, wants, get, up, wait, here, check, teacher, follows, emergency, plan, when, leads, class, outside, walk, assembly, group, everyone, there, list, soon, I’m, you, game. Move is an exception to long-o o_e. Review unfamiliar words with an adult.

Before reading

Read three practice words and name the selected spelling. Look at the cover, name the setting and predict what might happen.

During reading

Read each sentence aloud together. Point to the highlighted letters, blend the focus words and reread naturally. Use Talk Together to discuss the character, problem, actions and ending.

Narrative structure

An earthquake interrupts Grace and Mike’s classroom game. They immediately Drop, Cover and Hold, remain sheltered through the shaking and then follow their teacher’s checked school plan. At the assembly place the teacher checks everyone and supports Mike as they wait.

After reading

Invite the child to retell what happened first, what went wrong, what the character tried and how the story ended. Reread the book to build confidence.

Highlight the separated vowel letters in selected a_e, i_e, o_e and u_e story words. Move is an adult-supported /oo/ exception, left unhighlighted; compare home separately. Do not sound a separate final e. Covering the head and neck, holding the table and staying inside during the shaking follow New Zealand Civil Defence guidance. This fictional story does not replace a school’s emergency plan. An adult previews it sensitively and allows children to pause. Do not guarantee that nobody will feel afraid or that damage never occurs.

Earthquake response reference: New Zealand Civil Defence: Drop, Cover and Hold.