After a child identifies the first and last word in each line, what small-group lesson should the teacher conduct next?

The next small-group lesson should focus on a think-aloud on punctuation and capitalization because this step builds upon the child's ability to identify the first and last words in each line, which often correspond to the beginning and end of sentences. By engaging in a think-aloud, the teacher can model for the students how punctuation marks serve to guide the reader more effectively and how capitalization signifies the beginnings of sentences or proper nouns.

Teaching punctuation and capitalization helps children understand the structural elements of sentences, which is crucial for their reading comprehension and writing skills. When children see how punctuation affects the flow and meaning of sentences, they become more adept at parsing the text, which in turn enhances their ability to write clearly and effectively.

Thus, following the identification of words, discussing the roles of punctuation and capitalization allows students to gain a deeper understanding of sentence construction, which is essential for their literacy development.