McGuffey's Fifth Eclectic Reader, Revised Edition · Lesson XLIX · Part 5: Courage, kindness and the village smithy

55. Behind Time

Goal: Your child gives the book's examples of the harm done by lateness and explains its lesson.

⏱ About 30 minutes · 6 steps

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You'll need

  • The book, open to this lesson
  • A notebook and pencil

What's in the book

A short essay, with no author named, giving one example after another of disaster caused by being behind time: a train wreck, a lost battle, a failed business, a reprieve that came too late. Definitions and notes follow.

The lesson, step by step

  1. Words and meanings

    Read some definitions:

    Collision, the act of striking together violently.

    Reserve, a select body of troops held back in case of special need for their services.

    Bankruptcy, inability to pay all debts, insolvency.

    Remittances, money, drafts, etc., sent from a distance.

  2. Read aloud

    Take turns by paragraph.

    A railroad train was rushing along at almost lightning speed.

    A shriek, a shock, and fifty souls were in eternity; and all because an engineer had been behind time.

  3. Talk about it

    SayList the examples the writer gives.

    Napoleon died a prisoner at St. Helena because one of his marshals was behind time.

    SayThe notes name the marshal (Grouchy) and the battle (Waterloo). Find them.

    SayWhy does the writer pile up so many examples?

    Say"It is continually so in life." Do you agree? Is there any lateness that is only small?

  4. Tell it back

    Your child retells each example in one or two sentences.

  5. Copywork

    Copy:

    It is continually so in life.

  6. Write (optional)

    Write about a time being late or early made a difference for you.

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