18. Slate work: the dog and the fox

The lesson, step by step

1. Warm up

   Have your child reread a few lines of Lesson XVII, for example:

   The pen and the ink are on the stand.

   Praise smooth reading and help with any word that sticks.

2. New words

   Point to the new words at the top of the page:

   nut did shut shall lost fox men met step into hunt mud

   Say each word and have your child say it after you. Sound out the short ones together, then point to words in any order and let your child read them.

3. Read the script sentences

   This lesson is Slate Work: sentences printed in script (handwriting). Read each one aloud while your child follows with a finger, then your child reads them:

   Will the dog hunt a fox?

   Ben lost his hat.

   Shall I shut the box?

   I met him on the step.

   Did you jump into the mud?

   I have a nut.

4. Talk about it

   SayWhat did Ben lose?

   SayDid you ever jump into mud? What happened?

   Let your child look back at the page to find answers.

5. Copywork

   The book gives this Slate Work in script. Your child copies it on the slate or paper, slowly and neatly:

   Ben lost his hat.

   Shall I shut the box?

6. Spelling

   Say each word, use it in a short sentence, and have your child spell it aloud, then write it on the slate: nut, shut, fox, mud, hunt.

   Check together and fix any mistakes right away.

7. Wrap up

   Your child reads all the script sentences once more, then reads the copied lines from the slate.

   SayWhich sentence did you like best? Why?