McGuffey's First Eclectic Reader, Revised Edition · Lesson LIX · Part 7: Birds, a whistle and Chippy

59. Mary and lame Frank

Goal: Your child reads a longer story and talks about kindness to neighbors.

⏱ About 20 minutes · 7 steps

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You'll need

  • The book, open to this lesson
  • A slate, small whiteboard or lined paper and a pencil

What's in the book

Fifteen new words, a picture, and a two-page story about Mary, her sick doll and Frank, who makes willow whistles.

The lesson, step by step

  1. Warm up

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

    When the stars at set of sun

    Praise smooth reading and help with any word that sticks.

  2. New words

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

    whistle pocket willow note filled dead sick walk every blew lane lame taking cane took

    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.

    For longer words, clap the parts together, then say the whole word.

  3. Read the lesson aloud

    Look at the picture together first, and ask what your child sees. Then your child reads the lesson aloud, one sentence at a time. Help with any word by pointing to it in the word list.

    Here are two lines from it:

    Frank was a poor, little, lame boy.

    Every day, Mary's mother filled Frank's basket with bread and meat, and a little tea for his grandma.

    Read it a second time, more smoothly.

  4. Talk about it

    SayWho did Mary meet in the lane?

    SayHow did Mary's mother help Frank and his grandma?

    SayWhat did Frank have that Mary wanted to try?

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

  5. Copywork

    Write this line from the lesson for your child to copy, or let them copy it straight from the book:

    Frank was a poor, little, lame boy.

    Check for a capital letter at the start and the mark at the end.

  6. Spelling

    Say each word, use it in a short sentence, and have your child spell it aloud, then write it on the slate: lane, lame, cane, sick, took.

    Check together and fix any mistakes right away.

  7. Tell it back

    Close the book.

    SayTell me the story in your own words.

    Help with "What happened first? Then what?" if your child gets stuck.

Afterwards

Reread this lesson aloud on the next day before starting a new one. Read the new words from the list in any order until they come quickly.

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