McGuffey's Fourth Eclectic Reader, Revised Edition · Lesson XLVI · Part 5: Work, wonder and the world

50. The Creator, with verses by John Keble

Goal: Your child reads a short piece about the rose, the lion and the sun, and explains its main idea.

⏱ About 20 minutes · 7 steps

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You'll need

  • The book, open to this lesson
  • A notebook or lined paper and a pencil

What's in the book

A short prose piece showing a rose, a lion and the sun, each followed by the thought that the One who made it is greater. It ends with a poem by John Keble about God's works as a book anyone can read. A note, Definitions and Exercises are included.

The lesson, step by step

  1. Words and meanings

    The new words are at the end of the lesson, under Definitions. The small number in front of each word is the paragraph or verse where it is used. Read them together before the lesson. A few of them:

    Lair, bed of a wild beast.

    Dazzling, overpowering with light.

    Perfection, the state of being perfect, so that nothing is wanting.

    Encompassed, surrounded.

    Ask your child to find two of these words in the lesson and read the sentence each one is in.

  2. About the author

    The book's note says the poetry at the close is by John Keble, a celebrated English clergyman, born in 1792, who held for some years the professorship of Poetry at Oxford University.

  3. Read it aloud

    Your child reads it aloud. It has a strong pattern, so read it with a steady, thoughtful voice. It begins:

    Come, and I will show you what is beautiful. It is a rose fully blown.

  4. Talk about it

    SayWhat is described as beautiful? As strong? As glorious?

    SayWho is more beautiful than the rose, stronger than the lion, and more glorious than the sun?

    SayWhat is the book which we may all read? What should it teach us?

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

  5. Tell it back

    Your child follows the book's pattern and writes three sentences of their own about something beautiful, strong or wonderful in nature.

  6. Copywork

    Your child copies this from the book, slowly and neatly, minding every capital letter and mark of punctuation:

    But there is one fairer than the rose. He that made the rose is more beautiful than the rose.

  7. Words to learn

    Learn: blown, odor, lair, desert, excellent, dazzling, perfection, imparts, lore, encompassed. Spell each aloud, then write it with its meaning.

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