McGuffey's Fourth Eclectic Reader, Revised Edition · Lesson L · Part 6: Honesty, Crusoe and good-will

54. The Right Way, adapted from Frank R. Stockton

Goal: Your child reads a story about a hard choice and explains how Andrew found the right way out.

⏱ About 30 minutes · 7 steps

Open it at the Internet Archive ↗

You'll need

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

What's in the book

A story: the bridge over the creek is swung away, and little Jenny Murdock can't get home. Her friend Andrew wants to help, but school is about to start, and he won't lie. Then he thinks of a simple, honest answer. A note about the author, 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:

    Dominie, the Scotch name for schoolmaster.

    Overcast, covered with gloom.

    Impracticable, not possible.

    Devise, plan, contrive.

    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 Frank R. Stockton was born at Philadelphia, April 5, 1834, and as a young boy wrote stories for his own pleasure. He was once a designer and engraver on wood, then an editor, and at the time the book was printed he wrote full time, for young and grown people alike.

  3. Read it aloud

    Your child reads the story aloud. It begins:

    Andrew was a Scotch boy, and a fine fellow.

  4. Talk about it

    SayWhy could not Jenny cross the stream? Whom did she ask to help her?

    SayWhat did Jenny wish Andrew to do? Why could he not go with her?

    SayWould it have been right for Andrew to have told an untruth even to help Jenny out of trouble?

    SayWhat did he finally do? What does this lesson teach us to do in case of trouble?

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

  5. Tell it back

    Close the book.

    SayTell me Andrew's problem and how he solved it.

  6. Copywork

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

    Of course the good old schoolmaster gave Andrew the desired permission, and every thing ended happily.

  7. Words to learn

    Learn: particular, dominie, reflecting, overcast, account, impracticable, anxiety, devise. Spell each aloud, then write it with its meaning.

Afterwards

Next time your child is stuck between two choices, ask: Is there a simple way that is completely right?

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