McGuffey's Eclectic Primer, Revised Edition · Lesson II · Part 1: First words: a cat, a rat
2. The cat has a rat
Goal: Your child reads the, has, ran and Ann, and reads two short sentences.
You'll need
- The book, open to the lesson
- A slate, small whiteboard or paper and pencil
What's in the book
New words the, has, ran and Ann over a picture, and two sentences about the cat, the rat and Ann.
The lesson, step by step
Warm up
Turn back to Lesson I. Point to the new words at the top and have your child read them:
cat rat a and
Any that are slow go in tomorrow's warm-up too.
Meet the new words
Point to each new word at the top of the page. Say it clearly, then your child says it back.
the ran Ann has
For short words, sound them out together, slowly, then fast. Mix up the order and ask your child to point to each word as you say it.
Read the sentences
Your child reads the sentences aloud, pointing to each word. Help by sounding out, not by telling, when you can. For example:
The cat has a rat.
The rat ran at Ann.
Then read the whole page once more, a little smoother.
Talk about the picture
SayLook at the picture together. What do you see?
SayWho is Ann? What did the rat do?
Slate work
Your child copies a few of the new words onto the slate: ran, has, Ann. If there is a line in script (handwriting) on the page, read it aloud together and copy it instead.
Spell aloud
Close the book. Say each word and your child spells it aloud: ran, has, Ann. Then open the book and check.
Wrap up
Your child reads the whole lesson one last time, or just the favorite sentence. Stop while it is still fun.
Afterwards
Reread this lesson for a day or two, until the new words come without help. Then go on.
Tip
Ann starts with a capital letter because it is a name. Point that out now; it comes up again and again.