McGuffey's Eclectic Primer, Revised Edition · Lesson XXXVII · Part 8: School and home
37. The schoolhouse
Goal: Your child reads school, church, books, slates and child, and reads about children going to school.
You'll need
- The book, open to the lesson
- A slate, small whiteboard or paper and pencil
What's in the book
New words school, church, books, slates and child, and sentences about a building that looks like a church but is a schoolhouse.
The lesson, step by step
Warm up
Turn back to Lesson XXXVI. Your child reads the new words at the top, then one sentence. 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.
school church books slates child
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:
What kind of house is this?
A good child likes to go to school.
Then read the whole page once more, a little smoother.
Talk about the picture
SayLook at the picture together. What do you see?
SayDo you think it is a schoolhouse or a church? Why?
Slate work
Your child copies a few of the new words onto the slate: books, child. 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: books, child. 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.