11. What a Bird Taught

The lesson, step by step

1. Warm up

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

   A little play does not harm any one, but does much good.

   Praise smooth reading and help with any word that sticks.

2. New words

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

   twit-twee bough twit-twit topmost lock spray mate closely rosy answer

   Say each word and have your child say it after you. Clap the parts of long words. Then point to words in any order and let your child read them.

3. Read it aloud

   Look at the page together first. Then your child reads the poem aloud, a line at a time. Pause a little at the end of each line.

   Here are a few lines from it:

   Why do you come to my apple tree,

   Little bird so gray?

   Twit-twit, twit-twit, twit-twit-twee!

   That was all he would say.

   Read it a second time, more smoothly.

4. Talk about it

   SayWhat questions does the child ask the bird?

   SayWhat does the bird say back?

   SayWhy do you think the bird only sings?

   SayListen for rhymes: tree and twee, gray and say. Can you find more?

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

5. Tell it back

   Close the book.

   SayTell me what the child asked, and what the bird answered.

   Let your child talk without stopping them. Afterward, help with anything left out by asking "What happened next?"

6. Copywork

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

   Little bird so gray?

   That was all he would say.

   Check capital letters, commas and the mark at the end.

7. Spelling

   Say each word, use it in a short sentence, and have your child spell it aloud, then write it: lock, mate, rosy, answer.

   Check together and fix any mistakes right away.