12. Susie Sunbeam

The lesson, step by step

1. Warm up

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

   Why do you come to my apple tree,

   Praise smooth reading and help with any word that sticks.

2. New words

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

   brightness pleasant learned dress playmates unkind ragged word questions smiling crowed child Sunbeam cheered Susie gave gladness unless name gate

   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 picture together first, if there is one. Then your child reads the lesson aloud, one paragraph at a time. Help with any word by pointing to it in the word list.

   Here are a few lines from it:

   Susie Sunbeam was not her real name; that was Susan Brown.

   Even when a baby, Susie laughed and crowed from morning till night.

   If it is long, stop at a good place and finish tomorrow.

4. Talk about it

   SayWhat was Susie's real name?

   SayWhy did people call her Sunbeam?

   SayWhat did Susie do when the children teased the poor girl?

   SayHow could you be a sunbeam to someone today?

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

5. Tell it back

   Close the book.

   SayTell me about Susie Sunbeam and the poor little girl.

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

6. Copywork

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

   Susie Sunbeam was not her real name; that was Susan Brown.

   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: dress, gate, name, child, word.

   Check together and fix any mistakes right away.