15. Don't Wake the Baby

The lesson, step by step

1. Warm up

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

   Henry was a kind, good boy.

   Praise smooth reading and help with any word that sticks.

2. New words

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

   tread whisper softly talk cheerful careful

   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

   This lesson is printed in script (handwriting). Read the first lines aloud while your child follows with a finger, then your child reads the whole poem aloud. Help with any letter shapes that are new.

   Here are a few lines from it:

   Baby sleeps, so we must tread

   Softly round her little bed,

   Read it a second time, more smoothly.

4. Talk about it

   SayWhy must everyone be quiet?

   SayWhat must the children be careful about?

   SayWho is everyone waiting for?

   SayListen for rhymes: tread and bed, toys and noise. Can you find more?

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

5. Tell it back

   Close the book.

   SayTell me how the family keeps the baby asleep.

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

6. Copywork

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

   Baby sleeps, so we must tread

   Softly round her little bed,

   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: talk, softly, careful, whisper.

   Check together and fix any mistakes right away.