19. Evening Hymn

The lesson, step by step

1. Warm up

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

   The kingbird is not bigger than a robin.

   Praise smooth reading and help with any word that sticks.

2. New words

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

   watching gathers angels begin darkness across lonely beasts

   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:

   Now the day is over,

   Night is drawing nigh,

   Read it a second time, more smoothly.

4. Talk about it

   SayWhat time of day is the hymn about?

   SayWhat does the hymn say is going to sleep?

   SayWhat does the child ask for at the end?

   SayRead it slowly. Can you hear which lines rhyme?

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

5. Tell it back

   Close the book.

   SayTell me what happens in the hymn as night comes.

   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:

   Now the day is over,

   Night is drawing nigh,

   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: begin, across, darkness, lonely.

   Check together and fix any mistakes right away.