McGuffey's Second Eclectic Reader, Revised Edition · Lesson II · Part 1: Home, play and pets

2. Bubbles

Goal: Your child reads the bubble story with expression, including the boys' talk and laughter.

⏱ About 15 minutes · 7 steps

Open it at the Internet Archive ↗

You'll need

  • The book, open to this lesson
  • A slate, small whiteboard or lined paper and a pencil
  • A little bubble soap and a straw or wand, for after the lesson (optional)

What's in the book

New words, then a merry story about Robert, Willie and Harry blowing soap bubbles on the porch while the old cat sleeps.

The lesson, step by step

  1. Warm up

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

    It is winter.

    Praise smooth reading and help with any word that sticks.

  2. New words

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

    beautiful porch rainbow burst bubbling same biggest sneeze colors mine soap wash red many

    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:

    The boys have come out on the porch to blow bubbles.

    "Ha! ha!" laughs Robert, as a bubble comes down softly on the old cat's back, and does not burst.

    Read it a second time, more smoothly.

  4. Talk about it

    SayWho is blowing bubbles?

    SayWhat happened when Willie's bubble came down on the cat's face?

    SayWhat can Willie see in his bubble?

    SayWhat does Harry say about the colors in a bubble?

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

  5. Tell it back

    Close the book.

    SayTell me what happened on the porch, and what the old cat did.

    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:

    The old cat is asleep on the mat by the door.

    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: soap, wash, red, same, burst.

    Check together and fix any mistakes right away.

Afterwards

Reread this lesson aloud the next day before starting a new one. Read the new words in any order until they come quickly.

Tip

Blow some bubbles after the lesson and look for the colors Harry talks about.

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