23. The Torn Doll

The lesson, step by step

1. Warm up

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

   Buzz! buzz! buzz!

   Praise smooth reading and help with any word that sticks.

2. New words

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

   unhappy promised heedless became growing careless harshly leaving easily effects annoy ma'am blame worse torn hardly nicest spend habit evil

   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:

   Mary Armstrong was a pretty little girl, but she was heedless about some things.

   Her books became spoiled, and her toys broken.

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

4. Talk about it

   SayWhat careless habit did Mary have?

   SayWhat happened to her doll?

   SayWhom did Mary scold? What did her mother say about that?

   SayWhat will Mary try to do from now on?

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

5. Tell it back

   Close the book.

   SayTell me the story of Mary and her torn doll.

   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:

   Her books became spoiled, and her toys broken.

   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: torn, blame, worse, habit, spend.

   Check together and fix any mistakes right away.