40. The Little Harebell

The lesson, step by step

1. Warm up

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

   Up in the attic, three little children were playing together.

   Praise smooth reading and help with any word that sticks.

2. New words

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

   fair lady drear clinging harebell fled ne'er despair nodding blooming

   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:

   Tell me, little harebell,

   God is everywhere.

   Read it a second time, more smoothly.

4. Talk about it

   SayWhere is the little harebell growing?

   SayWhat does the speaker ask it?

   SayWhy does the harebell say it is not lonely?

   SayRead it again slowly. Which lines rhyme?

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

5. Tell it back

   Close the book.

   SayTell me what the speaker asked and what the harebell said.

   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:

   Tell me, little harebell,

   God is everywhere.

   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: fair, lady, fled, nodding.

   Check together and fix any mistakes right away.