49. Pretty is that Pretty does

The lesson, step by step

1. Warm up

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

   Soon a branch with leaves came drifting among them, and they all took wing.

   Praise smooth reading and help with any word that sticks.

2. New words

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

   saint silken simple poverty plain sinner spinner splendor worth steady murder planning silver tender proverb remember

   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:

   The spider wears a plain brown dress,

   And she is a steady spinner;

   Read it a second time, more smoothly.

4. Talk about it

   SayWhat does the spider wear? What does she spin?

   SayWhat is the spider always planning?

   SayWhat do you think "Pretty is that pretty does" means?

   SayListen for rhymes: mouse and house. Can you find more?

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

5. Tell it back

   Close the book.

   SayTell me what the poem teaches about being pretty.

   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 spider wears a plain brown dress,

   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: plain, silver, simple, worth.

   Check together and fix any mistakes right away.