51. The Story-teller (concluded)

The lesson, step by step

1. Warm up

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

   One day, as he was going by the school, the children gathered around him.

   Praise smooth reading and help with any word that sticks.

2. New words

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

   lain weak stiff shrill rode bleak

   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:

   One cold, bleak night, the snow fell fast, and the wind blew loud and shrill.

   It was quite dark.

   Read it a second time, more smoothly.

4. Talk about it

   SayWhat kind of night was it?

   SayWhom did the dog find?

   SayHow did the boy get to the good men's house?

   SayWhat happened to the boy after that?

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

5. Tell it back

   Close the book.

   SayTell me the whole story of the dog and the lost boy.

   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:

   It was quite dark.

   Not a star was to be seen in the sky.

   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: weak, stiff, rode, bleak.

   Check together and fix any mistakes right away.