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

6. Afraid in the Dark

Goal: Your child reads the story, talks about being afraid, and copies two lines of the script verse.

⏱ About 20 minutes · 7 steps

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You'll need

  • The book, open to this lesson
  • A slate, small whiteboard or lined paper and a pencil
  • A lamp or flashlight, to make shadows with your hand (optional)

What's in the book

New words, then a story about Willie, who is afraid to go upstairs in the dark, and how his mamma helps him. Slate work follows: a short verse printed in script.

The lesson, step by step

  1. Warm up

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

    James White has two dogs.

    Praise smooth reading and help with any word that sticks.

  2. New words

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

    between bureau stairs needle afraid shadow held stir

    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:

    Willie, will you run upstairs, and get my needle book from the bureau?

    But Willie did not stir.

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

  4. Talk about it

    SayWhat did mamma ask Willie to do?

    SayWhy didn't Willie go at first?

    SayHow did mamma show Willie what the dark really is?

    SayWhat did Willie do in the end? How do you think he felt?

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

  5. Tell it back

    Close the book.

    SayTell me how Willie stopped being afraid of the dark.

    Let your child talk without stopping them. Afterward, help with anything left out by asking "What happened next?"

  6. Slate work

    At the end of the lesson there is a short verse in script, marked for slate work. Read it together, then your child copies these lines onto the slate or paper:

    Beautiful faces are they that wear

    The light of a pleasant spirit there;

    Check capital letters and the marks at the ends of the lines.

  7. Spelling

    Say each word, use it in a short sentence, and have your child spell it aloud, then write it: stairs, afraid, shadow, held.

    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

Mamma uses her hand and the lamp to show that dark is only a shadow. You can do the same thing with a flashlight.

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