McGuffey's Sixth Eclectic Reader, Revised Edition · Lesson CXXX · Part 13: Washington, Wordsworth and Mont Blanc
136. Character of Washington (Jared Sparks)
Goal: Your student can describe Washington's appearance and character as Sparks presents them.
You'll need
- The book, open to this lesson
- A notebook and pen
- A dictionary
What's in the book
Sparks's portrait of George Washington: his person, manners and character. The heading is at the top of the page.
The lesson, step by step
Words and meanings
Look over the notes and definitions printed at the end of the lesson before you start, so names and hard words don't trip up the reading.
Your student picks three unfamiliar words, guesses each meaning from the sentence, then checks a dictionary.
About the author
The book says Sparks (1789–1866) was born in Willington, Connecticut, graduated from Harvard in 1815, and was a Unitarian pastor in Baltimore. He edited the North American Review, was a Harvard professor and then its president, and wrote much on American history, including lives of Washington and Franklin.
Read aloud
Read it aloud together.
Listen for these lines:
The person of Washington was commanding, graceful, and fitly proportioned;
Talk about it
SayHow did Washington look and carry himself?
SayWhich of his qualities does Sparks praise most?
SayHow did Washington behave toward other people, according to Sparks?
SayWhich quality of Washington would you most like to have?
Narration
Your student describes Washington from Sparks's portrait, first his person, then his character.
Writing (optional)
Write a character sketch of someone you admire, starting with their appearance and ending with their character.