McGuffey's Sixth Eclectic Reader, Revised Edition · Lesson LX · Part 6: Lessons XLIX-LX: Sieges, patriots and pilgrims
66. Riding on a Snow-Plow (Benjamin Franklin Taylor)
Goal: Your student enjoys a lively descriptive sketch and notices its bold comparisons.
You'll need
- The book, or the scan beside this guide
- A notebook and pen
- A dictionary
What's in the book
Taylor's account of riding a giant snow-plow through the drifts after a blizzard near Buffalo, with notes on the places and names mentioned.
The lesson, step by step
Words and meanings
Read the book's notes on Chautauqua county in New York, the Cyclops, the silver mountain of Potosi, and "Mad" Anthony Wayne.
Before reading, find these words in the selection and look up any your student does not know: superintendent, drifts, snow-bound.
About the author
The book says Benjamin Franklin Taylor was born in Lowville, New York, in 1822 and graduated from Madison University. He was for many years literary editor of the Chicago Journal and wrote books such as The World on Wheels, Pictures in Camp and Field, and Songs of Yesterday.
Read it aloud
Read the opening together:
Did you ever ride on a snow-plow?
Your student reads on, with energy. Two comparisons to enjoy:
The Lake Shore Line is piled with drifts like a surf.
The storm howls like a congregation of Arctic bears.
Talk about it
SayWhy does Taylor begin with a question to the reader?
SayDescribe the snow-plow. What animal is it compared to?
SayFind two more bold comparisons. Which is best?
SayHow does Taylor make a train ride exciting?
Tell it back
Your student tells the adventure of the snow-plow from start to finish.
Copywork and memory
Copy:
The storm howls like a congregation of Arctic bears.
Write (optional)
Describe a ride (in a car, on a bike, on a sled) in a paragraph with at least three comparisons.