1. The Shepherd Boy

The lesson, step by step

1. Warm up

   Ask your child about a pretend game they love: a shop, a house, a farm made of blocks or toys.

   SayToday's poem is about a boy who had a whole farm, but it was all pretend.

2. Words and meanings

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

   either trickle fancied murmur reflected glossy entered shepherd chestnuts command

   Read them together a few at a time. Clap the syllables of the long ones. The book prints these words without meanings.

   Talk about a few of them in your own words: a shepherd takes care of sheep; to trickle is to run in a thin little stream; fancied means imagined.

3. Read it aloud

   This is the first lesson in a new book, so read the first stanza yourself while your child follows, then let your child read the rest, one stanza at a time.

   Here are two of its lines:

   Little Roy led his sheep down to pasture,

   And his cows, by the side of the brook;

   Then let your child reread a favorite part, more smoothly.

4. Talk about it

   SayWhat were Roy's cows and sheep really made of? Look back in the poem to find out.

   SayWhat happened to Roy's farm while he was asleep?

   SayHow do you think Roy felt when he woke up?

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

5. Tell it back

   Close the book.

   SayTell me about Roy's farm, and what happened to it.

   Help with "What was the pasture? What were the cows?" if your child gets stuck.

6. Copywork

   Your child copies this from the book in their best handwriting:

   Little Roy led his sheep down to pasture,

   And his cows, by the side of the brook;

   Show how each line of a poem starts with a capital letter.

   Check capitals and marks together.

7. Spelling

   Say each word, use it in a sentence, and have your child spell it aloud, then write it: shepherd, either, murmur, glossy, command.

   Check together and fix any mistakes right away. Keep missed words for tomorrow's warm-up.