34. George's Feast

The lesson, step by step

1. Warm up

   SayIf you found a patch of ripe strawberries and you were very hungry, what would you do?

2. Words and meanings

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

   faint collect refresh happiness feast scarlet suffered lifting strawberries

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

   Explain in your own words: to refresh is to make someone feel fresh and strong again; scarlet means bright red.

3. Read it aloud

   Your child reads. Read George's thoughts slowly; he is struggling with himself.

   Here is a line from it:

   One fine day in July, she sent George to the woods, which were about two miles from the village in which she lived.

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

4. Talk about it

   SayWhy was George's family so poor?

   SayWhat did George find, and what did he want to do with it?

   SayWho did he save the berries for, and how did she feel?

   Then talk about the lesson of the reading:

   Giving up something for someone you love brings more happiness than keeping it.

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

5. Tell it back

   Close the book.

   SayTell me the story of George and the strawberries.

6. Copywork

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

   God will bless you for all this, my child.

   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: faint, feast, scarlet, collect, happiness.

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