McGuffey's Third Eclectic Reader, Revised Edition · Lesson XLI · Part 5: Kites, sticks and kind deeds

41. Ray and His Kite

Goal: Your child reads a funny story and explains how Ray's kite fooled the village.

⏱ About 20 minutes · 7 steps

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You'll need

  • The book, open to this lesson
  • A notebook or lined paper and a pencil

What's in the book

A story about Ray, a dreamy boy who wonders whether anyone ever flew a kite at night, and what the village thought when he tried it. Definitions at the end.

The lesson, step by step

  1. Warm up

    SayWhat would people think if they saw a strange light moving in the night sky?

  2. Words and meanings

    This lesson's definitions are printed at the end, after the reading. Read a few of them together before you start:

    Day-dreams, vain fancies.

    Companions, playmates, friends.

    Hobgoblin, an ugly fairy or imp.

    Then find each word in the lesson.

    SayCan you use one of these words in a sentence of your own?

  3. Read it aloud

    Your child reads. Read the villagers' puzzled talk in a mysterious voice.

    Here is a line from it:

    Ray was thought to be an odd boy. You will think him so, too, when you have read this story.

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

  4. Talk about it

    SayWhy was Ray thought to be an odd boy?

    SayHow did Ray make his kite show up at night?

    SayWhat did the men do when they found out it was a boy's kite?

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

  5. Tell it back or write it

    Close the book.

    SayTell me the story of Ray's night kite, as if you were one of the men in the village.

    An older child can write two or three sentences instead.

  6. Copywork

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

    I wonder if anybody ever tried to fly a kite at night.

    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: comet, groups, sweeps, attempts, kite.

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

Afterwards

Reread the lesson aloud tomorrow before starting the next one, and review any missed spelling words.

Tip

This is a good story for a younger sibling to hear. Let your child read it to them.

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