McGuffey's Third Eclectic Reader, Revised Edition · Lesson LXXIV · Part 8: Rescues, corn and good-night

74. The Snow-Bird's Song

Goal: Your child reads a poem in which a little girl and a snow-bird talk, and tells why the bird is happy in the cold.

⏱ About 20 minutes · 7 steps

Open it at the Internet Archive ↗

You'll need

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

What's in the book

A poem in which Emily worries that the little snow-bird has no stockings or shoes in the snow, and the bird answers that it is clothed and warm enough. Definitions at the end.

The lesson, step by step

  1. Warm up

    SayIn winter, how do birds stay warm without coats and boots?

  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:

    Sleet, snow or hail mingled with rain.

    Figure, shape, appearance.

    Hobble, to walk with a hitch or hop.

    Chick-a-de-dee, an imitation of the notes of the snow-bird.

    Then find each word in the lesson.

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

  3. Read it aloud

    Read Emily's words yourself, and let your child read the snow-bird's cheerful answer.

    Here are two of its lines:

    Good morning! Oh, who are so happy as we?

    And away he flew, singing his chick-a-de-dee.

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

  4. Talk about it

    SayWhat does Emily want to give the bird?

    SayWhy doesn't the bird want shoes and a hat?

    SayWho does the bird say has clothed it?

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

  5. Tell it back or write it

    SayTell me what Emily and the snow-bird said to each other.

    An older child can write two or three sentences instead.

  6. Copywork

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

    Good morning! Oh, who are so happy as we?

    And away he flew, singing his chick-a-de-dee.

    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: sleet, figure, express, hobble.

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

Afterwards

Reread the poem on the next day or two; try to say one stanza by heart.

Tip

Listen for chickadees in winter. Their call really does sound like "chick-a-dee-dee."

@teddyrookbook GitHub