The Mother Tongue, Book I: Lessons in Speaking, Reading and Writing English · Secs. 91–93 · Part 1: Part First
30. The Ugly Duckling: paragraphs and new words
Goal: Your child sees what each paragraph of a passage is about and uses new words in sentences.
You'll need
- The book, open to this lesson
- Paper and pencil (a notebook kept just for this book works well)
What's in the book
Section 91 is the opening of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Ugly Duckling": the old farmhouse among the burdocks and the mother duck on her nest, until the ducklings hatch. Questions ask what each paragraph describes. Sections 92 and 93 ask for sentences with words from the story and a retelling from memory.
The lesson, step by step
Read the selection
Read Section 91 aloud together.
"What a great world it is, to be sure!" said the little ones,
Paragraph by paragraph
Ask the book's questions: What is described in the first paragraph? (The farmhouse and the burdocks.) The second? (The duck on her nest.) The third, fourth and fifth? Your child gives each paragraph a short name.
New words (Section 92)
Talk about these words: sunny, pleasant, farmhouse, burdocks, retreat, wearisome, visitors, slippery, allowed. Your child writes sentences with five of them, sentences that mean something to them.
From memory (Section 93)
Your child rereads the passage, closes the book, and writes what they remember in their own words, 5 to 7 sentences. Then reads it aloud.
Check it gently
Compare with the book together. Did they keep the order of the paragraphs? Fix one thing. Praise one word or phrase that is truly their own.
What a good result looks like
Example (written for this guide, not from the book):
Near an old farmhouse grew burdocks so tall that a child could stand under them. A duck sat on her nest there, waiting for her eggs to hatch. She was tired of waiting, because hardly anyone came to visit. At last the shells cracked, and the ducklings cried, "Peep, peep!"
Afterwards
Read the whole of "The Ugly Duckling" together this week.