Read Dorothy Sayers: "The Lost Tools of Learning".

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

1836 First Eclectic Reader: Lesson XXIII. - The Kind Boy

Look at the picture before you read the lesson. What do you think happens in this story? Write some "If... then..." sentences. Example: If James keeps the bird, then it might die. What is a compound word? Is there any compound words in the story? Can you think of any compound words made from either blue or bird? have a grammar lesson about the apostrophe.


The Kind Boy

James Bland found a poor young bird on the cold ground. It was all wet, for there had been rain that day. "Ha!" said he, " I will have a fine pet, now." James took it home. He met his sister Ann at the door. "Here, Ann," said he, " is a young blue bird. I found it in the road. We will put it in a cage and keep it." Ann looked at it. "Poor thing," said she, "it is cold. Let us take it to the fire." She took it, and warmed it. As soon as it was dry and warm, it began to chirp and tried to get away. Ann told James that it would be cruel to keep the bird. "See, it wants to go back to its nest. We would not like to be taken from home and kept in a cage." James thought so too, so he took the bird to the door. "There! Go, poor bird," said he, and away it flew. Some boys would have kept it, and maybe it would have died. But James was a good boy, and would not be cruel, even to a bird. I hope that no boy who reds this book will ever rob a bird's nest. It is very cruel and wicked.


Vocabulary

cold, the, boy, wet, sister,
who, way, kept, wicked, cage, good,
warm, cruel, that, nest, looked, ever, rain,
began, back, poor, taken, ground, flew,
bluebird, dry, door, have, thing,
reads, shall, bird, very,
blue, though.



1836 First Eclectic Reader: Lesson XXII. - The school Girl


Study a science lesson about bees.



The school Girl

Jane rice is a good girl. She goes to school everyday, and she can read quite well. She does what she is told, and is kind to all. One day, as she went to school, she saw a poor bee in the water, on the road. She took a leaf, for fear the bee would sting her, and held it to the bee. The bee took hold of it, with its feet. Jane took it out, and put it where the sun would shine on it. The bee soon got warm and flew away. Jane was glad that she had saved its life.


Vocabulary

leaf, quite, water,
fear, shine, school, warm,
away, would, glad, saved, where.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

1836 First Eclectic Reader: Lesson XXI - About the Moon


Follow up with a science lesson about the phases of the moon. Write sentences in the pattern of, " If we had no moon, it would be called...". Ask the children what day God created the moon, and what else He created on that day.



About the Moon

The moon is very large. See how red it is! It looks like blood! The moon is round now, because it is full moon. It will not be so round the next night. The moon will lose a little, and the next night a little more, and so on until it it is like your bow when it is bent. It will not be seen until after you are in bed. It will grow less and less, until in two weeks there will be no moon at all. After that, there will be a new moon. You will see it just before night, and it will be very thin at first. It will grow round and larger each day, until at last, in to weeks more, it will be a full moon again like this. You will see it rise again behind the trees, in four weeks from this time, just as you see it now. If we had no moon, it would be very dark at night. We could not see to walk, or do anything. When there is snow on the ground, and the moon shines, it is almost as bright as day. When there is no moon, and the stars do not shine, it is very dark.


Vocabulary

moon, more, first, little,
red, bow, again, large, every,
like, because, very, weeks, behind, thin,
blood, new, almost, lose, before, every, snow.

First level Recommendations:

Second Level Recommendations:

Third Level Recommendations:

Fourth Level Recommendations:

Fifth Level Recommendations:

Sixth Level Recommendations: