McGuffey 2nd Reader Unit 15: Empathy and Choice
"Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them;
for this is the law and the prophets."
Matthew 7:12
for this is the law and the prophets."
Matthew 7:12
Allow 4 weeks for this lesson: McGuffey Second Reader Lessons XLVIII, XLIX, L, Writing from Pictures
This unit begins with a story about a mischievous monkey. He was not a bad monkey, he was simply a monkey doing what monkeys do. His behavior was part of his nature. The next lesson is a dialogue between two boys. In this dialogue you can see how they can choose their behavior. They have the ability to decide how to care for things, animals, and people around them. The final story is a fictional story about two talking roosters. This story gives us reason to think about the consequences of our choices. Are people quarrelsome by nature or do they do things to foster a quarrelsome disposition? What are the consequences of becoming too quarrelsome?
After completing Lessons 48-50, complete a Create and Share project.
Lesson XLVIII
Reading
Before reading Lesson XLVIII, discuss the meaning of the following words:
· parasol—a light umbrella used to give shade from the sun.
· entangled—cause to become twisted together with or caught in.
· coaxed—persuade (someone) gradually or by flattery to do something.
· oration—a formal speech, especially one given on a ceremonial occasion.
· profoundly—to a profound extent; extremely.
· disperse—distribute or spread over a wide area.
· Read lesson XLVIII. Discuss questions at the end of the selection. The students may tell funny stories about pets they have known.
Spelling
Lesson XLIX
Reading
Before reading Lesson XLIX, discuss the meaning of the following words:
· dialogue - conversation between two or more people as a feature of a book, play, or movie
· squeamish - having strong moral views; scrupulous
notions- a conception of or belief about something.
Read Lesson XLIX. Two students may read this aloud, taking parts of Robert and Samuel. Discuss the questions at the end of the lesson.
Writing
Using this "play form", write a dialogue about any topic that interests you. With a friend, read your dialogue out loud.
Lesson L
Before reading Lesson L, discuss the meaning of the following word:
· revenged - inflict hurt or harm on someone for an injury or wrong done to oneself.
Read Lesson L. Discuss questions at the end of the selection. Is this the right ending for the fable? Why do you think so? What message or moral is found in the fable?
Writing from Pictures:
Several stories in the McGuffey Readers will have a picture at the beginning. The Quarrelsome Roosters is one example. Pictures may be used to prompt ideas for a story. This lesson will guide you through creating a story from a picture. See Excellence in Writing curriculum for more ideas.
Goals:
1. For children to write three-paragraph stories from a series of three pictures.
2. To exercise imagination and creativity. The pictures themselves say little. All details, setting, characterization, motives, effects, etc. must be developed.
Create outlines together and allow writing to be done independently. Use this lesson as an opportunity for vocabulary development and playful writing. Emphasize the idea of "thinking three themes" when they write.
Recommended Materials:
1. A dozen or more sets of three pictures.
1. Make an outline with a topic sentence, five to seven details, and a clincher for each of the three pictures. The details create the story by explaining how a situation occurred, giving history, and describing how the characters feel or what they think. Children may then summarize from the outline, producing a three-paragraph story.
2. The topic sentence of the paragraph is the central fact (what is happening) in the picture.
3. The central fact in the picture becomes the topic sentence and the clincher (or last sentence in the paragraph) reflects it. This activity can more accurately be described as 'event description" rather than story writing.
4. Remember that final paragraph clincher reflects both the topic of the last paragraph and the title.
5. For younger children who have difficulty in constructing clinchers that "reflect" the topic sentence, they may repeat the topic sentence exactly, then rewrite with a synonym.
This unit begins with a story about a mischievous monkey. He was not a bad monkey, he was simply a monkey doing what monkeys do. His behavior was part of his nature. The next lesson is a dialogue between two boys. In this dialogue you can see how they can choose their behavior. They have the ability to decide how to care for things, animals, and people around them. The final story is a fictional story about two talking roosters. This story gives us reason to think about the consequences of our choices. Are people quarrelsome by nature or do they do things to foster a quarrelsome disposition? What are the consequences of becoming too quarrelsome?
After completing Lessons 48-50, complete a Create and Share project.
- The final lesson in this series provides an opportunity for the children to write their own story. During your discussion with the children, encourage them to think of a story with a good moral. After the children write their story, encourage them to make a final copy, complete with pictures and in a format they can share with others. A nice cover and a binding will help the children create a short book they will be pleased with.
Lesson XLVIII
Reading
Before reading Lesson XLVIII, discuss the meaning of the following words:
· parasol—a light umbrella used to give shade from the sun.
· entangled—cause to become twisted together with or caught in.
· coaxed—persuade (someone) gradually or by flattery to do something.
· oration—a formal speech, especially one given on a ceremonial occasion.
· profoundly—to a profound extent; extremely.
· disperse—distribute or spread over a wide area.
· Read lesson XLVIII. Discuss questions at the end of the selection. The students may tell funny stories about pets they have known.
Spelling
- Find the multi-syllable words on the spelling list and write them in your notebook, showing how the syllables are divided.
- Vocabulary Notebook. Turn to Section Two in the Vocabulary Notebook and fin the pages for prefixes. Look at the definitions for the following prefixes: mis, pro, dis, im, sur. Look for these prefixes in the list of spelling words at the end of the lesson. Do the definitions for the prefixes help you understand the definitions of the words? Write these words in your Vocabulary Journal in the appropriate column.
- The prefix en means in or into: Define encamp, enclose, enlist, enplane using the prefix definition as your guide.
Lesson XLIX
Reading
Before reading Lesson XLIX, discuss the meaning of the following words:
· dialogue - conversation between two or more people as a feature of a book, play, or movie
· squeamish - having strong moral views; scrupulous
notions- a conception of or belief about something.
Read Lesson XLIX. Two students may read this aloud, taking parts of Robert and Samuel. Discuss the questions at the end of the lesson.
Writing
Using this "play form", write a dialogue about any topic that interests you. With a friend, read your dialogue out loud.
Lesson L
Before reading Lesson L, discuss the meaning of the following word:
· revenged - inflict hurt or harm on someone for an injury or wrong done to oneself.
Read Lesson L. Discuss questions at the end of the selection. Is this the right ending for the fable? Why do you think so? What message or moral is found in the fable?
Writing from Pictures:
Several stories in the McGuffey Readers will have a picture at the beginning. The Quarrelsome Roosters is one example. Pictures may be used to prompt ideas for a story. This lesson will guide you through creating a story from a picture. See Excellence in Writing curriculum for more ideas.
Goals:
1. For children to write three-paragraph stories from a series of three pictures.
2. To exercise imagination and creativity. The pictures themselves say little. All details, setting, characterization, motives, effects, etc. must be developed.
Create outlines together and allow writing to be done independently. Use this lesson as an opportunity for vocabulary development and playful writing. Emphasize the idea of "thinking three themes" when they write.
Recommended Materials:
1. A dozen or more sets of three pictures.
- Sequential pictures can be found in children's story books, comics, and cartoons, or they may be student generated.
- Simple pictures (even stick drawings) are excellent, as they require more imagination.
1. Make an outline with a topic sentence, five to seven details, and a clincher for each of the three pictures. The details create the story by explaining how a situation occurred, giving history, and describing how the characters feel or what they think. Children may then summarize from the outline, producing a three-paragraph story.
2. The topic sentence of the paragraph is the central fact (what is happening) in the picture.
3. The central fact in the picture becomes the topic sentence and the clincher (or last sentence in the paragraph) reflects it. This activity can more accurately be described as 'event description" rather than story writing.
4. Remember that final paragraph clincher reflects both the topic of the last paragraph and the title.
5. For younger children who have difficulty in constructing clinchers that "reflect" the topic sentence, they may repeat the topic sentence exactly, then rewrite with a synonym.