McGuffey 2nd Reader Unit 18: Inspired Creativity
"A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels; . . .
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise wisdom and instruction."
Proverbs 1: 5,7
"Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser; teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding."
Proverbs 9: 9-10
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise wisdom and instruction."
Proverbs 1: 5,7
"Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser; teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding."
Proverbs 9: 9-10
Allow 2 weeks for this lesson: McGuffey Second Reader Lessons LVIII, LIX, LXII, LXIII
This unit provides an opportunity for children to become better acquainted with poetry. Students should be encouraged to choose additional poems to read and even memorize over the course of the next few weeks. After reading the poems in the above four lessons, encourage students to complete a Create and Share project:
Lesson LVIII
Reading
Before reading this lesson, discuss the meaning of the following words:
Writing
Figure out the rhyming pattern. In each eight-line stanza, the only rhymes are lines 2 and 4, and lines 6 and 8. Notice how the rhyming lines are indented. Encourage the children to try writing four or more lines of poetry using this rhyming pattern.
Lesson LIX
Reading:
Read, talk, and reread as in lesson LVIII. Use the questions at the end of the lesson to guide the discussion. Notice the rhyming pattern: line 1 rhymes with 3, and line 2 with 4.
Writing:
The children may write a four line poem in this pattern, beginning like Mary with "I wish I were a _____" or beginning like Ann with, "A little _______ I would be." If they find it too difficult to rhyme both pairs of lines, let them rhyme only one pair as in lesson LVIII.
Lesson LX and LXI will be taught in the next Lesson. Move to Lesson LXII
Lesson LXII
Reading
Read this poem and compare it to the version of the Lord's Prayer the children may already know found in Matthew 6: 9-13. Discuss questions at the end and figure out the rhyming pattern.
Sharing Poetry
Find a painting or sculpture to share that illustrates this poem. Practice reading the poem several times and share it with an audience (your family or class).
Lesson LXIII
Reading
Discuss the meaning of these words:
Writing
Journal writing - Answer the questions at the end of the poem. What resources can you turn to to help answer these questions.
What metaphor is used in this poem to teach about death? Is this a comforting way to think about death?
This unit provides an opportunity for children to become better acquainted with poetry. Students should be encouraged to choose additional poems to read and even memorize over the course of the next few weeks. After reading the poems in the above four lessons, encourage students to complete a Create and Share project:
- Write a poem about any topic using the rhyming pattern from one of the four poems in the McGuffey Reader
- Choose a favorite poem, memorize it and recite it before an audience (family or classmates)
Lesson LVIII
Reading
Before reading this lesson, discuss the meaning of the following words:
- · prose- written or spoken language in its ordinary form, without metrical structure.
- · poetry - literary work in which special intensity is given to the expression of feelings and ideas by the use of distinctive style and rhythm.
Writing
Figure out the rhyming pattern. In each eight-line stanza, the only rhymes are lines 2 and 4, and lines 6 and 8. Notice how the rhyming lines are indented. Encourage the children to try writing four or more lines of poetry using this rhyming pattern.
Lesson LIX
Reading:
Read, talk, and reread as in lesson LVIII. Use the questions at the end of the lesson to guide the discussion. Notice the rhyming pattern: line 1 rhymes with 3, and line 2 with 4.
Writing:
The children may write a four line poem in this pattern, beginning like Mary with "I wish I were a _____" or beginning like Ann with, "A little _______ I would be." If they find it too difficult to rhyme both pairs of lines, let them rhyme only one pair as in lesson LVIII.
Lesson LX and LXI will be taught in the next Lesson. Move to Lesson LXII
Lesson LXII
Reading
Read this poem and compare it to the version of the Lord's Prayer the children may already know found in Matthew 6: 9-13. Discuss questions at the end and figure out the rhyming pattern.
Sharing Poetry
Find a painting or sculpture to share that illustrates this poem. Practice reading the poem several times and share it with an audience (your family or class).
Lesson LXIII
Reading
Discuss the meaning of these words:
- hushed - having a calm and still silence.
- Withered - shrunken or wrinkled from age or disease.
- chrysalis - a quiescent insect pupa, especially of a butterfly or moth. "the transformation from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis and, finally, adult"
- casement - a framework that holds the panes of a window in the window frame
Writing
Journal writing - Answer the questions at the end of the poem. What resources can you turn to to help answer these questions.
What metaphor is used in this poem to teach about death? Is this a comforting way to think about death?