McGuffey Second Reader
Unit 22 - Faithful and Repentant
"The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart;
and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous:
but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.
Psalms 34: 18-19
and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous:
but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.
Psalms 34: 18-19
Allow 3-4 weeks with this lesson. Use with Lesson LXXIII, LXXIV, LXXV, and LXXVI
This unit allows children to consider both the actions of the guilty and the obedient. The story of Joseph is one of the most famous of all Bible stories and is found in Genesis, chapter 37 and 39 to 45. Lessons LXXIII, and LXXIV provide a summary of this story. Allow the children to ponder on the actions of Joseph's brothers and how Joseph responded to his brothers years later. Allow the children to discuss how they might respond if something like this happened today. What would they do if they acted like the brothers? What can they learn from Joseph's example?
After learning about Joseph, the children will read two more stories, the first about another boy who was obedient to his father's instructions even when his life was in danger. What character trait did this boy demonstrate? The second story is in poetry form and is about a boy who was careless and later regretted his actions.
After completing this unit, complete one of the following Create and Share projects to show what you are learning.
Lesson LXXIII: Story About Joseph
Theme: Jealousy leads people to do things they will later regret. After doing something wrong, people may try to cover up their mistakes, but the truth eventually comes out.
Reading: Read the story and discuss the questions at the end.
Vocabulary: The first four words on the vocabulary list have a prefix. Look up these words in a dictionary and on the word etymology website: https://www.etymonline.com/www.etymonline.com/ What effect does the prefix have on the meaning of the word. Turn to Section 2 of your Vocabulary notebook. Read the introductory page about affixes. Then turn to the prefixes page and add the words from this lesson in the proper column. Can you think of any additional words to add that use the same prefix?
The last four words on the list are used in the story. Look up these words in the dictionary and write the definition. Read the story again, pay attention to the words below and their meaning in the story.
Words:
Lesson LXXV: More About Joseph
Theme: Even though Joseph had been treated cruelly by his brothers, he forgave them. The family was reunited and had great joy.
Reading: Read the story and discuss the questions at the end.
Vocabulary: Look up the following words in the dictionary. Discuss and write the definitions. Read the story again and pay attention to how these words add meaning to the story.
Lesson LXXV: The Obedient Casablanca
Theme: A son's loyalty and obedience to his father gives him great courage even when facing death.
Reading: Read the story and discuss the questions at the end.
Vocabulary: The words used in poetry help to paint a picture in your mind. Look up the definitions of the following words and discuss how these words are used to paint a picture of the events in the poem.
Writing: After talking about the story and heroism, you may study the techniques of poetry used. Notice the two pairs of rhymes in each stanza.
Notice also that lines 1 and 3 have four beats in their rhythm and lines 2 and 4 have three beats. This form is often used in ballads - poems which tell a story. Felicia Hemans wrote this ballad in 1798. Some students may try writing a well-known story in this ballad form.
Lesson LXXVI: The Lost Nestlings
Theme: A careless boy learns that his actions caused grief to a mother bird. After this hard lesson, he decides to not do those things again.
Reading: Read the story and talk about the kindness to birds lesson taught in this narrative poem.
Writing: Study the poem form. Students can compare the rhyme and rhythm pattern with that of the poem in the preceding lesson. This has only one pair of rhymes in each stanza, and it has three beats per line instead of alternating four and three. If your students are writing ballads, some may find this rhythm easier to use than the other.
This unit allows children to consider both the actions of the guilty and the obedient. The story of Joseph is one of the most famous of all Bible stories and is found in Genesis, chapter 37 and 39 to 45. Lessons LXXIII, and LXXIV provide a summary of this story. Allow the children to ponder on the actions of Joseph's brothers and how Joseph responded to his brothers years later. Allow the children to discuss how they might respond if something like this happened today. What would they do if they acted like the brothers? What can they learn from Joseph's example?
After learning about Joseph, the children will read two more stories, the first about another boy who was obedient to his father's instructions even when his life was in danger. What character trait did this boy demonstrate? The second story is in poetry form and is about a boy who was careless and later regretted his actions.
After completing this unit, complete one of the following Create and Share projects to show what you are learning.
- Consider how people develop different character traits. Do they need to be practiced? Can we learn from past experiences and mistakes? Choose one attribute that you would like to work on. Create a learning experience where you practice that trait for a full week. Write in your journal what you learned from your experience. Share your experience with a parent or trusted friend.
- Write a poem in ballad form about Joseph who was sold into Egypt.
- Write a poem in ballad form about a hero or someone acted in a way they later regretted.
- Choose a famous ballad. Memorize it and share it as a monologue for family or friends. Examples include: Casey at the Bat by Ernest Thayer, A Red, Red Rose by Robert Burns, Annabelle Lee by Edgar Allen Poe, Bonnie Barbara Allen by Joan Baez.
Lesson LXXIII: Story About Joseph
Theme: Jealousy leads people to do things they will later regret. After doing something wrong, people may try to cover up their mistakes, but the truth eventually comes out.
Reading: Read the story and discuss the questions at the end.
Vocabulary: The first four words on the vocabulary list have a prefix. Look up these words in a dictionary and on the word etymology website: https://www.etymonline.com/www.etymonline.com/ What effect does the prefix have on the meaning of the word. Turn to Section 2 of your Vocabulary notebook. Read the introductory page about affixes. Then turn to the prefixes page and add the words from this lesson in the proper column. Can you think of any additional words to add that use the same prefix?
The last four words on the list are used in the story. Look up these words in the dictionary and write the definition. Read the story again, pay attention to the words below and their meaning in the story.
Words:
- consented
- bereaved
- preserve
- rebuked
- dominion
- famine
- reaping
- sheaves
Lesson LXXV: More About Joseph
Theme: Even though Joseph had been treated cruelly by his brothers, he forgave them. The family was reunited and had great joy.
Reading: Read the story and discuss the questions at the end.
Vocabulary: Look up the following words in the dictionary. Discuss and write the definitions. Read the story again and pay attention to how these words add meaning to the story.
- myrrh
- grieved
- preserve
- affliction
Lesson LXXV: The Obedient Casablanca
Theme: A son's loyalty and obedience to his father gives him great courage even when facing death.
Reading: Read the story and discuss the questions at the end.
- What is a hero? Was this boy a hero for bravely staying with his duty? If he had run away scared, would anyone have written a poem about him and would people still remember him today? Do heroes help us live better lives?
Vocabulary: The words used in poetry help to paint a picture in your mind. Look up the definitions of the following words and discuss how these words are used to paint a picture of the events in the poem.
- reposed
- mangled
- wreathing
- fragments
- strewed
Writing: After talking about the story and heroism, you may study the techniques of poetry used. Notice the two pairs of rhymes in each stanza.
Notice also that lines 1 and 3 have four beats in their rhythm and lines 2 and 4 have three beats. This form is often used in ballads - poems which tell a story. Felicia Hemans wrote this ballad in 1798. Some students may try writing a well-known story in this ballad form.
Lesson LXXVI: The Lost Nestlings
Theme: A careless boy learns that his actions caused grief to a mother bird. After this hard lesson, he decides to not do those things again.
Reading: Read the story and talk about the kindness to birds lesson taught in this narrative poem.
Writing: Study the poem form. Students can compare the rhyme and rhythm pattern with that of the poem in the preceding lesson. This has only one pair of rhymes in each stanza, and it has three beats per line instead of alternating four and three. If your students are writing ballads, some may find this rhythm easier to use than the other.