Class 1: A Lion to Guard Us
Before Class:
- Print the Journal Writing Starters – to hand out the first day of class (if you decide to use them with your students)
- Print the Copywork for today’s class
- Write the copywork and the Daily Gram Lesson on the board
- Prepare a prize box of tiny goodies as incentives (optional, of course–but fun)
- Find a large world map to bring with you and use through the school year
- Print out your lesson plans
- Cut the student homework and copywork sheets in half (we formatted like this so they could easily glue their homework into their composition books so they wouldn’t lose it)
Welcome:
Welcome everyone, pass out a lollipop, a party blower, or something fun as they enter. It’s the first day of class! Woohoo!
Copywork and Grammar:
Explain each class will begin with this, copywork and grammar on the board together.
- Today’s Copywork (from A Lion to Guard Us): “He was well enough, for all I could see. He’d built a house in Jamestown. That’s the only town there. When my ship sailed, he asked if I’d stop for a word with his family in London.” A Lion To Guard Us Class 1 Copywork and Homework
- Daily Grams Board Work: Taken from Daily Grams-Lesson 5
In Class Sharing:
Introduce the class, and explain these various things and how they will work. Your students should have been encouraged to come to class with TWO composition books on the first day. If they did, you can use the printable journal starters to glue on a cover page in the writing prompt questions. They could also add the maps if you feel it’s helpful.
- Hand out things to glue into journal: writing prompt questions, bonus questions, maps, glue into a composition book
- Discuss prize box (for completed homework)
- Discuss special prizes for reading additional books
- Discuss two book reports, one at the end of each semester. (In our class we said they could present on any book of their choosing, it didn’t have to be from one we read in class)
In-Class Discussion:
Does everyone have the book? Who read? Who read all 11 chapters? Who read more?
- What do you think so far?
- What’s happening?
- Who are our main characters? What is the setting?
- Why can’t the kids see their father?
- The cook thinks their father forgot about them because he hasn’t seen them in three years? Why hasn’t he written? What do you think?
- What happened with mother?
- Why is America called the new world?
- What is the lion to guard us?
- Why did Amanda have to carry water?
- When you lose someone its like having to find your way again?
- What is a currant bush?
- Did Mistress Trippett steal Amanda’s money?
- What does Dr. Crider mean when he says, “poor Mistress Trippett, with her bags of money. There’s a great world outside and she’ll never know it”
Additional Teaching / Homework Preparation:
- Play “I spy” to practice adjectives
- Find Jamestown, Bermuda, and the Chesapeake Bay on the Map
Homework:
- Read Chapter 12-end
- Complete 1 Journal Entry on what you read
- Invent “A Thingamajibit” … Write 5 sentences to describe your thing. Use your adjectives. Can we figure it out next class from your description?
- Bonus: Write out a conversation, using at least 4 sentences and quotes
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Class 2: A Lion to Guard Us
Before Class:
- Print and Cut the Homework / Copywork for today’s class
- Write the copywork and the Daily Gram Lesson on the board
- Prepare a prize box of tiny goodies as incentives (optional, of course–but fun)
- Find a large world map to bring with you and use through the school year
- Write the copywork and the Daily Grams on the board, set up a US or World Map
Welcome:
Copywork, Grammar, and Geography:
- Copywork: She took a step after him, but Cook’s voice called her back, “A-man-da.” She closed the door. She walked down the hall and into the kitchen.
- A Lion to Guard Us Class 2 Copywork and Homework
- Grammar Board Work from Daily Grams: Lesson 10
- Look at the map together… where does the story take place?
In-Class Discussion:
Did everyone read? What did they think? Did they like the ending? Why/Why not?
- What happens with Meg on the Island?
- What do you think about Dr. Crider? Was it good that he went on the adventure, even if he went overboard?
- What happens to Jemmy? What would you have done?
- Was it good Jemmy went to find the knocker? Why/Why not?
- Who read the Historical Note? What did you learn?
- Who were John Rolfe, Christopher Newport, and the Sea Adventure in history?
- Does the book give an accurate representation of these? (Bonus work to find out a little more about them)
- What kind of book is this?
In-Class Homework Review and Sharing:
Go around the room and let each student share the paragraph they read. If they answered one of the questions, tell which one.
Additional Teaching / Homework Preparation:
- Review the Copywork: How could we make these sentences more interesting? Discuss how adjectives can make a sentence more exciting. Together as a class, rewrite the sentences together and reread the paragraph.
- Go around the room again and let the class share the paragraphs they wrote about “The Thing.” Can they think of a few places they could add adjectives to make it more exciting?
Additional Things to do:
- Play “I spy” to practice adjectives
- Find Jamestown, Bermuda, and the Chesapeake Bay on the Map (if you have not already)
- Cut out “A Lion to Guard Us” book from the Homework and glue it on the timeline.
Homework:
- Read the 1st six chapters of “Pocahontas and the Strangers”
- Complete 1 Journal Entry on what you read
- Write a story about “The Thing” you invented.
- Rewrite our class copywork using adjectives.
- Bonus: Find out who/what John Rolfe, Christopher Newport, or the Sea Adventure were in History
