Before Reading
Think About What You Know
Share your response to the Reader's Journal activity with a partner. Talk about lessons you were taught when you were young.
During Reading
Use What You Know
1. Read along and look at the illustrations as your teacher reads the first three couplets from the selection. How are these couplets similar to or different from ABC rhymes you are familiar with? What religious allusions can you find in the first three couplets? Write the letters of the alphabet down the side of your paper. Next to A, B, and C, write a sentence about the meaning of the couplet for that letter.
2. Read the rest of the couplets on your own, writing paraphrases for each couplet.
Fix-Up Idea: Tackle Archaic Language
You may see many words you do not recognize in this selection. That's because language has changed since the time the selection was written. For example, doth is an old way of saying does. The footnote on page 111 points out another difference. Use the tips listed here and context clues in the primer to help you figure out the archaic language. Try rewriting each couplet, changing archaic language into modern language.
After Reading
Share Your Connections
Share your paraphrases with your partner from the Before-Reading activity. If you have different ideas for some letters, talk about why you came up with your answer. If there were some letters that confused you, try to figure them out together. Use all of the information available to you, including the information on the Prereading page and the illustrations. Make a note of any couplets that you still don't understand. Discuss your responses with the rest of the class.