Stories of Great Americans for Little Americans by Edward Eggleston Stories of Great Americans by Edward Eggleston    

Chapter 38: Webster and the Poor Woman

Directions

Study the lesson for one week.

Over the week:

• Read the story multiple times.
• Review the synopsis.
• Study the vocabulary words.
• Learn the concepts.
• Complete the enrichment activities.
• Study the review questions.

Synopsis

As Daniel Webster walked home one cold, snowy night, he saw a poor woman. The woman repeatedly stopped, listened, and then moved on. The woman walked in front of Webster's house, stopped, and listened. She picked up a loose board that Webster had put down to walk on, then hurried off with the board. Webster followed the woman to her poor little house. Webster realized the woman had taken the board for firewood. The next day, Webster sent the poor woman a load of wood.

Vocabulary

Board: A long, thin, flat piece of wood or other material.
Loose: Not firmly or tightly fixed in place.
Gate: A hinged barrier that can open and close, used to close an opening in a wall, fence, or hedge.
Load: A large amount of something.

Concepts

Stealing means to take something that does not belong to you. We learn that stealing is wrong.

1. In the story, the woman steals Webster's wooden board to use for firewood.
2. Why do you think Webster didn't report the woman to the police for stealing from him?
3. Why do you think Webster brought the woman a load of wood?
4. Would you have reported the woman to the police, or would you have helped her like Webster?

Enrichment

Activity 1: Narrate the Story

• After reading or listening to the story, narrate the story events aloud using your own words.

Activity 2: Color the Story   

• Click the crayon above, and complete page 44 of 'History Coloring Pages for First Grade.'

Activity 3: Explore the Story

• Compassion means to understand and share the feelings of the sufferings or misfortunes of others.
• Think about how badly you feel when you are punished.
• When someone else is in trouble and is punished, do you feel compassion for them? Your feelings probably depend on what the person did wrong and why the person did the wrong thing.
• Like Webster in the story, it is often good and right to show compassion for others who are having a tough time.

Activity 4: Study the Story Picture

Study the painting below from the lesson.

Do you think the woman in the picture is poor like the woman in the story? Why or why not?

Zoom in to see the details, and find the following:

• Goat
• Leash
• Small girl
• Cabin
• Bush
• Snow
• Apron
• Bonnet
• Clogs/Sabots (Wooden Shoe)
• Load of Firewood

Review

Question 1

What did Webster see on his way home from work?

1 / 4

Answer 1

Webster saw a woman take a wooden board from the front of his house.

1 / 4

Question 2

What did Webster do after he saw the woman take the board?

2 / 4

Answer 2

Webster followed the woman to her small house.

2 / 4

Question 3

Why did the woman take the board?

3 / 4

Answer 3

She took the board because it was very cold. She was too poor to buy firewood.

3 / 4

Question 4

What did the woman receive the next day?

4 / 4

Answer 4

The woman received a load of firewood from Webster.

4 / 4

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1. What did Webster see on his way home from work? Webster saw a woman take a wooden board from the front of his house.
2. What did Webster do after he saw the woman take the board? Webster followed the woman to her small house.
3. Why did the woman take the board? She took the board because it was very cold. She was too poor to buy firewood.
4. What did the woman receive the next day? The woman received a load of firewood from Webster.