Purpose: Run a complete lesson using Chapter 25 and the Student Self-Study page as the student material.
Recommended Level: A2–B1 | Lesson Length: 30–45 minutes
1) Lesson Overview
- Theme: rescue, courage, practical kindness, faith shown through action, and helping strangers in need.
- Skills: Listening, reading, discussion, vocabulary building, critical thinking, and personal reflection.
- Outcome: Student can explain how Jake and Colt rescued Morgan and his mule, then discuss how actions can speak louder than words.
Tutor tip: This chapter works especially well for discussing kindness in action. Help the student notice that Jake and Colt do not begin with a speech. They first rescue, feed, and welcome Morgan.
2) Warm-Up Questions
- Have you ever helped someone in an emergency?
- Why do people sometimes help strangers?
- What does it mean when someone says, “Actions speak louder than words”?
3) Vocabulary
| Word/Phrase | Meaning | Tutor Prompt |
|---|---|---|
| river bend | a place where a river curves or turns | “Why might a river bend be dangerous after spring melt?” |
| rapids | fast, rough water in a river | “Why are rapids dangerous for people and animals?” |
| waist-deep | water or snow reaching up to a person’s waist | “How deep was Morgan standing in the water?” |
| wrestling with | struggling hard against something | “What was Morgan wrestling with near the river?” |
| tangled | caught or twisted together | “Why was the mule in danger?” |
| renegades | lawless or violent men who do not follow accepted rules | “What did the renegades take from Morgan?” |
| start over | begin again after losing something or failing | “Why did Morgan say he could always start over?” |
| faith | trust or belief, especially shown by how a person lives | “How did Jake and Colt show faith through their actions?” |
4) First Listening
- Listen once without reading.
- Ask: “Who was in danger near the river?”
- Ask: “What did Jake and Colt do before they talked with Morgan about faith?”
Expected big idea: Chapter 25 teaches that real kindness often begins with action. Jake and Colt rescue Morgan, share food with him, and welcome him before explaining what they believe.
5) Speaking Practice
- Why did Jake go into the river even though it was dangerous?
- How did Colt help with the rescue?
- Why did Morgan ask if Jake and Colt were “church men”?
- What did Jake mean when he said a drowning man needs a hand, not a speech?
- How can people show kindness before they explain their beliefs?
6) Writing Task
- Option A: Summarize Chapter 25 in 6–10 sentences.
- Option B: Explain how Jake and Colt showed kindness through action.
- Option C: Write about a time when someone helped you, or when you helped someone else.
Fluency Tip: Ask students to retell the story in order: seeing Morgan by the river, rescuing the mule, sharing food, walking back to the ranch, and Morgan asking about faith.
7) Wrap-Up
Wrap-up: This chapter reminds readers that compassion is not only something people say. It is something people do. Jake and Colt’s actions help Morgan see faith in a new way.
Final question: “Why do you think Morgan said, ‘I think I saw Him for the first time today’?”