Lesson 23: Teacher Guide & Master Solutions
Picture Study • Narrative Writing
The Charlotte Mason Picture Narration Method:
Picture study trains acute visual observation and verbal fluency. Children transition from naming concrete nouns (postman, letters, satchel, stairs, hat) to forming grammatically complete questions and answers, and finally weaving them into an imaginative, cohesive narrative paragraph.
Section A: Inquiry Exemplars (Accept equivalent questions and answers):
• Pair 1 (The Postman):
Q: What does the postman carry over his shoulder?
A: The postman carries a heavy leather bag full of letters.
• Pair 2 (The Children):
Q: Why are the brother and sister waiting on the front steps?
A: They are waiting eagerly to see if there is a letter for them.
• Pair 3 (The Setting):
Q: Where do these children live?
A: They live in a tall brick house on a pleasant city street.
Section B: Story Composition Exemplars:
Model Story 1 ("The Morning Mail"):
Arthur and his little sister Clara stood upon the front steps on a bright morning. Down the street came the letter carrier with his large brown bag. Clara asked, "Have you a letter for us today?" The postman smiled kindly and handed Arthur a letter with a shiny red stamp. It was from Grandfather in the country!
Model Story 2 ("Waiting by the Door"):
Two happy children watched the friendly postman climb their porch stairs. He stopped to look through a bundle of fresh letters. Arthur held his sister's hand while the postman searched his satchel. At last, he gave them a pretty birthday card.
Guided Oral Discussion Prompts before Writing:
1. Details: Look at the man's uniform and cap. How do we know his occupation?
2. Character Expressions: What are the children feeling as they watch the letters?
3. Grammar Check: Remind pupils that questions must end with ? and statements with a period (.).
| Evaluation Criterion |
Exemplary (4) |
Proficient (3) |
Developing (1-2) |
| Picture Observation |
Identifies key details (postman, letters, satchel, stairs, children, street). |
Identifies main characters and basic setting. |
Mentions only 1 vague detail; overlooks key story elements. |
| Question & Answer Syntax |
Accurately pairs an interrogative question with a complete declarative answer. |
Question and answer are understandable with minor phrasing slips. |
Fragments or answers without questions. |
| Narrative Coherence |
Story has a clear beginning, middle, and ending with logical sequence. |
Story relates to the picture with simple consecutive sentences. |
Disconnected sentences without narrative flow. |
| Mechanics & Handwriting |
Correct capitalization of proper names, terminal punctuation (. and ?), neat script. |
1-2 minor capitalization or punctuation errors; legible handwriting. |
Frequent punctuation omissions; messy penmanship off lines. |