Hello everyone!
Welcome back!
I am your English reading coach, Minhee Teacher.
Today, we are diving into Part Three of our wonderful book, Mercy Watson to the Rescue!
I am so excited to read with you today because we are going to put on our movie director hats.
Yes!
Imagine we are directing a movie, and we have to look at our characters through the camera lens.
Are you ready?
Let's go!
First, let's look at the big picture of today's scenes.
Imagine our camera is pointing at the house next door to the Watsons.
This is where the Lincoln sisters live.
In scene one, our cute little pig, Mercy, goes next door because she is looking for sugar cookies.
She taps her nose against the window.
In scene two, Baby Lincoln looks out the window.
At first, she gets a little scared.
She thinks she sees a monster!
But then, she looks closer.
In scene three, the older sister, Eugenia, marches into the room.
She looks out the window, frowns, and says that pigs belong on farms!
She does not want Mercy in her yard at all.
Now, let's zoom our camera in close on the two sisters.
Let's look at their faces and think about their feelings.
Eugenia Lincoln has a very stern face.
She has strong opinions.
When she looks at Mercy, she does not see a cute neighbor.
She only sees a pig.
And in her mind, a pig is an animal that must stay on a farm.
She feels very sure about this.
But look at Baby Lincoln.
Her face is much softer.
She is the younger sister.
Usually, Baby just agrees with Eugenia because Eugenia is very loud.
But this time, Baby has a quiet feeling in her heart.
She looks at Mercy's big, round eyes.
Baby thinks Mercy might be lonely.
She thinks Mercy might have feelings.
Do you see how the two sisters look at the very same pig but see two completely different things?
It is like they are using different camera filters!
Let's think about this like a movie director.
What is happening here?
It is all about the difference between a fact and an opinion.
A fact is something we can prove.
It is real.
For example, if we say, Mercy is a pig, that is a fact.
We can look at her pink skin, her curly tail, and her snout.
Yes, she is a pig.
That is a fact.
But an opinion is what someone thinks or feels.
It is not a rule for everyone.
When Eugenia says, pigs belong on farms, is that a fact?
No!
That is her opinion.
When Baby says, Mercy is good company, is that a fact?
No, that is Baby's opinion.
Baby thinks Mercy is nice to be around.
Sometimes, we judge people or animals too quickly based on our opinions.
Eugenia judges Mercy immediately.
But Baby teaches us a beautiful lesson.
Before we judge, we should ask ourselves, what else might be true?
Maybe this pig is not just a farm animal.
Maybe she is a friend who wants a cookie!
To help us talk about this like professional movie directors, let's learn four useful words.
Our first word is: opinion.
An opinion is what someone thinks or feels about something.
It is not always a fact.
Here is a memory hook: opinion starts with the letter O, just like the word own.
It is your own thought!
For example, Eugenia has many strong opinions.
Our second word is: belong.
To belong means to be in the right place.
Think of a puzzle piece.
When a piece fits perfectly, it belongs.
Eugenia thinks Mercy belongs on a farm, not in a house.
Our third word is: company.
Now, this does not mean an office building here.
In this story, company means someone nice to be with.
If you are lonely, and a friend comes over to play, you have good company.
Baby thinks Mercy is very good company.
Our fourth word is: feelings.
Feelings are our emotions, like happiness, sadness, or excitement.
Baby worries that Mercy has feelings.
She thinks Mercy can feel sad or hungry just like us.
Now, let's practice speaking.
I will say a sentence, and I want you to repeat it right after me, using your best actor voice.
Let's try to match the feelings of the characters.
First sentence: Eugenia has a strong opinion.
Second sentence: Baby has a quiet opinion.
Third sentence: An opinion is not always a fact.
Fourth sentence: Mercy may have feelings.
Fifth sentence: We can disagree kindly.
You did a wonderful job!
I can hear the emotion in your voices.
Before we finish our lesson today, I want to leave you with one open question to think about.
If you were standing in the yard with Eugenia and Baby, whose side would you take?
Do you think Mercy belongs on a farm, or do you think she can be a good neighbor who lives in a house?
Think about it, and tell me what you think next time!
Thank you for reading with me today.
You are doing amazing.
Keep reading, keep smiling, and I will see you in our next lesson.
Bye-bye!