1. 🎧 Listen for the Big Idea (First Listening)
Step 1: Listen one time without reading.
Don’t worry about every word. Just ask yourself:
- Why does Mary send Jake to town?
- What trouble happens at Joslin’s General Store?
- Who is Colt Barnes, and why is he important?
3. 🧾 Vocabulary List (Key Words from the Story)
Study these words before listening again.
| Word / Phrase | Meaning | Example / Your Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| errand | a task you go somewhere to do for someone | Make your own sentence. |
| supplies | things you need (food, tools, materials) | Make your own sentence. |
| foreman | the person in charge of workers on a ranch or job site | Make your own sentence. |
| buckboard | a simple wagon used for travel and hauling | Make your own sentence. |
| hitched | attached (a horse to a wagon) | Make your own sentence. |
| rattled (along) | moved with a shaking sound, like a wagon on a rough road | Make your own sentence. |
| planks | long flat pieces of wood | Make your own sentence. |
| hitching rail | a rail outside a store where you tie a horse | Make your own sentence. |
| rough-looking | appearing tough, mean, or dangerous | Make your own sentence. |
| blocked (someone’s path) | stood in the way so someone could not pass | Make your own sentence. |
| dragged | pulled someone or something across the ground | Make your own sentence. |
| crumpled | fell down weakly, like soft cloth | Make your own sentence. |
| tipped his hat | raised the hat slightly as a polite greeting | Make your own sentence. |
| travel light | carry only a few things | Make your own sentence. |
| saddlebags | bags attached to a saddle for carrying items | Make your own sentence. |
4. 🔁 Key Phrase Practice (Repeat Aloud)
Say these aloud 3 times each:
- “Sounds like a worthwhile mission.”
- “Coffee strong enough to wake the dead.”
- “That was when trouble found him.”
- “No one should be bothered like that.”
- “Well, Colt Barnes!”
- “Let me buy you lunch, Colt.”
- “We’ve got some catching up to do.”
- “I’m looking for a job.”
- “I travel light.”
- “I’m looking for a man I can trust.”
🎤 Try reading them with emotion, like a storyteller.
5. ❓ Comprehension Questions (Answer in Your Own Words)
Write full sentences.
- What supplies does Mary want Jake to buy, and why?
- Why is Jake able to charge the supplies to the ranch?
- Where does Jake go in town, and what does he see outside the store?
- What does the rough man say, and how does the woman react?
- How does Colt Barnes stop the trouble?
- How do Jake and Colt recognize each other, and what do they call each other?
- What does Jake offer Colt after lunch, and why?
- How does the chapter end, and what does it suggest about the ranch’s future?
6. 🗣 Speaking Prompts (Record Yourself if Possible)
Answer out loud. Speak for 1–2 minutes.
- Have you ever done an errand or important task for someone? What happened?
- What makes someone “trustworthy”? Give two examples from your life.
- How should a community respond when someone is being harassed or threatened?
- Jake and Colt were on opposite sides in the war, but they respect each other. Why is that important?
- If you moved to a new town, what kind of job would you look for, and why?
🎧 Optional: Record yourself and listen again.
7. ✍️ Writing Task (5–10 Sentences)
Choose ONE:
- Option A: Summary – Write 6–10 sentences summarizing what happens in Chapter 5.
- Option B: Personal Reflection – Write about a time you met someone who became a friend or helper.
- Option C: Continue the Story – Write what happens the next day when Colt arrives at the ranch and meets the crew.
✅ Lesson 5 Complete: Use the helpful Student Writing Workbook for this lesson
You have now finished:
- Listening
- Reading
- Vocabulary
- Comprehension
- Speaking
- Writing
This is a full professional self-study lesson based on one ranch chapter.