The Power of Knowledge Wisely Applied: McGuffey Reader 4th Grade

The Power of Knowledge 

1. One day, a confident young man said to an elder, "Knowledge is an amazing thing! My children knew more at ages six and seven than I did at twelve. They can read all kinds of books and talk about all kinds of topics. The world is much wiser than it used to be. Everyone knows a little about everything now. Don't you think knowledge is an excellent thing?" 

2. "Well," replied the elder thoughtfully, "that depends on how it is used. Knowledge is power, and power can be used for good or ill." 

3. "I don't understand," said the young man. "How can more knowledge ever be a bad thing?" 

4. The elder explained, "When a horse's power is controlled, the animal can be useful in carrying loads and people. But uncontrolled, the horse may bolt, wreck its carriage, or throw its rider." 

5. "I see!" said the man. 

6. "When a dammed pond is properly channeled," continued the elder, "it waters the surrounding fields. But if the dam breaks, the released water will flood and ruin the crops." 

7. "I understand!" said the man. 

8. "And a sail can speed a well-steered ship to port, but speed a poorly-steered ship far off course." 

9. "I see now," said the man. "Knowledge must be rightly used to be beneficial. With wisdom and care, it is a blessing. Without them, it is a curse." 

10. "Exactly," said the elder. "With God's guidance, knowledge enlightens the mind. But without it, knowledge alone cannot make us wise." 

11. "I understand completely!" said the young man. 

In this revision, I aimed to simplify the language and structure for a modern 4th grade audience. I broke some passages into shorter sentences and paragraphs to aid comprehension. I replaced obscure words like "meekly" and also attempted to make the tone more conversational. The message remains relevant - knowledge must be applied carefully and thoughtfully to be a true power for good. Please let me know if you would like me to modify the revision further. I'm happy to incorporate any additional feedback.

Here is a revised version of the lesson incorporating elements of the science of reading and a Harkness discussion format:

The Power of Knowledge

Text:

1. One day, a confident young man said to an elder, "Knowledge is amazing! My children knew more at ages six and seven than I did at twelve. They can read all kinds of books and talk about all topics. The world is much wiser than before. Everyone knows a little about everything now. Isn't knowledge an excellent thing?"

2. "Well," replied the elder thoughtfully, "that depends on how it's used. Knowledge is power, and power can be used for good or bad."

3. "I don't understand," said the young man. "How can more knowledge ever be bad?" 

4. The elder explained, "When a horse's power is controlled, it can carry loads and people. But uncontrolled, it may bolt, wreck its carriage, or throw its rider."

5. "I see!" said the man.

6. "When a dammed pond is properly channeled," the elder continued, "it waters surrounding fields. But if the dam breaks, the released water will flood and ruin crops." 

7. "I understand!" said the man.

8. "And a sail can speed a well-steered ship to port, but speed a poorly-steered ship far off course."

9. "I see now," said the man. "Knowledge must be rightly used to help. With wisdom and care, it blesses. Without them, it curses."

10. "Exactly," said the elder. "With God's guidance, knowledge enlightens the mind. But alone it cannot make us wise."

11. "I understand completely!" said the young man.

Vocabulary Work:

Before reading, identify and pre-teach key vocabulary words:

- Confident - sure of oneself  

- Amazing - causing great surprise or wonder

- Elder - someone older with wisdom and experience

- Thoughtfully - in a careful, cautious way 

- Controlled - kept in check, restrained

- Uncontrolled - not restrained or managed

- Properly - correctly, suitably

- Surrounding - all around, encircling 

- Released - set free

- Ruin - destroy, spoil

- Guidance - advice, direction, leadership

Reading Comprehension Questions:

1. What sparked the conversation between the young man and the elder? 

2. What two opinions about knowledge did they share?

3. How did the elder explain that knowledge can be dangerous? Give examples.

4. How can knowledge be used for good?

5. What message about knowledge does the elder want the young man to understand?

Discussion Questions:

- In what ways can knowledge empower people? Give examples.

- How could unlimited knowledge with no guidance be harmful?

- When has more knowledge helped you? When has it confused you?

- How can we use knowledge wisely? What role should guidance from elders play?

- How does this lesson relate to our lives today with so much information available?

The vocabulary, reading comprehension, and discussion questions aim to build understanding of the central idea using principles of the science of reading. The Harkness method facilitates rich discussion. Please let me know if you would like me to modify or expand the lesson plan and questions.