Part 4
Letters of introduction may be sent by mail, or be presented by the person introduced. In the latter case, the letter is never sealed. The envelope is addressed in the usual way, but in the lower left-hand corner is written, “Introducing Mr. Smith, or Miss Smith,” as the case may be.
Write the above on the blackboard. Have the pupils look up in the dictionary, and write out definitions of the following words: Introduction, presented, person, latter, addressed, usual, way.
SECOND WEEK
_Monday_
Write sentences containing the irregular verbs _go_, _went_, _gone_, _see_, _saw_, _seen_, _am_, _was_, _been_.
_Tuesday_
For dictation:
Hail to the merry harvest time, The gayest of the year: The time of rich and bounteous crops, Rejoicing and good cheer.
--_Charles Dickens_
_Wednesday_
Exercise for clearness of enunciation. Have the following read aloud by every child in turn, each word and syllable to be enunciated clearly.
THE OWL
In the hollow tree, in the old gray tower, The spectral owl doth dwell; Dull, hated, despised, in the sunshine hour, But at dusk he’s abroad and well: Not a bird of the forest e’er mates with him; All mock him outright by day; But at night, when the woods grow still and dim, The boldest will shrink away. O, when the night falls, and roosts the fowl, Then, then is the reign of the horned owl!
--_Barry Cornwall_
_Thursday_
Selection to be memorized:
He prayeth best, who loveth best All things both great and small, For the dear Lord who loveth us, He made and loveth all.--_Coleridge_
_Friday_
Write a letter of introduction for one of your classmates, to be addressed to the principal of the school, or the chairman of the committee of the school district.
THIRD WEEK
_Monday_
Story for written reproduction:
THE INDIAN CHILDREN
Bright Eyes and Fawn Foot were two little Indian children. They lived in an Indian village near a swift river.
All the people of this village belonged to one family or tribe. The bravest man was the chief. He had the finest wigwam.
One day the Indians moved from the village to a place in the woods. Here they hoped to find game to live on through the winter.
Little Fawn Foot helped her mother when they moved. Bright Eyes was carried on his mother’s back. He was too small to help.
When warm weather came they all moved back to the village.
Outline: The Indian children and their home. The tribe. The removal. Fawn Foot and Bright Eyes at the moving. The return.--_Selected_
_Tuesday_
Write a list of the adjectives in the story, “The Indian children”; a list of the nouns; a list of the verbs.
_Wednesday_
Write what you see in Boughton’s picture, “The Return of the Mayflower.”
_Thursday_
Write about an imaginary journey from London, England, to Boston. How long does it take to cross the ocean? What is the deck of a steamship? What is a stateroom like?
_Friday_
Write an advertisement asking for a position for yourself.
FOURTH WEEK
_Monday_
For dictation:
THE GRAINS OF WHEAT
Some grains of wheat lived in a sack. It was so dark that they all went to sleep.
At last the sack was moved. The grains of wheat awoke. They heard some one say, “Take this sack to the mill.”
The grains of wheat had a long ride. When they reached the mill a man put them into a hopper. The grains of wheat were crushed between two stones.
--_Selected_
_Tuesday_
Rewrite in your own words, the story of “The Grains of Wheat.”
_Wednesday_
Write a letter to a friend, telling where wheat grows, how it grows, how flour is made, and how the flour is used.
_Thursday_
Describe how fire-drills are conducted in your school.
_Friday_
Talk about the coming of winter, and the indications that are apparent at this time.
DECEMBER
FIRST YEAR
FIRST WEEK
_Monday_
Story, to be told to the children, and retold by them:
THE WOODPECKER
An old lady lived on a hill.
She was very small, and she always wore a black dress and a large white apron with big bows behind.
On her head she wore the queerest little red bonnet that you ever saw.
The little old lady grew very selfish as the years went by. People said this was because she thought of no one but herself.
One morning as she was baking cakes, a tired, hungry old man came up to her door.
“My good woman,” said he, “will you give me one of your cakes? I am very hungry. I have no money, but whatever you first wish for you shall have.”
The old lady looked at her cakes and thought that they were too large to give away. So she broke off a small bit of dough and put it into the oven to bake.
When it was done she thought that this one was too nice and brown for a beggar. So she baked a smaller cake, and then a still smaller one, but each came out of the oven as nice and as brown as the first.
At last she took a piece of dough as small as the head of a pin. Even this, when it was baked, was as large and as fine as the others. So the old lady put all the cakes on the shelf and offered the old man a crust of dry bread.
The old man only looked at her, and before the old lady could wink, he was gone.
The old lady thought a great deal about what she had done. She knew it was very wrong.
“I wish I were a bird,” she said; “I would fly to him with the largest cake I have.”
As she spoke, she felt herself growing smaller and smaller. Suddenly the wind picked her up and carried her up the chimney.
When she came out she still had on her red bonnet and black dress. You could see her white apron with the big bows. But she was a bird, just as she had wished to be.
She was a wise bird, and at once she began to pick her food out of the hard wood of a tree. As people saw her at work, they called her the red-headed woodpecker.
_Tuesday_
Have the children tell the story of the red-headed woodpecker.
_Wednesday_
Have the children play the story of the woodpecker as a game.
_Thursday_
Write the word _woodpecker_.
_Friday_
Write: _The Woodpecker has a red head._
SECOND WEEK
_Monday_
Have the children write the words omitted:
Old ---- Hubbard Went to the ---- board To get her poor ---- a bone. But when she got ----, The ---- board was bare, And so the poor ---- had none.
_Tuesday_
Have the children give orally all the words they can think of that rhyme with _dog_. Write these in a list on the blackboard, and use them for drills in phonics.
_Wednesday_
Have the date and the word _December_ written by the children.
_Thursday_
To be committed to memory:
WHAT MAKES CHRISTMAS
Little wishes on white wings, Little gifts--such tiny things-- Just one little heart that sings, Make a Merry Christmas.
--_Dorothy Howe_
_Friday_
Have the children write: _Merry Christmas._
THIRD WEEK
_Monday_
To be recited by the teacher and acted out by the children, as a game:
WHEN SANTA CLAUS COMES
Merrily, merrily, merrily, O, The reindeer prances across the snow; We hear their tinkling silver bells, Whose merry music softly tells Old Santa Claus is coming.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, O, The evergreens in the woodland grow; They rustle gently in the breeze; O, don’t you think the Christmas trees Know Santa Claus is coming?
Merrily, merrily, merrily, O, We’ve hung our stockings in a row; Into our beds we softly creep, Just shut our eyes and go to sleep-- And wait--for Santa Claus is coming.
--_Selected_
_Tuesday_
Story for oral reproduction:
BABY BUNTING’S FIRST CHRISTMAS
Baby Bunting was ten months old before she had a Christmas. When the first Christmas came, she didn’t know what it meant. When she saw the tree all covered with candles and apples and little baskets of candy, she smiled, and then laughed, and then crowed out loud. She shook her fat hands at the pretty sight, while Father and Mother and Sister Nora danced around her baby carriage.
Then they began to take the presents off the tree. There was a fine clock for Mother and a pair of slippers for Father. Sister Nora had a beautiful doll.
Baby Bunting herself had a warm little muff, some dainty socks, a pair of baby shoes, some picture books, and so many presents besides that it would take too long to tell about them all.
Sister Nora was happy with her big wax doll. She named her Sally Bunting, and brought her to the carriage to make a call on her sister Baby Bunting.
Baby was so pleased at this, that she almost talked. It seemed to Nora as if she really did talk to Sally. Perhaps Sally, the baby doll, could hear this talk better than anyone else.
I am sure Baby Bunting was saying that this was the best Christmas she had seen in ten months.
--_Adapted_
_Wednesday_
Have the children tell the story of “Baby Bunting’s First Christmas.”
_Thursday_
To be committed to memory:
CHRISTMAS SECRETS
Secrets big and secrets small, On the eve of Christmas. Such keen ears has every wall, That we whisper, one and all, On the eve of Christmas.
Secrets upstairs, secrets down, On the eve of Christmas. Papa brings them from the town, Wrapped in papers, stiff and brown, On the eve of Christmas.
But the secret best of all, On the eve of Christmas, Steals right down the chimney tall, Fills our stockings one and all, On the eve of Christmas.
--_Alice E. Allen_
_Friday_
Help the children to learn “Christmas Secrets.”
FOURTH WEEK
_Monday_
Let the children play, as a game, “Christmas Secrets.”
_Tuesday_
Continue learning the poem. Have the children write: _Secrets big and secrets small_.
_Wednesday_
Have each child name something that he would like or that he had for Christmas. Write these in a list on the blackboard, the simplest of them to be read afterwards by the little folks.
_Thursday_
Talk about what the children did on Christmas Day.
_Friday_
Talk with the children about winter; the close of the old year, and the coming of the new year.
SECOND YEAR
FIRST WEEK
_Monday_
For dictation:
Sing soft! sing low! The time of the snow Is December.
_Tuesday_
Talk about the beginning of winter. What is the first month of winter? What are the three winter months? What was the month before December? What are the three autumn months? What season follows winter? What are the three spring months? What season follows spring? What are the three summer months? How many days are there in December?
_Wednesday_
For drill in phonics, or for clear enunciation:
There was a man and his name was Pat, He had a wife and her name was Mat; He had a rat and she had a cat; The cat was Mat’s and the rat was Pat’s. They all lived together, In all kinds of weather, Pat’s rat and Mat’s cat, Cat, rat, Mat and Pat.
_Thursday_
To be committed to memory:
A CHRISTMAS VISIT
When the children sound are sleeping, And the night is cold and clear; When the frost-elves watch are keeping, Some one comes our hearts to cheer. Fast he drives his reindeer prancing; No one hears his sleigh-bells ring, No one sees him soft advancing, No one knows what he will bring.
He’s a jolly soul, and merry, With his cheeks an autumn hue, And his nose is like a cherry While he’s looking round for you. If he hears a child awaking, Quickly then he slips from sight, But if all a nap are taking Then he works away till light.
Once a boy who was not sleeping, On Christmas morn stole through the hall; Slow and silent he went creeping, But no stocking found at all. And a girl who tiptoed, peeping Into rooms, and up the stair, In the morning they found weeping, For no Santa had been there.
So, when merry folk you’re greeting, And you long to strip your tree, When old Santa you’d be meeting, Wait, nor hurry down to see; For if you should hunt him early, Maybe he’d not come next year; He would be so cross and surly That he’d pass your house, I fear.
--_Mabel L. Gray_
Have the first two stanzas copied by the children.
_Friday_
Have the children copy the second two stanzas of “A Christmas Visit.”
SECOND WEEK
_Monday_
Pupils learn first stanza of “A Christmas Visit.”
_Tuesday_
Pupils learn second stanza of the poem.
_Wednesday_
Pupils learn third stanza of the poem.
_Thursday_
Pupils learn fourth stanza of the poem.
_Friday_
Have the pupils recite the entire poem in concert.
THIRD WEEK
_Monday_
Pupils write a list of the naming words (nouns) in “A Christmas Visit.”
_Tuesday_
For dictation:
All that’s great and good is done done-- Just by trying.
_Wednesday_
Story for reproduction:
THE SUNBEAMS
The Sun was up.
The sky in the east had told that he was on the way, for it had turned red and gold as he came near. He looked down on the earth, and there was a new day. So he sent out his beams to wake everybody from sleep.
A beam came to the little birds in the trees, and they rose at once. They flew about, singing as loudly as they could.
Then a beam came and waked the rabbit. He gave his eyes a rub and ran out into the green field to eat grass.
Another beam came into the hen-house. The rooster flapped his wings and crowed. The hens flew into the yard to see what they could find to eat.
A beam came to the beehive. A bee came out of the hive. He flew off to the fields to drink honey from the flowers.
The beam that came to Johnny’s bed awakened Johnny, but the boy would not get up. He went to sleep once more, though all the animals were up, and hard at work.--_Adapted_
_Thursday_
Have the children tell, in their own words, the story of “The Sunbeams.”
_Friday_
Children write five sentences, telling what the sunbeams did.
FOURTH WEEK
_Monday_
Talk with the little folks about Christmas, its meaning, and the beauty of giving.
_Tuesday_
Have each child write three things he would like for Christmas.
_Wednesday_
Pupils tell what they did on Christmas Day.
_Thursday_
Talk about the year’s holidays. How many are there? What are they?
_Friday_
Children write a letter to a cousin, telling what they did on Christmas Day.
THIRD YEAR
FIRST WEEK
_Monday_
To be committed to memory:
THE WIND AND THE MOON
Said the Wind to the Moon, “I will blow you out. You stare In the air Like a ghost in a chair, Always looking what I am about; I hate to be watched; I will blow you out.”
The Wind blew hard, and out went the Moon, So deep, On a heap Of clouds, to sleep, Down lay the Wind, and slumbered soon-- Muttering low, “I’ve done for that Moon.”
He turned in his bed; she was there again! On high, In the sky, With her one ghost eye, The Moon shone white and alive and plain, Said the Wind--”I will blow you out again.”
The Wind blew hard, and the Moon grew dim, With my sledge And my wedge I have knocked off her edge! If only I blow right fierce and grim, The creature will soon be dimmer than dim.
He blew and blew, and she thinned to a thread, One puff More’s enough To blow her to snuff! One good puff more where the last was bred, And glimmer, glimmer, glum will go the thread!
He blew a great blast and the thread was gone; In the air Nowhere Was a moonbeam bare; Far off and harmless the shy stars shone; Sure and certain the Moon was gone!
The Wind he took to his revels once more; On down, In town, Like a merry mad clown, He leaped and hallooed with whistle and war. What’s that? The glimmering thread once more!
But the Moon she knew nothing about the affair, For, high In the sky, With her one white eye, Motionless, miles above the air, She had never heard the great Wind blare.
--_George Macdonald_
Have the first half of the poem copied.
_Tuesday_
Have the rest of the poem copied.
_Wednesday_
Have the children commit to memory the first two stanzas of the poem.
_Thursday_
Children commit to memory the second two stanzas of the poem.
_Friday_
Children learn the fifth and sixth stanzas of the poem.
SECOND WEEK
_Monday_
Children learn the seventh and eighth stanzas of “The Wind and the Moon.”
_Tuesday_
Children learn the rest of the poem.
_Wednesday_
Children recite the entire poem.
_Thursday_
Children recite the poem. Write a list of the nouns in the poem.
_Friday_
Write a list of the doing words (verbs) in the poem.
THIRD WEEK
_Monday_
For dictation:
Little fairy snowflakes, Dancing in the flue; Old Mr. Santa Claus, What is keeping you?
_Tuesday_
Write a list of as many words rhyming with _time_, as you can think of.
_Wednesday_
Conversation about Christmas.
_Thursday_
Write five sentences about Christmas.
_Friday_
Children write a list of Christmas presents suitable for a boy, a list of presents suitable for a girl.
FOURTH WEEK
_Monday_
Story for reproduction:
A CLOUD STORY
A long time ago, there lived a wonderful king. Each day this king came in his golden chariot, bringing light, heat, and happiness to all the people.
Each day he passed from his palace in the east to his throne in the west. He never missed a day, for he wanted to make sure that everyone had a share of his gifts.
For everybody, he had the birds sing and the flowers bloom. For everybody, he showed beautiful pictures, which changed every hour.
The king had many beautiful daughters. They were often called swan maidens, because they rode upon beautiful white swans.
When the swan maidens were with their father they wore soft white or gray dresses.
Sometimes the king saw that the grass was brown, or the buds were not coming out. Then he said, “Swan maidens, who will go and work to-day?”
Almost before he was through speaking, many of them had rushed away. Sometimes more of them came than could work upon the grass and buds.
Then some of them ran off to play. But the best of them went down to feed the roots and the worms. They worked out of sight.
But they always went back to their father, the king.
Now it is very hard work to catch a swan maiden on her way back home.
A boy is sure he saw one of them on a ring in the tea-kettle steam. How many of them get away is a secret.
When the king saw the flowers shiver in the fall, he called the bravest swan maidens to him. He told them that they must go away for a long time.
Then each swan maiden put on a beautiful white dress, and came softly down, down to earth, with a warm blanket.
These blankets they spread over the flowers and seeds. Every little flower went to sleep under the blanket.
At last the king smiled, and their work was done. They slipped away home so softly that nobody missed them, but the boys and girls who loved the snow.
--_Adapted_
_Tuesday_
Children tell “A Cloud Story” in their own words.
_Wednesday_
Children write the cloud story.
_Thursday_
Children write five sentences about snow.
_Friday_
Children write what they did on Christmas Day.
FOURTH YEAR
FIRST WEEK
_Monday_
To be committed to memory:
SWEET AND LOW
Sweet and low, sweet and low, Wind of the western sea, Low, low, breathe and blow, Wind of the western sea! Over the rolling waters go; Come from the dying moon and blow, Blow him again to me; While my little one, while my pretty one, sleeps.
Sleep and rest, sleep and rest, Father will come to thee soon. Rest, rest on mother’s breast, Father will come to thee soon. Father will come to his babe in the nest; Silver sails all out of the west, Under the silver moon; Sleep, my little one, sleep, my pretty one, sleep!
--_Alfred Tennyson_
Have the poem copied.
_Tuesday_
Pupils learn first stanza of the poem.
_Wednesday_
Pupils learn the entire poem.
_Thursday_
Write about the life of Alfred Tennyson.
_Friday_
Write in complete sentences answers to the following questions:
How is the sea to blow?
Where is the wind to go?
Where is the wind to come from?
What is the blowing of the wind to do?
What is the baby to do?
When will father come?
Where is the baby to rest?
Where will father come?
How will father come?
SECOND WEEK
_Monday_
Write a letter, addressed to Santa Claus, telling what you would like for Christmas.
_Tuesday_
Write a telegram of ten words, saying that you will go to some special place for Christmas.
_Wednesday_
Write the abbreviations for the days of the week and the months of the year.
_Thursday_
Have the children dramatize, in their own way:
Old King Cole Was a merry old soul, And a merry old soul was he. He called for his pipe, He called for his bowl, And he called for his fiddlers three.
_Friday_
For dictation:
Beautiful hands are those that do Work that is earnest and brave and true, Moment by moment, the long day through.
THIRD WEEK
_Monday_
Talk about the signs of winter.
_Tuesday_
Pupils write about signs of winter.
_Wednesday_
Write a rhyme of two lines, containing the word _snow_.
_Thursday_
Talk about winter sports.
_Friday_
Write about winter sports.
FOURTH WEEK
_Monday_
For dictation:
He prayeth best, who loveth best, All things both great and small; For the dear God who loveth us, He made and loveth all.
_Tuesday_
Every child find a short quotation for some other pupil to read in class.
_Wednesday_
Write letters, telling why you like Christmas.
_Thursday_
Write a composition on snow.
_Friday_
Have a spelling match.
JANUARY
FIRST YEAR
FIRST WEEK
_Monday_
Talk about the new year. What is this month called? What was last month? What is the name of the new year? What was the name of the last year? How many days has January? What season is this? What are the months of the winter season? What season comes after winter?
_Tuesday_
Write the word _January_; also the date.
_Wednesday_
To be taught to the children:
Sixty seconds make a minute, Something sure you can learn in it; Sixty minutes make an hour, Work with all your might and power; Twenty-four hours make a day, Time enough for work and play. Seven days a week will make; You will learn, if pains you take.--_Selected_
_Thursday_
Practise learning the rhyme of the day before.
_Friday_
Write: _Seven days make a week._
SECOND WEEK
_Monday_
Write:
On Monday, when the weather is fair, I always wash the clothes.
_Tuesday_
Write:
On Tuesday I can iron them, Even if it rains and snows.
_Wednesday_
Write:
On Wednesday I do all the mending, I like the mending too.
_Thursday_
Write:
On Thursday I receive my friends; I have nothing else to do.
_Friday_
Write:
Friday is the time to sweep, To dust, and set things right.
The teacher may recite the following to the children, then have the entire poem of the week played as a game, with appropriate actions:
On Saturday I always cook, Then put all work from sight.
And Sunday is the day of rest; I go to church dressed in my best.
--_Selected_
THIRD WEEK
_Monday_
Learn the names of the months, by having a procession of children representing the various months, led by the New Year. The little folks will enjoy the game, and will learn the names of the twelve months, in their order, without realizing that they are doing anything but play.
_Tuesday_
Story poem, to be recited (or read, if needs must) to the children, by the teacher:
A MYSTERY
I put my coat and furs and mittens on, to go With my cunning Christmas sled, out to see the pretty snow.