Part 7
Show the children a book. Show that damage done to a book will remain. If you scratch your finger, the wound heals. If you scratch a book, what happens? Do not break the back of the book. Never mark a book with pencil and ink. Especially never write anything in a book not your own. Do not turn down the corners of the leaves. Always return a borrowed book. Show the children how to open a new book properly.
_Thursday_
For dictation:
Little bird upon the bough, Sing a song of sweetness now; Sing of roses in their bloom, In the lovely month of June, Little bird upon the bough.
_Friday_
Read the following poem to the children. Talk about the woodpecker, and how he gets his food.
HOW THE WOODPECKER KNOWS
How does he know where to dig his hole, The woodpecker there, on the elm-tree bole? How does he know what kind of a limb To use for a drum or burrow in? How does he find where the young grubs grow? I’d like to know!
The woodpecker flew to a maple limb, And drummed a tattoo that was fun for him; “No breakfast here! it’s too hard for that!” He said, as down on his tail he sat; “Just listen to this, Rrrr-rat-tat-tat.”--_Selected_
THIRD WEEK
_Monday_
Play “Animals”: Give to each child a card having on it the name of some animal, as cat, horse, pig, etc. Have the children in turn describe the animals they represent as:
I am covered with hair. I gnaw bones. I watch at night to see that no one gets into the house. I say, “Bow, wow, wow,” when I am happy. What am I?
_Tuesday_
For dictation:
He who plants a tree, Plants a hope.
_Wednesday_
Talk about Arbor Day and Bird Day, and why we celebrate these special days. Why do they come in April rather than in January, or some other month?
_Thursday_
Write a list of all the trees you know about. Who can write the longest list?
_Friday_
Write a list of all the birds you know about. Who can write the longest list?
FOURTH WEEK
_Monday_
Tell the children the story of Paul Revere’s Ride.
_Tuesday_
Have the children tell the story of Paul Revere’s Ride.
_Wednesday_
Write five sentences about Paul Revere’s Ride.
_Thursday_
Talk about the new parcel post. How are parcels sent? How heavy can parcels be sent? What can be sent by parcel post? How are letters sent? What does it cost to send a letter? A post card? How is the mail carried from place to place? How is the mail delivered in your town?
_Friday_
Write five sentences about the mails, and sending letters and parcels.
THIRD YEAR
FIRST WEEK
_Monday_
Write a list of objects you can see from a school-room window.
_Tuesday_
Write as many “signs of Spring,” as you can think of.
_Wednesday_
For dictation:
All that’s great and good is done Just by patient trying.
_Thursday_
Read the following poem to the children:
WILD FLOWERS
Out amid the green fields, Free as air we grow, Springing where it happens, Never in a row; Watered by the cloudlets Passing overhead, Warmed by lovely sunbeams, Falling on our heads. Wild flowers, wild flowers, by the meadow rills, Wild flowers, wild flowers, on the woody hills, Wild flowers, wild flowers, springing everywhere, Joyful in the glad free air.--_Selected_
Talk about the coming of the wild flowers. What part have the rain and the sunshine in helping the flowers to grow? What wild flowers are in blossom now? What other flowers will blossom before the close of April?
_Friday_
Write eight sentences about wild flowers.
SECOND WEEK
_Monday_
Poem to be committed to memory: “The Owl and the Pussy Cat,” by Edward Lear.
Have the first half of the poem copied.
_Tuesday_
Have the rest of the poem copied.
_Wednesday_
Learn the first three stanzas of the poem.
_Thursday_
Learn the rest of the poem.
_Friday_
Allow the children to dramatize in their own way, “The Owl and the Pussy-cat.”
THIRD WEEK
_Monday_
Write a list of the adjectives in “The Owl and the Pussycat.”
_Tuesday_
Answer in complete sentences, the following questions:
What is the color of your reader? What is the color of your pencil? What is the color of your hair?
_Wednesday_
Write a rhyme of four lines about a cat.
_Thursday_
Have the children read “Paul Revere’s Ride.”
_Friday_
Have the children tell you the story of “Paul Revere’s Ride.”
FOURTH WEEK
_Monday_
Poem to be committed to memory:
WHAT DO WE PLANT?
What do we plant when we plant the tree? We plant the ship, which will cross the sea, We plant the mast to carry the sails; We plant the plank to withstand the gales, The keel, the keelson, and beam, and knee; We plant the ship when we plant the tree.
What do we plant when we plant the tree? We plant the houses for you and me; We plant the rafters, the shingles, the floors; We plant the studding, the lath, the doors, The beams and siding, all parts that be; We plant the house when we plant the tree.
What do we plant, when we plant the tree? A thousand things that we daily see; We plant the spire, that out-towers the crag; We plant the staff for our country’s flag; We plant the shade, from the hot sun free-- We plant all these, when we plant the tree.
--_Henry Abbey_
Copy the poem.
_Tuesday_
Learn the first two stanzas of the poem.
_Wednesday_
Recite the entire poem.
_Thursday_
Write a list of the things we plant when we plant a tree.
_Friday_
Talk about the purpose of Arbor Day, and especially about the meaning of the beautiful Arbor Day poem.
FOURTH YEAR
FIRST WEEK
_Monday_
Story for reproduction:
THE CAT AND THE CHESTNUTS
A cat sat before an open fire where some chestnuts were roasting.
A monkey who was hungrily watching the chestnuts said to the cat, “Do you think you could pull a chestnut out of the fire? Your paws seem to be made just for that.”
The cat was flattered and she quickly pulled out a chestnut that had burst open.
“How do you do it?” asked the monkey. “It is wonderful. Can you reach that big one?”
“Yes, but see, I have burned my paw a little.”
“Oh, but what of that, when you are making yourself so useful?”
One after another the cat pulled the chestnuts from the fire. Then she found that the sly monkey had eaten them all. All she had was a pair of sore claws.
--_Æsop_
_Tuesday_
Write the story of the cat and the chestnuts.
_Wednesday_
Write ten sentences about the signs of spring.
_Thursday_
Write a list of the wild flowers that grow in your vicinity, so far as you know them.
_Friday_
Have each pupil draw on paper some kind of flower. Exchange papers, and each pupil write five sentences about the flower he thinks is intended by the drawing on the paper he receives.
SECOND WEEK
_Monday_
Poem to be committed to memory:
PLANT A TREE
He who plants a tree Plants a hope. Rootlets up through fibres blindly grope; Leaves unfold into horizons free. So man’s life must climb From the clods of time Unto heavens sublime. Can’st thou prophesy, thou little tree, What the glory of thy boughs shall be?
He who plants a tree Plants a joy. Plants a comfort that will never cloy. Everyday a fresh reality, Beautiful and strong, To whose shelter throng Creatures blithe with song. If thou could’st but know, thou happy tree, Of the bliss that shall inhabit thee!
He who plants a tree He plants peace. Under its green curtains jargons cease; Leaf and zephyr murmur soothingly; Shadows soft with sleep Down tired eyelids creep, Balm of slumber deep. Never hast thou dreamed, thou blessed tree, Of the benediction thou shalt be.
He who plants a tree He plants youth; Vigor won for centuries, in sooth; Life of time, that hints eternity! Boughs their strength uprear, New shoots every year On old growths appear. Thou shalt teach the ages, sturdy tree, Youth of soul is immortality.
He who plants a tree He plants love; Tents of coolness spreading out above Wayfarers he may not live to see. Gifts that grow are best; Hands that bless are blest; Plant: life does the rest! Heaven and earth help him who plants a tree, And his work its own reward shall be.--_Lucy Larcom_
Copy the poem.
_Tuesday_
Learn the first two stanzas of the poem.
_Wednesday_
Learn the second two stanzas of the poem.
_Thursday_
Learn the rest of the poem.
_Friday_
Talk about the meaning of the hope, joy, peace, youth, and love, as mentioned in the poem.
THIRD WEEK
_Monday_
Write a list of twenty articles made of wood.
_Tuesday_
Each pupil think of a tree. Each in turn tell about his tree, the other pupils to guess what it is. For instance:
I am tall and straight. I have many long needles, instead of leaves. When the wind blows through my branches it makes sweet music. What am I? (A pine tree.)
Or--I am a large tree, with great branches. My fruit is called an acorn. What am I? (An oak tree.)
_Wednesday_
Talk about Arbor Day--why it is celebrated, and why it is necessary that our trees be preserved.
_Thursday_
For dictation:
A song to the oak! the brave old oak! Who hath ruled in the greenwood long; Here’s health and renown to his broad green crown And his fifty arms so strong.
FOURTH WEEK
_Monday_
Story for reproduction:
TRIFLES
A friend of the great artist, Michael Angelo, was once watching the last touches being made to a statue. Some time later he visited the studio again, and the artist was still at work upon the same statue. He exclaimed: “You have done nothing since the last time I was here. The statue was finished then.”
“Not at all,” was Michael Angelo’s reply. “I have softened this feature and brought out that muscle. I have given more expression to the lips and more energy to the eye.”
“Oh,” said the friend, “but these are trifles.”
“It may be so,” said the artist, “but trifles make perfection and perfection is no trifle.”
_Tuesday_
Write ten sentences, each containing _is_ or _are_.
_Wednesday_
Write sentences, each of which contains one of the following adjectives; little, yellow, moist, good, large, beautiful, swift, slow, useful, breakable.
_Thursday_
For dictation:
Tinkling down! shining down! Golden sunbeams kiss the flowers. Wake them up! wake them up! Through the happy hours.
_Friday_
Play “What I am thinking of,” using objects in the school-room.
MAY
FIRST YEAR
FIRST WEEK
_Monday_
What is the name of this month? What is the name of the month just ended? What is the name of the month following May? What season is this? What season follows spring? How many days has May? What other months have thirty-one days?
_Tuesday_
Teach the proper method of salutation on the street. Have the boys put on their caps, and the girls their hats. Have a boy and a girl go to the front of the room, and from opposite sides of the room walk toward each other. As they meet, the girl nods her head politely, and the boy lifts his hat. After the simple ceremony the two children return to their seats, and their places are taken by other boys and girls, in turn, until all can make the proper salutation easily and gracefully.
_Wednesday_
Write a sentence about birds.
Write a sentence about the grass.
Write a sentence about May.
_Thursday_
Story for reproduction. (Let the children test the results of mixing colors, with their paint boxes, if they have paints.)
THE RAINBOW FAIRIES
One night three little fairies were playing under a tree. They were flower fairies. Each had on a dress of the same color as the flower for which it was named. Little Fairy Buttercup wore a bright yellow dress. Forget-me-not wore a blue dress. Geranium wore a red dress.
Not far from the three fairies in red, yellow and blue, were three other fairies. These fairies had on old, faded dresses. They stood and watched the gaily-dressed fairies dance in the moonlight.
“Come,” said Buttercup, “won’t you come and dance with us?”
“We cannot,” said the three. “We cannot dance, for we have on our old clothes. We have worked hard all day and are just going home, but we like to see you dance in your pretty clothes.”
Then Buttercup took the skirt of her yellow dress and dipped it into a lily cup filled with dew. The dew was quickly dyed yellow.
Forget-me-not dipped the skirt of her blue dress into another lily cup filled with dew. The dew was quickly dyed blue. Then the fairies mixed the yellow dew and the blue dew together.
“Now jump in, little fairy,” cried Buttercup. In jumped one of the fairies in faded gown, and when she came out her dress was a beautiful green.
Then Geranium dipped her dress into dew, and Forget-me-not did the same. They mixed blue and red, and the second fairy jumped in. When she came out, her dress was bright purple.
Then Buttercup and Geranium dipped their dresses into dew again, to make a mixture for the third fairy. When she came out of the lily cup her dress was bright orange.
Then the six fairies laughed and sang, and danced about. By and by a dark cloud covered the moon, and the rain came pattering down. The six fairies hid themselves in the flowers.
The next morning, when the rain stopped, the sun came out and shone brightly. The six fairies came out of the flowers, and hand in hand they ran up to the sky. There they made a beautiful rainbow. Since then, they have been called the Rainbow Fairies.--_Adapted_
_Friday_
Talk about the rainbow, and its six colors. Have the children tell the combinations that make green, purple, and orange.
SECOND WEEK
_Monday_
To be committed to memory:
THE DANDELION
A brave little dandelion woke up from his nap, And hunted around in the dark for his cap, “I’m certain,” he muttered, “it ought to be here, In the very same place where I left it last year.”
He poked all about in the dirt and the dark, For the same little hat that he wore in the ark; For fashions may vary with people and clime, But dandelions wear the same hats all the time.
“What’s o’clock?” and he paused while he counted the fuzz That had crept through his locks, as old age always does; Then he settled himself to pluck out the old feathers, That had done so much service in all kinds of weathers.
Rather frowsy he looked, getting into his hat, But he knew that the rain would take care of all that, If he only were up; so he pulled on his boots, And began to push up from his tough little roots.
Kept pushing, and cheerful and hopeful, he pushed, And he came to the surface, close by an old bush, With the frost hardly gone, and the ground hardly mellow, Here he is on the top now, the brave little fellow.
The first dandelion! Well may we delight And call all the children to see the glad sight, For of all the brave prospects of hope and of spring, The golden-crowned dandelion surely is king.
--_Selected and slightly adapted_
Teach the children the first stanza of the poem.
_Tuesday_
Teach the children the second stanza of the poem.
_Wednesday_
Teach the children the third stanza of the poem, explaining what is meant by the “fuzz.”
_Thursday_
Teach the fourth stanza of the poem.
_Friday_
Teach the fifth stanza of the poem.
THIRD WEEK
_Monday_
Teach the sixth stanza of the poem.
_Tuesday_
Have the children play the poem, each child acting the part of the dandelion, as all recite the poem in concert.
_Wednesday_
Write:
A dandelion is yellow. Dandelions bloom in May.
_Thursday_
Children name a flower (besides dandelions) that is yellow; one that is blue; green; pink; white; purple. Which of these are in blossom in May?
_Friday_
Talk about different kinds of dogs, and what each is good for; _e. g._, terrier, catching rats; collie, driving sheep; St. Bernard, saving life; hound, hunting, etc.
FOURTH WEEK
_Monday_
What flowers bloom in May? What are their colors? What are the birds doing this month? Have you seen any birds’ nests this spring? Where? What kinds of birds do you know? What have the trees been doing this month? (Growing leaves.)
_Tuesday_
Ask each child to bring a penny to school.
See how many things can be found on the penny.
What is the motto of our country? (In God we trust.)
_Wednesday_
Have the children write:
Under the green trees, Just over the way, Jack-in-the-pulpit Preaches to-day.
_Thursday_
Have the pupils told, the preceding day, to bring into the school-room three different green objects, as a leaf from a tree, a blade of grass, a branch of some plant, etc. Have pupils write the words describing what they have brought, as leaf, grass, twig, etc.
_Friday_
Talk about Decoration Day. What it means, and how to celebrate it.
SECOND YEAR
FIRST WEEK
_Monday_
Learn the first two stanzas of the poem:
THE SEED
As wonderful things are hidden away In the heart of a little brown seed As ever were found in the fairy nut Of which we sometimes read.
Over the dainty shining coat, We sprinkle the earth so brown, And then the sunshine warms its bed, And the rain comes pattering down.
Patter, patter, the soft warm rain Knocks at the tiny door, And two little heads come peeping out, Like a story in fairy lore.
--_Selected and slightly adapted_
_Tuesday_
Learn the entire poem.
_Wednesday_
Talk about the meaning of the poem, and sow some morning glory seed in a box or flower pot. Talk about the need of moist earth to make the seeds grow. Have the children water the seeds every day, until the “two little heads come peeping out.”
_Thursday_
Write a list of the naming words (nouns) in the poem of the week.
_Friday_
Children write five sentences about seeds and the way they grow.
SECOND WEEK
_Monday_
For dictation:
Sing, O sing, thou merry bird, As you fly so lightly; Sing your song of joy and love, While the sun shines brightly.
_Tuesday_
Write, in complete sentences, answers to the following questions:
What bird has a red breast? (Robin.)
What bird picks worms from under the bark of large trees? (Woodpecker.)
What bird lays large white eggs that we like to eat for breakfast? (Hen.)
What bird likes to eat the farmer’s corn? (Crow.)
What bird says, “Coo, coo, coo?” (Pigeon.)
_Wednesday_
Talk about the birds and nest-building. Talk about the different kinds of nests: the robin’s; the oriole’s, hung from the limb of a tall tree; the bobolink’s, built in the grass; the sparrow’s, tucked under the eaves; the swallow’s, built in the barn, etc.
_Thursday_
Read the following poem to the children, and have them tell the story back to you:
THE JOLLY OLD CROW
On the limb of an oak sat a jolly old crow, And chattered away with glee, with glee, As he saw the old farmer go out to sow, And he cried, “It’s all for me, for me!
“Look, look, how he scatters his seeds around; He’s tremendously kind to the poor, the poor; If he’d empty it down in a pile on the ground. I could find it much better, I’m sure, I’m sure!
“I’ve learned all the tricks of this wonderful man, Who shows such regard for the crow, the crow, That he lays out his grounds on a regular plan, And covers his corn in a row, a row!
“He must have a very great fancy for me; He tries to entrap me enough, enough, But I measure his distance as well as he, And when he comes near I am off!”--_Selected_
_Friday_
Have the children write a little story about the crow and the corn.
THIRD WEEK
_Monday_
Write five words beginning with _m_.
Write five words beginning with _s_.
Write five words beginning with _b_.
_Tuesday_
Add a word to _violet_, to show what color it is.
Add a word to _tulip_, to show what color it is.
Add a word to _apple blossom_, to show what color it is.
Add a word to _hyacinth_, to show what color it is.
Add a word to _grass_, to show what color it is.
_Wednesday_
For dictation:
Into my window a sunbeam bright Comes with a glad good morning, “The night is gone, it is time you were up,” It is thus he gives me warning.
_Thursday_
Write five sentences, telling what the warm sunshine does.
_Friday_
Play, as a game, “I went to the woods and brought back a violet.” One child says, “I went to the woods, and brought back a violet and an anemone” (or any other flower). The next child says, “I went to the woods and brough back a violet, an anemone, and a hepatica.” Each child adds a flower to the list, as long as the children can remember the list of flowers.
FOURTH WEEK
_Monday_
Talk about birds’ eggs, and the wrong of robbing nests.
_Tuesday_
Read the following poem to the children:
THE FRIGHTENED BIRDS
“Hush! hush!” said the little brown thrush, To her mate on the nest in the alder bush. “Keep still! don’t open your bill, There’s a boy coming bird-nesting over the hill.
“Let go your wings out, so That not an egg on the nest shall show. Chee! chee! it seems to me I’m as frightened as ever a bird can be.”
Then still, with a quivering bill, They watched the boy out of sight o’er the hill. And then, in the branches again Their glad song rang out over valley and glen.
Oh! oh! if only that boy could know How glad they were when they saw him go, Say, do you think that next day, He could possibly steal those eggs away?
--_Selected_
Talk about the advantage that the birds are, in eating insects and protecting the trees.
_Wednesday_
Write five sentences, telling what birds do for us, and why it is wrong to steal birds’ eggs.
_Thursday_
Fill the blank spaces in the following:
---- blackbirds ---- on a hill, One named ----, the other ---- Jill. Fly away ----, ---- away, Jill, Come ----, Jack, ---- back, ----.
_Friday_
Write a letter to your cousin, telling about birds, and why you will never steal their eggs.
THIRD YEAR
FIRST WEEK
_Monday_
Poem to be committed to memory:
WE THANK THEE
For flowers that bloom about our feet; For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet; For song of bird and hum of bee; For all things fair we hear or see, Father in heaven, we thank Thee!
For blue of stream and blue of sky; For pleasant shade of branches high; For fragrant air and cooling breeze; For beauty of the blooming trees-- Father in heaven, we Thank Thee!
For mother-love and father-care, For brothers strong and sisters fair; For love at home and here each day; For guidance, lest we go astray-- Father in heaven, we Thank Thee!--_Selected_
Have the poem copied.
_Tuesday_
Learn the first stanza of the poem.
_Wednesday_
Learn the second stanza of the poem.
_Thursday_
Learn and recite the entire poem.
_Friday_
Write a list of the nouns in the poem.
SECOND WEEK
_Monday_
Write a list of the adjectives in the poem.
_Tuesday_
Write the name of a flower that is blue; one that is yellow; pink; red; purple; white. Write a sentence describing each of the flowers in your list.
_Wednesday_
Write the name of a bird that is brown; one that is black; blue; green; yellow. Class exchange papers. Write a sentence about each bird on the list you receive.
_Thursday_
Talk about May, and how it differs from any other month of the year. What garden flowers are in blossom this month? What wild flowers are in blossom? What fruit trees? What forest trees?
_Friday_
Write five sentences about the flowers and trees that blossom in May.
THIRD WEEK
_Monday_
Story for reproduction:
ANEMONE
Once upon a time there lived a youth whose name was Adonis. He was a fine-looking boy, tall and straight, and he was very fond of hunting.