FIRST YEAR
FIRST WEEK
Monday
Show the children a sunflower. What is it? Who can think of another flower of the same color? (Nasturtium, goldenrod, dandelion, buttercup, etc.) Who can think of a flower that is blue? (Hyacinth, bachelor’s button, flower de luce, etc.) Who can think of a flower that is red? (Rose, carnation, geranium, poppy, etc.) Have each child name some flower that he likes.
Tuesday
Allow the children to play “Hey, diddle, diddle.” One child is the cat, another the fiddle, a third the dish, others the spoon, the little dog, the cow and the moon. All the rest of the children repeat, very slowly:
Hey, diddle, diddle,
The cat and the fiddle.
As the two lines are being recited, the children representing the cat and the fiddle stand up at their seats and bow. As the words,
The cow jumped over the moon,
are recited, the child representing the moon, stooping down, holds out a round piece of pasteboard, a piece of paper, or anything else that happens to be handy, even a book will serve, and the “cow,” steps or jumps over it.
At the words,
The little dog laughed to see such sport,
the little dog laughs. At
The dish ran away with the spoon,
the two children representing dish and spoon take hold of hands and run across the room.
Then other children may be selected for the various parts, and the game may be played thus again and again.
Wednesday
Have the children practise writing their names, and if possible, their home addresses.
Thursday
What kind of a day is it, sunny or stormy? What color is sunshine? Point to the sun. What color are storm clouds? How does the rain come down? What does the sunshine do for the trees and flowers? What does the rain do for the trees and flowers? What does the rain do for us?
Friday
Have the children name all the objects they can see in the school-room.
SECOND WEEK
Monday
How many children had their faces washed before coming to school this morning? How many had their hair combed? Have each child tell who combed his hair, whether mother, nurse, or the child himself. Talk about the necessity of cleanliness, and why every child must come to school looking clean and tidy.
Tuesday
Write the name of the day of the week on the blackboard, and have the children practice writing it.
Wednesday
Ask each child to stand up at his seat and recite a “Mother Goose” rhyme.
Thursday
Who can show me what I mean when I say, “Run.” Allow some child to run. What do I mean when I say, “Walk.” Have the word illustrated. Continue similarly with talk, laugh, sing, jump, sit, stand.
Friday
Show the children a flag. What is it? What are the three colors of the flag? Have the children count the red stripes; the white stripes. What is the color of the stars?
THIRD WEEK
Monday
Show the children a red apple and a green, or a yellow apple. What are the colors of the two apples? What shape? Where is the stem? Where is the skin? What is there inside the skin? Cut one of the apples open. How many seeds has it?
Tuesday
Have each child tell his father’s or his mother’s first name.
Wednesday
Have the children practise writing the date.
Thursday
Have each child tell something that he can see out of the school-room window. Write the word given by each child on paper and let him practise writing it.
Friday
Let the children dramatize, with a little suggestive help, “Old King Cole.”
FOURTH WEEK
Monday
What day of the week is this? How many days are there in a week? Who can name them? What is done in your home on Monday? (Washing?) On Tuesday? (Ironing?) On Wednesday? Thursday? Friday? Saturday? Sunday?
Tuesday
Have the children play the game, “This is the way we wash our clothes.”
Wednesday
Practise writing September.
Thursday
Practise writing the day of the week.
Friday
Have the children tell what they had for breakfast.