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.