SECOND YEAR
FIRST WEEK
Monday
A rainy morning. (If the morning is pleasant, use this exercise the first rainy day.) Why did you come to school this morning with rubbers and umbrella? Why does the rain run off an umbrella? Why is the roof of a house built on a slant? Why does rain sometimes fall straight down, and sometimes fall slanting? How does the rain tell us which way the wind blows? Why do rubbers keep our feet dry? Why do not our shoes keep our feet dry? What can you think of, besides overshoes, that is made of rubber?
Tuesday
Write five sentences about rain.
Wednesday
Poem to be committed to memory:
THE BLUEBIRD
I know the song the bluebird is singing,
Out in the apple tree where he is swinging,
Brave little fellow! the skies may be dreary—
Nothing cares he while his heart is so cheery.
Hark! how the music leaps from his throat!
Hark! was there ever so merry a note?
Listen a while, and you’ll hear what he’s saying,
Up in the apple tree swinging and swaying.
Dear little blossoms, down under the snow,
You must be weary of winter, I know;
Hark while I sing you a message of cheer:
Summer is coming, and springtime is here.
“Little white snowdrop, I pray you arise!
Bright yellow crocus, come open your eyes!
Sweet little violets, hid from the cold,
Put on your mantles of purple and gold!
Daffodils, daffodils! say, do you hear?
Summer is coming, and springtime is here.
—Selected
Have the poem copied.
Thursday
Learn the first and second stanzas of the poem.
Friday
Learn the rest of the poem.
SECOND WEEK
Monday
Write a list of the name words (nouns) in the poem, “The Bluebird.”
Tuesday
Write a list of the doing words (verbs) in the poem.
Wednesday
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.