THIRD YEAR
FIRST WEEK
Monday
Rewrite this story in five sentences.
WHY THE CHIPMUNK HAS BLACK STRIPES
Once upon a time the porcupine was made chief of the animals. He called all the animals together for a great council.
The animals seated themselves around a big fire. The porcupine said, “We have a great question to decide. It is this: ‘Shall we have daylight all the time or night all the time?’”
All the animals began to talk at once. Some wanted one thing, some another. The bear wanted it to be dark all the time. In his big, deep voice he said, “Always night! Always night!”
The little chipmunk, in a loud, high voice, said, “Day will come! Day will come!”
The council was held at night. While the animals were talking the sun rose. The bear and the other night animals were angry. The chipmunk saw the light coming, and started to run away. The angry bear ran after him and struck him on the back with his paw.
Since then, the chipmunk has always had black stripes on his back, and daylight always follows night.
—Selected
Tuesday
Rewrite these sentences, filling the blank spaces:
The chipmunk —— black stripes.
The porcupine said, “We —— a question to decide.”
The chipmunk said, “Day —— come.”
The bear —— it to be dark.
The council —— held at night.
The chipmunk —— the light coming, and —— to run away.
The angry bear —— him with his paw.
Wednesday
For dictation:
I go to the library every Saturday.
I find a book that I would like to read.
I hand the book and my card to the librarian.
She puts the date on my card.
Thursday
Write a paragraph about the proper manner of sitting. What is the result, if a person has a habit of sitting badly?
Friday
Answer each of the following questions, as a complete sentence:
How many days has November?
In what month is Thanksgiving Day?
Where do the birds go, before winter comes?
In what month does Christmas come?
SECOND WEEK
Monday
Write the following poem on the blackboard, and make it the topic for an oral lesson, discussing how fruit grows on tree and vine; growth of the plants; the likeness of the plants to us; the ethical lesson.
PLANT SONG
O, where do you come from, berries red,
Nuts, apples, and plums, that hang ripe overhead,
Sweet, juicy grapes, with your rich purple hue,
Saying, “Pick us and eat us; we’re growing for you”?
O, where do you come from, bright flowers and fair,
That please with your colors and fragrance so rare,
Growing with sunshine or sparkling with dew?
“We are blooming for dear little flowers like you.”
Our roots are our mouths, taking food from the ground,
Our leaves are our lungs, breathing air all around;
Our sap, like your blood, our veins courses through—
Don’t you think, little children, we’re somewhat like you?
Your hearts are the soil, your thoughts are the seeds;
Your lives may become useful plants or foul weeds;
If you think but good thoughts your lives will be true,
For good men and women were once children like you.
—Nellie M. Brown
Tuesday
Write a list of the nouns in the “Plant Song.”
Wednesday
For dictation:
“He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty: and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.”
Thursday
Write the following nursery rhyme in large letters, on oak tag. Cut into separate words, and place the words in envelopes, one set for each pupil. The pupils are to place the words on their desks, so as to form the complete rhyme.
Hey, diddle, diddle, the cat and the fiddle:
The cow jumped over the moon:
The little dog laughed to see such sport,
And the dog ran away with the spoon.
Friday
Copy the following sentences, filling the blank spaces:
This —— November.
The birds are —— to the south.
The leaves are —— from the trees.
Thanksgiving —— this month.
Winter —— soon be ——.
THIRD WEEK
Monday
Have the children copy half of the following poem in their composition books:
WHAT THE SNOWBIRDS SAID
“Cheep, cheep,” said some little snow-birds,
As the snow came whirling down;
“We haven’t a nest,
Or a place to rest,
Save this oak-tree bending down.”
“Cheep, cheep,” said the little Wee-Wing,
The smallest bird of all;
“I have never a care,
In the winter air—
God cares for great and small.”
“Peep, peep,” said her father, Gray-Breast,
“You’re a thoughtless bird, my dear,
We all must eat,
And warm our feet,
When snow and ice are here.”
“Cheep, cheep,” said the little Wee-Wing,
“You are wise and good, I know;
But think of the fun
For each little one,
When we have ice and snow.
“Now I can see, from my perch on the tree,
The merriest, merriest sight—
Boys skating along
On the ice so strong—
Cheep, cheep, how merry and bright!”
“And I see,” said the Brownie Snow-bird,
A sight that is prettier far—
Five dear little girls,
With clustering curls,
And eyes as bright as a star.”
“And I,” said his brother, Bright-Eyes,
“See a man of ice and snow;
He wears a queer hat,
His large nose is flat—
The little boys made him, I know.”
“I see some sleds,” said Mother Brown,
“All filled with girls and boys;
They laugh and sing,
Their voices ring,
And I like the cheerful noise.”
Then the snow-birds all said, “Cheep and chee,
Hurrah for ice and snow;
For the girls and boys,
Who drop us crumbs,
As away to their sport they go!
“Hurrah for the winter, clear and cold,
When the dainty snowflakes fall!
We will sit and sing,
On our oaken swing,
For God takes care of us all!”—Selected
Tuesday
Have the children copy the rest of the poem, “What the Snowbirds Said.”
Wednesday
Write a list of the nouns in the poem.
Thursday
Write a list of the verbs in the poem.
Friday
Write five sentences, telling what the birds said.
FOURTH WEEK
Monday
Have the pupils tell you the story of Thanksgiving.
Tuesday
Have each child write about something that will be found on the Thanksgiving table, and have the others guess what is described: as pepper, salt, vinegar, bread, sugar, apples, etc.
Wednesday
Story for reproduction:
THE GRUMBLING SNOWFLAKE
The snowflakes were told to go down to the earth to keep it warm. All were glad to go except one. This little snowflake grumbled while the others were getting ready.
“What is the use of going down to that great place?” he said. “I should be glad to keep the plants from freezing, but I never can. I am too small. I could not even cover one speck of that great earth. However, if all the rest of the snowflakes are going, I suppose I shall have to go, too.”
The snowflakes had great fun as they fell. They danced and played, and they laughed when they thought they were going to be useful in the great world.
But the grumbling snowflake said, “If I were bigger, I might be of some use!”
One little snowflake reached the earth, and then another. Last of all, the grumbling snowflake came down, too, but he did not see the brown earth. It was all covered with a white snow-blanket.
Every little flake had covered a tiny bit of the brown earth, until the ground was all covered up for the winter.
“I was wrong,” said the grumbling snowflake. “I will not grumble again.”—Adapted
Have the pupils reproduce the story orally.
Thursday
Have the pupils rewrite the story of the grumbling snowflake, in their own words.
Friday
Write a letter to a cousin, telling why you like November.