teacher will name a month for each pupil. Each is to write a sentence
that tells what he likes to do in one of the months. If you are to write
what you like to do in November, you might write a sentence like the
following:
In November I like to read books and play games by the warm fire.
While the twelve pupils are writing on the board, the pupils in their
seats will write on paper.
[Illustration: STONE AX]
Do not forget that the name of every month begins with a capital letter.
Do not forget that the word _I_ is always written as a capital letter.
=Group Exercise.= 1. The class may now point out any mistakes there are
in each of the twelve sentences on the board. These questions will help
pupils to find mistakes:
1. Is the name of the month spelled correctly? Does it begin with a
capital letter?
2. Does the sentence begin with a capital letter?
3. Does the sentence end with a period?
4. If the word _I_ is used, is it written as a capital letter?
2. Now the sentences that pupils wrote at their desks may be read. Those
that are very good may be written on the board under the ones about the
same months. Then the class will point out mistakes in them, if there
are any.
=20. Making Riddles=
=Oral Exercise.= 1. Can you guess either one of the following riddles?
I come once in a year. I always bring Santa Claus with me. When I
leave, a new year begins at once. What am I?
I come once a year. Turkeys do not like me, but everybody else
gives thanks after I have been here several weeks. What am I?
2. Make riddles about the months, for your classmates to guess. Begin
your riddles like the two above.
[Illustration: WOODEN BOWL]
=Game.= Twelve pupils stand in a row in front of the class. The teacher
whispers to each the name of one of the months. The game is for the
class to arrange these pupils in the order of the months of the year. Of
course January will be placed at the beginning of the row. December
will be placed at the end. Each pupil in the row makes a riddle about
the month he is. The class must guess who is January, who is February,
and so on to December.
Those who guess the riddles may be the months in the second game.
=Group Exercise.= Pupils who make very good riddles may write them on
the board. Then the class will try to make them still better.
[Illustration: BUFFALO-HORN SPOONS]
=Written Exercise.= When the riddles on the board have been corrected,
copy the one or two you like best. Take these copies home to show to
your parents. Write the name of the month under each riddle you copy.
Begin that name with a capital letter. How will you make sure that you
have spelled it right?
=21. Correct Usage--_Did, Done_=
Some pupils spoil their talks and stories because they make mistakes in
using _did_ and _done_. They say _did_ when they should say _done_, and
_done_ when they should say _did_. The sentences at the top of the next
page show these words used correctly:
1. The Indian boy _did_ a brave deed.
2. He _has done_ deeds of bravery before.
3. I never _did_ anything so daring.
4. _Have_ you _done_ your work?
5. I _had done_ my work long before you spoke.
=Oral Exercise.= 1. As you read the sentences above, try to find out
when it is right to use _did_ and when _done_.
2. Read the sentences again. Now notice that nowhere is the word _done_
used unless _has_ or _have_ or _had_ is used in the same sentence. Is
this true of the word _did_ also?
Let us remember, then, never to use _done_ alone, and never to use _did_
with _have_ or _has_ or _had_.
[Illustration: EARTHEN COOKING POT]
=Game=.[31] 1. One of the pupils plays that he or she is an old Indian
squaw. All the other pupils are her children. She stands before them and
says: "Children, I must go to the river. I must see whether the warriors
are catching many fish for supper. I want you all to stay here in the
tepee and finish your work." In a little while the squaw returns from
the river. She walks up and down the aisles and asks each of her
children this question: "Have you done your work?" Each one answers:
"No, I have not done my work, but I think that John (pointing to the
next pupil) has done his." The questions and answers go on until every
pupil in the class has spoken. Then those who made no mistake in their
answers join in an Indian dance. They march up and down the aisles,
clapping their hands and chanting, "All good Indians have done their
work."
2. The old Indian squaw again leaves and again returns to her children.
This time she asks each one, "What were you doing while I was gone?"
Each one answers, "I did the work you gave me to do." All those who
answer correctly join in an Indian dance, singing, "I did my work
yesterday, and I have done my work to-day."[32]
=22. Telling Fairy Stories[33]=
PETER AND THE STRANGE LITTLE OLD MAN[9]
On the edge of a great forest there once lived a toymaker and his
little family. Although he worked hard, he was very poor. His wife
had to help him whittle and paint the toys, which he sent to the
nearest village to be sold.
"Times are hard," the toymaker said one night to his wife, "I
cannot save any money. Christmas is near at hand, and I am afraid
we shall have no presents for the boys."
They had two boys. These looked as like as two peas from the same
pod, but they were very unlike at heart. Peter, the younger one,
made his father and mother very happy. Joseph, the elder, caused
them much worry.
The toymaker would say: "Put wood on the fire, boys. We cannot work
if we are not warm." Peter would go to the shed at once, bring in
an armful of wood, put some of it in the stove and the rest in the
woodbox. All the while Joseph would stay in the warm room and would
not lift a finger to help him.
So it was with everything. Peter worked steadily at his father's
side most of the day, whittling and gluing and painting toys, while
Joseph slipped away and spent his time in idleness and play. In the
evening it was Peter who helped his mother dry the dishes.
One day as the three workers were busily bent over the bench, a
knock was heard at the door. They were surprised to see standing
outside a strange little old man, no higher than the tabletop.
"Excuse me," he said, lifting his red cap very politely. "I have
lost my way. Would one of the boys kindly be my guide through the
woods?"
"Yes, of course," answered the toymaker. He looked from one of his
sons to the other, wondering which one to send. He hoped that
Joseph would offer to go, because he was the elder. But Joseph was
already shaking his head very hard and turning away. Peter caught
his father's look and put on his hat and coat.
"I know all the paths," he said to the stranger, "and will help you
find your way."
They started off at once. When they had gone a short distance, it
began to snow. They trudged along just the same until the ground
was covered with a thick white blanket as far as they could see.
They talked very little, but kept their eyes open for the way, and
hurried along. At last they reached a place where four great oak
trees stood in a row, as if some one had planted them so.
"This is the place," said the little old man. He took a golden
whistle from his pocket and blew it. A low sweet tone came from it,
that sounded like pleasant music in the silent woods. In a moment a
large sleigh, drawn by eight prancing reindeer, appeared before
them. The little old man motioned Peter to follow him and jumped
in. As soon as Peter had jumped in too, they drove away as fast as
they could go, bells ringing, and sparks flying as the reindeer's
hoofs struck the ground. Now and then the strange little old man
spoke to the reindeer. They seemed to know his voice. He called
each by name, "Now, Dasher," and "Now, Dancer," and "Get up,
Prancer." Then they dashed and danced and pranced faster than ever.
They had been moving over the ground in this way for more than an
hour. Then Peter saw in the distance a building that was longer and
wider and higher than any building he had ever seen or heard about.
As they got nearer, a steady buzzing sound was heard. Peter thought
it was the sound of machinery. He thought a thousand wheels must be
turning and humming within. As he looked and listened, the sleigh
suddenly came to a stop. They stood at the entrance to the mighty
building.
"What is this building?" asked Peter.
"This is my workshop," said the strange little old man, as he
jumped out of the sleigh. "Some day I shall take you inside. You
are the kind of boy I like. I know how you help your father and
mother. To-day you have helped me. Here is a little present to take
home with you."
He placed something in Peter's hand. Then he hurried up the broad
stairs and into the workshop. The big door slammed shut behind him,
and at that very moment the sleigh, the reindeer, and the workshop
itself suddenly disappeared. Much to his surprise Peter found
himself alone in the woods and not far from his father's hut.
He wondered whether he had only dreamed all that had happened. No,
that could not be, for he still held in his hand a small leather
bag, the present from the little man. Holding this tightly, he
hurried to his home.
You may imagine the surprise of his parents and his brother when he
told his story. They asked him to tell it again and again. Each one
examined the small leather bag. There were two beautiful gold coins
in it. Peter gave these to his father and mother.
His father patted him on his curly head.
"We shall spend these for Christmas," he said.
=Oral Exercise.= 1. Which part of this story do you like best? Tell your
classmates what sort of picture you would make with colored crayons for
this part of the story. Explain exactly what will be in the picture.
Then make the picture.
2. Why did the strange little old man help Peter? Do you know any story
in which a fairy helps good people?
3. Think of the fairy stories that you have heard or read. What is the
name of the one you like best? Would it not be fun for each pupil to
tell the class his favorite fairy story? When you tell yours, do not let
it be too long. Tell only the important parts of it.[22]
=Group Exercise.= After each story, you and your classmates should tell
the speaker what you liked in his story and in his telling of it. Then
tell what you did not like.
=23. Study of a Poem=
=Oral Exercise.= 1. Tell your classmates how you think fairies look. How
tall do you think they are? What kind of clothes do they wear? After you
have answered these questions, draw on the board or on paper, with
colored chalks or crayons, a picture of a fairy.
2. Do fairies always walk or run, or can they fly, or have they tiny
horses and wagons?
3. Can you see the picture of the fairies in the following lines? What
do those lines tell you about fairies that you did not know before?
Their caps of red, their cloaks of green,
Are hung with silver bells,
And when they're shaken with the wind
Their merry ringing swells.
And riding on the crimson moths
With black spots on their wings,
They guide them down the purple sky
With golden bridle rings.
ROBERT M. BIRD, "The Fairy Folk"
4. Where do you think the fairies live? What do they eat? The following
poem gives one answer to these questions, and tells us still more about
fairies. What is the name of the poem? The child that sings it is afraid
of fairies. Do you know any other children that are afraid of them?
[Illustration: "AND RIDING ON THE CRIMSON MOTHS"]
A CHILD'S SONG
Up the airy mountain,
Down the rushy glen,
We daren't go a-hunting
For fear of little men;
Wee folk, good folk,
Trooping all together;
Green jacket, red cap,
And white owl's feather!
Down along the rocky shore
Some make their home,
They live on crispy pancakes
Of yellow tide-foam;
Some in the reeds
Of the black mountain-lake,
With frogs for their watchdogs,
All night awake.
Up the airy mountain,
Down the rushy glen,
We daren't go a-hunting
For fear of little men;
Wee folk, good folk,
Trooping all together;
Green jacket, red cap,
And white owl's feather!
WILLIAM ALLINGHAM (Abridged)
=Oral Exercise.= 1. Let us make sure that we understand every line of
this pretty poem or song. In the first line, why is the mountain called
_airy_? A _rushy glen_ is a narrow valley in which many rushes or swamp
reeds grow. Have you ever seen such a place? Draw a picture of a rushy
glen.
2. Which lines in the first part of the poem tell about fairies? These
fairies go in a troop or band or company. Which line tells us that? With
colored crayons draw a picture of a fairy wearing a green jacket, a red
cap, and a white owl's feather.
3. The second part, or stanza, of the poem tells where some of these
fairies live. What do some of them do all the night? As they watch, who
keeps them company?
4. When you read this poem, does it seem to be a song? Do you like the
way it reads? Which part do you like best? Draw with colored crayons a
picture for this part. Before you draw, explain how the picture looks in
your mind. Perhaps you will draw a picture of a troop of fairies, or of
a fairy in the reeds with fairy watchdogs near by.
=Memory Exercise.= Which do you like better, this poem you have just
studied or the part of another poem about fairies that is printed before
this? Read aloud, several times, the one you like better, until you can
say it without once looking at the book.
=24. More Telling of Fairy Stories=
PETER VISITS THE STRANGE LITTLE OLD MAN'S WORKSHOP
Over a week had passed since Peter's ride in the strange little old
man's sleigh, but the little man had not come again. Peter was
beginning to fear that he might never return. One afternoon,
however, just as the early winter twilight began to darken the
great forest, the jingling of sleighbells was heard in front of the
toymaker's hut.
"Whoa, Dasher! Steady, Dancer! Whoa, Prancer!" was what Peter heard
as he pressed his face against the windowpane. Yes, there were the
reindeer, and there, bundled up to his chin in furs, was the
strange little old man. He saw Peter at once and made signs to the
boy to come along with him. Peter could not put on his cap and coat
fast enough. In less than a minute he had climbed into the sleigh,
tucked himself in snugly, and was flying over the frozen,
snow-covered ground by the side of his strange companion. Soon they
had left the lighted hut far behind them and were making their way
through the woods on an old logging road that Peter knew. After a
while, however, they reached parts of the forest that Peter had
never seen. Here grew trees whose names he had never heard. Now
and then he caught glimpses of animals that were unlike any of
those with which he was familiar. Peter was so much interested in
these that he hardly noticed the great building, the little man's
workshop, until the sleigh had stopped before the main door of it.
But then he forgot everything else. The big shop was brightly
lighted in every story, and the steady hum of machinery filled the
evening air.
"We're working overtime now," explained the little man. "You see,
Christmas is near."
The humming grew louder and the lights seemed a great deal
brighter, as they entered the building. Peter was much excited.
When the inner doors were opened, and Peter stood in the great
roaring workshop itself, he could hardly believe his eyes. Before
him, in long rows, he saw a thousand pounding and buzzing machines,
all running at full speed. Ten thousand workbenches stood in
orderly rows beyond the machines. The unending room fairly swarmed
with busy workmen, like a hive over-flowing with bees. And such
workmen! Each wore a green coat and a red cap, decorated with a
white owl's feather. Each was no higher than Peter's knee. They
were fairies.
As he stood there, trying to understand it all, troop after troop
of the fairies passed him. They were pushing long, high baskets,
that stood on wheels. Down the long room they rolled these and
through a great double swinging door at the other end. These
baskets were filled to the top with playthings. Some held dolls,
some sleds, some drums. Others were full of various kinds of
musical instruments. Still others gave forth the pleasantest
smells. They contained cookies and ginger snaps and all sorts of
Christmas goodies.
[Illustration]
"Why, they are all Christmas things!" cried Peter in great
surprise, turning to the strange little old man at his side. But
the strange little old man was gone, and Peter stood alone in the
doorway of this wonderful Christmas workshop.
Before he could decide what to do, a group of little workmen called
him by name, as pleasantly as if they had known him all his life.
"Peter, come and help us with this basket!"
"I will," answered Peter.
He was glad to join in the work. Hanging coat and cap on a near-by
hook, he put his shoulder against one of the heavy baskets. Soon he
had it rolling merrily down the long aisle. Past machines that
sawed boards he pushed it, past planing wheels, past long rows of
benches where the workers were hammering or gluing or painting,
past wide ovens where the little bakers were busy over hundreds of
pans of frosted gingerbread--on and on, down the great room he
pushed it so fast that his wee comrades were almost left behind. As
he passed machines and benches and ovens, the workmen looked up
from their work an instant. They smiled at the newcomer.
"When you get through with that," shouted the workmen at the saws,
"come and help us with these boards."
"All right, I will," said Peter as he moved along with his basket.
"When you get through with the sawing," cried the planers, "come
and help us."
Peter smiled at them. "I will," he shouted back as loud as he
could, so as to be heard above the noise of the machinery.
"When you finish planing," the painters called to him next, "come
and help us."
"I will," Peter replied. "I like to paint, anyway."
Now he passed the bakers. They tossed him a cooky. "When you finish
painting," they said, "perhaps you will come and help us."
"That I gladly will," answered Peter in his pleasantest tone. It
was quieter here, and he did not need to shout.
At last he reached the double swinging door. Through this he had
seen basket after basket disappear before him. Here was the
storeroom. It was even larger than the workroom. The walls were
lined with shelves, on which were placed the Christmas things. This
was an interesting place, but Peter had no time to stay. He was
eager to help at the machine saws, at the planing machines, at the
workbenches, and in the bakeshop. So he hurried back to these. He
did first one thing, then another, as he was needed. He was used to
work and liked to help.
The fairies were careful workers and jolly comrades. Now and then
they sang as they worked. Then the machines themselves, like the
fingers and arms and legs of the workmen, seemed to move faster and
the work to be easier.
Suddenly a loud but very pleasant whistle sounded through the
mighty workshop. It was the signal for a recess. The machines
stopped. The fairies laid down their tools and brushes. All was
quiet for a time. Now another kind of fun began. The fairies
started various games. They formed rings and danced round and round
as they sang:
"Oh, who is so merry, so merry, heigh ho!
As the light-hearted fairy? heigh ho,
Heigh ho!"
They played at guessing riddles. These were about toys.
"You see," whispered a fairy who explained everything to Peter,
"when the snow comes, and Christmas is near, we leave our homes in
the woods and spend our winters making toys for all the good
children in the world. Sometimes we cannot make all the toys we
need, but we do not wish a single child anywhere to be without a
Christmas."
Peter soon learned that the fairies took pride in speaking
correctly. Those who sometimes made mistakes played special games
to help themselves get over bad speaking habits. At one place they
stood like soldiers in a row and pronounced words that were printed
on the board.
"Don't you sometimes wish for the woods and moonlight nights?"
asked Peter.
He could not hear the answer. At a signal the machinery had started
again. The fairies were hurrying back to their places. Peter took
his place with the rest. He worked steadily at one job and another.
The time flew by. Another whistle blew, and it was time to stop for
the day. Then the strange little old man appeared.
"It's time for you to go back home," he said. "Should you like to
be here always?"
"Oh, yes," answered Peter. "But I have pleasant work to do at home
too."
The strange little old man took a ring from his pocket and held it
up before the boy's eager face.
"You are the kind of boy I like," he said. "You are willing to help
and work. Take this ring home with you. I give it to you. It is a
magic ring. Wear it on Christmas Day. On that day wish any one
thing you please. The ring will get it for you."
While he was talking they had walked to the main door of the
building. Peter had put on his cap and coat. Now the door stood
open, and they said good-bye. Peter walked slowly down the steps,
staring at the magic ring on his finger. When he reached the last
step, he turned and looked back. In the doorway stood the strange
little old man, watching him. Peter thought he looked different.
Yes, he seemed taller and stouter than before. He seemed jollier.
Peter glanced at the red cap, red coat, and leather leggings he
wore. He noticed the laughing face, the twinkling eyes, rosy
cheeks, and white beard.
[Illustration]
"Can this be Santa Claus?" he thought.
Instantly the great workshop disappeared. Peter found himself, as
before, not far from his father's house. His parents and brother
caught sight of him as he came out of the forest, and they ran out
to meet him. They listened in astonishment to what he told them he
had seen. They could not admire enough the magic ring on his
finger.
=Oral Exercise.=[34] 1. What interested you most as you read the story
about Peter? What kind of picture should you make with colored crayons
for the part of the story you liked best? Draw the picture after you
have told your classmates about it.
2. Do you remember what kind of boy Peter's brother, Joseph, was? What
do you think he would have done if he, instead of Peter, had been in
that workshop? What might have happened to him?
3. Play the part of the story about Peter that tells of Peter and the
fairies as they worked together in the great toyshop. Who shall be
Peter? Who shall be the fairies at the saws? Who shall be the bakers?
Who shall be the painters? What toys and things will you make?
4. Play the same part of the story but as it would have happened if
Joseph had been there instead of Peter.
5. Make believe that, as you awoke one Saturday morning, you found a
letter on your pillow. When you read it, you learned that it was from a
fairy. This fairy invited you to meet him at the old tree near the
school-house. When you met him there, you and he went off into the
woods. Tell your classmates what happened. It may be that your story
will be somewhat like that of Peter. Still, you may have seen and heard
and done things that were very different.
=25. Making Riddles=
You remember that during the recess in Santa Claus's workshop some of
the fairies made riddles. Peter said that these were about toys. Here
are two they might have made:
It has two arms, two legs, and a head, like a human being, but it
cannot walk or work or talk. What is it?
I spend most of my life in a little wooden box. I press against its
cover day and night. I want to get out. Oh, how I leap when some
one opens the box! Oh, how frightened little girls and boys look
when they first see me! What am I?
=Oral Exercise.= 1. Of course you have guessed the first of these two
riddles. But can you guess the second one?
2. Make riddles for your classmates to guess, about toys and other
things that are suitable for Christmas presents.
=26. Making Riddles Better=
A schoolgirl once made this riddle:
It makes beautiful colors. Children like it. What is it?
The answer is, a box of crayons.
=Oral Exercise.= Do you think this riddle can be made better? Is
anything important left out? Is it bright enough? Try to make a better
riddle about the box of crayons.
A schoolmate changed the riddle of the box of crayons. He thought this
was better:
We are twelve little men in a little tight box. Each one of us
writes his name in a different color. What are we?
=Oral Exercise.= Which of the two riddles do you like better? Can you
tell why? Does the first riddle say anything about the box? Does it tell
that anything is in a box?
Three other schoolmates made up other riddles about the box of crayons.
Here they are:
We are a band of fairies living in our cozy little home. Each of us
wears in his cap a feather of a different color. What are we?