FEBRUARY
FIRST YEAR
FIRST WEEK
Monday
Talk about the new month. What is this month? What was last month? What month follows February? What season is this? What are the three months of the winter season? What season follows winter? What are the three months of the spring season? What season follows spring? What season follows summer?
Tuesday
To be taught to the children:
Red, white, and blue is our country’s flag,
Flag of the brave and free;
Red, white and blue, where’er you go,
Is the flag for you and me.—Selected
Wednesday
Talk about the flag. How many colors has our flag? What are they? How many red stripes are there? How many white stripes? Where is the blue of the flag? What is there on the blue? Count the stars. How many stars are there?
Thursday
Tell the story of Betsy Ross, and the making of the first United States flag.
Friday
Have the children repeat to you the story of Betsy Ross and the flag. Have the flag salute given. In case the children are not familiar with it, here is the salute usually given:
“We give our heads, our hearts, and our hands to our country.
One country, one language, one flag.”
During the salute, the flag should be held, unfurled, by some one facing the class. The children point with the right hands to their heads and their hearts. At the words, “our hands,” both hands should be extended. At the words “one flag,” the right hand only is extended.
SECOND WEEK
Monday
Tell stories of the boyhood of Abraham Lincoln.
Tuesday
Talk about Lincoln’s boyhood, allowing the children to tell you the stories which they heard the day before.
Wednesday
Talk about St. Valentine’s Day. What do we give on that day? To whom do we give valentines? (To those we love.)
Thursday
Tell the story of good St. Valentine.
Friday
Have the children repeat to you the story of St. Valentine.
THIRD WEEK
Monday
Tell the story of Washington and the hatchet. Remember that, old and stale as the story may be to you, it is new once to every child.
Tuesday
Play, as a game, Washington and his hatchet.
Wednesday
Tell the story of Washington as a general; how he led the armies that fought to make our country free. Tell about his birthday, February 22, and how we celebrate it, in memory of what he did for us.
Thursday
Write: George Washington, the father of his country.
Friday
Write: We live in the United States.
FOURTH WEEK
Monday
To be taught to the children:
Rainy days and sunny days,
What difference makes the weather,
When little hearts are full of love,
And all are glad together.—Selected
Tuesday
Tell the children the story of “The Three Bears.”
Wednesday
Have the children tell you the story of “The Three Bears.”
Thursday and Friday
Play the story of “The Three Bears,” as a game.
SECOND YEAR
FIRST WEEK
Monday
To be committed to memory:
THE SHORTEST MONTH
Will the winter never be over,
Will the dark days never go?
Must the buttercup and the clover
Be always under the snow?
Ah, lend me your little ear, love,
Hark! ’tis a beautiful thing;
The dreariest month of the year, love,
Is shortest and nearest to spring.
—A. D. T. Whitney
Have the poem copied.
Tuesday
Teach the poem to the children.
Wednesday
Supply words to fill the blank spaces in the following:
The Queen of ——,
She made some ——.
All on a summer’s ——.
The —— of hearts,
He stole those ——,
And quickly —— away.
Thursday
Story for reproduction:
LINCOLN’S FIRST DOLLAR
When Abraham Lincoln was a boy he went down the river in a boat to carry a load of truck to market. He stood by the river bank, after he had sold his bacon and vegetables. A steamboat was coming down the river.
Two men who wished to go on board the steamer asked Abraham to row them out. He did so, and as they climbed on board they left in his hand two half dollars.
It was the first money he had ever earned, and Abraham was a very proud, happy boy.
Friday
Children tell the story of Abraham Lincoln’s first money.
SECOND WEEK
Monday
Teach the following poem to the children:
NED’S CHOICE
She has not rosy cheeks,
Nor eyes that brightly shine,
Nor golden curls, nor teeth like pearls,
This Valentine of thine;
But, oh! she’s just the dearest,
The truest and the best,
And one more kind you will not find
In many a long day’s quest.
Her cheeks are faded now,
Her dear old eyes are dim;
Her hair’s like snow, her steps are slow,
Her figure isn’t trim;
But, oh! and, oh! I love her,
This grandmamma of mine;
I wish that she for years may be
My own dear Valentine.—Selected
Tuesday
Write three sentences about your grandmother if you have one; if not, about your mother.
Wednesday
Valentine verses, for the children to copy:
I wish I were the tiny cup,
From which you take your tea;
For every time you took a sip,
You’d give a kiss to me.
If you love me as I love you,
No knife can cut our love in two.
The rose is red,
The violet’s blue;
Pinks are pretty,
And so are you.
Wednesday
Write a letter, that might be sent to your mother as a valentine.
Thursday
For dictation:
’Twas a tortoise,
All yellow and black;
He walked away,
And never came back.—Selected
Friday
Play “The Queen of Hearts” as a game.
THIRD WEEK
Monday
Write a list of words that rhyme with queen.
Tuesday
Tell the children the story of Washington and his colt.
Wednesday
Write five sentences about Washington.
Thursday
Tell the story of Washington crossing the Delaware.
Friday
Play, as a game, Washington and his colt, and also Washington crossing the Delaware.
FOURTH WEEK
Monday
Write five sentences about playing in the snow.
Tuesday
Talk about what we eat. Who likes sweet things? Who likes pickles? Who likes meat? Who likes potatoes? Tell the children about foods that they need to eat to be well.
Wednesday
Write a list of things that we eat.
Thursday
Talk about clothing. Why we wear woolen clothing in cold weather; where the wool comes from; talk about sheep.
Friday
Write five sentences about clothing, and where the wool comes from.
THIRD YEAR
FIRST WEEK
Monday
To be committed to memory:
OUR FLAG
There are many flags in many lands,
There are flags of every hue,
But there is no flag in any land,
Like our own Red, White, and Blue.
I know where the prettiest colors are,
I’m sure if I only knew
How to get them here, I could make a flag,
Of glorious Red, White, and Blue.
I could cut a piece from the evening sky,
Where the stars were shining through,
And use it just as it was on high,
For my Stars and field of Blue.
Then I’d want a piece of fleecy cloud,
And some from a rainbow bright,
And I’d put them together, side by side,
For my Stripes of Red and White.
Then “Hurrah for the Flag!” our country’s flag,
Its stripes, and white stars, too;
There is no flag in any land,
Like our own Red, White and Blue.—Selected
Have the poem copied.
Tuesday
Learn the first two stanzas of the poem.
Wednesday
Learn the rest of the poem.
Thursday
Recite the entire poem.
Friday
Write a list of the nouns, and another of the verbs, in the poem.
SECOND WEEK
Monday
Write a four-line verse suitable for a valentine.
Tuesday
Write the story of St. Valentine.
Wednesday
Talk about Lincoln.
Thursday
Write what you know about Lincoln.
Friday
For dictation:
Twilight and firelight,
Shadows come and go;
Merry chimes of sleighbells
Tinkling through the snow;
Mother knitting stockings
(Pussy’s got the ball)—
Don’t you think that winter’s
Pleasanter than all?—Selected
THIRD WEEK
Monday
Write the story of Washington and the hatchet.
Tuesday
Write three sentences, telling why we should admire Washington.
Wednesday
Tell the story of Lafayette’s part in aiding our fight for freedom.
Thursday
Write what you know of Lafayette.
For dictation:
God make my life a little song,
That comforteth the sad;
That helpeth others to be strong,
And makes the singer glad.
—Selected
FOURTH WEEK
Monday
Story for reproduction:
THE ROBIN’S RED BREAST
Long ago, in the far north, where it is very cold, there was only one fire.
An old man and his little son took care of this fire and kept it burning day and night.
They knew that if the fire went out all the people would freeze and that the white bear would have the northland all to himself.
But one day the old man became very sick so that his son had everything to do.
For many days and nights he bravely took care of his father and kept the fire burning.
But at last he got so tired and sleepy that he could no longer work.
Now the white bear was always watching the fire.
He longed for the time when he would have the northland all to himself.
And when he saw how tired and sleepy the little boy was, he stayed close to the fire and laughed to himself.
One night the poor little boy could endure no longer and fell fast asleep.
Then the white bear ran as fast as he could and jumped upon the fire with his wet feet and rolled upon it.
At last he thought it was all out and went happily away to his cave.
But a gray robin was flying near and saw what the white bear was doing.
She waited until the bear went away.
Then she flew down and searched with her sharp little eyes until she found a tiny live spark.
This she fanned patiently for a long time with her wings.
Her little breast was scorched red, but she did not give up.
After awhile a fine red blaze sprang up again.
Then she flew away to every hut in the northland.
And everywhere that she touched the ground a fire began to burn.
So that soon instead of one little fire the whole northland was lighted up.
And now all that the white bear could do was to go farther back into his cave and growl.
For now, indeed, he knew that the northland was not all for him.
And this is the reason why the people in the north country love the robin. And they are never tired of telling their children how it got its red breast.
Tuesday
Write the story of the Robin’s Red Breast.
Wednesday
Play, as a game, the story of Robin.
Thursday
Write five sentences about birds.
Friday
For dictation:
Two hands and only one mouth have you,
And it is worth while repeating,
That two are for the work you will have to do;
The one is enough for eating.—Selected
FOURTH YEAR
FIRST WEEK
Monday
To be committed to memory:
“The Wreck of the Hesperus,” by Henry W. Longfellow.
Copy eleven stanzas of the poem.
Tuesday
Copy the rest of the poem.
Wednesday
Learn the first four stanzas of the poem.
Thursday
Learn the second four stanzas of the poem.
Friday
Learn the third four stanzas of the poem.
SECOND WEEK
Monday
Learn the fourth four stanzas of the poem.
Tuesday
Learn the fifth four stanzas of the poem.
Wednesday
Finish learning the poem, and recite it throughout.
Thursday
Recite the poem, and answer the following:
What is a “schooner”? (See dictionary.)
How does the sea in winter differ from a summer sea?
Who was the “skipper”?
Write a description of the captain’s daughter.
What is a “helm”?
What is meant by the “veering flaw?”
What did the changing positions of the wind indicate with regard to the weather?
Friday
Where was the “Spanish Main”?
What is a “port”?
What is a “hurricane”?
What does a golden ring around the moon indicate?
Did you ever see one?
What is a “whiff”?
What is a “gale”?
What is meant by the “brine”?
What is meant by “smote amain”?
How could a boat leap?
THIRD WEEK
Monday
What is a “blast”? How could it sting?
What is a “spar”?
What is a “mast”?
What is a “fog-bell”?
What is meant by a “rock-bound coast”?
What guns could be heard?
Why was the sea “angry”?
Where is Norman’s Woe? Why is it so called?
Tuesday
What is a “gust”?
Why was the surf called “trampling”?
What is the bow of a boat?
What is a “wreck”?
Why were the frozen seamen like icicles?
Wednesday
Why did the waves look “fleecy”?
What is “carded wool”?
Why were the rocks called “cruel”?
What is a “shroud”?
What is meant by “went by the board”?
What became of the ship?
What is a “reef”?
Thursday
Look up the life of the poet Longfellow and talk about him.
Friday
Write the story of Longfellow’s life.
FOURTH WEEK
Monday
Write the story of St. Valentine.
Tuesday
Write the story of Lincoln’s boyhood.
Wednesday
Write about what Washington did for our country.
Thursday
Talk about patriotism; what it means, and how we can best show our patriotism.
Friday
Write the story of the making of the first American flag.