DECEMBER

Story, to be told to the children, and retold by them:

THE WOODPECKER

An old lady lived on a hill.She was very small, and she always wore a black dress and a large white apron with big bows behind.On her head she wore the queerest little red bonnet that you ever saw.The little old lady grew very selfish as the years went by. People said this was because she thought of no one but herself.One morning as she was baking cakes, a tired, hungry old man came up to her door.“My good woman,” said he, “will you give me one of your cakes? I am very hungry. I have no money, but whatever you first wish for you shall have.”The old lady looked at her cakes and thought that they were too large to give away. So she broke off a small bit of dough and put it into the oven to bake.When it was done she thought that this one was too nice and brown for a beggar. So she baked a smallercake, and then a still smaller one, but each came out of the oven as nice and as brown as the first.At last she took a piece of dough as small as the head of a pin. Even this, when it was baked, was as large and as fine as the others. So the old lady put all the cakes on the shelf and offered the old man a crust of dry bread.The old man only looked at her, and before the old lady could wink, he was gone.The old lady thought a great deal about what she had done. She knew it was very wrong.“I wish I were a bird,” she said; “I would fly to him with the largest cake I have.”As she spoke, she felt herself growing smaller and smaller. Suddenly the wind picked her up and carried her up the chimney.When she came out she still had on her red bonnet and black dress. You could see her white apron with the big bows. But she was a bird, just as she had wished to be.She was a wise bird, and at once she began to pick her food out of the hard wood of a tree. As people saw her at work, they called her the red-headed woodpecker.

An old lady lived on a hill.

She was very small, and she always wore a black dress and a large white apron with big bows behind.

On her head she wore the queerest little red bonnet that you ever saw.

The little old lady grew very selfish as the years went by. People said this was because she thought of no one but herself.

One morning as she was baking cakes, a tired, hungry old man came up to her door.

“My good woman,” said he, “will you give me one of your cakes? I am very hungry. I have no money, but whatever you first wish for you shall have.”

The old lady looked at her cakes and thought that they were too large to give away. So she broke off a small bit of dough and put it into the oven to bake.

When it was done she thought that this one was too nice and brown for a beggar. So she baked a smallercake, and then a still smaller one, but each came out of the oven as nice and as brown as the first.

At last she took a piece of dough as small as the head of a pin. Even this, when it was baked, was as large and as fine as the others. So the old lady put all the cakes on the shelf and offered the old man a crust of dry bread.

The old man only looked at her, and before the old lady could wink, he was gone.

The old lady thought a great deal about what she had done. She knew it was very wrong.

“I wish I were a bird,” she said; “I would fly to him with the largest cake I have.”

As she spoke, she felt herself growing smaller and smaller. Suddenly the wind picked her up and carried her up the chimney.

When she came out she still had on her red bonnet and black dress. You could see her white apron with the big bows. But she was a bird, just as she had wished to be.

She was a wise bird, and at once she began to pick her food out of the hard wood of a tree. As people saw her at work, they called her the red-headed woodpecker.

Have the children tell the story of the red-headed woodpecker.

Have the children play the story of the woodpecker as a game.

Write the wordwoodpecker.

Write:The Woodpecker has a red head.

Have the children write the words omitted:

Old —— HubbardWent to the —— boardTo get her poor —— a bone.But when she got ——,The —— board was bare,And so the poor —— had none.

Old —— Hubbard

Went to the —— board

To get her poor —— a bone.

But when she got ——,

The —— board was bare,

And so the poor —— had none.

Have the children give orally all the words they can think of that rhyme withdog. Write these in a list on the blackboard, and use them for drills in phonics.

Have the date and the wordDecemberwritten by the children.

To be committed to memory:

WHAT MAKES CHRISTMASLittle wishes on white wings,Little gifts—such tiny things—Just one little heart that sings,Make a Merry Christmas.—Dorothy Howe

WHAT MAKES CHRISTMAS

Little wishes on white wings,Little gifts—such tiny things—Just one little heart that sings,Make a Merry Christmas.—Dorothy Howe

Little wishes on white wings,

Little gifts—such tiny things—

Just one little heart that sings,

Make a Merry Christmas.

—Dorothy Howe

Have the children write:Merry Christmas.

To be recited by the teacher and acted out by the children, as a game:

WHEN SANTA CLAUS COMESMerrily, merrily, merrily, O,The reindeer prances across the snow;We hear their tinkling silver bells,Whose merry music softly tellsOld Santa Claus is coming.Merrily, merrily, merrily, O,The evergreens in the woodland grow;They rustle gently in the breeze;O, don’t you think the Christmas treesKnow Santa Claus is coming?Merrily, merrily, merrily, O,We’ve hung our stockings in a row;Into our beds we softly creep,Just shut our eyes and go to sleep—And wait—for Santa Claus is coming.—Selected

WHEN SANTA CLAUS COMES

Merrily, merrily, merrily, O,The reindeer prances across the snow;We hear their tinkling silver bells,Whose merry music softly tellsOld Santa Claus is coming.

Merrily, merrily, merrily, O,

The reindeer prances across the snow;

We hear their tinkling silver bells,

Whose merry music softly tells

Old Santa Claus is coming.

Merrily, merrily, merrily, O,The evergreens in the woodland grow;They rustle gently in the breeze;O, don’t you think the Christmas treesKnow Santa Claus is coming?

Merrily, merrily, merrily, O,

The evergreens in the woodland grow;

They rustle gently in the breeze;

O, don’t you think the Christmas trees

Know Santa Claus is coming?

Merrily, merrily, merrily, O,We’ve hung our stockings in a row;Into our beds we softly creep,Just shut our eyes and go to sleep—And wait—for Santa Claus is coming.—Selected

Merrily, merrily, merrily, O,

We’ve hung our stockings in a row;

Into our beds we softly creep,

Just shut our eyes and go to sleep—

And wait—for Santa Claus is coming.

—Selected

Story for oral reproduction:

BABY BUNTING’S FIRST CHRISTMAS

Baby Bunting was ten months old before she had a Christmas. When the first Christmas came, she didn’t know what it meant. When she saw the tree all covered with candles and apples and little baskets of candy, she smiled, and then laughed, and then crowed out loud. She shook her fat hands at the pretty sight, while Father and Mother and Sister Nora danced around her baby carriage.Then they began to take the presents off the tree. There was a fine clock for Mother and a pair of slippers for Father. Sister Nora had a beautiful doll.Baby Bunting herself had a warm little muff, some dainty socks, a pair of baby shoes, some picture books, and so many presents besides that it would take too long to tell about them all.Sister Nora was happy with her big wax doll. She named her Sally Bunting, and brought her to the carriage to make a call on her sister Baby Bunting.Baby was so pleased at this, that she almost talked. It seemed to Nora as if she really did talk to Sally. Perhaps Sally, the baby doll, could hear this talk better than anyone else.I am sure Baby Bunting was saying that this was the best Christmas she had seen in ten months.—Adapted

Then they began to take the presents off the tree. There was a fine clock for Mother and a pair of slippers for Father. Sister Nora had a beautiful doll.

Baby Bunting herself had a warm little muff, some dainty socks, a pair of baby shoes, some picture books, and so many presents besides that it would take too long to tell about them all.

Sister Nora was happy with her big wax doll. She named her Sally Bunting, and brought her to the carriage to make a call on her sister Baby Bunting.

Baby was so pleased at this, that she almost talked. It seemed to Nora as if she really did talk to Sally. Perhaps Sally, the baby doll, could hear this talk better than anyone else.

I am sure Baby Bunting was saying that this was the best Christmas she had seen in ten months.

—Adapted

Have the children tell the story of “Baby Bunting’s First Christmas.”

To be committed to memory:

CHRISTMAS SECRETSSecrets big and secrets small,On the eve of Christmas.Such keen ears has every wall,That we whisper, one and all,On the eve of Christmas.Secrets upstairs, secrets down,On the eve of Christmas.Papa brings them from the town,Wrapped in papers, stiff and brown,On the eve of Christmas.But the secret best of all,On the eve of Christmas,Steals right down the chimney tall,Fills our stockings one and all,On the eve of Christmas.—Alice E. Allen

CHRISTMAS SECRETS

Secrets big and secrets small,On the eve of Christmas.Such keen ears has every wall,That we whisper, one and all,On the eve of Christmas.

Secrets big and secrets small,

On the eve of Christmas.

Such keen ears has every wall,

That we whisper, one and all,

On the eve of Christmas.

Secrets upstairs, secrets down,On the eve of Christmas.Papa brings them from the town,Wrapped in papers, stiff and brown,On the eve of Christmas.

Secrets upstairs, secrets down,

On the eve of Christmas.

Papa brings them from the town,

Wrapped in papers, stiff and brown,

On the eve of Christmas.

But the secret best of all,On the eve of Christmas,Steals right down the chimney tall,Fills our stockings one and all,On the eve of Christmas.—Alice E. Allen

But the secret best of all,

On the eve of Christmas,

Steals right down the chimney tall,

Fills our stockings one and all,

On the eve of Christmas.

—Alice E. Allen

Help the children to learn “Christmas Secrets.”

Let the children play, as a game, “Christmas Secrets.”

Continue learning the poem. Have the children write:Secrets big and secrets small.

Have each child name something that he would like or that he had for Christmas. Write these in a list on the blackboard, the simplest of them to be read afterwards by the little folks.

Talk about what the children did on Christmas Day.

Talk with the children about winter; the close of the old year, and the coming of the new year.

For dictation:

Sing soft! sing low!The time of the snowIs December.

Sing soft! sing low!

The time of the snow

Is December.

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?

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.

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.

To be committed to memory:

A CHRISTMAS VISITWhen 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 cherryWhile he’s looking round for you.If he hears a child awaking,Quickly then he slips from sight,But if all a nap are takingThen 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, peepingInto 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 surlyThat he’d pass your house, I fear.—Mabel L. Gray

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.

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 cherryWhile he’s looking round for you.If he hears a child awaking,Quickly then he slips from sight,But if all a nap are takingThen he works away till light.

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, peepingInto rooms, and up the stair,In the morning they found weeping,For no Santa had been there.

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 surlyThat he’d pass your house, I fear.—Mabel L. Gray

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.

Have the children copy the second two stanzas of “A Christmas Visit.”

Pupils learn first stanza of “A Christmas Visit.”

Pupils learn second stanza of the poem.

Pupils learn third stanza of the poem.

Pupils learn fourth stanza of the poem.

Have the pupils recite the entire poem in concert.

Pupils write a list of the naming words (nouns) in “A Christmas Visit.”

For dictation:

All that’s great and good is done done—Just by trying.

All that’s great and good is done done—

Just by trying.

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 ofthe 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

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 ofthe 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

Have the children tell, in their own words, the story of “The Sunbeams.”

Children write five sentences, telling what the sunbeams did.

Talk with the little folks about Christmas, its meaning, and the beauty of giving.

Have each child write three things he would like for Christmas.

Pupils tell what they did on Christmas Day.

Talk about the year’s holidays. How many are there? What are they?

Children write a letter to a cousin, telling what they did on Christmas Day.

To be committed to memory:

THE WIND AND THE MOONSaid the Wind to the Moon, “I will blow you out.You stareIn the airLike a ghost in a chair,Always looking what I am about;I hate to be watched; I will blow you out.”The Wind blew hard, and out went the Moon,So deep,On a heapOf clouds, to sleep,Down lay the Wind, and slumbered soon—Muttering low, “I’ve done for that Moon.”He turned in his bed; she was there again!On high,In the sky,With her one ghost eye,The Moon shone white and alive and plain,Said the Wind—”I will blow you out again.”The Wind blew hard, and the Moon grew dim,With my sledgeAnd my wedgeI have knocked off her edge!If only I blow right fierce and grim,The creature will soon be dimmer than dim.He blew and blew, and she thinned to a thread,One puffMore’s enoughTo blow her to snuff!One good puff more where the last was bred,And glimmer, glimmer, glum will go the thread!He blew a great blast and the thread was gone;In the airNowhereWas a moonbeam bare;Far off and harmless the shy stars shone;Sure and certain the Moon was gone!The Wind he took to his revels once more;On down,In town,Like a merry mad clown,He leaped and hallooed with whistle and war.What’s that? The glimmering thread once more!But the Moon she knew nothing about the affair,For, highIn the sky,With her one white eye,Motionless, miles above the air,She had never heard the great Wind blare.—George Macdonald

THE WIND AND THE MOON

Said the Wind to the Moon, “I will blow you out.You stareIn the airLike a ghost in a chair,Always looking what I am about;I hate to be watched; I will blow you out.”

Said the Wind to the Moon, “I will blow you out.

You stare

In the air

Like a ghost in a chair,

Always looking what I am about;

I hate to be watched; I will blow you out.”

The Wind blew hard, and out went the Moon,So deep,On a heapOf clouds, to sleep,Down lay the Wind, and slumbered soon—Muttering low, “I’ve done for that Moon.”

The Wind blew hard, and out went the Moon,

So deep,

On a heap

Of clouds, to sleep,

Down lay the Wind, and slumbered soon—

Muttering low, “I’ve done for that Moon.”

He turned in his bed; she was there again!On high,In the sky,With her one ghost eye,The Moon shone white and alive and plain,Said the Wind—”I will blow you out again.”

He turned in his bed; she was there again!

On high,

In the sky,

With her one ghost eye,

The Moon shone white and alive and plain,

Said the Wind—”I will blow you out again.”

The Wind blew hard, and the Moon grew dim,With my sledgeAnd my wedgeI have knocked off her edge!If only I blow right fierce and grim,The creature will soon be dimmer than dim.

The Wind blew hard, and the Moon grew dim,

With my sledge

And my wedge

I have knocked off her edge!

If only I blow right fierce and grim,

The creature will soon be dimmer than dim.

He blew and blew, and she thinned to a thread,One puffMore’s enoughTo blow her to snuff!One good puff more where the last was bred,And glimmer, glimmer, glum will go the thread!

He blew and blew, and she thinned to a thread,

One puff

More’s enough

To blow her to snuff!

One good puff more where the last was bred,

And glimmer, glimmer, glum will go the thread!

He blew a great blast and the thread was gone;In the airNowhereWas a moonbeam bare;Far off and harmless the shy stars shone;Sure and certain the Moon was gone!

He blew a great blast and the thread was gone;

In the air

Nowhere

Was a moonbeam bare;

Far off and harmless the shy stars shone;

Sure and certain the Moon was gone!

The Wind he took to his revels once more;On down,In town,Like a merry mad clown,He leaped and hallooed with whistle and war.What’s that? The glimmering thread once more!

The Wind he took to his revels once more;

On down,

In town,

Like a merry mad clown,

He leaped and hallooed with whistle and war.

What’s that? The glimmering thread once more!

But the Moon she knew nothing about the affair,For, highIn the sky,With her one white eye,Motionless, miles above the air,She had never heard the great Wind blare.—George Macdonald

But the Moon she knew nothing about the affair,

For, high

In the sky,

With her one white eye,

Motionless, miles above the air,

She had never heard the great Wind blare.

—George Macdonald

Have the first half of the poem copied.

Have the rest of the poem copied.

Have the children commit to memory the first two stanzas of the poem.

Children commit to memory the second two stanzas of the poem.

Children learn the fifth and sixth stanzas of the poem.

Children learn the seventh and eighth stanzas of “The Wind and the Moon.”

Children learn the rest of the poem.

Children recite the entire poem.

Children recite the poem. Write a list of the nouns in the poem.

Write a list of the doing words (verbs) in the poem.

For dictation:

Little fairy snowflakes,Dancing in the flue;Old Mr. Santa Claus,What is keeping you?

Little fairy snowflakes,

Dancing in the flue;

Old Mr. Santa Claus,

What is keeping you?

Write a list of as many words rhyming withtime, as you can think of.

Conversation about Christmas.

Write five sentences about Christmas.

Children write a list of Christmas presents suitable for a boy, a list of presents suitable for a girl.

Story for reproduction:

A CLOUD STORY

A long time ago, there lived a wonderful king. Each day this king came in his golden chariot, bringing light, heat, and happiness to all the people.Each day he passed from his palace in the east to his throne in the west. He never missed a day, for he wanted to make sure that everyone had a share of his gifts.For everybody, he had the birds sing and the flowers bloom. For everybody, he showed beautiful pictures, which changed every hour.The king had many beautiful daughters. They were often called swan maidens, because they rode upon beautiful white swans.When the swan maidens were with their father they wore soft white or gray dresses.Sometimes the king saw that the grass was brown, or the buds were not coming out. Then he said, “Swan maidens, who will go and work to-day?”Almost before he was through speaking, many of them had rushed away. Sometimes more of them came than could work upon the grass and buds.Then some of them ran off to play. But the best of them went down to feed the roots and the worms. They worked out of sight.But they always went back to their father, the king.Now it is very hard work to catch a swan maiden on her way back home.A boy is sure he saw one of them on a ring in the tea-kettle steam. How many of them get away is a secret.When the king saw the flowers shiver in the fall, he called the bravest swan maidens to him. He told them that they must go away for a long time.Then each swan maiden put on a beautiful white dress, and came softly down, down to earth, with a warm blanket.These blankets they spread over the flowers and seeds. Every little flower went to sleep under the blanket.At last the king smiled, and their work was done. They slipped away home so softly that nobody missed them, but the boys and girls who loved the snow.—Adapted

A long time ago, there lived a wonderful king. Each day this king came in his golden chariot, bringing light, heat, and happiness to all the people.

Each day he passed from his palace in the east to his throne in the west. He never missed a day, for he wanted to make sure that everyone had a share of his gifts.

For everybody, he had the birds sing and the flowers bloom. For everybody, he showed beautiful pictures, which changed every hour.

The king had many beautiful daughters. They were often called swan maidens, because they rode upon beautiful white swans.

When the swan maidens were with their father they wore soft white or gray dresses.

Sometimes the king saw that the grass was brown, or the buds were not coming out. Then he said, “Swan maidens, who will go and work to-day?”

Almost before he was through speaking, many of them had rushed away. Sometimes more of them came than could work upon the grass and buds.

Then some of them ran off to play. But the best of them went down to feed the roots and the worms. They worked out of sight.

But they always went back to their father, the king.

Now it is very hard work to catch a swan maiden on her way back home.

A boy is sure he saw one of them on a ring in the tea-kettle steam. How many of them get away is a secret.

When the king saw the flowers shiver in the fall, he called the bravest swan maidens to him. He told them that they must go away for a long time.

Then each swan maiden put on a beautiful white dress, and came softly down, down to earth, with a warm blanket.

These blankets they spread over the flowers and seeds. Every little flower went to sleep under the blanket.

At last the king smiled, and their work was done. They slipped away home so softly that nobody missed them, but the boys and girls who loved the snow.

—Adapted

Children tell “A Cloud Story” in their own words.

Children write the cloud story.

Children write five sentences about snow.

Children write what they did on Christmas Day.

To be committed to memory:

SWEET AND LOWSweet and low, sweet and low,Wind of the western sea,Low, low, breathe and blow,Wind of the western sea!Over the rolling waters go;Come from the dying moon and blow,Blow him again to me;While my little one, while my pretty one, sleeps.Sleep and rest, sleep and rest,Father will come to thee soon.Rest, rest on mother’s breast,Father will come to thee soon.Father will come to his babe in the nest;Silver sails all out of the west,Under the silver moon;Sleep, my little one, sleep, my pretty one, sleep!—Alfred Tennyson

SWEET AND LOW

Sweet and low, sweet and low,Wind of the western sea,Low, low, breathe and blow,Wind of the western sea!Over the rolling waters go;Come from the dying moon and blow,Blow him again to me;While my little one, while my pretty one, sleeps.

Sweet and low, sweet and low,

Wind of the western sea,

Low, low, breathe and blow,

Wind of the western sea!

Over the rolling waters go;

Come from the dying moon and blow,

Blow him again to me;

While my little one, while my pretty one, sleeps.

Sleep and rest, sleep and rest,Father will come to thee soon.Rest, rest on mother’s breast,Father will come to thee soon.Father will come to his babe in the nest;Silver sails all out of the west,Under the silver moon;Sleep, my little one, sleep, my pretty one, sleep!—Alfred Tennyson

Sleep and rest, sleep and rest,

Father will come to thee soon.

Rest, rest on mother’s breast,

Father will come to thee soon.

Father will come to his babe in the nest;

Silver sails all out of the west,

Under the silver moon;

Sleep, my little one, sleep, my pretty one, sleep!

—Alfred Tennyson

Have the poem copied.

Pupils learn first stanza of the poem.

Pupils learn the entire poem.

Write about the life of Alfred Tennyson.

Write in complete sentences answers to the following questions:

How is the sea to blow?Where is the wind to go?Where is the wind to come from?What is the blowing of the wind to do?What is the baby to do?When will father come?Where is the baby to rest?Where will father come?How will father come?

How is the sea to blow?

Where is the wind to go?

Where is the wind to come from?

What is the blowing of the wind to do?

What is the baby to do?

When will father come?

Where is the baby to rest?

Where will father come?

How will father come?

Write a letter, addressed to Santa Claus, telling what you would like for Christmas.

Write a telegram of ten words, saying that you will go to some special place for Christmas.

Write the abbreviations for the days of the week and the months of the year.

Have the children dramatize, in their own way:

Old King ColeWas a merry old soul,And a merry old soul was he.He called for his pipe,He called for his bowl,And he called for his fiddlers three.

Old King Cole

Was a merry old soul,

And a merry old soul was he.

He called for his pipe,

He called for his bowl,

And he called for his fiddlers three.

For dictation:

Beautiful hands are those that doWork that is earnest and brave and true,Moment by moment, the long day through.

Beautiful hands are those that do

Work that is earnest and brave and true,

Moment by moment, the long day through.

Talk about the signs of winter.

Pupils write about signs of winter.

Write a rhyme of two lines, containing the wordsnow.

Talk about winter sports.

Write about winter sports.

For dictation:

He prayeth best, who loveth best,All things both great and small;For the dear God who loveth us,He made and loveth all.

He prayeth best, who loveth best,

All things both great and small;

For the dear God who loveth us,

He made and loveth all.

Every child find a short quotation for some other pupil to read in class.

Write letters, telling why you like Christmas.

Write a composition on snow.

Have a spelling match.

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