LB 1528 .M25 Copy 1 THE Teachings Language in the PRIMARY GRADES Supplement to the Sonoma County Course of Study. Adopted June, 1904. Bulletin No. 7 San Francisco State Normal School BY EFFIE B. McFADDEN SUPERVISOR OF PRIMARY LANGUAGE TEACHING IN THE SAN FRANCISCO STATE NORMAL SCHOOL. COURIER PRESS PETALUMA, CAL. I The Teaching of Language m the Primary Grades. ^■^^$' ^Y7 3 The Teaching of Language in the Primary Grades Supplement to the Sonoma County Course of Study.. Adojpted June, 1904. By EFFIE B. IVlcFADDEN Supervisor of Primary Lan^^uajre Teachsng: in the San Francisco State Normal School. Two Copies Kct»)»tci DtC 10 19J4 Copyright, 1904, BY Eppiic Belle McFaddek. Introduction. The series of lessons in this Bulletin is th« out- come of an attempt to make certain gprammatical forms a matter of habit; that is, to so fix them that when the necesssity for their use arises, the child need not go over in his mind any previously learned defini- tion, nor think of any rule by which he could choose the correct form to be used. The general idea has been to get the attention on the form first, and grad- ually lead the child to the place where the subject matter only is in mindl The devices given are those used by the student teachers in the Training Department of the San Fran- cisco State Normal School. They are by no means original, having been taken from many sources and worked over by the teachers from whose reports they have been copied for this Bulletin. The method used has been to bring the proper setting before the child, either actually or in imagi- nation. The teacher gives the proper form to be used, and the child imitates her by using the form. The best results will come if the attention of the child is exclusively upon the form we wish to teach him, without too much paraphernalia to divide that atten- tion. To illustrate: The child is to be taught to use the form, "T saw," in telling about something he has seen before. The teacher produces the proper condi- tions by walking to the window, looking out at some object, then returning to her desk, and saying, "I sa^r a man." The child then imitates her. 4 Next, instead of actually reproducing the condi- tion, the teacher does so in imagination, which is one step in advance. "On my way to school this morning I saw a pretty flower. Tell me what you saw." The "times over," or spiral method, as it is usually called, was found to be very effective. The first time over consisted entirely of oral work, before the chil- dren had mastered their pens or crayon well enough to give their attention to what they were writing, rather than to the form of the letters. Writing the sentences was introduced the second time over, the children copying first, afterward doing it from dictation, and finally making up their own sentences. At the end of every series will be found a story for reproduction, first for oral work, then for written work. Nearly all the stories must be worked over if the reference only is given, as these stories were origin- ally written to be read, and not to be reproduced. The stories must be as simple as possible, with easy lan- guage construction. These stories are not told for their moral effect upon the children, nor for encouraging an especially dramatic or vivid reproduction, but solely for the pur- pose of using the required language forms. Hence the stories should be short and simple, but at the same time interesting. GRADING On account of the use of the spiral method, the work has not been graded. If no lesson on the form had been given in the class, the '"first time over" les- sons were given first in a shortened form, suitable to the grade. As a rule, the "second time over" lessons were given in the second grade. The lessons on capitals, on two, on those, and on questions were begun in the second grade. The lessons on their, on lie, sit, teach and on the first two forms in quotations were begun in the third grade. The lessons on lay, set, learn, on their, on pro- nouns, and the possessives were begun in the fourth grade. Quotations may be begun in the high second grade, one new form being added each half year. Questions were taken in all grades with all suit- able subjects. Double negatives were begun in the receiving class, and continued all the way through. It will be seen that no contrasting words are taken together. The idea is to form a reflex for one form, then for the other. If this is done, there will be no need for choice. Effie Belle McFadden. Saa Francisco State Normal School, June I, 1904. _ . A MARGINS The first time I had the children write on paper, I had them place their papers properly on their desks. Then I said to them, "Hold up the hand you do not write with." Close your little finger. Close the one next to it. Now you have two fingers standing. Put your hand downi on the paper so your longest finger will be on the edge of the paper. I showed them how by drawing on the board a picture of the paper and the hand on it, also by holding up a paper with my hand on it. Take your pens, write the first word right by your finger. Then they wrote the second line under the first. We also took our readers, and found that the printer did not print out to the edge of his paper, but left a space.. This work was repeated during every lesson, until all the children did it as a matter of coarse. Another device is to give each child a piece of cardboard just as wide as the margin should be. He puts this down on his paper with edges even, finding the place for the first Vv^ord. The secret of success is to have all the cliildren do it together, imitating the teacher first, then alone, the teacher simply reminding, and finally without di- rection. Constantly doing this only one Avay will bring results. Never allow the children to write even a spelling lesson without a margin. Second Time Over I had the children take out their readers and look at the first line in several stories. They found the first word twice as far from the edge of the leaf as the 7 'other words. I had them copy the first paragraph of several stories, indenting the first word. After this, I reminded them of this whenever they wrote a story or copied a paragraph, until all had formed the habit. SENTENCES Purpose and Method One of the first things to be mastered in written language is the proper beginning and ending of the sentence. In order to do this, the child must first know in some way what a sentence is, and then he must have a reflex for putting in the proper punctu- atiouv We can tell a sentence in two ways: First, by noting the inflection of the voice when we hear it read, ^and, second, by seeing the beginning and ending. *The first way can be taught the children before they read or write. The method pursued was directing the attention to the voice as sentences were read. The sentences must be very short and simple at first, the downward inflection of the voice pronounced, and the pause be- tween long. On account of the difficulty in getting stories made up entirely of simple sentences, the fol- lowing are added : I said to the children, "I am going to read you some sentences. You may tell me how many I read. I shall stop after each sentence. You may count them for me." Then I read^ making a long pause after each sentence: Saturday I went down town. I looked in a big window. There I saw a beautiful doll. "How many sentences did I read? Now listen again," 8 1 went into the store. I bought the doll. "Tell me how many sentences." I gave the doll to my cousin. She named the doIF Grace. She was very happy. "How many sentences?" I read the same thing again, pausing after four sentences to ask, "How many?" I used in the same way : I had a very large dog. His name was Carlo. . He had pretty, black hair. He sat up and begged for a cracker. He liked to go into the woods to catch birds. I threw a stick. He ran after it. He brought it back to me. Here are two children. Their names are Jack and May. They are wading in the water. Mamma said they could have some fun. Going in wading is great fun. The water is very warm. On the bottom are sand and pebbles. Jack sees a clam on the bottom. May screams. She lifts her foot out of the water. A crab had caught her toe. Joe pulled it off. One day an ant fell into the water. He tried to swim out. He could not ,do it. A dove saw the ant. She picked off a leaf. She threw it to the ant. The ant crawled up on the leaf. She was carried to the shore. The next day a man was out hunting. He saw the dove. He aimed his gun to shoot it. Just then the ant saw the man. She bit his heel. The man was very angry. He turned around. The dove flew away. 2. For another device, I used a picture large enough for the whole class to see. Tell me how many sentences I make about this picture. In this picture I see .a little girl. She is standing by her mama. 9 "How many sentences? Novr listen again." The cat is lying by the fire. I think mama is tell- ing the little girl a story. The little girl looks happy. "How many sentences?" Then I called on the children to make me one sen- tence, two sentences, three sentences, etc. 3. For a third lesson, I provided each child with a picture, and called for a definite number, as two, three, etc., according to the ability of the children. By this time the children were able to recognize several sentences with only a slight pause between. The second step — recognizing a written sentence — was begun. 4. I went to the board, saying, "Now I shall write you a sentence on the board," and I wrote: See the little girl. "What kind of a letter at the beginning? How did I finish it? Now you may give me some sen- tences, and I will write them on the board." As each one was given, I asked, "How shall I be- gin it? How shall I finish it? Who will write the first word? Who will finish it?" After several easy sentences were given, I went back over the group, calling on different children to show me the first sentence. "Where does it begin? Where does it end? What kind of a letter at the be- ginning? How do we finish it?" After going through the sentences consecutively, I skipped about. After this they counted the number of sentences on certain pages in their readers. 5. For another device, I had the following ser>- tences written on the board : I saw a cup. The baby saw mama. May caught the ball. The boy went home. lO Fetrr came to school. I ate an apple. ''' ^ ^ T.ry the exercise, I sr.id, "Let us play this to-day. Now who will he the first word? \\ • ' . nd of a letter must the first word have?" The cliild suggested standing on the table lo be higher, so he did. The children then stood in a row, one child representing each word, and the period, at her own si':.':g';s;;on, sat on the floor. Then each child said his u'ord, and the next sentence was played. I al- lowed them to represent the big letter in any way they cliose. Then they pointed out the beginning and end- inr' cf each sentence. The children cr.lled for this ga/,K^ repeatedly. T closed the lessen by reading a stor}'- .'ro:!": their reader, allowing them to tell how many sent^rces. Second Time Cver The exercises under first time over rhould be re- peated from time to time. As soon as th j children are able to write at all readily, they are ready for the second time over. The purpose of this is to form a reflex for writing a sentence properly, v/ith the at- tention in some other place than on the beginning and ending. Success is obtained only through direct- ing ih.eir attention to it time after time. The c'.:ildren should know, first, how to make the capital lv;tters. To direct their attention to this, I wrote on the board this list of words : The, my, he, a, papa, baby, five. I had the children write the same vrord as they would if it v/ere the first word in a sentence. Then II we made up the folio wirig sentences. I wrote them on the board. The children told me how to finish the sentence : The boy went home. Papa is good to me. My name is May. Baby likes to play. He is a good boy. Five boys are in the yard. A pen is on tlie desk. I had these copied, reminding them of the :::r.r- gin and a period a', the close. After all had finished, I asked them to look at each sentence to see if it were finished. Following this, I had a dictation lesson. Th-se sentences should contain v-ords that the children Icnow thoroughly : My dog is black. "^"pa likes me. He eats meat. Baby is good. A pencil is round. Five nuts are in the cup. I had them take their readers and cop}^ the first four sentences in lesson 13, page 13, numbering the sentences. Copy lesson 16, -^a> exercise, and had them copied. I am not phyir,^- in school. You are not alv; lys in yoar seat. 28 He is not writing his lesson. We are not singing softly. They are not good friends now. She is not playing the piano, JMamma is not at home now. The boys are not playing in the yard, I am not listening now. The girls are not writing well. 3. I had the children answer, first, orally, then writ- ten, the following questions. The answers were all to begin with no: Are you going to the park to-day? Is she fond of candy? Is he always on time? Are they reading a ncv/ book? Are we to sing "America" to-day? Are you going home early to-night? Is he to be promoted next year? Are they to walk quickly by? Are you playing tag new? Are they in the fourth grade? .;. T dictated these sentences: He is not the boy I want. No, I am not going to the park. It is not right to fight. She is not well to-day. The men are not in the field. They are not ready to go. The old man is not my friend. The two boys are not hurt. I am not eight years old yet. Papa is not in the city to-day. 5. This may be followed by a series of lessons on questions. See topic questions. 29 CONTRACTIONS I said to the children. "We are to have a g-amc to-day. I shall say something, and you may say ex- actly the opposite. We will begin with the first row. I am singing. You may say, 'I am not singing/ and so on." I gave the following sentences to the first row: I am talking. I am walking. I am playing. I am whispering. I am trying. I am singing. I am looking. . To the second row I gave: "You are talking," etc. The children answered, "You are not talking." To the third row I gave: They are, then he is singing, then she is singing, the boy is singing. We did this very quickly, and kept track of the time it took. Then I told them that we would try to see if we couldn't do it in less time. Instead of saying, "I am not." you may say, "I'm not." I'll tell the second row what to say when it comes their turn. The children enjoyed this very much, and wanted to do it again. After going around the room with the contractions, I called for tv/o sentences from each row, wrote them on the board, and had them copied. I'm not talking. They aren't playing. I'm not reading. He isn't sitting still. You aren't laughing, He isn't running. You aren't walking. She isn't playing the piano. They are-n't singing. She isn't sewing. 2. These were given as a part of the spelling lesson. 3. I wrote on the board the contractions, and had them make up two sentences about each, writing them on paper. I'n^- They aren't. She isn't. You aren't. He isn't. 30 4. 1 wrote tfae following sentences on the board," having the children write the opposite or denial : I am playing in the garden. The boy is doing his work. The men are building a house. The lady is mending her glove. You are doing your work well. He is playing school with his sisters. My sister is singing in the church. The acorn is on the ground. The boy is on the street. The frogs are swimming in the pond. 5. I had the children answer these questions, he- ginning the sentence with no and a comma : Are you reading the second reader now? Am I going with you to-night? Is she eating her dinner? Is Jane studying her lesson? Are they studying arithmetic now? Are you picking flowers? Are you planting corn? Is he working in the store? Is she cooking the dinner? Are they wading in the water? Is the sun shining? 6. Write the short form, then use in a sentence: I am not. She is not. You are not. They are not. He is not. 7. [ dictated the following sentences: I'm not reading in the second reader. I'm not going with you to-night. She isn't eating her dinner. Jane isn't studying her lesson. Tluy arv'n't studying now, TiH'v aren't picking flowers. 31 They aren't planting corn. He isn't working^ in the store. They aren't wading in the water. IT IS I. 1. I sent two children from the room, telling one of them quietly to knock and then when I ask "Who is it?" to reply, "It is I." We would have one guess to tell which one it was. The one who guessed could go out and do the same thing. After the one who knocked came in, I said, "Who was it that knocked?" getting in reply, "It was I, or It was he." I had two knock at the same time, telling them to answer, "It was we," and having the others tell, "It was they." 2. I said to the children, I will close my eyes. Some of you may fold your arms, some put your hands on your heads, some fold your arms behind you, some wave your arms, then when I say "attention," all sit up, I will try to find out who did each thing. I asked, "Was it you who folded your arms?" the child reply- ing, "It was I or It wasn't I." Then I changed the form of the question, asking, "Was it John who folded his arms?" etc. ^^..- 3. I had a quick exercise, having each child in the row answ^er the question as he pleased. I had them answer orally, then in writing, beginning their answer with yes and a comma, then no and a comma. is it I? Is it they? Is it he? Is it we? Is it she? 4. Every day I had them repeat in concert, then individually, then write first from dictation, then from memory : 32 It is I. It was I. It is she. It vva^- sht\ It is you. It was you. It is we. It was we. It is he. It was he. It is they. It was they. 5. I dictated: It was I who knocked at the door. It was he who lost the marbles. It was they who came to see me. It was we who sang the song. It is I who will help you. It is they who are to blame. It was she who went away. Same question : It wasn't I who sang the song. was it you ? The children may reply, "It was I or it wasn't I," just as they wish. 4. I asked these questions, telling them to answer with It is or was I. he, she, they. Who is eight years old ? Who went to town yesterday? Who wrote well this morning? Who sat in my chair this morning? Who read the best to-day? Who were perfect in spelling? Who sang America ? Who sang Robin Red Breast? Who played in the yard at recess? Who worked hard to-dav? etc. Second Time Over 1. I reviewed all the exercises under first time over, having them write all the sentences as they were oiveu in each exercise. 2. I had these sentences completed and read aloud : -3^ It was I who. It is I who. It was he who. It is he who. It was she who. It is she who. It was they who. It is they who. I told this storv and had it reproduced, and read aloud by several children. One day, Mary was playing house with her little friend Birdie. Suddenly, they heard somebody knock- ing- at the door. "Who is there," they cried. "It is I," said a voice. "I wonder who it is?" said Birdie. "It might be your brother." "O. it isn't he, he went out a long time ago," said Mary. When they opened the door they couldn't see anybody. So they began to play again, when again they heard somebody knocking at the door. Mary said, "Who is there?" "Lt is we," cried some voices, but when they opened the door they couldn't see anybody this time. Finally Mary said, "ph ! I know who it is, it is my cousins." Birdie said, "Do you think it is they?" "Yes, let us stand here and catch them." So when they knocked again Birdie open- ed the door quickly, and caught the boys. Mary said, "Did you knock at this door before?" The boys said, "It wasn't we, it was Ella, but Birdie said, "It wasn't she." Finally the boys said that they were only fool- ing, and that it was they who knocked at the door. THERE IS. WAS. Purpose and Method This seems to be one cvf the hardest reflexes to get. Perhaps » ore adults make this mistake than any other. The attention should be directed to the word "one" at first, and that word should occur in each sentence. The 34 teacher's tone of voice will help more in directing at- tention than what she says. Gradually the "one" may be changed to "a." Be certain that the children say "there" and not "they." 1. I said to the class, as I looked around, "There is one stove in this room. There is one desk for the teacher in this room. There is one chair by the desk. Now tell me something else that there is but one of." 2. I said to the first row, "You may come to my desk and tell the class one thing there is on my desk. The second row may pass to the table and tell me one thing there is on the table. Tell me one thing there is in your desk. Tell me one thing there is in your kitchen, in your parlor, in a church." 3. I had a number of large pictures and had the chil- dren pick out the things that occurred but once, saying "There is one girl in the picture," etc. 4. I called up one child to me. She came to my desk, picked up some one article and held it up before the class. The children took turns (the child teacher is usually too slow if allowed to call out the children) in telling what there is in the child's hand. They en- joy this very much. 5. I said to the children, "Tell me what you think there is in my satchel. There is only one of each thing. Tell me what you think there is in my hand." Then I had a child take something while the others guessed. 6. We played store. I decided what I would keep. I kept only one of each thing. What do you think there is in my store? Then a child was store- keeper, and the game went on. 35 THERE WAS. Method and Purpose This can be a memory exercise. The attention is to be directed toward the one object that has been re- moved. The same method, that is the teacher making the proper setting and giving the form, is used as well as the same devices. 1. I had one of a number of different objects on my table. The children passed around in line, looked at the things and returned to their seats. Then I said, "Who can remember one thing there was on the table?" 2. I picked up various articles one by one, thea put them down again. This I did very quickly to keep the attention of the children. They told what there was in my hand. Afterward a child took my place and the sentence was given each time the object was put down. 3. Tell me what there was on the street as you came tb school this morning. Tell me what there was on the table last night, on the desk yesterday, on the Bay last week, on the Christmas tree las-t Christmas?" 4. I held up a picture with many objects in it. After giving the children a few seconds to look. T laid it down and had them tell me what there was in the picture. 5. I passed around some pictures cut from a maga- zine. .A.fter the children looked at the i)icture, they turned it and told what there was in the picture. Second Time Over. I. [put several things on the table in sight of the class. "Tell me what there is on the table." "Tell me what there is on the stove, on the chair, in the yard." I wrote the sentences as they were given. There is a box on tV.e table. There is a new hook on the table. There is a knife on the table. J6 There is a pan on the stove. There is a cat on the chair. There is a boy in the yard. If it had happened yesterday how would I have written it? There was a boK on the table. There was a new book on the table. There was a knife on the table. There was a pan' on .the stove. There was a cat on the chair. There was a boy in the yard. I had these sentences copied, and later I dictated them to tlie class. 2. I had these questions answered orally, then writ- ten. What is there on the board? What is there on the tat>le? Tell me what there is on the chair? What is there on the stove? What is there under the stove? What was there on the table yesterday? What was there in the yard yesterday? What was there on the street yesterday? What was there on the desk Monday? What was there in the office this morning-? 3. Write me four sentences beg-in ning with there is. Write four beginning- with there was. Third Time Over. The children very often tnake mistakes in this idiom if the sentence begins in some other way than with "there." This "time over" should fix the form so that the final step, its use in composition where the atten- tion is on the subject matter, can be taken. This comes late enough so the sentences need notbe acted out — that is to say the setting may be made by the imagination of the child. 37 1. "You may tell what there was on the table last night." I will change that sentence for you and write it on the board. I wrote : On the table last night there was a beautiful rose. Then I had them make up sen- tences beginning with in the stove, under the chair, last week, yesterday, once upon a time, a long time ago, in the woods, out by a high tree, in the meadow. These sentences I wrote on the board, the children copying them. On the table last night there was a beautiful rose. In the stove there was a fire. Under the chair there was a sleeping cat. Last week there was a picnic at the beach. Yesterday there was a parade on Market street. Once upon a time there was a famine in the land. A long time ago there was a good fairy living in a forest. In the woods there was a little squirrel. Out by a high tree there was a silent horseman. • In the meadow there was an ant's nest. 2. 1 dictated the sentences of exercise i. 3. I asked the children to write the first sentence of the following stories, beginning with some other word than there, but having the phrase, there was, in each sentence. The children were familiar with the stories. The Dog and his Shadow. The Thirsty Crow. The Fox and the Grapes. The Lion and the Mouse. The Discontented Pine Tree. The Fox and the Stork. The Dog in the Manger. 1 had a game of riddles. 1 began: "In a green house there is a white house. In the white house there is a red house. In the red house there are many little black and white people. What is the house?" An- 38 svrer — A watermelon. Then I g-ave another. On a hill there was a liouse. In the house there was a room. In the room there was a closet. In the closet there was a dress. In the dress there was a pocket. In the pockei there was a purse. In the purse there was some money. This money had an Indian's head on it. How much was in the purse? Answer— One cent. The children then made up and wrote their own. They enjoyed this very much. I told the following story : Or:ce there was a little girl walking: in the streets of a larg-e city. She had no hat on her head, and her feet were bare. There ivvias snow on the ground. It was fast growing- dark. The little girl's motlier was sick, so she had to go out to sell matches for a living. No one had bought her matches this day. She was very hungry and had no money in her purse. Now and then she stopped to look at the store win- dows. There was a light there. There was the smell of go<')d things to eat. Soon she grew so cold that she sat down in a door- way. She lighted a match. She thought she was sit- ting before a fireplace. She put out her feet to warm them. Then the light went out. She lighted an- other match. She thought she saw a beautiful room. There was a big fire burning in the fireplace. Standing on the table there was a beautiful fern. There was a pretty bird in a golden cage. In that room, too, there was a table covered with a snow white cloth. A big goose, stufifed with apples and plums, was at one end of the table. Then her match went out. She lighted another match. This time she saw a beautiful Christmas tree. The tree was covered with many bright lights and pretty toys. The little girl put out her hands to take them. Then her match went out. She lighted another match. In the clear bright light - 39 her gTandmother stood before her. "Grandmother, take me with yon," cried the little girl. In the morn- ing they found her dead. THERE ARE— THERE WERE Purpose and Method The same devicts exactly, may be used for this ns were used for is and was, except two or many may be substituted for one and a. More time should be spent on these two forms, as often these two words do not appear in the child's vocabulary. Second Time Over 1. I g-ot by questions tlie following sentences. 1 wrote them on the board and had them copied. The next day I dictated them : There are twenty children in our room. * There are many ])larits in our garden. There are three fish in the jar. There are many silkworms spinning silk. There are two pencils on my desk. There were two men on the street. : There were three bears in the woods. I'here were two frogs in the water. There were three little pigs in the pen. There were two mice in the trap. 2. I said to the children: I am thinking of some- thing. There are many leaves on it. There are many seeds on it. There are wings on the seeds. What is it? I am thinking of something else. There are two windows ',p. it. There are two doors in it. There are two horse' in it. What is it? I gave each child a card with one of the following words on it. The children made up two sentences with "there are" on each and we guessed what it was. Rose bush, bird, cat, book, hat, house, garden, desk, 40 boat, table, dress, picture, cupboard, mouse trap, aqna- rium, vase, Telegraph Hill, beach, stove, piano. 2. x\fter all had finished the childh-en took turns in reading, then I dictated three of the best. 1 am thinking of something. There are two long pieces of wood in it. There are two iron pieces on the sides. There are three seats in it. What is it? A boat I am thinking of something. There are many pic- tures on it. There are flowers in it. What is it? A vase. There are two doors to it. There are many shelve* in it. There are dishes in it. What is it? A cupboard. 3. Copy from your readers the sentences contain- ing there are, and, also, there w^re. Third Time Over 1. I had them copy : On the trees in summer time there were many leaves. On the street, as I went down town, there were many horses. At the Presidio there are many soldiers. On the Seal Rocks there are many seals. On the beach, on a warm Sunday, there are many peo- ple. At the end of the table there are two chairs. In my house there are two babies. Down at the Ferry Building there are many ferry boats. Once upon a time there were three bears. Last week there were some elephants at the park. 2. I dictated the sentences of exercise i. 3. 1 had them write the first sentence of the follow- ing stories. Do not begin all with there : The Three Bears. Three Little Pigs. Snow White and Rose Red. The Two Brass Kettles. The Frogs that Wanted a King. 4r 4. I had th€ children select one word or expres»io« from the column and make as many good sentence* as they could : Once upon a time ] ( two little boy«. Last year When I was a litle girl This morning Every day Yesterday After school there are many apples, songs. two examples, there were | two girls isome houses. . two roses. 5. I told them the story of "The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse" (Blaisdell, "Child Life, Second Reader," pages 74-77; Thompson, "Nature in Myth and Story," pag«s 44-46; Scudder, 'Fables and Folk Stor- ies,'" pages 84-85.) putting in the phrase there were, as many times as possible. The children repro- duced it. , Test : The sentence, with the blank to be filled in, is almost entirely used in most language books as a method of teaching. It can not be said too strongly that this is not a method of teaching, but of testing. If the child doesn't know the proper form, he guesses at it. or puts in the first one that occurs to him. If he knows it. the time spent doing it is wasted. After the subject has been completed, if the class is a large one, the teacher often wishes to be sure that each child is proficient, and so some test is use- ful. The method of filling in blanks may then be used. Copy the following sentences, filling in the blanks : Pit-Pat's coat like beautiful black satin. His vest snow white, and so his feet His four feet very pretty. They like soft, white velvet. Pit-Pat very proud of them, and he proud of his satin coat and white vest. His eyes green, and they grew greener and 42 greener ais he watched a robin and got ready to spring upon him. Fit-Pat a good cat. All cats, even good ones, will eat birds. Pit-Pat like other cats. — From Foundation Lessons in English, by Woodley. There is, there are, there was, there were. Fourth Time Over I took the Contractions, followin.^: the same outline and using the same devices as under "Contractions/* — there isn't, aren't, wasn't, weren't. See page 29 Fifth Time Over. I took the questions. Is there? Was there? Are there? Were there? following the devices under "Ques- tions." See page 54 I HAVE NO. Purpose and Method The purpose and method are the same as in teach- ing the verbs. The teacher produces the proper set- ting, gives the form, and has the children imitate her. The attention must be on the form at first, and gradu- ally transferred to the subject matter. Devices 1. 1 said to the children, "I have no pencil. Will you please lend me one? Thank you. 1 have no book. Will you please lend me yours? I have no paper. Will you lend me yours? You may answer me, using, I have no." Please lend me your sponge. Please lend me your slate, your crayon, your knife, your watch, your rint::. top, doll, your looking-glass, marbles, fan, etc. This must be quickly and enthusiastically done to be ef- fective. 43 ■ 2. I am a storekeeper. You may g^iiess what kind of a store I keep by askingi to buy something. The children then said, "I wish to buy some bread." The teacher replied, "1 have no bread." I wish to buy some candy. 'T have no candy." I wish to buy some sugar. "Yes, I have some sugar. What kind of a store do I keep? Yes, it is a grocery store. Now you may be storekeeper, and we will buy. Think what kind of a store you will keep." 3. I filled a box with toys and odds and end.s. The children asked for something. I replied first, 'T have no doll." Then I gave the box to a child, and we asked for anything we wanted. If it was in the box, it was given, otherwise the child replied, "I have no." 4. I tried to find out who had a baby sister, brother, pet kitten, blue dress, new knife, top, fan, etc., by ask- ing, quickly, "Have you a baby sister?" etc. 5. I sent the class to the board, with no chalk there, and asked them to write a word. If the first one said, "I have no clialk," 1 tskc i several if they had chalk, insisting on a complete sentence. If he could not give it, some one told him what to say. 6. I put a card on several desks about the room, then as I looked about, I said, "Lillie has no card, John has no card, Edgar has no card. John, tell me some one in your row who has no card," etc. 7. "Why can't Lillie lend me her dc^ll, ball, fan?" etc. 8. I said quickly to the first child in the first row, "I had no mush for breakfast; tell me something you 'lidn't have. Begin your sentence with, I had no." I had no fan on my desk to-day. I had no money in my pocket to-day. I had no chalk in the room to-day. We had no rain in the city to-day. '; 44 Second Time Over 1 reviewed the exercises under first time over. I Krrote some of the sentences on the board, and bad them copied. I have no pen. 1 have no sugar. 1 have no paper. I have no apples. 1 have no candy. I have no ball. 2. I dictated the same sentences that the children copied the day before. 3- 1 had the children write the answers on the board, instead of answering" orally, the questions un- der devices 2 and 4 of "first time over." 4. 1 dictated sentences containing, I have no, She has no, He has no. They have no, every day for some time, so the children would have it impressed upon their minds. 5. I had the children make up their own sentences containing each of the forms. 6. Story. A Poor Boy It was a very cold day. Mr. Brown had fini.shed his work, and was going home to supper. .\s he walked along he thought of the games he would play with his three little children. But who was the poor little boy sitting by the road? His coat was torn, and he had on no shoes nor stockings. Mr. Brown stopped and said. "My boy, why are you not home this cold evening?" "I have no home," said the boy. "Where is your father. Will he not take care of you?" asked Mr. Brown. "1 have no father nor mother." said the boy, "and I am very hungry." Then Mr. Bro'WTi told the poor boy to come home with him. He gave him some nice warm supper and 45 •a good bed to sleep in. The next day the boy went to the office with Mr. Brown, and did errands. He went to night school, and studied hard. Now he is a big man, with a home of his own.— Original story by a third-grade boy. The Little Pine Tree A little pine tree was in the woods. It had no leaves. It had needles. The little tree said, 'T do not like needles. All the other trees in the woods have pretty leaves. I want leaves, too. But I will have better leaves. I want gold leaves." Night came, and the little tree went to sleep. A fairy came by, and gave it gold leaves. When the little tree woke up, it had leaves of gold. It was very happy. Night came. A man came by with a bag. He saw the gold leaves. He took them all, and put them in his bag. Now the little tree had no leaves. It had no needles, either. The poor little tree cried, "I do not want gold leaves again. I will have glass leaves." So the little tree went to sleep. The fairy came by and put glass leaves on it. The little tree woke and saw its glass leaves. Then a wind came up. It blew and blew. The glass leaves all fell from the tree, and were broken. Again the little tree had no leaves. This time it said, "1 want green leaves. I want to be like the other trees." And the little tree went to sleep. When it woke, it had green leaves. A goat came by. He was hungry, and he ate all the leaves. Then the little tree said, "I like my needles best." And the little tree went to sleep. The fairy came and gave.it what it wanted. When it woke up, it had its needles again. Then the little pine tree was happy. — Adapted from Old-time Stories by E. Louise Smythe. 46 SINGULAR AND PLURAL 1. T drew on the board the picture of a top, a hat, an apple, a bird, a turtle, a tree, a book, etc. On an- other part of the board I drew two, three, or four of the same objects. The children then told me Avhat i drew on the front board and also how many and what'I drew on the side board. I had them enunciate very clearly the "s" on the plural. Then they g-ave me sentences tellingf something- about one top, about two tops, etc. 2. I had a number of objects in a box. The chil- dren came and took from the box all they could find of any one thing, saying-, very clearly, 'T took three hooks. I took three pencils," etc. I used this to review the verbs ; as, "1 found two pencils. You gave me a pen. I brought you a book. We sang- one song LO-da5\ There are three marbles in my pocket. There were," etc. 3. I wished to teach the children some of the ir- regular plurals. I said, "How many would like to know what is in this box? You may find out, and tell the class." I insisted on having them use the word box in their answers. I had a number of little boxes in one big one. "You may tell me how many little boxes there are in this big box. Count the big boxes in the cabinet. How many are there? How many boxes are on my desk? How many boxes have you at home? You may take out your pencil boxes. How many in the first row? the second row? How many in the room?" "What does the storekeeper keep in boxes? "What do we keep in boxes. How many boxes on the nature study shelf? "Draw me one box on the board. Draw two boxes. How many are one box and two boxes?" 4. I t(j. The children passed to the board, and wrote a "'there is'* or "there are" story about the picture, and told also what the object was good for and what it could do. I had these sentences read in turn. 11. I had them change these sentences to mean more than one. first orally, then in writing: 1. 1 have a baby at home. 2. My pencil is in my desk. ^. The calf played in the field. 4. We ate a loaf of bread for breakfast, 5. I saw a lady to-day. 6. The frog ate a fly. 7. The man rode to town. 8. The child broke a slate. 9. The fish is in the jar. 10. I lost a tooth to-day. 11. We drew a leaf to-day. 12. The man hurt his foot. 13. The wolf broke into the yard. 14. I caught a mouse in the trap. so CAPITALS I. I asked the children for ihe names of people they knew or had heard of. These 1 wrote in a column on the board. I obtained such names as Mary, Frank, Charlie, Pardee, Schmitz, Roosevelt, Washington, and McKinley. I then asked how all the names were alike. They noticed the capital for each word. At the top of the column I wrote people. Then I asked for the names of places. This is the list : San PYancisco, California, Oakland, Chutes, San Francisco Bay, Cliff House, Alameda. Then we made these into sentences, which I wrote on the board, and the children copied. Mary is a little girl. Frank goes to school. Charlie is my brother. Pardee is the governor of California. Schmitz is the mayor of San Francisco. Roosevelt is the president of the United States. San Francisco is the largest city in California. We cross San Francisco Bay to reach Oakland and Alameda. There are seals at the Chutes and the Cliff House. There are many flowers at Golden Gate Park. We studied these words as a regular spelling les- son. After they were mastered, the sentences of the first lesson were dictated to the class. 3. I asked the children to tell me what street Le Conte School is on. Tell me on what street you live. Tell me the name of a long street in San Francisco. These were written in a column, then sentences were given about each. These I had written on the board and copied. Le Conte School is on Powell Street. John lives on Sacramento Street. 51 ^There is a car line on California Street. Market Street is a very long street. Jackson Street is very steep. T gave these as spelling v/ords, until tbpy were mastered, then I dictated the sentences under the third device. 4. I had these questions answered in full sentences: Who is governor of California? Who is mayor of San Francisco? What is the largest city in California? On what bay do you ride from the ferry? At what places do you like to spend the day? What school do you attend? On what street is it? Write the names of four streets in San Franrisco. 5. Make me a good sentence about San Francisco, California, Washington, Roosevelt. Pardee. Sacra- mento Street. Jackson Street, Cliff House, Golden G^te Park, Oakland. 6. I had the children write exactlv liow to go from the schoolhouse to Oakland, to Berkeley. 7. I asked the children the day of the week, wrote it on the board, and had them tell the day before, writ- ing it above, and the next day, writing it after. In the same way I got all the days of the week in their order. I then asked the children to think of some- thing they had done, and the day of the week they had done it on. These sentences I wrote on the board, and had the children copy them. I played store Monday. Mary and I went down street Tuesday. Mama bought me some candy Wednesday. I rode to Golden Gate Park Thursday. We had vacation Friday. We played baseball at Golden Gate Park Saturday. I went to church Sunday. 52 7- We used the words in spellings until they were learned, then I dictated the sentences in exercise 6, 8. I wrote on the board, and had the children copy and memorize : Monday's child is fair of face, Tuesday's child is full oi grace, "Wednesday's child is merry and glad, Thursday's child is sorry and sad, Friday's child is loving and giving, Saturday's child must work for a living. But the child that is born on the Sabbath day Is blithe and bonny and good and gay. 9. I dictated the above to the children. 10. I had them copy the rhyme from lesson 21 State Series Language Lessons, and answer the ques- tions. I also had them answer the questions in les- son 20. 11. I told this story to the children for reproduc- tion : Mary Gray is a little girl who lives in Oakland. She has a cousin named Charlie, who lives in San Francisco, near the Chutes. One day Mary came to make Charlie a visit. They went to Golden Gate Park in the afternoon. They sat on the soft, green grass. They ran races. They watched the squirrels hiding nuts and the monkeys playing in the swings. The next day Charlie's mama took them to the Cliff House. Charlie had a dog named Carlo. They took Carlo with them. They had great fun running over the sand. But Charlie ran too near the water, and fell in. Carlo pulled him out. and carried him up on the sand. They called Carlo a hero. The next day Mary crossed the San Francisco Bay to Oakland. II. Joe was a little boy who lived on Sacramento Street. There was to be a circus in San Francisco, and Joe wanted to go. The parade was to be along 53 Market Street, on Saturday morning. Joe was very happy, for he did not have to go to school that da v. Early in the morning he walked down Powell Street and found a good place on the corner. Before long the parade came by, and Joe followed it to the tents. He wanted to go in, but he did not have enough money. A workman saw him, and said, "I need a boy to help me water the elephants. I will give you a ticket if you will do it." Joe was glad to do it, and worked hard. Then the man gave him a ticket. He had a fine time, and told his mother all about it. The months of the year were taught in exactly the same way as the days of the week, except that the sentences told the holidays which come in the different months ; as : New Year's is in January. Washington's birthday is in February. Mary's birthday is in March. » John's birthday is in April. May Day is in May. June is a sunny month. Fourth of July is in July. There is no holiday in August. Admission Day and Labor Day come in Sep- tember. October has thirty-one days. Thanksgiving Day comes in November. Christmas is in December. I had them copy and then take from dictation the rhyme : Thirty days hath September, April, June, and November. All the rest have thirty-one, Save February, which alone Hath twenty-eight, and one day more We add to it one year in four. T had them copy the rhyme on page 45, State Series Language Lessons. 54 1 had the pupils copy the following sentences, filH- ing; in the blanks : 1. — is the first month of the year. 2. Washington's birthday is in . 3. The roses bloom in . 4. Thanksgiving comes in the month of 5. Decoration Day is in the month of — 6. Santa Claus comes in . 7. School begins in . 8. My birthday is in . QUESTIONS I told the children the story of the the sheep and the pig. Folklore Stories and Proverbs, Sara E. Wiltse, page 32. I had the children act it out. After each speaking part had been taken, those left were moss or pegs. I was careful that the questions were clearly asked. I gave the story of the little Red Hen and the Grain of Wheat in dialogue form. It can easily be acted out ; also other stories I used for acting are : The Three Bears, etc. ; Henny Penny, Folklore and Prov- erbs, page 1-18, Sara E. Wiltse. Second Time Over I. I told three children to get something in their hands, not to let any one see, and come to the front of the room. "Now, you tell me when I guess what it is? Caspar, is it a pencil? Is it some chalk? Is it candy? Is it a pencil?" "Yes." "I guessed it. Now May. Is it your cap? Is it a box? Is it a flower?" "Yes." "Now I^uis. Is it a knife? Is it a nut? Is it a pen-wiper?" "Yes." "Now the children may guess what I have. The question that brings yes will 55 be written on the board." The following were the questions. I made the question mark with colored crayon : Is it a flower? Is it an apple? Is it your handkerchief? Is it a nut? Is it candy? Is it a blotter? Is it colored crayon? Is it a pen? Is it a bottle? Is it a pencil? 1 had these sentences copied. The next day 1 took questions beginning with "can it." "Have you a pet at home, Walter? I am going to guess what it is. Can it run? Can it bark? Then it is a dog." "Have you a pet, Edith? Can it sing? Can it purr? Then it is a cat. Now, I have a pet at home. Guess what it is. Ask questions beginning with can it." The questions were all put on the board. It helped them in asking, i had the following copied : Can it jump? Can it talk? Can it sing? Can it run? Can it bite? Can it bark? Can it hop? Can it fight? Can it eat? Can it run up a tree? 3. Then I took "has it" questions. I had a num- ber of pictures. I let Helen choose one, then I asked, "Has it four legs? Has it two horns? Has it wool on its back? Then it is a sheep. Now 1 have one, and you may guess. The one who guesses may have the picture. We will write on the board the question that made you think what it was." These were copied by the children : Has it fur on its back ? Has it a long neck ? Has it long ears? Has it two legs? Has it feathers? Has it long- hair? 56 lias it horns? Mas it long ! -'nd legs? Has it a trunk? Has it any legs? 4. These were followed by questions beginning with "are they." I held a picture in my hand so the children could not see. "You may guess what the children are doing." These sentences were also copied : Are they playing ball ? Are they running? Are they walking along? Are they sitting under a tree? Then other pictures were taken, and a list of ten sentences written on the board and copied by the chil- dren. 5. By this time the children had an idea of what questions are. I took a picture. "What is the little girl doing? Where is she going? What is her name? Now you may also ask me anything you wish about this new picture. I will answer your questions." I wrote ten of the best questions on the board, and had them copied. 6. I wrote on the board : Are you a good boy? Will you lend me your book? Have you a pencil? "What do we call these sentences? How do they end? Take out your Second readers. Turn to page 75. Read me a question. How does it end? Copy all the questions on page 22." 7. Read the story on page . Ask me six questions about the story. 8. I dictated the following questions: 1. What is the boy doing? 2. Where are you going? 3. Has the boy a whip? 57 4- What does the cat do? 5. Who has seen my dog"? 6. Can you write- well ? 7. Does the fish come to the top to breathe? 8. Are you having" a good time? 9. Is she going home? 10. How do you spell your name ? 9. I had them ask two questions they would like to have answered about : The silkworms. The tent caterpillars. The oak galls. The polliwogs. The frogs. The sprouting seeds. TO. 1 put up a large picture before the class, telling them to write me five questions about it. , II. 1 divided the class into two parts. One-half I sent to the board to write questions; the other half was to answer them. The first sentence completed was to be answered by the one who saw it. If any one made a mistake, the one who discovered it took his place. 12. 1 had the following story reproduced orally and in writing: Once there was a little boy named Tom. He had a dog, Carlo. Tom and Carlo were very good friends. One day mama left them out in the garden playing. Soon she came out and called, "Tom," as loud as she could. But Tom did not answer. Then she heard Carlo barking. She ran as fast as she could to the spot. What do you think she saw? There on the grass lay Tom all wet and cold. He slipped and fell into the water. How do you think he got out? 13. If the children do not have the idea of a ques- 58 tion by this time, 1 would follow this series with some lesson on "did he," etc, 1. I had a picture of a little boy with a small bucket and a spade. I said to the class, "What do you think this little boy did? If you ask me, I will tell you when you are right." I put the questions on the board and had them copied. 15. After such subjects as I have no, I haven't any, isn't, are not, there is, are, was, were, etc., I took up as an extra time over the same thing, only in question form, using the same exercises as under "questions." 16. If some children are careless about putting in the question marks, and by careless I mean that they know when to put the marks in and where, if the at- tention is called to it, I write a story on the board, leaving out the periods and question marks. The children cop}^. putting in the proper marks. A hek- tographed copy for each child is better. This is not a means of teaching, but a cure for careless work. Big Spider and Little Spider, Folklore Stories and Proverbs, page 11, Sara E. Wiltse is a good story for this purpose. 17. The story of the Ugly Duckling contains some good questions, also the first story in the Revised Sec- ond Reader, State Series. TWO. 1. I had on my desk two boxes, two pieces of chalk, two erasers, two pens, pencils, cups, books, etc. I called on the children to give me sentences telling how many there were. 2. I wrote for them on the board three of the sen- tences, imderlining two: . There are two pens on the desk. There are two pencils on the desk. There are two erasers on the desk. 59 3- I sent them to the board to write two sentences each telling about two objects on my desk. 4. I had a child make up a sentence using two, and another write it on the board. 5. I performed several acts, having the children write at the board what I did; as, "You put two books on the desk. You took two pencils from the table." 6. I dictated: Two pens are in my desk. Two girls came to see me last night. There are two frogs in our cage. T have two hands. I have two apples for lunch. . Mama gave me two ribbons. There are two windows in my room. The boys brought two worms for the water-dog. , I have read two books. The boy missed two words. 7. Write me a list telling everything about your body that there are two of, as two eyes. I had them write sentences telling all the things at home that there are two of ; as. There are two beds in mv room. etc. Those. I. I placed several of as many kinds of pens, pen- cils, books, papers, pictures, etc., as I could get in va- rious parts of the room, as far away from me as I could. I then said, "Will you bring me those red lead pencils, John, please?" After all the things had been brought to my desk, I said, "Now you may see if you can remember what each person brought." I insisted on each child using the word those and look- ing at the things he brought. If he didn't, I said, "Which ones," and as he pointed to them, he said, "Those." 6o 2. 1 wrote the sentences given on the board, had them read aloud, and copied. John brought those red lead pencils. I brought those reading books. He brought those framed pictures. I brought those colored pictures. Mar.y brought those spelling papers. May brought those large boxes. 3. I had them make me sentences about the objects in the pictures on the wall, using those. Ten of them I wrote on the board, had read, and copied. Those sheep are lying in the shade. Those apples are red. I see those men driving the sheep. Those kittens are drinking milk. Those horses' heads are pretty. Those trees have no leaves. Those flowers are in a vase. Those birds have pretty colors. 4. I dictated ten sentences, taking them from exer- cises 2 and 3. 5. I had them make sentences containing the ex- pressions : Those oranges. Those knives. Those books. Those things. Those marbles. 6. I had them complete those : I do not like. I can not play with. He looked at. The boy is thinking about. She is telling me about. Those girls. Those examples. Those houses. Those horses. Those stones. these sentences, using I am going with. I didn't say. The boys saw. John brought me. I didn't do. 7. I had them make ten sentences containing those. 6i QUOTATIONS Purpose and Method The correct use of quotations is acquired by a slow process. Quotations may be divided into several type forms, and each one of these types mastered before the next one is taken. The second and third forms are more easily mastered than the first, and the last ones easiest of all. The children have acquired a habit of putting in the marks by this time, so when they have learned the type, they do not forget to put the marks in. The method is that of imitation, not ex- planation. There is much repetition, with the teacher reminding the pupils at first, and afterward leaving them to themselves. It is easy to teach them to use the marks so no errors will be made in dictation, but the use in composition is much more difficult. The children get it first by having their attention called , to the quotations beforehand, by having them written on the board in answer to questions, by asking them to read over their papers to see if they have omitted any quotations. They are helped by putting a mark in tlie margin and handing the paper back to have the sentence containing the quotation recopied and others made up like it. The types are : 1. (a) John said, "1 am going home." (b) John asked, "May I play with Tom ?'■' 2. (a) 'T am going home," said John. , (b) "May I play with Tom?" asked John. 3. (a) John said to me, "I am ten years old." (b) John asked me, "Where are you going?" 4. (a) "The boy," said John, "is not to blame." (b) "Are you," asked John, "to leave school?" 5. The boy said, "It is a fine day. I will go fish- ing." 62 6. The boy asked, "Will you go fishing-? It is a fine day." I asked one of the children for a sentence about his do£r. I wrote it on the board, punctuating it properly. "Phen T asked what else I must put on the board so anybody who didn't hear John say it would know he said it. I got the answer, "John said." I then put this before the sentence, put in the comma and quotation marks, calling their attention to the marks before the quotation and after. After I had written three or four sentences in this way, I had different children come up and put in the marks, until there were ten sentences. These I had copied': John said, "My dog is black." Mary said, "I like to write well." Hazel said, "I fed the silkworms this morning." Joe said, "I am going to the beach to-morrow." The teacher said, "1 like good children." Allen said, "My dog jumps a rope." Willie said, "There is a picture on the wall." May said, "I have a new dress." Rose, said, "The frog ate a worm." Jack said, "There are two frogs in the cage." 2. I wrote on the board and punctuated : The girl said, "The day is very ^varm," then I had the children make sentences for me like this one. I wrote and punctuated the first two, then the children finished the remainder. They were copied later on : I said, "I will write for you." The boy said, "It was late when I reached home.'* The man said, "My house is very large." The boy said, "I rowed the boat across the water." Amy said, "I am glad you had a good time/' The little g^rl said, "My bird can sing." Mama said, "Come home to lunch." The boy said. "I can swim." «3 3. I had the children copy the sentences from p. 12 in their second reader. 4. I said to the class, "This morning I went to the bakery to buy some bread. Let us write just what I said to the baker and what he said to me. What shall we write?" I said, "Good morning." The baker said, "Good morning." I said, "I wish to buy a loaf of bread." The baker said, "My bread isn't ready yet." I said, "I am sorry." The baker said, "I hope my bread will be ready to-morrow morning." The children told me where the marks should be placed as each sentence was written, then they copied it on paper. Care must be taken that no words creep in after said as to me, or to the baker, and that there are no questions. 5. I sent the children to the board and dictated quotations of this type. When any mistakes were made I corrected them at once. Then I dictated the same quotations at their seats. 6. 1 had the children make up ten quotations of their own, two telling what mama said, two what baby said, two what the teacher said, two what John said, two what the boys on the playground said. 7. Nearly all the children were now able to copv correctly and write from dictation, but some of them were careless. They knew where to put the marks when their attention was called to it, but they often forgot them. As a cure for carelessness I put the fol- lowing sentences on the board, asking them to re- v.rite, putting in the quotation marks, and the comma before the quotation. The boy said Come home. The little girl said It is warm to-day. John said I am going home. Mary said I like peaches. 64 Willie said The clock has stopped. Mama said It will rain to-day. Papa said Be a good boy. The teacher said Write your very best. The old man said I am very hungry. The blind man said Please show me the way. The turtle said Let us run a race. May said T have a pretty doll. The man said There is no wolf. The boy said He will come again. I he lady said You are very kind. R. I a«ked these questions, had the answers writ- ten on the board, then dictated them : What did the tortoise say to the hare? What did the mother bear say about her mush? the father bear? the baby bear? What did the ant .say when the grasshopper asked for food? What did the fox say when he wanted the crow's cheese? What did the men say when they found no wolf? What did the dog say when he saw his shadow in the water? 9. I told this story and had it reproduced, first having the quotations written on the board : Jennie was a little girl. Her papa was very rich. She lived in a big house and had a very pretty garden. One day she was playing with her ball. It rolled to the fence and she ran after it. Outside she saw two poor little girls. Jennie said, "Please come in and play with me." The little girls said, "We will ask our mother." The girls' mother said, "Yes." The girls went in and played ball until they were tired. Then Jennie said, "Let us sit down under the tree to rest." She brought out some bread and butter, and some candy and nuts for them to eat. Then the little girls went home. They said, "Thank you, Jennie." Jennie said to her mama, "They were very nice little girls." 65 The following are gfpod stories for reproduction for the use of quotations. Be certain to use only the one type of quotation : The Tortoise and the Hare. Aesop. Fables. Scudder, Fables and Folk Stories. Ward, Third Reader. Boston collection of Kindergarten Stories. The Hawk and the Nnightingale, Aesop's Fables, published by the Educational Publishing Co., Young Folks' Library of Choice Literature. Thi? story will not do as printed, but can be made over as follows : A little nightingale sat singing in a tree. An old hawk saw her. The hawk said, "T will eat her for my supper." So he swooped down upon the little night- ingale and seized her in his claws. The nightingale said. "Please let me go." But the hawk was hungry and would not do it. The nightingale said, "T am such a little bird." But the hawk would not let her go. The nightingale said, "Eat some other bird instead." Ttie hawk said. "I think you will do v?ry well to begin my feast on." in the same way may be rewritten the stories of The Fox and the Crab, The Dog and his Shadow, The Cat and the Birds. They are found in the same book as the the story of The Hawk and the Nightin- gale. Following this series t took up the same type in the question form. (It is not well to take this up until after the children have had the series on "ques- tions.") I. 1 took a ball in my hand and put my hand be- hind my back. Then I said. You may guess what it is. 1 will answer any question with yes or no. 66 1 wrote their questions on the board, putting the question mark after each in colored chalk. Is it made of wood? Is it round? Is it candy? Is it a ball? Then I asked, "Who asked this question?" John replied, "I did," so I wrote before his question John asked, putting in the proper marks. In the same way I wrote before each question the name of the person who asked it, and put in the proper marks. The chil- dren liked this so we tried many more. The children then copied ten of the sentences. 2. Copy the following: John asked, "Did the birds fly away?" The man asked, "Will you work for me?" The boy asked, "Am I too late?" Mary asked, "Will you go with me?" The girl asked, "Are you going now?" John asked, "Where is my top?" I asked, "Do you know your lesson?" The teacher asked, "Are you ready?" We asked, "Is it raining?" She asked, "Did the tree fall?" 3. Make up ten quotations like this: John asked, "Will you sell your top?" 4. Diciatii the quotations copied in another lesson. 5. Hunt out the quotations with questions on p. 14 of your Second reader. The same device may be used in teaching the first form, if the children are careless about their punctua- tion. The story of The Little Red Hen is an excellent one to copy, leaving out periods and quotations marks. The children copy, filling in, or better still add them to a hektographed page. 6. The same conversational device may be used, adding the question, as. One day I went to a jewelry 67 store to buy a watch, I said, "I wish to buy a watch." The jeweler asked, "What kind of a watch do yoii wish ?" etc. In the same way ,the children may write with the teacher a conversation between (i) A boy and a jew- eler. The boy g-oes to the store to buy a watch. (2) A boy who wishes to play with another boy and his mother who wishes him to do his work at home. (3) A conversation between two boys who are out fishing. (4) An imaginary conversation between two books that have been badly treated. (5) The same between a pretty new doll and an old one. (fi) Two boys who wish to trade knives or tops or marbles. The following stories are good to use for reproduc- tion. It is a good idea to have the quotations written upon the board first in answer to your questions. Then let the children see how many they can bring into their reproduction. Be certain to keep to the type in use. The stories must be told in the type form lohrk said, "I am going home," and John asked, "Are von going home ?" The Ant and the Grasshopper. Scudder. Fables and Folk Stories, p. 105-106. Lane, Stories for Children, p. 44-45. The Morse Reader II., p. 55-56. The Fox and the Goat. Scudder, Fables and Folk Stories, p. 58. Baldwin, Second Reader, p. 13-14. Ward, Third Reader, p. 30. Belling the Cat. Scudder, Fables and F'olk Stories, p. 78. The Frog and the Ox. Scudder, Fables and Folk Stories, p. 78. The Arab and his CameL Baldwin. Fairy Stories and Fables, p. 108. 68 SIT, SAT, SITTING. 1. I said to the class: "Five children sit in the first row, how many sit in the second? in the third? Who sits behind you? in front of you? at your right? at your left ? Where do you sit in church ? Where do you like best to sit in school? in the theatre? Who sits next you at the table? Where does the baby sit?" I wrote the answers to these questions on the board, had them read aloud and copied. 2. I wrote these directions on the board, had them read, the acts performed, then I had told what was done. Sit in the third seat of the first row. Sit in the chair on the east side of the room. Sit in the chair by the north window. Sit on the longest bench in the room. Sit in the chair in the northeast comer. Sit on the box by the stove. Sit in the chair under the clock. Sit in the chair at the end of my desk. 3. I had them read aloud and copy : I sat in the third seat of the first row. I sat in the chair on the east side of the room. 3. Tom sat in the chair by the north window. 4. He .^at on the longest bench in the room. 5. She sat on the box by the stove. 6. Mamma sat by me in church. 7. Baby sat on mamma s lap. 8. The girls sat together to-d«y. 9. I like to sit in the back seat. 10. Tom likes to sit with me. 69 The Owl and the Grasshopper. One afternoon ^.n owl sat up in a tree trying to go to sleep. A grasshopper sat under the tree singing. "Please do not sing," said the owl, "1 wish to sleep." "Day is not the time to sleep," replied the grasshopper. "Night is the time to sleep," "That is so," said the owl. "Come up and sit by me and we will have a feast." The silly grasshopper jumped up in the tree to sit by the owl, and -the owl ate him up. LIE, LIES, LAY. Purpose and Method. The 'purpose here is to establish a feeling in the child so he may without conscious thought associate the word lie and its past tense lay with the act of reclining. He may be told to use lie when it means to, recline, but it is doubtful if he associates the act with the word. The method is the same as with the other verbs, the conditions are given, the word is associated with it and then by repetition the habit is formed. 1. I had pictures of various animals lying down to rest, or going to sleep for the winter. I said to the children : "Have you ever seen a dog lie down to rest? Tell me how he does it? How does a cat lie down?" "Look at these pictures and tell me how each animal lies to rest." These were the best sentences given, and were read aloud and copied by the children: 1. The horse lies on his side with his head stretch- ed out. 2. Sometimes the cat lies with her feet folded un- dt-r her. 3. Son^etimes she lies on her side with her head between her paws. 70 4- The cow kneels down on her front feet before she lies down. 5. The chipmunk lies rolled up in a little round ball. 6. The pig lies down in the shade to sleep. 7. The cat likes to lie in the sunshine to sleep. 8. The dog lies on his side with his head on the ground. 9. The polar bear lies on the ice to sleep. 10. The elephant does not lie down to sleep. 2. I dictated the following sentences : I lie on the grass to rest. Mother lies on the couch to rest. The Romans used to lie down to eat. The baby lies in his cradle to sleep. The horse lies in the shade. My coat lies on the seat during the day. My hat lies on the table while I work. 3. [ had the children recall what we talked about the first day, then I said, "Tell me where the horse lay while he slept, the cat, the cow, the chipmunk, the pig, the dog, the polar bear." These sentences I wrote on the board, had the class read aloud and copy: The horse lay on his side to sleep. The cat lay with her paws folded. The cow lay asleep in the shade of the sun. The chipmunk lay b.st winter rolled up in a ball. The cat lay asleep on the branch of a tree. The polar bear lay on the ice to sleep. 4. I had the children change the sentences of ex- ercise 2, so they would refer to yesterday. 5. I had! the children answer the following ques- tions. They were familiar with the stories: 71 1. What did Goldilocks do when she went up stairs in the bear's house? 2. What did the rabbit do while the turtle was walking along? 3. What was the lion doing when he put his paw on the mouse? 4. What was the dog doing in the manger? 5. What was the wolf doing when Red Riding Hood got to her grandma's? 6. What did Molly Cottontail tell Rag to do while she was away? 6. I said to the class. "When mama wishes baby to stop playing and go to sleep, she says, 'Lie down now and go to sleep.' If the baby p-ets up and then lies down, mama says, 'Lie still, baby.' Tell me what you say to your dog when you wish him to lie down, when you wish him to lie quietly. What did the man at, the circus say to the elephant when he made him lie down? What does mama say when she does not wish baby to lie on the wet ground, or on the floor?" I wrote these sentences on the board, had the class read them aloud, then copy them : Lie down, baby, and go to sleep. Lie down, Rover, and play dead. Lie still on the bed. The man said to the elephant, "Lie down." Do not lie on the wet ground. Do not lie on the floor. 7. I dictated these sentences: I like to lie on the grass in the shade. Mama lay down yesterday to rest. Baby lay in his cradle asleep when I got home yesterday. My hat lay on the desk. The wolf was lying in grandma's bed. Lie down, Rover, and play dead.- 72 Do not lie on the wet ground. The dog was lying in the manger. Lie quietly while you sleep. T lay on the grass at the park watcliing the bojr* play ball. 8. 1 had the children make two sentences contain- ing lie. lay, lying. 9- I told a part of the story about "The Three Bears. " where Goldilocks was upstairs and where three bears came home and what they said upstairs. This the children reproduced orally, then in writing. It was followed by correction of errors. Once a dog was lying in a manger full of hay. A hungry ox came to eat the hay. The dog got up and snarled at him. "Well," said the ox, "You can not eat the hay yourself and- you will not let anyone else eat it." The Travelers and the Bear Two men were walking through a forest. They agreed to help each other if any wild animals came. Soon a big bear rushed out at them. One man was light and nimble. He forgot his promise, and ran as fast as he could to a tree. The other man could not run fast. He lay down flat on his face and held his breath. The bear came up and smelled at him, but took him for dead, and ran off to the wood. The man in the tree came down. He said, "What did the bear tell you as you lay on the ground?" "He told me," said the other one, "never to trust you again." Bruce and the Spider Once there was a brave Scotch king named Bruce. He led the army in a great battle against the English. The Scotch fought hard, but they were beaten. Bruce had to run away and hide in out-of-the-way places. 73 Once he hid in a cave. As he lay there he was sad. He was afraid he could not make the Scotch people free. Soon he saw a spider at work. The spider had spun a long thread, and was trying to swin^ by it from one part of the rock to another. It tried again and again. Bruce lay there and watched it. He counted how many times it tried. It was just six times. That was just as many times as Bruce had failed in battle. He wondered if the spider would try again. He said to himself, "If the spider does try and reaches the rock, then I will try again to set my country free." The spider did try again. This time it reached the rock, where it wanted to go. So Hruce kept his word, and tried once more. His men all came to him again, and he was master of the land. Teach, taught, teaching. "How many have pets at home? WHat pets have you? Do they know how to do any trirks? Who taught them? How do you do it?" 1 bad this pre- liminary talk with the children, keeping their .itten- tion. not so much on the tricks as on the teaching of them. Then I had them give me sentences telling what tricks they had taught, what their older brother had taught, what their father had taught, what any one was teaching now. L wrote these sentences on the board, underlined the word taught, and had the chil- dren copy them. 1 taught my dog to carry the paper. I taught my dog to speak for meat. I taught my cat not to bite me. I taught my bird to eat from my handL Mama taught the cat to stay outside. Papa taught the dog to bring back the ducks when he went shooting. Mv brother taught his dog to bark at tramps. 74 My sister taught her cat to wear ribbon on her neck. My brother taught the bird to answer when he said, "Sweet." 2. I had them tell what they had taught the baby at home to do, what papa had taught them, mama. "Who teaches you arithmetic, geography? Who teaches you in Sunday-school? Who taught you to row a boat? to swiml* Who teaches the boys to be soldiers? Who teaches the boys on the training ship? "Who teaches the animals at the circus? What do they teach them? How do they teach them? "Who teaches the baby rabbits to run from danger? Who teaches the kitties to catch mice? Who teaches the baby birds to fly? Do you know of any other ani- mal that teaches her young? What does she teach them? How does she do it? "Do you play school? Who is the teacher? What does she teach you? "Does any one help you with your lessons nights at home? Who teaches you?" 3. I had them write sentences from lesson 2 on the board. Then each child read his sentences aloud. I copied ten of the best on the board, gave the class time to study, then dictated them. 1. Mama is teaching me to sew. 2. The priest is teaching me at Sunday-school. 3. Miss Smith teaches us geography. 4. The captain teaches the soldiers how to march. 5. The man taught the elephant to play the drum, 6. He taught the seal to sit at the table. 7. The mama bird taught the little birds how to fly. 75 8. When we play school, I am the teacher. 9. I teach the children how to spell. 10. My sister teaches me at home nights. 4. I had them write three sentences telling: what they could teach a horse to do, three telling what they could teach a dog- to do. three telling what their teacher teaches them every day. 5. Write me three sentences with the word teach, three with taught, three with teaching. I had these sentences read aloud, ten of the best put on the board, studied, and dictated. 6. I told them the story of the tortoise that wanted the eagle to teach him to fly (Aesop's Fables). An excellent story is one by Wm. J. Long, in Wil- derness Ways, Megaleep the Wanderer, pages 19-2T, an account of a caribou school and how the little ones are taught. The story of Raggylue:, by Ernest Seton , Thompson, also has many interesting accounts of what a rabbit must be taught. Too. 1. "Tel! me what Miss Lynch said about ^mur singing this morning? 1 wrote the sentence on the board. "A-Ve sang too loud this morning." "Now I will tell you something else you did this morning. You sang too slowly. You talked too much." These I wrote on the board, also underlining too. "Now make me some sentences using these words on the boards:" Too hard. Too high. Too softly. Too long. Too old. Too quickly. Too much. Too low. Too deep. Too far. Too dear. Too noisy. Too easy. Too slowly. They gave me these sentences, w'hich I wrote on 76 the board, u-ideriiniiig too, then I had them read and copied : We worked too hard. We played too long. We ran too much. We walked too far. The work was too easy. He jumped too high. He was too old to work. The fence is too low. He paid too dear for the whistle. He walked too slowly. She sang too softly. He thought too quickly. The water was too deep. The boys were too noisy. 2. I had them make me some sentences using too before each of the following words : Fast, well, hard, long, near, far, young, much, many, small, large, broad. 3. I dictated ten sentences from exercise i. 4. I had them answer these questions, using too in the answer: Why did the tortoise win the race? Why didn't Goldilocks eat papa bear's mush? Why didn't she sit in papa bear's chair? Why didn't she lie in mama bear's bed? Why couldn't the fox get out of the well? Why do you not go home for your lunch? Why didn't the boy do his examples this morn- ing? Why couldn't the tux get the grapes? Why was the boy drowned in the river? Why didn't the girl come to school yesterday? 4. Write me ten sentences containing too. I had some of these sentences read aloud. 77 Set, set, set. 1. I said to tfcc class, ''Look to see what I do, listen to what I say." Then 1 set a box down on the table, •aying as I did so, "I set the box on the table. Who tan set something else down and say the correct thing?" I had several children do so. "Now tell me what you did. How can we tell whether we are just doing it, or whether we have done it?" "We must add a word or say am setting," the children answered. 1 wrote the sentences they gave me on the board, having them add a word to tell when, or add ing. The children read the sentences aloud, then copied them. I set the box on the table five minutes ago. I set the box down now. • I am setting the box on the table. 1 set the dishes on the table last night. "I am setting the cup up on the shelf. I set the bookcase by the door yesterday. Papa set up a new stove last night. ■ I set the vase on the desk now. I set the table for mama every day. I set the clock on the table before recess. 2. I had the following commands written on the bpard. I called on a child to read, perform the act. 'then tell me what he did: . :, Set the chair by the door. Set the inkstand on your table. .Tell Tony to set the dish near you. . .: Set the dish on my desk. Set the jar near the window. Tell Paul to set the chair by the door. Set the dish on the. table. Set the jar on the floor. Set the grip on the chair. * " Sief ' the' chaif neat me. 78 3- i dictated the sentences as they were given b/ the children in exercise 2. 4. I had the children write their own sentences, after placing the following on the board, then read them aloud. After this they made ten sentences of their own. W© ^ / jar on the groand You I \ dish I 1 ! box near you They / ««* \ trunk ^y the door He i i rase She / I cup in the yard 5. f told them this story, had them reproduce it orally, then in writing. I marked all the mistakes in set, had them rewrite the sentence in which the mistake occurred, three times, then write three of their own : Dan, his mother, and his litt?3 sister, Ruth, were just moving into a new house. The day was a very busy one for them. When evening came, they had not quite finished the work. Dan helped his mama very much. "Where shall I set this?" he cried, hold- ing up a clock. "Set it up on the shelf near the win- dow," said his mother. Dan set the clock on the shelf, and ran oflF to get some other things. "Help me set the bookcase near the door," said his mother. While Dan and his mother were doing this, Ruth set the dishes on the table. Soon they finished, and ate their supper. Then mama read them a nice long story be- fore they went to bed. Lay, laid. I. I said to the class, "I am going to do several things for you. When I get through I wish you to do just as I did." Then I performed the act, and gave the sentences just as I did it. 79 1 lay the pen on the desk now. I lay the pencil on the desk now. I lay the eraser on the desk now. I lay the ruler on the desk. T lay the chalk on the desk. Then I called on different children to lay down such articles as paper, chalk, books, sponge, slate, etc., giving the present tense as the act was performed. I then said to them, "I laid down five things on the desk for you. Do you remember what they were?" I insisted on the clear enunciation of the word laid. Then each one told me what he laid down, and where he laid it. 2. I had the following commands written on the board, had the acts performed, and after the chil- dren had reached their seats again, had them tell what they had done. Then they told me what they could have said while they were doing it: Lay down your pen. Lay your coat on my chair. Lay the pencil on my desk. Lay the eraser in the chalk tray. Lay your paper on the table. Lay the book on Tom's desk. Lay this note on your desk. Lay the blotter on Mary's desk. Lay the doll on the bench. Lay my book on your desk. 3. I had the children write sentences telling of the acts performed in exercise 2. 4. 1 had the children make up sentences telling where John laid his knife, when he laid it there, why he laid it there ; where he laid his books after school, where he laid the eraser, the chalk, his pencil, his pen. ! 5. I had the children give commands to each other. After the child had performed the act, he told what he had done. 8o 6. 1 dictated the following sentences: Lay your books away carefully. I laid my dress away after the party. I laid the pen down on my desk. I lay my pen down carefully every day. The boys laid their hats on the grass. She always lays her pencil down quickly. Mary laid the clean clothes away. The boys laid their coats on the hay. The girl lays her books neatly in her desk. 7. I told a story, had it reproduced orally, then in writing; afterward I had the children correct their errors. Leam, learns, learned. 1. 1 said to the class, "Last night I learned to spell a word. Tell me one thing you learned to do to- day." I wrote these sentences on the board. 1 learned how to spell a word last night. I learned' how to do an example to-day. I learned how to write a word to-day. James learned how to sit in attention to-day. "Tell me what your dog learned to do. Tell me what the circus animals learned to do. Tell me what the horse learned to do." These questions brought the following sentences, which I placed on the board: My dog learned how to jump rope. My dog learned how to bring in the paper. My dog learned how to beg for his dinner. The seals learned how to play the drums. The elephants learned how to dance. The horses learned how to walk up steps. The horses learned how to stop when the man speaks to them. ■'Tell tne what you learn to do every day." Si I learn how to write. I learn how to spell. I learn how to read. I learn how to do examples. I learn how to sing. "Tell me what the baby learns to do." The baby learns to talk. The baby learns to walk. The baby learns to pull my hair. The baby learns how to laugh at me. The baby learns how to clap his hands. We read these sentences aloud, copied as tnany as we had time for, and underlined the word learned, learn, or learns. 2. I had the class answer the following questions, then read aloud their answers: What does a frog learn to do? What does a baby bird learn to do? Tell me what three things you l.-arn every day. Tell me what three games you leani at school. Tell me what our frog learned to do. What did the bab}'^ learn? 3. I dictated ten sentences from the first lesson. 4. 1 went quickly around the cla.-^-s, row by row, giving the first sentence and having each one answer quickly in turn ; as, I learn my spelling lesson every day. To the second row : The boy learned how to swim last vacation, etc. • Then I had them write as many of the sentences as they could remember. 5. 1 had the class write four sentences containing learns ; four, learn ; and four, learned. 6. I told the following story, and had it reproduced orally, then written. After this, we had "correction. of errors." 82 Subject Pronouns. I wrote on the board these two sentences: John played ball. I played ball. I asked the children to combine the two, telling who played ball. This I wrote on the board. Then I read : John walked to town. I walked to town. Combine, telling who walked to town. This combi- nation I wrote on the board. In the same way I used: John read the book. Jack read the book. He read the book. He read the book. Frank picked an apple. Fred may go. He picked an apple. You may go. Jessie sewed yesterday. Tom was good. I sewed yesterday. She was good. The boys rode the horse. He ran home. I rode the horse. She ran home. He can not come. He did the work. The girl can not come. ^ ^id the work. Toshi saw the silkworms. He saw the silkworms. 2. I had the children read in concert the combined sentences and then copy them. 3. 1 dictated the sentences that were copied in the first lesson. 4. I sent Tony and Stephen to the board. I said to Tony, "Who are at the door?" His reply I wrote on the board. The children read it aloud, then copied it. 1 asked Elsie to tell me who were at the door, using only one name. Her reply was also written, read, and copied. At the end of the lesson we had copied : Tony and I are at the door. Tony and he were at the door. 83 Elsie and we are at the window. Elsie and they were at the window. He and 1 are in one seat. He and I were in one seat. He and I are standing by the stove. He and she stood by the stove. John and we are writing- on the board. He and they were writing on the board. You and Ben were carrying the water. Elsie and I are feeding the silkworms. Elsie and she were feeding the silkworms. 5. I put two columns on the board, and asked the children to make sentences. Tom and he made Jack and she walked My brother and I rode Your sister and they saw The boy and we wrote Joe and we read Bessie and I came He and I threw He and she caught fed 6. Sentences for dictation : Ben and I play ball every day. He and the boys are in the garden. She and the girls are studying their spelling. 7. Tom went with your family on a picnic. Tell me what kind of a time you had, using Tom's name. Tom went with you fishing. Tell me how many fish you caught, using Tom's name. Use Tom and one of the words in this list in a sentence telling where you went in vacation, what you did, what you saw, what you caught, when you came back. Tell me what kind of a time you had. 84 1, HE. SHE, THEY, WE. A boy and two girls went across the bay. Use any two words in the list to tell where they went and what they did. Tom and a friend go to the same school. Tell me what they do at recess, using Tom's name and a word from the list. Susie and your sister play together. Use Susie's name and a word from the list to tell what they play. 5. They and I are good friends. 6. Mary and he closed the door. 7. Elsie and he are not going. 8. He and she erased the boards. 9. Jack and he are in the house. 10. Mary and she walked in the woods. 11. They and we were on dilterent sides. 12. Your sister and they were the only ones there. 13. He anci I ran a race. 14. He and she were in school on time. 15. May and she sang a song. 16. Elsie and they were out in the rain. 17. The two boys and we were very much afraid. 18. He and I thought out the riddle. 19. She and 1 went alone. 20. She and he did not know it. Test: Fill in the blanks. Henry and will help you. Hattie and wrote a letter. and rode with them. or should send us word. and may dust the room. Annie and sent us the fruit. 85 and — came this evening. and moved away. and -: ran across the field. and stood on the hill. Pronoun after Preposition This series was introduced in the same way as the last and worked out in just the same way. It re- quires many sentences read aloud by the children and given by the teacher and pupils, that the ear may become accustomed to the proper sound. Besides this, the written form must be acquired. 1. I had written on the board before class time the following sentences. The child was called upon to read each sentence, then to combine, as in last set : Lucy walked behind Tom. Lucy walked behind me. He wrote to Tom. He wrote to me. They walked by Tom. They walked by her. Lucy sat near Tom. Lucy sat near us. Mamma thought of Tom. Mamma thought of them. I rode with mamma. I rode with you. These invitations are for sister. These invitations are for us. The hat is becoming to Lucy. The hat is becoming to her. ' The picture hangs over Mary. The picture hangs over him. The orchard is beyond Tom. The orchard is beyond us. 86 2. I had the sentences of yesterday read aloud and copied. Lucy walked behind Tom and me. He wrote to Tom and me. 'I'bey walked by Tom and her. Lucy sat near Tom and us. Mamma thought of Tom and them. I rode with mamma and you. 'Jhese invitations are for sister and us. The hat is becoming to Lucy and her. 'Ihe picture hangs over Mary and him. The orchard is beyond Tom and us. I had the children read aloud, then combine these sentences; then read aloud again and copy: They heard about you. She went with them. They heard about me. She sang for you. She sang for her. I rode with her. I rode with you. Mary spoke to them. Mary spoke to me. I sat by her. I sat by you. She went with him. She lived with them. She lived with us. The boy spoke to him. The boy spoke to her. The man wrote to him. The man wrote to me. The baby ran to her. The baby ran to me. 3. Him and me. Father and us. Him and his brother. Them and us. Her and us. Him and us. Lucy and me. Him and her. Them and you. Her and me. Him and her. I had the children write sentences using one of the 87 above expressions in answer to the following ques- tions. The sentences were then read aloud: To whom did mamma write? With whom did you walk? ; Whom did you run from? By whom did you sit? To whom did you speak? Near whom did you walk? With whom did you sing? With whom did you play? For whom did you work? To whom did you write? From whom did the teacher take a book? About whom did the author write? 4. I dictated the following sentences: I sat near Lucy and him. He sent word to Frank and her. Harry will ride with them and you. They sent me for mamma and him. The children played with him and her. The lady amused Tom and me. There is no quarrel between them and me. We divided a cake among them and us. The book fell behind father and me. The teacher talked to her and us. 5. I wrote the following on the board, and had .sen- tences made, the blanks to be filled in with some other word than a name. The sentences were then read aloud by the class: sat near and father. walked with and sister. ran between and mother. played for and us. sang to and them. spoke to and her. thought of and the boy, \ quarrel between and her dog. 6. Test: Fill in the blanks with some other words than names, names. They told me about and . We walked with and . She sang to and . We worked for and . My mother played for and Tlie children ran from and ■ The boys went fishing with and We gave fifty cents to and POSSESSIVE SINGULAR T. I said to the class, "Who has a knife? Tell me something- about John's knife." This reply I wrote on the board. John's knife is sharp. "Tell me some- thing else." John's knife has a pearl handle. "What did Susie get to-day? Tell me something about Susie's book?" Susie's book is red. Susie's book has a picture on the cover. "Tell me something about Willie's pencil." In this way I got the following John's knife is sharp. John's knife has a pearl handle. Susie's book is red. Susie's book has many pictures. Willie's pencil is red Frank's pen is on the table. John's coat is torn. Ray's finger is broken. May's doll has a new dress. Lucy's pet dog is lost. 2. I had these sentences copied. ^.ofC. 89 3- Write sentences about: John's pony. T!:e boy's hat. Clara's sister. Tr e man's flag. The squirrel's tail. Tii : biri's fcat!;er. The dog's paw. The boat's prow. The soldier's gun. The boy's lesson. 4. i had the children answer these questions: Whose coat is torn? Whose hat is on the table? Whose book is on the desk? W^hose oencil is on the floor? What bird's head is red? What bird's breast is red? Whose pictures are on the wall? Whose composition was best to-day? Whose book is on my desk? Whose dog came to school to-day? 5. 1 dictated the following sentences: My father's house was burned. The bird's feathers are yellow. Jock's boat is painted white. Bessie's hat has just come. The poUiwog's tail has just gone. The frog's skin is green. The cat's fur is soft. The horse's tail is long. My sister's watch has stopped. My uncle's house is large. 6. I wrote the following list on the board : Whose tail is long? Whose ears are large? Then I said, "The cow's tail is long. The donkey's ears are large." Then I wrote these on the board, and had the children fill them out: Whose fur is soft? bill is long? hair is black? feet are large? . eyes are small? eyes are brown? 90 7- See California State Series Lessons in Lan- guage, page 56. 8. Copy sentences from page — , State Series Reader, telling whose. 9. Story for reproduction: The Brass Bulls, E. Louise Smythe; Old Time Stories, pages 127-130. THEIR 1. I told the class this story. Once I took a long trip on the train. We reached a small town one day, to find the train ahead of us off the track. I looked about for something to do while I was waiting. Soon I saw the schoolhouse, and decided to visit it. But what was my surprise on reaching the building not to find any signs of any- body. The doors were open, and I went in. I knew the children must be near, for I saw their hats hang- ing in the cloak-room. Here I stepped to the board and wrote : I saw their hats. "Now tell me something else I saw that be- longed to them." The following sentences were given and written on the board : I saw their coats. I saw their lunch baskets. I saw their books. I saw their school-bags. I saw their umbrellas. I saw their book straps. I went into the schoolroom. There I saw what? T saw their desks. I saw their pencils. I saw their drawings on the board. I saw their papers. Soon I heard a noise, and looking around I saw the children coming. Then I saw what? I saw their teacher. I saw their hands full of flowers. I saw their dresses. 9t The teacher invited me to stay until noon. Then I went home to lunch with three little sisters. "What do you think they showed me?" I had the children each write a sentence on the board. They showed me their toys. They showed me their pictures. They showed me their mother. They showed me their pets. They showed me their garden. They showed me their flowers. They showed me their story books. 2. I had the children copy ten of these sentences. 3. Write me a sentence with the following: Their gardens. Their houses. Their lessons. Their money. Their large horse. Their ovm way. Their books. Their examples. Their trees. Their banner. 4. Answer the following questions in good sen- tences : Of what do the Esquimaux make their houses? Where do toads lay their eggs? Where do the tent-moths lay their eggs? Where do woodpeckers make their nests? What do good children do with their toys? How should children study their lessons? Where do woodpeckers get their food? When do the farmers plant their grain? 5. Once I knew two little girls who were very un- tidy. A friend came to take them to ride, but they could not find their things. They cried bitterly when the friend drove away without them. Write me six sen- tences telling me where they found their things. 6. Write sentences tellingwhat mother rabbits teach 92 their young, what dogs teach their young, how the mother toads treat their young. 7. Make me ten sentences containing "their." 8. I told the following story: Ikwa and Magda Far, far away in the North the winters are long and cold. Here in the land of the Eskimo lived a little girl and her brother with their father and mother. The little girl's name was Magda, the little boy's Ikwa. Now, Ikwa and Magda lived in a house very dif- ferent from ours. Their house was made of snow. It was not very hard to build, for their papa built it in one day. He cut big blocks out of the snow and put them carefully together. They left a hole in one side, through which they had to crawl inside on their hands and knees. The inside of their house was very queer. They had only one room, in which everything was done. Their beds were made on a bench of ice, and were covered with heavy sealskins. Their stove was not like ours, either. They had a lamp, with which they cooked their food and kept themselves warm. When dinner was ready, they all sat down on the floor around a large bowl, and ate from it with their seal- skin spoons and bone knives. Now I am sure you would like to know how Ikwa and Magda spent their time. In the Northland all the little boys and girls have sleds. Ikwa and Magda had a pretty one, which their papa had made for them. The runners were of bone, and the top of strips of seal- skin. Their papa had brought back these things from his long fishing trip. What fun Ikwa and Magda did have with their sled ! Sometimes they played a game. Whenever papa killed a deer, he gave the children the antlers. The children set up these antlers in the snow, leaving 93 a short distanc