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PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 PREPARED BY THE 
 
 BOSTON PRIMARY TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION 
 
 EDITED BY 
 
 SARAH LOUISE ARNOLD 
 
 SUPERVISOR OF SCHOOLS/" BOSTON 
 
 " O'er wayward childhood would'st thou hold firm rule 
 And sun thee in the light of happy faces ? 
 Love, Hope, and Patience, these must be thy graces, 
 And in thine own heart must they first keep school " 
 
 
 SILVER, BURDETT & COMPANY 
 NEW YORK BOSTON CHICAGO 
 
 \ 
 
THE LIBRARY OF 
 CONGRESS, 
 
 Two Copies Received 
 
 JUL. 10 1901 
 
 Copyright entry 
 
 CJLASSO. XXo. N«. 
 
 COPY B. 
 
 
 Copyright, 1901, 
 By Silver, Burdett and Company 
 
PUBLISHERS' NOTE 
 
 This volume is made up of contributions secured by 
 the members of the Boston Primary Teachers' Associa- 
 tion. These teachers recognized the demand for such 
 material in primary school rooms, and appealed to 
 the members of the Association to report their suc- 
 cessful plans in providing Busy Work for their own 
 classes. A committee was organized to collect and 
 collate material. 
 
 All contributions passed through the hands of the 
 committee, and were afterwards edited by Miss Arnold, 
 who is heartily in sympathy with the work of the Asso- 
 ciation. They represent the experience and judgment 
 of the most thoughtful primary teachers of Boston. 
 
 The book is published for the Primary Teachers' 
 Association, and any profits accruing to the Association 
 from its sale will be used for their work among the 
 Boston teachers. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 Chapter Page 
 
 Introduction ix 
 
 I. The Kindergarten Occupations 3 
 
 II. The Distribution and Care of Materials for 
 
 Busy Work 8 
 
 III. Sense Training 13 
 
 IV. Language, Spelling, and Reading 29 
 
 V. Language, Spelling, and Reading {continued) . 42 
 
 VI. A Series of Exercises in Phonics and Spelling 50 
 
 VII. Miss Fuller's Phonetic Drill Chart ... 69 
 
 VIII. Number Work for First-Grade Pupils ■ • ■ 75 
 
 IX. Problems in Number for Grades II. and III. 88 
 
 X. Exercises Demanding Practical Judgment in 
 
 Number 93 
 
 XI. Seat Work in Number for Grades II. and III. 98 
 XII. Miscellaneous Exercises with Abstract Num- 
 bers 100 
 
 XIII. Exercises to Accompany Lessons in Drawing 109 
 
 XIV. A Series of Charts for. Busy Work in Drawing 117 
 XV. Children's Drawings 126 
 
 XVI. For Practice in Writing 136 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 The primary teacher must solve a double problem. 
 She must not only teach the children how to " read, 
 write, and cipher " under her guidance, but she must 
 also teach them how to study independently, so that 
 they may be prepared to use books for themselves. 
 While the teacher of higher grades may content her- 
 self with explaining and assigning the lessons, leaving 
 the pupil to perform his tasks unaided, the primary 
 teacher must direct the period of study as well as the 
 recitation and the teaching exercises. In an ordinary 
 school of from forty to sixty pupils, not more than 
 fifteen or twenty should be reciting at once ; the 
 others must busy themselves at the desk, table, or 
 blackboard. Our problem is to devise suitable and 
 profitable occupation for these pupils. 
 
 Most of us can remember the earlier days of school 
 life, when the little children swung their weary feet 
 from the high benches, yawned, gazed wistfully out of 
 the window, and longed for four o'clock. Their only 
 occupation was making pictures on the slate. This, in 
 time, gave place to a weary repetition of the letters of 
 the alphabet, and at last to " sums." But, oh, the 
 wasted hours and the dull indifference which they 
 caused ! 
 
x INTRODUCTION 
 
 We are beginning to learn that the work of teaching 
 does not consist merely in hearing recitations and se- 
 curing answers to questions. The modern teacher 
 endeavors to fill every hour of the child's school life 
 with happy, helpful, and active work. " Doing" is 
 usurping the place which, in times past, was accorded 
 to listening. The teacher of little children, not content 
 with hearing recitations and assigning tasks, provides 
 occupation for these hitherto listless hours. This is 
 done not merely with the hope of making the children 
 still or keeping them busy. We have learned that their 
 growth is dependent upon right activity and that our 
 function is to provide occasions for such activity. We 
 have come dimly to apprehend the truth that it is the 
 child's deed which makes him master of the idea which 
 we are endeavoring to impress. Expression is the vital 
 element. His action, and not ours alone, is the essential 
 factor in his growth. 
 
 The busy work program, then, thoughtfully consid- 
 ered, is no mere list of devices for maintaining a quiet 
 schoolroom ; it represents a thoughtful provision for 
 the actual needs of the children. Rightly planned, it 
 provides fitting tasks by means of which the child tests 
 his knowledge and skill, applies the new truth which 
 he has learned, and weaves the new idea into his 
 expression. 
 
 The problem is not so simple as it appears to the 
 casual observer, who, in visiting the school, sees the 
 children happily employed with what seem like play- 
 things. So simple and so natural does the busy-ness 
 seem that one might imagine it had happened without 
 any plan or intervention on the part of the teacher. 
 But the experienced teacher realizes that serious care 
 
INTRODUCTION xi 
 
 has been given to this wise and natural employment 
 of the little hands and the eager minds, and that it 
 is this very "busy work" which brings to fruition the 
 lessons given in the class. 
 
 Every exercise in seat work should secure one of 
 three results. It should make clearer the lesson which 
 has been presented in the class, or teach a new lesson, 
 or afford opportunity for practice in some line where 
 skill is required. For example, the teacher presents 
 the square in her lesson in drawing. The child folds, 
 or cuts, or draws the square at his desk, and thus per- 
 ceives it more clearly than when it was first presented. 
 Or he makes an original design, with the square as a 
 unit. Or, through practice with scissors or pencil, he 
 becomes able to fold or to cut the perfect square. 
 
 These three ends may fairly be considered the tests 
 of busy work. If the exercise results in new knowledge, 
 in clearer perception of an old truth, or in added power 
 to see or to do, it is good. If it simply fills the time 
 of the child, requiring neither thought nor effort, it is 
 dull and profitless, and might as well be omitted. To 
 pretend to do something which is not worth doing at 
 all, is demoralizing. No adult would submit to the 
 process ; the children are equally conscious of their 
 failure under these circumstances. 
 
 Busy work, to be truly helpful, must engage the 
 children's attention, and to this end must be interesting. 
 Everybody knows that variety is an element of interest, 
 and that frequent changes of playthings help to hold 
 the young child's attention, at the same time making 
 a return to the old material a delight. Furthermore, 
 the material must be attractive to the child. The fact 
 that the teacher considers it good for the purpose 
 
xii INTRODUCTION 
 
 is not enough. The pupil, too, must enjoy his work 
 if his interest and attention are to be held to his task. 
 We do not always realize that a child's attention and 
 interest also depend largely upon his own conception of 
 the purpose of the work. When he sees that his labors 
 accomplish something which he desires to accomplish, 
 he works with persistent zeal. ^The busy work, to be 
 successful, must be purposeful and must secure some- 
 thing which the child considers a satisfactory result. 
 Making something which he likes to make, doing some- 
 thing which he likes to do, is profitable to him, and 
 profitable busy work always contains this element. 
 
 While the child sees the immediate accomplishment, 
 and is pleased with the square which he has drawn, or the 
 triangle which he has cut, or the row of beads which he 
 has strung, or the mat which he has woven, the teacher 
 beholds the fuller fruition. She knows that the patient 
 endeavor which entered into the drawing, or the cutting 
 or the stringing, results in greater power in doing and 
 the ability to persevere longer than had been possible 
 before. While making the square the child learns to 
 see more clearly, and to express more plainly that 
 which he sees. I Clearness of vision and power to 
 execute grow from such simple exercises. This the 
 teacher knows, although the child realizes nothing of 
 his growth. 
 
 The following pages have been prepared by the 
 members of the Boston Primary Teachers' Association. 
 Every contribution represents the practical experience 
 of some teacher who has secured good results from the 
 use of the method or device which she recommends. 
 It is not expected that any teacher will attempt to 
 follow all the plans which are described. Each must 
 
INTRODUCTION xiii 
 
 adopt for herself the methods which are in harmony 
 with her own work. But out of the practical experience 
 of many teachers should come real service to those who 
 have their experience yet to gain. The study of the 
 exercises which are here submitted cannot fail to help 
 the teacher who is still struggling with the problem of 
 busy work. 
 
 SARAH LOUISE ARNOLD. 
 
 Boston, April, 1901. 
 
INTRODUCTORY 
 
PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 THE KINDERGARTEN OCCUPATIONS 
 
 By LAURA FISHER, 
 Director of Kindergartens, Boston. 
 
 THE introduction of kindergarten occupations into 
 the primary school is an unfailing sign of the union 
 between these two closely allied grades of a school 
 system. The degree to which this work can be extended, 
 and the forms it shall assume, must depend largely upon 
 the development of the children and the skill of the 
 teacher. 
 
 It will not do to say, because these occupations are 
 beneficial and developing, that therefore children of all 
 ages should use them ; nor will it be safe to ignore 
 the work already done and the skill attained before the 
 child enters school. Repetition, on the one hand, and 
 undue simplicity on the other, may cause the best kind 
 of work available to fail of the result desired. We need 
 to remind ourselves that the kindergarten occupations 
 are designed mainly for children between the ages of 
 four and six or seven years ; and that they cannot with 
 safety be given as educational employment to children 
 beyond this age in the same form in which they are 
 
4 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 prescribed in the kindergarten. Their purpose is mani- 
 fold. They should of course minister to the child's 
 need of constructive activity and creativeness ; they 
 should develop his artistic sense and cultivate taste ; 
 they should fix impressions received through the gifts by 
 providing for the reproduction of these impressions and 
 for the constructive expression of the same ideas ; they 
 should develop observation and self-criticism and lead 
 to individual and independent self-directed activity. 
 
 Under the direction of the kindergartner, these re- 
 sults can be and are achieved. The danger in the 
 primary school will result from the fact that, when 
 the work of the children cannot be superintended by 
 the teacher, for lack of time, it tends to become purely 
 mechanical. 
 
 In spite of these possible difficulties, we all believe 
 that the introduction of kindergarten occupations into 
 the school is a distinct advance, and we have faith that 
 the enthusiasm and skill characteristic of the modern 
 teacher will surmount all obstacles and achieve success. 
 
 In considering the occupations, it is necessary to 
 recognize the differences inherent in them. The mate- 
 rials used are more or less flexible : some are more 
 suggestive than others ; some require more technical 
 skill and greater thought. 
 
 The most flexible materials, used in drawing, color- 
 ing, clay modeling, make possible more finished and 
 artistic work, and offer to the child the greatest op- 
 portunity for free though naturally crude expression. 
 
 The sewing, folding, weaving, peas-work and card- 
 board modeling are less suggestive, more restricted, 
 more rigid, and more limited in their scope than the 
 above-mentioned occupations. They, in general, require 
 
THE KINDERGARTEN OCCUPATIONS 5 
 
 greater inventive power and more definite ideas on the 
 part of the child for the production of original work 
 of real significance. On the whole, they are not as 
 artistic, although the beginnings of design are well 
 developed by means of some of them. 
 
 Crudities permissible in the kindergarten should be 
 avoided in the primary school, and many forms legiti- 
 mately used with younger children should be dropped 
 when they enter school. 
 
 The occupations used to best advantage in the primary 
 school (provided the child has had thorough kinder- 
 garten training) are, in my opinion, clay modeling, 
 drawing and coloring,' peas-work, cardboard modeling, 
 paper-folding, with some paper-cutting and pasting, and 
 nature-work. These exercises, carefully planned, should 
 build upon what has already been accomplished in the 
 kindergarten and should be carefully graded according 
 to suggestions offered by Froebel. 
 
 They should assume three general forms : the Mathe- 
 matical, the ^Esthetic, and the Useful. As the child 
 grows in knowledge and conscious power, the ^Esthetic 
 and Mathematical should take precedence of the forms 
 of use ; and the production of objects should find its 
 place in the manual training or sloyd. 
 
 Careful observation of form and number, hidden in 
 all the objects produced, should constitute an important 
 factor of the work done, in order that the child may be 
 made familiar, through construction, with simple mathe- 
 matical facts and relations. The artistic in form, color, 
 and arrangement should be first enjoyed and later con- 
 sciously recognized. 
 
 The objects made should be studied in their relations 
 to nature and to human life and activities. This con- 
 
6 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 struction can easily be correlated with the language 
 exercises, nature-study, and literature. 
 
 The series of exercises should be so planned as to give 
 scope for free work, prescribed work, and logical 
 sequence. Each of these has a place in the develop- 
 ment of the child and the occupation, and undue 
 emphasis, of either, produces a lack of balance and 
 growth. The children should be encouraged to work 
 along the suggested lines with home material, that they 
 may carry into the home the power and interest 
 awakened in the school, and may also learn to express 
 themselves upon and through the materials found all 
 about them, although these may be crude and not 
 beautiful/ .i The real results desired and aimed at must 
 always be inner power and thought ; and these, 
 achieved, will lead the children to look upon the world 
 and its things as their opportunity, even though the 
 materials provided and the conditions of their environ- 
 ment may be imperfect. 
 
 It would seem to me quite possible, provided the 
 teacher can superintend the work, to introduce some 
 advanced mathematical gift exercises into the primary 
 school, although if the children spend a sufficient length 
 of time in the kindergarten, these are unnecessary. 
 
 The real bond between the kindergarten and the 
 school is the spirit they have in common. This spirit 
 will evolve the specific forms through which it expresses 
 itself; and the deeper study of the child's nature and 
 needs will bring forth the ways and means by which 
 these are developed and met. 
 
 . As we learn from one another and give to one an- 
 other, we grow nearer together and nearer to the child. 
 It has been a source of great joy and help to find that 
 
THE KINDERGARTEN OCCUPATIONS 7 
 
 primary teachers and kindergartners are coming ever 
 closer together; and no recognition the kindergarten 
 receives can be more gratifying and inspiring than 
 the hospitality accorded it by primary teachers, who, 
 in work such as this, reinforce its influence and 
 strengthen its hold. 
 
 Of them may it be truly said that they have realized 
 Froebel's deepest desire, for they too show us how to 
 " live with the children." 
 
II. 
 
 THE DISTRIBUTION AND CARE OF MATERIALS 
 FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 INFORMAL LETTERS FROM TEACHERS 
 I. 
 
 In considering the subject of seat work, one of the 
 first questions with me has been " How can I distribute 
 the material with the least waste of time ? " 
 
 I confess that the problem is not an easy one. To 
 facilitate matters I keep as much material as possible 
 in individual boxes. Letters, tablets, sticks, and pegs 
 are so arranged. It insures a more equitable division 
 and a more orderly distribution. 
 
 When it is at all practicable I allow each child to 
 keep his own box in his desk. Pegs are always kept 
 in this way. The first of the year the boxes are filled 
 with common shoemaker's pegs, which the children at 
 once proceed to scatter more or less lavishly upon the 
 floor. Then I exhibit to their admiring gaze a box 
 of colored pegs, with the assurance that those children 
 who do not drop any pegs for a week shall have theirs 
 exchanged for these beautiful things. The excitement 
 is intense, and when, at the appointed time, a dozen or 
 more children have earned the new ones, I know the 
 battle is won, for no self-respecting child will tamely 
 allow his neighbor to revel in the luxury of colored 
 pegs while he ignobly counts the mean little white ones. 
 
DISTRIBUTION OF MATERIALS 9 
 
 Then if a child does not take proper care of the new 
 ones, they are taken away and he is given the white 
 ones again until he has learned to be careful. I rarely 
 have to do this, however. 
 
 In many schools the children bring boxes for pegs 
 or letters, but as mine are not able to provide them, 
 I get small pasteboard boxes about an inch deep and 
 two and a half inches square for the pegs, and others 
 twice as large for the letters. The small boxes cost 
 from ten to fifteen cents a dozen, and the larger ones 
 from fifteen to twenty cents. In the box with the 
 pegs may also be kept the wooden square which the 
 children use in outlining the dominoes for number work. 
 
 The other material in boxes is in charge of groups of 
 three or four children who are taught how to care for 
 and distribute it. These groups are changed from time 
 to time, to allow others to be useful as well as distin- 
 guished. If the material is to be used early in the ses- 
 sion, it is distributed before school and collected at 
 recess. If after recess, it is distributed at recess and 
 collected after school. 
 
 The material which is more easily cared for, like 
 paper, pictures for tracing, scissors, etc., is passed by 
 one child from each row, who is very attentive, or has 
 made some special effort in the right direction during 
 the session. Thus all the children are eligible to the 
 honor. 
 
 Of course there is occasionally something that I have 
 
 to distribute myself, but I try to do as little of that work 
 
 as possible, since the responsibility is good for the 
 
 children. 
 
 C. A. S. 
 
io PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 II. 
 
 Teach the child at the head of each line to act as 
 " monitor," " helper," or " distributer," or choose the 
 child who has tried to do his best during the preceding 
 lesson. 
 
 Children soon learn where materials are kept if the 
 places are easily accessible to them, and a bit of judi- 
 cious praise to the child who returns a thing to its 
 proper place will soon bring the class as a whole to a 
 condition of care-taking. 
 
 Begin the first of September with the pegs. Let 
 some careful child go to the . closet and find the box 
 containing them, then direct him how to give them to 
 the class. Use a small cup or box as a measure. The 
 child at the end of the line should always be supplied 
 first. With the whole class attending, I praise or criti- 
 cise the way in which the monitor does his work. By 
 pursuing this method for a few days, several children 
 may be efficiently trained, and gradually nearly all the 
 members of the class. 
 
 Such a drill as this given with three or four different 
 materials should be sufficient, though a few explicit 
 directions may be needed when any new material is 
 given out, later in the year. I never begin to work 
 myself till I see that every child has begun his work. 
 
 The first of the year I have the pencils given out 
 when needed. After that time each child who brings 
 a neat pasteboard box receives a pencil to keep. The 
 pencils are sharpened regularly twice a week ; it takes 
 only five minutes to go through the class. If any child 
 breaks a point between whiles, I mend it for him, if he 
 asks before or after school. 
 
DISTRIBUTION OF MATERIALS n 
 
 It seems well for each child to have some form of 
 busy work in his desk for spare moments. For this 
 I find a box of pegs, or letters, or books, the best. 
 The books are changed once a month, so they are 
 always entertaining. M. S. C. 
 
 III. 
 
 If the teacher of the first grade will devote a few 
 days before the opening of school in September to the 
 preparation of busy work for the coming year, she will 
 find it a good investment of time, and congratulate her- 
 self for this forehandedness many times over. 
 
 There is quite a difference of opinion among teachers 
 as to which portion of the material used for busy work 
 may with profit be kept in the desks, and which had 
 best be cared for by the teacher. 
 
 The material kept in desks needs, of course, over- 
 sight by the teacher. All agree that a great deal of 
 the material cannot be kept in the desks from day to 
 day. Some of that most commonly used can, with 
 advantage, be so kept. A set of shelves, protected by 
 a door or curtain, is a great convenience. On these the 
 material may be kept, stored in boxes. It is easily ac- 
 cessible, and comparatively free from dust. A table will 
 answer the purpose, if the shelves cannot be obtained. 
 
 Whenever possible, a child should have his own in- 
 dividual pencil, crayons, scissors, foot-rule, paint-box, 
 and pegs. One large box will hold all, with the ex- 
 ception of pegs, which may be kept in a bag about 
 five inches square, hung upon the iron crossbar of the 
 desk. The loop of the string should be long, to allow 
 of the bag being pulled through the loop, thus obviat- 
 ing the use of tacks. 
 
iz PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 Spool boxes are almost invaluable for keeping mate- 
 rial in good condition, and are easily distributed. 
 
 Letters, words, and pictures for matching or other 
 uses may be kept in the same way, or in envelopes 
 which are placed in a compartment box. 
 
 Beads, counters, button-moulds, strings, etc., should 
 be kept in boxes. 
 
 White and colored paper, cut into proper sizes and 
 shape for various exercises, should always be found on 
 the shelf or table. M. E. W. 
 
 IV. 
 
 I like to give out two kinds of busy work at once, 
 one kind for plain fare and one kind for dessert; the 
 first kind, like copying, making number pictures, mak- 
 ing words or sentences with letters, or equations with 
 figures, to be finished before the other kind is taken. 
 Then the children who have worked quietly and busily, 
 and have done their best, use the other busy work. 
 For this I use stencils, the colored paper forms for 
 sorting and making geometrical designs, pegs in the 
 rainbow colors for designs, pictures with the words to 
 match them, tracing paper with pictures, paper-cutting, 
 and so forth. 
 
 I make the busy work for one day a help to the work 
 of that day, or a review and drill on work that has been 
 done, or a preparation for something which is to be 
 taught. 
 
 The children usually distribute and collect the mate- 
 rial. The directions are often given before the material 
 is distributed, and then one child can do the work 
 while I am teaching another group. B>E. D. 
 
III. 
 
 SENSE TRAINING 
 
 All teachers of lowest primary grades will find in their 
 classes many children who are not mature enough to do the 
 work which is provided for first-grade pupils. They have 
 not yet learned to observe carefully, and therefore cannot imi- 
 tate well ; their muscles are not trained to hold the pencil or 
 the scissors ; they have very little ability to construct ; they 
 cannot imagine the conditions which are expressed in the 
 sentence or in the problem in number. 
 
 For such pupils it is absolutely necessary to provide exer- 
 cises which will afford practice in observation, imitation, and 
 construction. Exercises of this sort have been prepared, and 
 are here grouped under the title " Sense Training." They 
 will be found helpful for immature pupils in both first and 
 second grades, and valuable for all first-grade children in the 
 first half-year of their school-work. Many of the exercises can 
 be made helpful if related to the ordinary class instruction, 
 even through the second grade. 
 
 The young teacher may need the suggestion that the work 
 with figures and words, which is so often attempted by little 
 children, often hinders their progress, by presenting forms 
 which represent no idea to them. They work with figures, 
 but do not think numbers ; they work with words, but do not 
 associate the form with the idea. Therefore their reading is 
 mechanical, and their " number sense " develops very slowly. 
 The foundation for rapid and accurate work in the future lies 
 in the development of observation, imagination, and skill in 
 
i 4 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 doing. It is a mistake to count such occupation as mere " busy 
 work." It is worth while to give the time allotted to the reci- 
 tation to instruction in these exercises, that the children may 
 become independent and helpful in their future practice. In 
 these exercises teaching should precede doing, and the children 
 should be left to independent practice only when they have 
 learned how to follow the teacher's directions. — Ed. 
 
 EXERCISES IN OBSERVATION, IMITATION, AND 
 CONSTRUCTION 
 
 Material : colored pegs, sticks, split peas, or lentils. 
 
 Note : Practice in arranging pegs may first be given in sim- 
 ple line work. Direction : Make a line as long as your 
 longest finger; make another a little way from that, and 
 of the same length ; fill your desk-top with lines of just 
 the same length. Or, make a line as long as your little 
 finger; make another twice as long; another three times 
 as long, etc. Or, make a small square, make one twice 
 as large. Or, make a small oblong, make one twice as long, 
 but the same width, etc. 
 
 1. Assort the pegs according to color. Grade I. 
 
 2. Make a simple border, following a pattern which 
 is drawn upon the board, and using pegs of a given 
 color. Grade I. 
 
 3. Copy a simple border, using any color or colors 
 at will. Grade I. 
 
 4. Make original border or other design, choosing 
 colors at will. Grade I. 
 
 5. Reproduce with pegs one or more of the figures 
 upon the chart. (See pages 118-125.) Grade I. 
 
SENSE TRAINING 15 
 
 6. Outline with pegs a geometric figure which has 
 previously been drawn upon a large sheet of card- 
 board. Grade I. 
 
 7. Outline letters, as in 6. Grade I. 
 
 8. Lay vertical, horizontal, or slanting lines, no re- 
 strictions as to length being given. Grade I. 
 
 9. Lay the same lines at given lengths, first by 
 measure, then by the eye alone. Grades I. and II. 
 
 10. Lay a square of a given color. Grade I. 
 
 11. Lay a square, using pegs of one color, and make 
 the diameters out of pegs of a different color. Grade I. 
 
 12. Lay a square, using pegs of a given color, and 
 make the diagonals of a contrasting color. Grade I. 
 
 13. Lay oblongs, circles, and triangles in the same 
 manner. Grades I. and II. 
 
 14. Lay right angles, using pegs of a given or chosen 
 color. Grade I. 
 
 15. Make borders, using right angles only. 
 
 Grades I. and II. 
 
 16. Lay acute or obtuse angles. 
 
 17. Make borders in which acute angles are repeated. 
 
 Grades I., II., and III. 
 
 18. Lay squares, rectangles, and triangles of given 
 dimensions as directed by teacher. Grades I., II., and ill. 
 
 19. Copy simple pictures in outline, as houses, 
 trees, etc. Grade I. 
 
 20. Repeat a given number of lines, vertical, hori- 
 zontal, and parallel. Copy outlines of objects, such as 
 clock, chair, house, etc. The exercises may be in- 
 creased in difficulty by requiring a definite number 
 of pegs to a line. Grade I. 
 
 21. Lay designs with pegs, then copy on paper. As 
 an incentive, the most faithful children may color them 
 with crayons. Grade I. 
 
16 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 22. Lay a square with pegs and inscribe a circle or 
 a triangle. Grade I. 
 
 23. Lay a circle, and inscribe a square or triangle. 
 
 Grade I. 
 
 24. Lay with pegs some form connected with the 
 work of the day, no pattern being given. Grade I. 
 
 II. 
 
 Material : Paper or cardboard, cut in geometrical 
 forms of different shapes, sizes, colors. 
 
 Note : Boxes of prepared tablets may be obtained for this 
 purpose, but a collection prepared by the teacher herself, 
 or made with the assistance of the older children, will be 
 even more helpful for the general purpose of assorting and 
 arranging. The tablets which are cut by machine will be 
 more helpful in making designs, as they will be more exact 
 than those made by the pupils. 
 
 1. Assort forms according to color. Grade I. 
 
 2. Assort according to size. Grade I. 
 
 3. Assort according to shape. Place together those 
 which are like in form without regard to size. Grade I. 
 
 4. Place in rows figures having same number of 
 sides. Grade I. 
 
 5. Assort the forms according to angles, placing 
 together those forms which have right angles, and 
 SO on. Grades I. and II. 
 
 6. Copy a given form exactly and then repeat, in- 
 creasing the size but retaining the proportion. 
 
 Grades I. and II. 
 
 7. Draw picture of some object which is like a given 
 
 form. Grades I. and II. 
 
SENSE TRAINING 17 
 
 8. Instead of the cardboard forms, use seeds having 
 different shapes and sizes. These may be assorted as 
 in the above exercises. Grade I. 
 
 III. 
 
 FOLDING 
 
 Material: Paper in geometric forms which may be 
 folded, pressed, or cut, in straight lines. 
 
 1. Fold and cut paper in straight lines. Grade I. 
 
 2. Fold and cut squares and oblongs on their diame- 
 ters or diagonals. Grade I. 
 
 3. Fold and cut circles on their diameters. Grade I. 
 
 4. Fold and cut paper squares into pin wheels. 
 
 Grade I. 
 
 5. Get the square from the oblong paper by folding 
 down the superfluous piece. Grade 1. 
 
 6. The different angles may be folded from the 
 square, from the oblong and circle. Grades Land II. 
 
 7. Fold, from memory, any forms which have been 
 previously dictated. Grades I., II., and III. 
 
 8. Fold and cut strips of paper into halves and 
 fourths. Grades Land II. 
 
 9. Fold and cut forms into thirds, fourths, etc. 
 
 Grades II. and III. 
 
 10. Fold circles into halves and fourths. Grade I. 
 
 11. Draw forms to represent a folded piece of paper. 
 
 Grades I. and II. 
 
 12. Fold and cut hats and dresses for paper dolls. 
 
 13. Fold and cut furniture for doll-houses, — chairs, 
 tables, bureaus, boxes, etc. Grades I., II., and in. 
 
18 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 IV. 
 
 CUTTING 
 
 Material: Paper and pencils, scissors and cardboard 
 patterns. 
 
 1. Mark around pattern and then cut out the figure. 
 (Use geometric forms or representations of leaf, flower, 
 or familiar object.) Grade I. 
 
 2. Cut pictures from papers. Grade I. 
 
 3. Cut designs which have been folded. 
 
 Grades I. and II. 
 
 4. Cut squares, triangles, etc., of a given size, free- 
 hand. Grades I., II., and III. 
 
 5. Cut straight lines which have been ruled, thus 
 learning to cut to a line. Grade I. 
 
 6. Fold and cut sheets of paper which are to be used 
 in the class for different purposes. Grade I. 
 
 7. Cut and dress paper dolls at pleasure. Grade I. 
 
 8. Cut, from paper or cardboard, representations of 
 household furniture, boxes, bureaus, bookcases, desks, 
 chairs, sofas, beds, etc. Grades I., II., and III. 
 
 9. Cut, from seed and vegetable catalogues, pictures 
 of the fruits and flowers. Paste them upon cards and 
 write the name under each. Grades Land II. 
 
 10. Cut, free-hand, from paper, forms of animal and 
 vegetable life. Grades L, II., and III. 
 
 11. Cut, free-hand, representations of familiar stories. 
 
 Grades I., II., and III. 
 
 12. Colored paper may be folded and cut into strips 
 for chains for decorating the room or the Christmas 
 tree. Grades I., II., and III. 
 
 Note: This is a very valuable exercise because all the children 
 may unite in the work. 
 
SENSE TRAINING 
 
 STRINGING BEADS, SEEDS, AND BERRIES 
 
 Material : Wooden beads in different geometric forms, 
 or glass beads, straws or even wooden button-moulds 
 stained in different colors. 
 
 1. String the beads, arranging the colors and forms 
 at pleasure. Grade I. 
 
 2. String in twos, threes, or fours, using given 
 
 colors. Grade I. 
 
 3. String two and one, or three and one, etc., using 
 given colors. Grade I. 
 
 4. String seeds and berries to form a fringe or deco- 
 ration for the school-room door or window. Grade I. 
 
 VI. 
 
 CLAY MODELING 
 
 Material: Clay. 
 
 1. Model fruit which has been studied in the class 
 
 exercise. Grades I., II., and III. 
 
 2. Model geometric solids after observing them in 
 the class exercise. Grades I., II., and III. 
 
 3. A tile may be moulded and decorated by im- 
 pression. Grade I. 
 
 4. The impress of leaves may be taken by laying a 
 
 flat mat of clay on a square or circle of paper, laying 
 
 the leaf upon the clay and pressing down firmly. With 
 
 a pin, the leaf may then be outlined upon the clay. 
 
 Grade I. 
 
 5. Sand pans, or clay, may be used to mould hills, 
 valleys, farms, etc., something to represent houses, trees, 
 and animals being provided. Grades I., II., and III. 
 
zo PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 6. Model cocoons, or any other natural objects stud- 
 ied in the school-room. Grades I., II., and III. 
 
 Note : Numbers 3 and 4 are not approved for higher grades. 
 Clay should be placed in a mass on tile and picked up into 
 the desired form. 
 
 VII. 
 
 EXERCISES TO DEVELOP POWER TO RECOGNIZE, 
 NAME, AND ARRANGE COLORS 
 
 Material : Colored paper, worsteds, paints, etc. 
 
 1. Give each child a box, envelope, or handful of 
 papers, or cardboard squares, circles or oblongs, of 
 different colors. Let him sort according to color. 
 
 These forms may be bought at school-supply rooms, 
 or the teacher may cut them from paper or cardboard 
 at very small expense. Grade I. 
 
 2. Mark colored paper in narrow strips. Provide 
 each child with scissors, and let him cut on the pencilled 
 line. 
 
 If the children are unskillful with the scissors, let them 
 practice cutting the blue lines that are found on white 
 writing paper. Grade I. 
 
 The colored slips may be used for weaving, or the 
 ends may be pasted together to form a chain, like a 
 dandelion chain. 
 
 3. Fill envelopes with colored paper cut in any 
 desired form. 
 
 Each envelope should contain six or seven tints and 
 shades of each of the standard colors. 
 
 Each child, on receiving an envelope, should be 
 directed to select all the tints and shades of one color 
 and arrange them in scale from light to dark. Or, he 
 
SENSE TRAINING 21 
 
 may place all the reds in one pile, all the blues in an- 
 other, and SO on. Grades I., II., and III. 
 
 4. Give every pupil an envelope containing paper 
 oblongs in the spectrum colors. Direct him to arrange 
 in the order of the spectrum. 
 
 5. Give every pupil an envelope containing squares, 
 circles, triangles, and other forms. Arrange in designs. 
 
 (Tints and shades may be added later.) 
 
 Grades I., II., and III. 
 
 6. Direct children to trace circles on colored paper. 
 Provide scissors and have these circles cut out and 
 
 preserved for future use in laying designs or in pasting. 
 Other forms may be used. If the children are allowed 
 to keep this collection in their desks, it is likely to 
 provide an unending source of entertainment for other- 
 wise idle moments. Grades I. and II. 
 
 7. Provide each child with a pasteboard circle four or 
 five inches in diameter, also a sheet of colored paper. 
 
 Direct him to place the cardboard on the sheet of 
 paper and trace around it, then cut it on the pencilled 
 line. 
 
 A number of circles may be cut and folded into 
 halves, fourths, or eighths. If well cut, the parts may 
 be arranged in designs and pasted. 
 
 Two sizes of circles may be used, thus increasing the 
 possibility of pleasing designs. Grades I., II., and III. 
 
 8. Shapes of leaves, flowers, plants, and vegetables 
 may be cut from colored cardboard. 
 
 These may be sorted according to color and shape. 
 
 Later in the year, the children may trace around these 
 forms. 
 
 This material may be gathered from magazines and 
 papers, and especially seedsmen's catalogues. Grade I. 
 
22 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 9. Direct the children to sort in separate piles the 
 colored tablets which have been provided, putting all 
 the circles of one color in one pile ; below put all the 
 squares of same color, then the oblongs. Grade I. 
 
 10. Let the children arrange the colors in the spec- 
 trum order. Grades I., II., and III. 
 
 11. Let them make a color scale from the darkest to 
 the lightest, or vice versa. Grades I., II., and ill. 
 
 12. Direct them to select a given form of a given 
 color. Grade I. 
 
 13. Form borders of given colors. Grades I., II., and III. 
 
 14. Make designs in given colors. Grades I., II., and III. 
 
 15. Make designs in any chosen colors. (The teach- 
 er should be careful to commend those designs which 
 are harmonious in coloring and arrangement.) 
 
 Grades I., II., and III. 
 
 16. Arrange, on slips of cardboard, seven colors and 
 their names. Place one slip in an envelope with six 
 duplicates of each color and name. 
 
 Give such an envelope to each child, directing him to 
 match colors and attach the fitting name to each. 
 
 Later in the term, letters may be added to the con- 
 tents of the envelope and the words formed from these. 
 
 Grade I. 
 
 17. Use worsteds of the prismatic colors cut into 
 pieces one inch and two inches long. 
 
 Give a handful of pieces to each child and direct him 
 to arrange them in different piles, according to color. 
 
 Grade I. 
 
 Later in the year, tints and shades may be added, 
 making the sorting more difficult. 
 
 (The worsteds may also be sorted according to 
 lengths. Bits of silk and ribbon may be used instead of 
 
 worsteds.) Grades I. and II. 
 
SENSE TRAINING 23 
 
 18. Allow the children to paint representations of 
 natural objects. Paint-boxes may be kept in the desk. 
 
 The pencil should not be used to outline in the 
 painting exercises. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 WEAVING 
 
 Weaving is one of the most profitable occupations for 
 primary classes. It may be begun in the first grade, 
 and may be used with advantage through all primary 
 classes. 
 
 In teaching the process, use mats of some durable 
 material, as leather, enamel cloth, or curtain holland. 
 These mats may be 4 X 6 inches, and should be cut 
 with a penknife and ruler into strips one half an inch 
 wide, leaving an uncut margin of equal width on the 
 four sides of the mat. Instead of the mats, slate-frames 
 may be used, with broad tapes tacked from end to end 
 for the woof or foundation. 
 
 Use inch or half-inch splints in the first lessons. The 
 simplest pattern is one under, one over, one under, one 
 over, and so on. The second splint would, of course, 
 reverse the order. 
 
 More difficult patterns may be introduced after facility 
 has been acquired. As soon as the children understand 
 the use of the mats and the splints, they may construct 
 little looms for themselves and weave mats of raffia and 
 cord. 
 
 Raffia is a fibrous material which florists use in tying 
 plants. It may be bought of the florist for a compara- 
 tively small sum ; twenty-five cents would supply an 
 ordinary class for a month or six weeks. 
 
24 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 A convenient loom may be made from an old slate- 
 frame. The lengthwise strands, or the woof, may be 
 made of cord fastened upon tacks in the frame of the 
 slate. The warp, or filling, may be of raffia, or long 
 strips of cloth, or even of splints. In using the cord 
 and raffia, or cloth, the children will tend to make the 
 mat narrow in the middle. This may be prevented by 
 using long knitting-needles or strips of stout wire for 
 the two outside strands, and withdrawing them after 
 the mat is completed. 
 
 The advantage of this sort of weaving is that the 
 product is a comparatively durable article which may 
 be put to some use for the child. The mat may deco- 
 rate the doll-house, or may be placed under the ink- 
 stand on the desk, or beneath a vase of flowers or a 
 growing plant. If stout enough, it may be used as 
 a holder. 
 
 In connection with these lessons, the children should 
 observe the garments which have been woven for them. 
 The story of the old-time weaving should be told to 
 them, and lessons upon textile materials — wool, flax ; 
 cotton, and silk — should be added. 
 
 The old-fashioned spool knitting-work which every 
 teacher knows, is also recommended. The knitting 
 may be done with cotton yarn, worsted, woollen 
 yarn, or with cord, and the product sewed into mats, 
 holders, etc. 
 
 Simple basket-making may be added in schools 
 where material can be easily secured, and where a 
 basket-maker is ready to give the teacher a few prac- 
 tical lessons. 
 
SENSE TRAINING 25 
 
 IX. 
 MIS CELL ANEOUS 
 
 Little children should not be required to work at 
 their desks more than a half-hour at a time, without 
 exercise. 
 
 The children of Grade I. may be sent into the cor- 
 ridors, or better still, out of doors, for two or three 
 minutes' vigorous play with bean-bags or balls. Some 
 older children from other classes may accompany them. 
 
 Children of any grade may be sent out to collect seeds 
 or leaves of a certain tree or plant, as a reward for faith- 
 ful work. 
 
 Work at the table or blackboard should alternate 
 with work at the seat, whenever feasible. Many of 
 the exercises taken in the seats may just as easily be 
 performed at the blackboard. 
 
LANGUAGE, SPELLING, AND 
 READING 
 
IV. 
 LANGUAGE, SPELLING, AND READING 
 
 Exercise i. — Matching words which accompany and 
 name a picture. To be used chiefly in Grade I. 
 Suitable for first three months of school. 
 
 Material : Pictures or sketches ; printed words ; envel- 
 opes. 
 
 Procure from the printer slips of printed words, hav- 
 ing many duplicates of each word. One hundred dupli- 
 cates of each word is a sufficient number to work with 
 in a school of forty children. 
 
 These slips can be printed for about fifty cents a 
 thousand, if a large number is ordered. If the slips are 
 cut into separate words by the printer, the cost will be 
 slightly increased. 
 
 Cut pictures from old books, illustrating the words 
 which are taught in the reading lessons during the first 
 two months. Or, if you are able to sketch, draw the 
 desired pictures in hectograph ink, and hectograph the 
 sketches. These pictures should be separated into sets 
 of five or six, each set containing a group of words hav- 
 ing some relation to one another; for example, papa, 
 mamma, Alice, Willie, baby, in one set. Flower, leaf, 
 bud, tree, garden, in another set. 
 
 If sixty different words are printed, and correspond- 
 ing, pictures obtained, the teacher has materials for ten 
 different sets of envelopes. In envelope one are put 
 
3° 
 
 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 five or six pictures and five or six words corresponding 
 to each picture, one of the words being firmly glued to 
 the picture. There will then be about twenty-five loose 
 words in the envelopes. 
 
 The child proceeds to match the loose words to those 
 attached to the picture. It is of the greatest impor- 
 tance that time should be taken to hear him repeat 
 the words at the close of the busy work period. When 
 he is able to match the words in the first set, quickly 
 and correctly, a second set is given to him ; if there 
 are ten sets, he teaches himself sixty words in this 
 way. 
 
 It is better that this matching of whole words should 
 precede the matching of letters or the forming of words 
 from letters. Recognition of entire words should pre- 
 cede the analysis of words into letters. 
 
 The words may be written in script if preferred. By 
 using script for board work and print for seat work, 
 script and print are carried along easily together. 
 
 MODEL 
 
 garden 
 (Picture) 
 
 flower 
 (Picture) 
 
 leaf 
 (Picture) 
 
 bud 
 (Picture) 
 
 tree 
 (Picture) 
 
 garden 
 
 flower 
 
 leaf 
 
 bud 
 
 tree 
 
 garden 
 
 flower 
 
 leaf 
 
 bud 
 
 tree 
 
 garden 
 
 flower 
 
 leaf 
 
 bud 
 
 tree 
 
 garden 
 
 flower 
 
 leaf 
 
 bud 
 
 tree 
 
 garden 
 
 flower 
 
 leaf 
 
 bud 
 
 tree 
 
LANGUAGE, SPELLING, READING 31 
 
 Exercise 2. — Matching words which have been 
 learned in the reading lesson. Grades I. and II. 
 
 Material: Words copied on the hectograph, and en- 
 velopes or boxes. 
 
 Using hectograph ink, divide a sheet of paper into 
 squares, and write in each square a word which has 
 been learned by the class. Make duplicate copies by 
 using the hectograph. 
 
 A box and a sheet of words are given to each child. 
 By following the lines of the squares, the children are 
 able to cut their own words, and place them in the 
 boxes which are kept in the desks. 
 
 New words may be added from time to time as they 
 are learned in the board lessons. These words afford 
 a variety of exercises. The child may place the words 
 which he knows at one side of the desk, and those he 
 does not know at the other side. Or he may arrange 
 them in some certain order on the blackboard. Or, 
 if there are several duplicates of each word, he may 
 sort the words, placing together those which are alike. 
 Later in the year these words may be used to form 
 sentences, which may be original or copied. 
 
 Caution : Be sure to take time to hear the children re- 
 peat the words which they have arranged on their desks. 
 
 Exercise 3. — Finding, matching, and arranging 
 words. Grade I. 
 
 Material: Cardboard containing large copy of each 
 word, boxes or envelopes containing printed dupli- 
 cates of the same word. 
 
 After teaching fifty words as wholes, write each word 
 in script with a rubber pen upon a sheet of cardboard 
 
3 z PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 about ten inches long and five wide. As these words 
 are to be seen by the children across the room, it is 
 necessary that they should be written in a very large 
 plain hand. 
 
 With twine, fasten six of these words together to form 
 a ladder. Form nine or ten of these ladders. At first 
 hang one of these ladders on the wall. Give the chil- 
 dren boxes containing these same words in print, two 
 copies of each word on all the ladders, — about one 
 hundred words in all. The child forms the ladder twice 
 on his desk. As he is obliged to search among all his 
 words for the correct ones, he is employed for a con- 
 siderable time, during which period he is attentively 
 observing the forms of the words. Soon all the ladders 
 may be hung upon the wall and the child may copy 
 any that he chooses. The boxes and words are num- 
 bered so that lost words may be returned to the box in 
 which they belong. 
 
 This is good work for spare minutes, and is suit- 
 able for use at any time during the year. 
 
 Exercise 4. — Individual work selected by the pupils. 
 
 Grades I. and II. 
 Material : Blank book, or block of paper. 
 
 Each child may have a block of paper in his desk to 
 be used as a " scribbling block." He is allowed to put 
 anything he chooses upon it. If preferred, a small 
 book may be made by fastening several sheets of paper 
 together with clasp-fasteners. 
 
 Exercise 5. — Tracing and copying. Grade I. 
 
 Material: Written word or sentence; the paper for 
 copying. 
 
LANGUAGE, SPELLING, READING 33 
 
 Give each child a slip of paper, on which is written a 
 sentence or word in large script. The child first traces 
 over the lines on the slip, then copies the same word or 
 sentence on another slip of paper. 
 
 Exercise 6. — Finding and matching words. Grade I. 
 
 Material : Pictures, envelopes, printed words. 
 
 Have envelopes filled with pictures. On each picture 
 is written the word which is suggested by the picture. 
 On the outside of each envelope are written the words 
 corresponding to the pictures within. The children 
 place the pictures on the desk in the order designated 
 on the envelope. This necessitates finding and matching 
 the words. 
 
 Exercise 7. — To secure familiarity with forms of 
 letters. Grade I. 
 
 Material : Sheets of cardboard containing large letters. 
 
 Letters one and two inches in height are drawn on 
 cardboard (6x8 in.). 
 
 The children may cover the outlines with split peas 
 or lentils. 
 
 Later they may lay the letter on the desk and copy 
 the outline. 
 
 Finally, they may copy words in the same way from a 
 slip of paper, or from the board. 
 
 Exercise 8. — Sentence-building. Grades I. and II. 
 
 Material : Written or printed sentences cut into sepa- 
 rate words, envelopes. 
 
 On the outside of envelopes write or print five or six 
 sentences. Write or print five or six copies of the 
 
 3 
 
34 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 same sentences, cut up into separate words, and place 
 in the envelope. The children find the words of the 
 sentences and place them on the desk in the order 
 indicated on the outside of the envelope. 
 
 Exercise 9. — Drill in recognizing words. 
 
 Grades I. and II. 
 
 Material : Scraps from newspapers or magazines. 
 
 Pupils .mark words which they can recognize and 
 name. 
 
 After teaching a word or letter, give the children a 
 page of an old magazine or book, or a bit of newspaper, 
 and let them draw a line through the word or letter, 
 wherever they may find it. 
 
 Exercise 10. — Finding words in unfamiliar pages. 
 
 Grades I. and II. 
 Material: Scraps from magazines. 
 
 Let the children hunt in the pages of magazines, etc., 
 for words of one letter, two letters, three letters, etc., 
 and cross them when found. Let them mark all known 
 words which they find on the paper given to them. 
 
 Let them hunt for words beginning with capitals, or 
 for words beginning with certain letters, or for words 
 whose initial letters follow in the order of the alphabet, 
 or for words that end in a certain letter. 
 
 Exercise 11. — Copying sentences. 
 
 Grades I., II., and III. 
 
 Material: Sentences written upon the blackboard, 
 printed slips ; hectograph. 
 
LANGUAGE, SPELLING, READING 35 
 
 The children may copy maxims, or poetry from the 
 blackboard, or better, from printed slips on the desk. 
 The hectograph may be used in writing the slips. 
 
 Exercise 12. — Assorting words. Grades I., II., and III. 
 
 Material: Printed pages mounted upon cardboard, 
 cut into separate words. 
 
 Paste leaves of worn-out books on this cardboard or 
 stiff paper and cut the sheet into words. Give each 
 child a generous handful. He may separate words of 
 two letters from those of three, four, or five. Or he 
 may place together words of two letters, those of three 
 letters, etc. 
 
 Children may select words beginning or ending with 
 a certain letter of the alphabet, or words like those 
 written on the board. Later in the year the children 
 can tell by sight or sound most of the words, and 
 may place known words at one side of the desk, and 
 unknown at the other side. 
 
 Exercise 13. — Word-building. Grades I. and II. 
 
 Material ; The alphabet, in separate letters on 
 cardboard. 
 
 Procure from the printer, cards containing many 
 copies of the alphabet. He will cut them up, if pre- 
 ferred. Provide an envelope for each child, and 
 place ten sets of letters in each envelope. On s 
 the outside of each envelope place a combina- w 
 tion of letters occurring very frequently in words ; th 
 e. g., ing. Underneath these letters place conso- 
 nants. The child finds the letters designated and 
 those required to complete the words of the same 
 
36 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 " family," and places them on his desk in the order 
 indicated on the envelope. 
 
 Exercise 14. — Making lists of words. Grades I. and II. 
 
 Material : Words containing certain sounds. 
 
 Print five vowels with a pen, on the outside of strong 
 envelopes. Make on the hectograph five lists of short 
 words, ten words in each list. Each list should contain 
 words having the same vowel sound ; for example, cat, 
 fat, man, can, ran, rat, hat, that, cap, trap, bell, sell, tell, 
 well, fed, bed, red, Ned, pet, wet, etc. 
 
 Cut up the lists into single words, and place words 
 of all the lists in each envelope. Place on the board 
 the five vowels and call the attention of the children to 
 " a," giving the sound. Ask them to find all the words 
 in their envelopes containing that sound, and place 
 them in a row on the desk. Proceed in the same way 
 with each of the other vowels. 
 
 It will be necessary to work with the children for a few 
 lessons before giving them this exercise as busy work. 
 
 Exercise 15. — Like Exercise 14. Grades I. and II. 
 
 A second set of envelopes may be prepared contain- 
 ing combinations of letters frequently found in words — 
 namely, ship, dish, wish, shed, shut, shot, sheep, shell, 
 fish, — words containing the letters oa, ow> etc. This 
 exercise may be given after the children have made some 
 progress in phonics. 
 
 Exercise 16. — Arranging letters of the alphabet. 
 
 Grade I. 
 Material : Boxes of letters. 
 
 From his box containing the letters of the alphabet, 
 duplicated ten times, the child first puts all like letters 
 
LANGUAGE, SPELLING, READING 37 
 
 together, repeating the names to the teacher, at the 
 end of busy work period. 
 
 Next place the letters in alphabetical order. Then 
 he may form short words with these letters, having a 
 copy on a slip, or on the board. 
 
 Exercise 17. — Copying sentences. Grades I. and II. 
 
 Material: Boxes of letters. 
 
 Copy sentences, with the letters, from slip or board. 
 Make original sentences in the same way. 
 
 Note: Exercises 16-18 should be employed chiefly at the 
 period when the children need practice in recognizing 
 and naming the letters, and while they are fixing the order 
 of the alphabet. 
 
 Exercise 18. — Copying sentences. Grades I. and II. 
 
 Material: Pictures cut from magazines; written 
 sentences. 
 
 Cut from books and magazines good pictures about 
 two inches square. Paste these on school writing-paper. 
 Write a few sentences about the picture. Let the 
 children copy the sentences. 
 
 Exercise 19. — Story-telling by the aid of pictures. 
 
 Grades I., II., and III. 
 
 Material: Pictures and words. 
 
 On the next set of papers, place a picture and a few 
 suggestive words. Now the children write the story by 
 aid of these words. 
 
 Finally the children construct a story from the picture, 
 without any aid. 
 
38 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 Variety in this exercise is afforded by allowing chil- 
 dren to write simply names of objects seen in the 
 picture. 
 
 Exercise 20. — Copying sentences. Grades I. and II. 
 
 Material: Printed sentences. 
 
 Give children slips of paper containing printed sen- 
 tences. Under the printed sentence, the child writes 
 the same sentence. 
 
 Next paste four or five sentences from old First 
 Readers on a card. Give each child a card. He is to 
 write these sentences on paper given to him. 
 
 Later, use books for the same purpose. 
 
 Exercise 21. — Finding and copying sentences of a 
 certain kind. Grades I., II., and III. 
 
 Material: First Readers. 
 
 During the last few months the children are able 
 to find a few "telling" (declarative) and " asking " 
 (interrogative) sentences, from any First Reader, and 
 copy same on paper. 
 
 Exercise 22. — Silent reading. Grades I., II., and III. 
 
 Material : Books or scraps pasted upon cardboard. 
 
 Let the children study sentences from a card and, 
 after reading silently, copy on paper. Later, let them 
 write the sentences from memory. 
 
 Later (during last five months of first grade) the 
 children may read books in their seats. 
 
LANGUAGE, SPELLING, READING 39 
 
 Exercise 23. — School library. 
 
 Grades I., II., and III. 
 
 Material: Collection of picture-books. 
 
 Have a collection of picture-books which the children 
 may take when other work is finished, or at the teacher's 
 pleasure. 
 
 Exercise 24. — Make lists of words, following direc- 
 tions. Grades I. and II. 
 
 Material : Boxes of letters. 
 
 With letters the child makes the words of the spelling 
 lesson which have been written on the board. 
 
 Later, he makes with letters lists containing names of 
 ten birds, ten trees, etc. 
 
 After this exercise with separate letters, the child 
 is better able to do the same thing with pencil and 
 paper. 
 
 Exercise 25. — Filling blanks. Grades I. and II. 
 
 Material: Prepared sentences. 
 
 Write on slips of paper easy sentences, leaving 
 
 blanks ; namely, " I see a dog." Let each child 
 
 have a few slips, and copy the sentences on paper, 
 filling in the blank. 
 
 Exercise 26. — Copying sentences. Grades I. and II. 
 
 Material: Slips from old writing-books. 
 
 If possible, procure, from firms publishing writing- 
 books, slips containing letters of alphabet, capital and 
 
+ o PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 small. These may be hectographed by teacher if they 
 cannot be otherwise obtained. 
 
 The children use these as a copy at the desk. 
 
 Exercise 27. — Original sentences. Grades I. and II. 
 
 Material: Paper and pencil. 
 
 Place on the board the name of some interesting 
 object, as " doll." The children write as many sen- 
 tences as they can about the object. 
 
 Exercise 28. — Preparing for oral spelling. 
 
 Grades I. and II. 
 Material: Paper and pencil. 
 
 The children select three words from the reading- 
 book, and make a neat column, by repeating these 
 words a certain number of times on paper. 
 
 Later in the day these papers are collected, and the 
 children have a lesson in oral spelling. Each child 
 spells the three words that are found on his paper. 
 The pupils who fail take their papers and study again. 
 
 This exercise is practically free from the objection 
 used against oral spelling, — that the children are 
 obliged to listen to incorrect spelling. 
 
 Exercise 29. — Matching words, an aid in making the 
 transition from script to print. Grade I. 
 
 Material: As each word is taught from the board, 
 make from twenty-five to thirty copies of it, both 
 in script and print. Use black ink for the script and 
 
LANGUAGE, SPELLING, READING 41 
 
 red ink for the printed form. Place the script and 
 printed forms of the several words in boxes or 
 envelopes, ready for distribution. 
 Direction: Use this material for busy work, preparatory 
 to the transition from board to chart, or from board 
 to books. 
 
V. 
 
 LANGUAGE, SPELLING, AND READING 
 
 ( Continue (T) 
 
 Exercises to be used chiefly in Grades II. and III. 
 
 Exercise i. — Spelling charts. 
 
 Make spelling charts of lists of words. Charts may- 
 be separated into those of words with " short a," " long 
 a," etc. Charts may be made of large sheets of heavy 
 manila paper, the words written with a rubber pen, 
 large enough to be seen across the school-room. Each 
 child should be provided with a box of letters. Let 
 children form words from chart one day ; the next day 
 reproduce as many as possible from memory. Later 
 in the year, words from reading-book may be utilized, 
 any given sound being the basis of work. 
 
 Exercise 2. — Stories from pictures. 
 
 Pictures may be made useful, if they are cut out and 
 mounted. Each child has a picture and some letters. 
 He is to study the picture carefully, then place it at the 
 top of his desk, and make a sentence or sentences about 
 it with his letters. 
 
 Exercise 3. — Language cards. 
 
 A set of language cards, each having a picture with a 
 story on one side, may be used as follows : — 
 
 The story is cut from the picture, and each sentence 
 cut up into words or phrases. The original story, 
 
LANGUAGE, SPELLING, READING 43 
 
 written on heavy paper or cardboard, is put into an 
 envelope with the picture and cut-up sentences. The 
 children are to arrange the sentences. Later in the 
 year, the pictures alone (without the sentences), and 
 others collected for the purpose, are given out with 
 boxes of letters, and simple stories about the pictures 
 are made by children. 
 
 Exercise 4. — Lists of words. 
 
 Use boxes of letters, or write the lists. 
 
 1. Lists of hard words are made. 
 
 2. Lists of words beginning with certain letter or 
 sound. 
 
 3. Lists ofwords containing a certain letter or sound. 
 
 4. Lists ofwords having a given ending. 
 
 5. Words of the special reading lesson. 
 
 6. Sentences which tell something. 
 
 7. Sentences which ask questions. 
 
 Exercise 5. — Copying or building phonic lists. 
 
 Class to write lists of words, building from certain 
 combinations, as 
 
 at ate 
 
 that plate 
 flat slate 
 
 Pupils to write lists of words (a definite number, as ten 
 or twenty) beginning with a given letter or letters, as, 
 b, g y v, wh, th; or words having a given combination 
 of letters within the word, as, ai, ea, ie y ow, oa ; or 
 words which end with silent e, or /, or ing ; or words 
 which have a double consonant or vowel. 
 
44 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 Exercise 6. — " Catch words." 
 
 Children to write lists of catch words ; that is, words 
 with silent letters, as thought. The ugh does not speak, 
 and must be "caught" and put into the word, else it 
 " catches " the children when spelling. 
 
 Exercise 7. — Lists of words containing a given num- 
 ber of letters. 
 
 Class to write columns of words containing a certain 
 number of letters or syllables. 
 
 Exercise 8. — Words in sentences. 
 
 The first part of the school year, words printed or 
 written on cards may be given to the pupils. 
 
 BALL 
 
 BREAKFAST 
 
 WHEN 
 
 Each child studies the words on his cards, then writes 
 them on paper. Later, the children may put these 
 words into sentences. 
 
 Exercise 9. — Words from reading lesson. 
 
 After the words at the head of the lesson in the Reader 
 have been sounded and spelled, pupils may look for 
 them in the story, and make lists, putting number of 
 paragraph in which each is found over the word ; for 
 example, — . - 
 
 loved children 
 
 board 
 
 5 
 course 
 
 3 
 asked 
 
 7 
 said 
 
LANGUAGE, SPELLING, READING 45 
 
 Exercise 10. — Phonic lists enclosed in a frame. 
 
 At the beginning of the school year, after a sound drill, 
 each child is given a cardboard oblong, 2 by 4 inches. 
 He is to draw around it, and in the enclosed space 
 write all the words he can find in his Reader containing 
 the sound or sounds just reviewed. 
 
 Exercise 11. — Use of clippings. 
 
 Columns from a magazine or from any other good 
 reading matter may be distributed to class, and children 
 be required to underline known words, copying the 
 same on strips of paper, if time permit. 
 
 Exercise 12. — Copying selections. 
 
 Children may copy certain paragraphs from the Reader 
 after words have been spelled, attention being given to 
 capitals and punctuation as well as spelling. 
 
 Exercise 13. — Sentences from Reader. 
 
 The teacher may select ten or more hard words from 
 the reading lesson. Have the children copy the sen- 
 tences containing these words from the Reader, and 
 later have them read the sentences from the paper in- 
 stead of the book. This aids transition from print to 
 script, and emphasizes the importance of using the 
 exact words of the text. 
 
 Exercise 14. — Selections for children's blank books. 
 
 Children may copy poems in blank books. The 
 poems may be those which have been learned from 
 month to month, expressing the month's nature work 
 or that of the season. 
 
46 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 Exercise 15. — Difficult words. 
 
 Selections may be copied, then hard words written 
 in columns underneath, each child choosing his own 
 words. 
 
 Exercise 16. — Punctuation. 
 
 Sentences from special page or pages of the Reader 
 may be copied the first of the year. 
 
 1. Those which tell something, being careful how 
 they begin and end. (Capitals and periods.) 
 
 2. Those which ask questions, being careful how 
 they begin and end. (Capitals and interrogation points.) 
 
 3. Sentences which contain names of persons. 
 
 Exercise 17. — Material for spelling. 
 
 Sentences on work of the season copied and used for 
 spelling lesson. 
 
 Exercise 18. — Mottoes. 
 
 Maxims and mottoes copied by class. 
 See pages 134-139- 
 
 Exercise 19. — Pilgrim book. 
 
 In November or December, as a development of the 
 talks about Thanksgiving and Forefathers' Day, a form 
 of busy work which has delighted some little people is 
 making " The Pilgrim Book." Material for the class: 
 blank books, pictures, scissors, paste, sticks. The 
 teacher should show, on charts or blackboard, just 
 how she wishes each page of blank book to be arranged. 
 The work may be divided into several lessons, leading 
 up to the finished result. 
 
LANGUAGE, SPELLING, READING 47 
 
 Such books may be made in connection with other 
 subjects and seasons, — as, Thanksgiving, June, Occupa- 
 tions, Animals, Flowers. 
 
 Exercise 20. — Original sentences. 
 
 Give each child a definite number of words on a 
 card. Pupil may copy and put given words into 
 sentences. 
 
 Exercise 21. — Questions and answers. 
 
 The teacher may write on board questions about the 
 reading-lesson, the answers to which will form a short 
 connected story. Children write the answers. Pupils 
 are expected to pay attention to margin, punctuation, 
 capitals, and spelling, and also to put title at the 
 beginning. 
 
 Exercise 22. — Words in sentences. 
 
 Lists of words are written by teacher on blackboard 
 or chart. Pupils make sentences containing words in 
 the lists. A help to spelling and language in second 
 half of year. 
 
 Exercise 23. — Use of pictures. 
 
 Children may write stories from large picture hung 
 before the class, hints having been written on black- 
 board ; use small pictures at desks in the same way. 
 
 Descriptions of flowers, fruits, animals, or birds, writ- 
 ten and studied; sometimes with topics on the board, 
 other times without. 
 
48 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 Exercise 24. — Mounted pictures and words. 
 
 Make a collection of small pictures selected from 
 magazines, school papers, old books, or any other 
 source. Suitable boxes may be collected by the chil- 
 dren. The pictures must be mounted, and a box for 
 each child is a necessity. Into each box are put from 
 ten to twenty mounted pictures, and five slips of card- 
 board for each picture, each slip having the name of 
 the picture on it. Every slip, picture, and box is 
 numbered, the number of slip and picture correspond- 
 ing to the number of box in which they belong. If 
 either one is found out of its place, it may, in this 
 way, easily be returned to its proper box. The boxes 
 have names typical of the pictures within. One may 
 be an " Indian box," another a " plaything box," an- 
 other a " vegetable box," and so on. When the boxes 
 are given to the class, each child arranges his pictures 
 on his desk, and puts the five slips which tell the name 
 of a picture under the picture to which they belong. 
 
 Exercise 25. — Library. 
 
 A school library of the simplest sort may be made 
 available even to children in the primary schools, so 
 that they may be accustomed to the independent use 
 of books. The tendency of the school is to direct class 
 work and ignore individual choice. This may be cor- 
 rected by the use of a library. 
 
 Collect books from every possible source : picture- 
 books or story-books which the children may lend for 
 the purpose, or which are contributed from the garret 
 collections of the neighborhood ; old magazines ; partial 
 sets of supplementary reading books ; old text-books. 
 
LANGUAGE, SPELLING, READING 49 
 
 Place these upon a table or a shelf within reach of the 
 children. If a table is used, let a group gather about 
 it and use the books at pleasure during a prescribed 
 period. Or, let the children who complete their work 
 before the others, have this opportunity to read ; and 
 lest the slower ones be forgotten, assign a special period 
 when they may use the books instead of doing other 
 work. Encourage the children to tell what they enjoy 
 in a book, to describe the pictures which they have seen, 
 or to relate the stories which they have read. In some 
 cases, read to the children from story-books which they 
 bring, so that they may acquire the notion that their 
 lessons in reading are intended to develop the power 
 to use books for themselves. 
 
 By this means, even with a meagre provision for read- 
 ing, the library may be made a very valuable part of the 
 equipment of the school. 
 
VI. 
 
 A SERIES OF EXERCISES IN PHONICS 
 AND SPELLING 
 
 PREPARED BY 
 
 A. B. B. 
 
 Grades II. and III. 
 
 The following series of exercises suggest phases of word 
 study which may profitably employ pupils in connection with 
 phonics or spelling. Key words are provided from which 
 the children, by prefixing initial letters, may make new words 
 having the same final sound. The lists may be read after- 
 ward to the class, and the new words used in sentences, 
 spelled orally, or written from dictation. The exercises have 
 been carefully prepared by one who has made a thoughtful 
 study of phonics with her own classes. They will be found 
 to contain many fundamental combinations which should be- 
 come familiar to the children. 
 
 In other exercises the addition of the silent <?, or of the 
 various suffixes, enables the children to spell the common 
 derivatives and to recognize the law which governs the spell- 
 ing. The meaning of the derivative is taught at the same 
 time, and the pupils are thus helped to consider the relations 
 of words which are derived from the same root. This prac- 
 tice will prove very helpful when the knowledge is applied 
 in reading. — Ed. 
 
PHONICS AND SPELLING 51 
 
 BOARD OR CHART WORK (A) 
 
 GUIDE 
 Key Words. Initial Letters. 
 
 1. and 1. b, gr, h, 1, s, st. 
 
 2. end 2. b, 1, t, s, sp, r, w, bl. 
 
 CLASS EXERCISE 
 
 "Form with letters or write in columns. 
 Result : 
 
 1. and 
 
 
 hand 
 
 band 
 
 
 land 
 
 grand 
 
 stand 
 
 sand 
 
 2. end 
 
 
 tend 
 
 bend 
 
 
 send 
 
 lend 
 rend 
 
 blend 
 
 spend 
 wend 
 
 SUPPLEMENTARY EXERCISES (B) 
 
 GUIDE 
 Key Words. Initial Letters. 
 
 1. eat 1. b, h, s, tr, wh, n, m. 
 
 2. each 2. b, p, r, t, pr. 
 
 3. ear 3. n, t, r, f, h, d, dr, sh, sp, y. 
 
 4. oil 4. b, c, t, s, sp. 
 
 5. all 5. b, c, f, t, w, sm, h, st. 
 
 6. ill 6. b, h, f, s, t, st, g, w, w, p, 
 
 sp, dr, qu, gr, tr. 
 
 7. ink 7. dr, br, r, ch, s, w, th, 1. 
 
 Suggestions : — 
 
 1. At the close of a busy work period, let the class 
 volunteer to pronounce and spell each word in any list. 
 
52 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 2. During some future busy work period, have the 
 lists copied from the board or chart into the blank 
 books reserved for spelling. 
 
 BOARD OR CHART WORK (C) 
 
 GUIDE 
 
 Key Words. 
 
 Final Letters. 
 
 1. thin 
 
 1. k, g. 
 
 2. sin 
 
 2. k, g, ge. 
 
 3. chin 
 
 3. k. 
 
 4. ban 
 
 4. k, g, d. 
 
 5. sun 
 
 5. k, g. 
 
 CLASS EXERCISE 
 
 Form with letters or write in columns. 
 Result: l. thin, think, thing. 
 
 2. sin, sink, sing, singe. 
 
 3. chin, chink. 
 
 4. ban, bank, bang, band. 
 
 5. sun, sunk, sung. 
 
 SUPPLEMENTARY EXERCISES (2>) 
 GUIDE 
 
 Key 
 
 Words. 
 
 Final e added. 
 
 l. 
 
 slop 
 
 l. slope 
 
 2. 
 
 hop 
 
 2. 
 
 3. 
 
 rod 
 
 3. 
 
 4. 
 
 slid 
 
 4. 
 
 5. 
 
 din 
 
 5. 
 
 6. 
 
 twin 
 
 6. 
 
 7. 
 
 trip 
 
 7. 
 
 8. 
 
 snip 
 
 8. 
 
PHONICS AND SPELLING 53 
 
 Key 
 
 Words. 
 
 Final < 
 
 2 added. 
 
 9. 
 
 fin 
 
 9. 
 
 
 10. 
 
 us 
 
 10. 
 
 
 11. 
 
 at 
 
 11. 
 
 
 12. 
 
 bit 
 
 12. 
 
 
 13. 
 
 tub 
 
 13. 
 
 
 14. 
 
 cub 
 
 14. 
 
 
 15. 
 
 cut 
 
 15. 
 
 
 16„ 
 
 not 
 
 16. 
 
 
 17. 
 
 tun 
 
 17. 
 
 • 
 
 18. 
 
 ton 
 
 18. 
 
 
 19. 
 
 shad 
 
 19. 
 
 
 20. 
 
 rob 
 
 20. 
 
 
 MODIFIED VOWELS 
 
 (E) 
 
 
 
 GUIDE 
 
 
 1. 
 
 cot 
 
 1. 
 
 coat 
 
 2. 
 
 rod 
 
 2. 
 
 
 3. 
 
 am 
 
 3. 
 
 aim 
 
 4. 
 
 ran 
 
 4. 
 
 
 5. 
 
 pan 
 
 5. 
 
 
 6. 
 
 far 
 
 6. 
 
 fair 
 
 7. 
 
 star 
 
 7. 
 
 
 8. 
 
 bar 
 
 8. 
 
 bear 
 
 9. 
 
 tar 
 
 9. 
 
 
 10. 
 
 car 
 
 10. 
 
 care 
 
 11. 
 
 bar 
 
 11. 
 
 
 12. 
 
 far 
 
 12. 
 
 
 13. 
 
 slop 
 
 13. 
 
 sloop 
 
 14. 
 
 stop 
 
 14. 
 
 
 15. 
 
 shot 
 
 15. 
 
 
 16. 
 
 hot 
 
 16. 
 
 
 17. 
 
 cot 
 
 17. 
 
 
54 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 18. 
 
 drop 
 
 18. 
 
 
 19. 
 
 crop 
 
 19. 
 
 croup 
 
 20. 
 
 sop 
 
 20. 
 
 
 BOARD OR CHART 
 
 WORK (F) 
 
 
 GUIDE 
 
 
 
 Key 
 
 Words. 
 
 Suffix. 
 
 l. 
 
 bake 
 
 l. 
 
 -r 
 
 2. 
 
 make 
 
 2. 
 
 -r 
 
 3. 
 
 talk 
 
 3. 
 
 -er 
 
 4. 
 
 walk 
 
 4. 
 
 -er 
 
 5. 
 
 buy 
 
 5. 
 
 -er 
 
 6. 
 
 dream 
 
 6. 
 
 -er 
 
 7. 
 
 work 
 
 7. 
 
 -er 
 
 8. 
 
 sleep 
 
 8. 
 
 -er 
 
 9. 
 
 creep 
 
 9. 
 
 -er 
 
 10. 
 
 preach 
 
 10. 
 
 -er 
 
 11. 
 
 sell 
 
 11. 
 
 -er 
 
 12. 
 
 steam 
 
 12. 
 
 -er 
 
 13. 
 
 wait 
 
 13. 
 
 -er 
 
 14. 
 
 read 
 
 14. 
 
 -er 
 
 15. 
 
 trade 
 
 15. 
 
 -r 
 
 16. 
 
 ride 
 
 16. 
 
 -r 
 
 BUSY WORK EXERCISE 
 
 Form with letters or write in separate columns the 
 action word, the name word. 
 
 Suggestions : — 
 
 i. At the close of a busy work period have each 
 word pronounced, spelled, and used in sentence-building. 
 
 2. Have these words copied from board or chart 
 lists, during a future busy work period, into the blank 
 books reserved for spelling. 
 
PHONICS AND SPELLING 55 
 
 SVPPLEMENTARY EXERCISES (G) 
 
 GUIDE 
 
 Key 
 
 Words. 
 
 5 
 
 uffix. 
 
 l. 
 
 run 
 
 1. 
 
 n-er 
 
 2. 
 
 gun 
 
 2. 
 
 n-er 
 
 3. 
 
 spin 
 
 3. 
 
 n-er 
 
 4. 
 
 win 
 
 4. 
 
 n-er 
 
 5. 
 
 sin 
 
 5. 
 
 n-er 
 
 6. 
 
 trim 
 
 6. 
 
 m-er 
 
 7. 
 
 hum 
 
 7. 
 
 m-er 
 
 8. 
 
 drum 
 
 8. 
 
 m-er 
 
 9. 
 
 rob 
 
 9. 
 
 b-er 
 
 10. 
 
 clip 
 
 10. 
 
 p-er 
 
 11. 
 
 ship 
 
 11. 
 
 p-er 
 
 12. 
 
 chop 
 
 12. 
 
 p-er 
 
 13. 
 
 hop 
 
 13. 
 
 p-er 
 
 14. 
 
 stop 
 
 14. 
 
 p-er 
 
 15. 
 
 cut 
 
 15. 
 
 t-er 
 
 16. 
 
 shut 
 
 16. 
 
 t-er 
 
 17. 
 
 fit 
 
 17. 
 
 t-er 
 
 18. 
 
 wrap 
 
 18. 
 
 p-er 
 
 CLASS EXERCISE 
 
 Form with letters or write in separate columns a list 
 of action words, a list of name words. Call attention to 
 the "doubling" of the final consonant before er can be 
 added. 
 
 Suggestions : — 
 
 1. Have each word in a list pronounced, spelled, and 
 used for sentence-building. 
 
 2. Have the lists copied, during a future busy work 
 exercise, into the blank books reserved for spelling. 
 
56 
 
 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 BOARD OR 
 
 CHART WORK (H) 
 
 
 
 GUIDE 
 
 
 Key 
 
 Words. 
 
 Suffix. 
 
 l. 
 
 run 
 
 1. 
 
 n-ing 
 
 2. 
 
 sun 
 
 2. 
 
 n-ing 
 
 3. 
 
 gun 
 
 3. 
 
 n-ing 
 
 4. 
 
 pin 
 
 4. 
 
 n-ing 
 
 5. 
 
 sin 
 
 5. 
 
 n-ing 
 
 6. 
 
 win 
 
 6. 
 
 n-ing 
 
 7. 
 
 trim 
 
 7. 
 
 m-ing 
 
 8. 
 
 hum 
 
 8. 
 
 m-ing 
 
 9. 
 
 drum 
 
 9. 
 
 m-ing 
 
 10. 
 
 slam 
 
 10. 
 
 m-ing 
 
 11. 
 
 stop 
 
 11. 
 
 p-ing 
 
 12. 
 
 chop 
 
 12. 
 
 p-ing 
 
 13. 
 
 hop 
 
 13. 
 
 p-ing 
 
 14. 
 
 slip 
 
 14. 
 
 p-ing 
 
 15. 
 
 whip 
 
 15. 
 
 p-ing 
 
 16. 
 
 skip 
 
 16. 
 
 p-ing 
 
 17. 
 
 ship 
 
 17. 
 
 p-ing 
 
 18. 
 
 trip 
 
 18. 
 
 p-ing 
 
 19. 
 
 drip 
 
 19. 
 
 p-ing 
 
 20. 
 
 get 
 
 20. 
 
 t-ing 
 
 21. 
 
 fret 
 
 21. 
 
 t-ing 
 
 22. 
 
 pat 
 
 22. 
 
 t-ing 
 
 23. 
 
 cut 
 
 23. 
 
 t-ing 
 
 24. 
 
 sit 
 
 24. 
 
 t-ing 
 
 CLASS EXERCISE 
 
 Form with letters or write in separate columns the two 
 forms of the action word. Call attention to the " doub- 
 ling " of the final consonant before ing can be added. 
 
PHONICS AND SPELLING 57 
 
 Suggestions : — 
 
 1. Have the words in each list pronounced, spelled, 
 and used in sentence-building. 
 
 2. Have each list copied from the board or chart 
 into the blank books reserved for spelling. 
 
 BOARD OR CHART WORK (I) 
 
 GUIDE 
 
 Key 
 
 Words. 
 
 . 
 
 Suffix. 
 
 l. 
 
 trim 
 
 1. 
 
 m-ed 
 
 2. 
 
 hum 
 
 2. 
 
 m-ed 
 
 3. 
 
 slam 
 
 3. 
 
 m-ed 
 
 4. 
 
 drum 
 
 4. 
 
 m-ed 
 
 5. 
 
 drag 
 
 5. 
 
 g-ed 
 
 6. 
 
 rig 
 
 6. 
 
 g-ed 
 
 7. 
 
 bag 
 
 7. 
 
 g-ed 
 
 8. 
 
 P e g 
 
 8. 
 
 g-ed 
 
 
 Change 
 
 of Pronunciation 
 
 9. 
 
 slip 
 
 9. 
 
 p-ed 
 
 10. 
 
 chip 
 
 10. 
 
 p-ed 
 
 11. 
 
 trip 
 
 11. 
 
 p-ed 
 
 12. 
 
 stop 
 
 12. 
 
 p-ed 
 
 13. 
 
 chop 
 
 13. 
 
 p-ed 
 
 14. 
 
 drip 
 
 14. 
 
 p-ed 
 
 15. 
 
 whip 
 
 15. 
 
 p-ed 
 
 16. 
 
 clip 
 
 16. 
 
 p-ed 
 
 
 Change of Pronunciation 
 
 17. 
 
 fret 
 
 17. 
 
 t-ed 
 
 18. 
 
 pet 
 
 18. 
 
 t-ed 
 
 19. 
 
 trot 
 
 19. 
 
 t-ed 
 
 20. 
 
 pat 
 
 20. 
 
 t-ed 
 
58 
 
 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 CLASS EXERCISE 
 
 Form with letters or write in separate columns the 
 present and the past form of the action word, 
 ed-t ed-ed 
 
 Suggestions : — 
 
 1. Have each word in a list pronounced, spelled, and 
 used in sentence-building. 
 
 2. Have each list copied from the board or chart into 
 the blank books reserved for spelling. 
 
 3. Call attention to the " doubling " of the final con- 
 sonant before ed can be added. 
 
 BOARD OR 
 
 CHART WORK (J) 
 
 
 
 GUIDE 
 
 
 Key 
 
 Words. 
 
 
 Suffix. 
 
 l. 
 
 come 
 
 1. 
 
 com-ing 
 
 2. 
 
 have 
 
 2. 
 
 hav-ing 
 
 3. 
 
 save 
 
 3. 
 
 sav-ing 
 
 4. 
 
 live 
 
 4. 
 
 -ing 
 
 5. 
 
 give 
 
 5. 
 
 -ing 
 
 6. 
 
 smile 
 
 6. 
 
 -ing 
 
 7. 
 
 twine 
 
 7. 
 
 -ing 
 
 8. 
 
 shine 
 
 8. 
 
 -ing 
 
 9. 
 
 dine 
 
 9. 
 
 dining 
 
 10. 
 
 dive 
 
 10. 
 
 -ing 
 
 11. 
 
 drive 
 
 11. 
 
 -ing 
 
 12. 
 
 chase 
 
 12. 
 
 -ing 
 
 13. 
 
 trace 
 
 13. 
 
 -ing 
 
 14. 
 
 lace 
 
 14. 
 
 -ing 
 
 15. 
 
 slide 
 
 15. 
 
 -ing 
 
 16. 
 
 ride 
 
 16. 
 
 -ing 
 
PHONICS AND SPELLING 
 
 59 
 
 Key Words. 
 
 
 Suffix. 
 
 17. hide 
 
 17. 
 
 -ing 
 
 18. skate 
 
 18. 
 
 -ing 
 
 19. make 
 
 19. 
 
 -ing 
 
 20. wake 
 
 20. 
 
 -ing 
 
 21. shake 
 
 21. 
 
 -ing 
 
 22. bake 
 
 22. 
 
 -ing 
 
 23. quake 
 
 23. 
 
 -ing 
 
 CLASS EXERCISE 
 
 Form with letters or write in separate columns the 
 action words and their present participles, by dropping 
 the final e of the " stem " and adding ing. 
 
 Suggestions : — 
 
 1. Use as an oral spelling lesson. 
 
 2. Write the lists upon the board and require the 
 class to copy them into the blank books. 
 
 BOARD OR CHART WORK (K) 
 
 GUIDE 
 
 Key Words. 
 
 
 Suffix. 
 
 l. storm 
 
 1. 
 
 storm-y 
 
 2. rain 
 
 2. 
 
 rain-y 
 
 3. snow 
 
 3. 
 
 -y 
 
 4. might 
 
 4. 
 
 -y 
 
 5. frost 
 
 5. 
 
 -y 
 
 6. wind 
 
 6. 
 
 -y 
 
 7. moss 
 
 7. 
 
 -y 
 
 8. gloss 
 
 8. 
 
 -y 
 
 9. dress 
 
 9. 
 
 -y 
 
 10. flesh 
 
 10. 
 
 -y 
 
 11.. thorn 
 
 11. 
 
 -y 
 
6o PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 Key 
 
 Words. 
 
 Suffix. 
 
 12. 
 
 dust 
 
 12. -y 
 
 13. 
 
 gust 
 
 13. -y 
 
 14. 
 
 slush 
 
 14. -y 
 
 15. 
 
 trust 
 
 15. -y 
 
 16. 
 
 grain 
 
 16. -y 
 
 17. 
 
 grass 
 
 17. -y 
 
 18. 
 
 thirst 
 
 18. -y 
 
 19. 
 
 health 
 
 19. -y 
 
 20. 
 
 wealth 
 
 20. -y 
 
 21. 
 
 hair 
 
 21. -y 
 
 
 Change of Spelling 
 
 22. juice 22. -y 
 
 Omit the final e before adding y to the " stem." 
 
 CLASS EXERCISE 
 
 Form with letters or write in separate columns the 
 name word and the descriptive word, by adding y to the 
 stem. 
 
 Suggestions : — 
 
 1. Use the list for an oral spelling lesson and for 
 language. 
 
 2. Write the lists upon the board for the class to 
 copy into the blank books. 
 
 BOARD OR CHART WORK (i) 
 
 GUIDE 
 Key Words. Suffix. 
 
 1. pretty 1. pretti-ly 
 
 2. merry 2. merri-ly 
 
 3. happy 3. -ly 
 
PHONICS 
 
 AND SPELLING 
 
 Key Words. 
 
 Suffix. 
 
 4. cheery 
 
 4. -ly 
 
 5. dreary 
 
 5. -ly 
 
 6. weary 
 
 6. -ly 
 
 7. stormy 
 
 7. -ly 
 
 8. mighty 
 
 8. -ly 
 
 9. worthy 
 
 9. -ly 
 
 CLASS EXERCISE 
 
 Form with letters or write in separate columns de- 
 scriptive words and words expressing manner. 
 
 Suggestions : — 
 
 1. Use for an oral spelling and language lesson. 
 
 2. Write the lists upon the board for the class to 
 copy into the blank books. 
 
 BOARD OR CHART WORK (If) 
 
 GUIDE 
 Key Words. Suffix. 
 
 1. pony 
 
 2. penny 
 
 3. daisy 
 
 4. pansy 
 
 5. baby 
 
 6. lady 
 
 7. berry 
 
 8. cherry 
 
 9. ferry 
 
 10. pussy 
 
 11. fairy 
 
 1. 
 
 pom-es 
 
 2. 
 
 penni-es 
 
 3. 
 
 -es 
 
 4. 
 
 -es 
 
 5. 
 
 -es 
 
 6. 
 
 -es 
 
 7. 
 
 -es 
 
 8. 
 
 -es 
 
 9. 
 
 -es 
 
 10. 
 
 -es 
 
 11. 
 
 -es 
 
62 
 
 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 CLASS EXERCISE 
 
 Form with letters or write in separate columns the 
 form for one and more than one. 
 
 Suggestions : — 
 
 1. Use each list for a lesson in oral spelling and 
 language. 
 
 2. Write the lists upon the board for the class to 
 copy into the blank books. 
 
 BOARD OR CHART WORK (N) 
 
 GUIDE 
 
 Key Words. 
 
 1. rest 
 
 2. cheer 
 
 3. help 
 
 4. truth 
 
 5. mirth 
 
 6. worth 
 
 7. hair 
 
 8. friend 
 mother 
 father 
 doubt 
 
 12. rider 
 
 13. number 
 home 
 house 
 seed 
 thought 
 joy 
 
 9 
 10 
 11 
 
 14 
 15 
 16 
 17 
 18 
 
 1. 
 
 2. 
 
 3. 
 
 4. 
 
 5. 
 
 6. 
 
 7. 
 
 8. 
 
 9. 
 10. 
 11. 
 12. 
 13. 
 14. 
 15. 
 16. 
 17. 
 18. 
 
 Suffix. 
 rest-less 
 cheer-less 
 -less 
 -less 
 -less 
 -less 
 -less 
 -less 
 -less 
 -less 
 -less 
 -less 
 -less 
 -less 
 -less 
 -less 
 -less 
 4ess 
 
PHONICS AND SPELLING 63 
 
 CLASS EXERCISE 
 
 Form with letters or write in separate columns name 
 words and the descriptive words formed by adding less 
 (in the sense of without) to the stem. 
 
 Suggestions : — 
 
 1. Use the lists for an oral spelling and language 
 lesson. 
 
 2. Write the lists upon the board for the class to 
 copy into the blank books. 
 
 BOARD OR CHART WORK (©) 
 
 GUIDE 
 
 Key Words. 
 
 
 Suffix. 
 
 1. truth 
 
 1. 
 
 truth-ful 
 
 2. help 
 
 2. 
 
 help-ful 
 
 3. cheer 
 
 3. 
 
 -ful 
 
 4. mirth 
 
 4. 
 
 -ful 
 
 5. rest 
 
 5. 
 
 -ful 
 
 6. joy 
 
 6. 
 
 -ful 
 
 7. fruit 
 
 7. 
 
 -ful 
 
 8. waste 
 
 8. 
 
 -ful 
 
 9. boat 
 
 9. 
 
 -ful 
 
 Change of Spelling 
 Key Words. Suffix. 
 
 10. beauty 10. beauti-ful 
 
 11. duty 11. -ful 
 
 12. mercy 12. -ful 
 
 CLASS EXERCISE 
 
 Form with letters or write in separate columns name 
 words and descriptive words formed by adding ful (in 
 the sense of with ox full of) to the stem. 
 
6 4 
 
 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 Suggestions : — 
 
 1. Use the lists for oral spelling and language. 
 
 2. Write the lists upon the board for the class to 
 copy into the blank books. 
 
 BOARD OR CHART WORK (J>) 
 GUIDE 
 
 Key Words. 
 
 1. wood 
 
 2. gold 
 
 3. oak 
 
 4. leather 
 
 5. earth 
 
 6. feather 
 
 7. silver 
 
 8. leather 
 
 9. brass 
 10. earth 
 
 Suffix. 
 
 1. wood-en 
 
 2. gold-en 
 
 3. -en 
 
 4. -n 
 
 5. -en 
 
 6. feather-y 
 
 7. -y 
 
 8. -y 
 
 9. -y 
 10. -y 
 
 CLASS EXERCISE 
 
 Form with letters or write in separate columns name 
 words and the descriptive words derived from them by 
 adding en, n } or y to the stem. 
 Suggestions : — 
 
 1. Use the lists for oral spelling and language. 
 
 2. Write the lists upon the board for the class to 
 copy into the blank books. 
 
 BOARD 
 
 OR 
 
 CHART WORK (Q) 
 
 GUIDE 
 
 Key Words. 
 
 
 I. 
 
 Suffix. 
 
 1. pink 
 
 
 1. pink-ish 
 
 2. yellow 
 
 
 2. yellow-ish 
 
PHONICS AND SPELLING 65 
 
 Key Words. 
 
 
 
 Suffix. 
 
 3. green 
 
 
 3. 
 
 -ish 
 
 4. brown 
 
 
 4. 
 
 -ish 
 
 Change 
 
 of Spelling 
 
 
 5. red. 
 
 
 5. 
 
 red-dish 
 
 " Double " the d before 
 
 adding ish 
 
 • 
 
 GUIDE 
 
 
 
 
 II. 
 
 
 
 Key Words. 
 
 
 
 Suffix. 
 
 1. dark 
 
 
 1. 
 
 dark-ness 
 
 2. white 
 
 
 2. 
 
 -ness 
 
 3. red 
 
 
 3. 
 
 -ness 
 
 4. dim 
 
 
 4. 
 
 -ness 
 
 5. bright 
 
 
 5. 
 
 -ness 
 
 6. polite 
 
 
 6. 
 
 -ness 
 
 7. kind 
 
 
 7. 
 
 -ness 
 
 8. tender 
 
 
 8. 
 
 -ness 
 
 Change of Spelling 
 9. happy 9. -iness 
 
 Change y to i before adding ness. 
 
 CLASS EXERCISE 
 
 Form with letters or write in separate columns de- 
 scriptive words and their forms to denote diminished 
 quality, by adding ish to the stem ; form or write 
 descriptive words and the name words derived from 
 them, by adding ness to the stem. 
 
 Suggestions : — 
 
 1. Use the lists for oral spelling and language. 
 
 2. Write the lists upon the board for the class to 
 copy into the blank books. 
 
 5 
 
66 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 miscellaneous exercises in spelling and 
 word study. 
 
 Exercise i. 
 
 Make a list of the common homonyms, as, to, two ; 
 by, buy. Direct the children to use them correctly in 
 sentences. 
 
 Exercise 2. 
 
 Write upon the blackboard different forms of the 
 same root word to be used in sentences, as, help, help- 
 ful, helping, helpless, helped, helper, helpfully. 
 
 Exercise 3. 
 
 Direct children to copy from reading-books words 
 having certain endings, as, ing, er, est ; words having 
 certain prefixes or suffixes, as, un f fuL 
 
 Copy all abbreviations found. 
 
 Exercise 4. 
 
 Write on the blackboard a list of verbs whose past 
 and whose present participle are formed regularly, and 
 require class to copy and complete list like the model, 
 as, — 
 
 add, added, adding. 
 
 return, 
 
 ask, 
 
 Note : The terms which are used in the directions to the 
 teacher are not intended for the pupil. Children of these 
 grades will not of course understand grammatical terms. 
 They can, however, discover groups of words having kindred 
 meaning and derived from the same root. 
 
PHONICS AND SPELLING 67 
 
 Exercise 5. 
 
 Work similar to the above may be done with adjec- 
 tives, the class writing all forms, as, — 
 
 long, longer, longest. 
 
 full, 
 
 tall, 
 
 Exercise 6. 
 
 Later, similar work may be done with verbs having 
 final e, as, — 
 
 love, loved, loving. 
 
 care, 
 
 move, 
 
 Also with nouns forming plurals regularly and irreg- 
 ularly, as, — 
 
 sister, sisters, 
 
 daisy, daisies, 
 
 donkey, donkeys. 
 
 With words doubling final consonant, as, — 
 plan, planned, planning, 
 
 hot, hotter, hottest. 
 
 Exercise 7. 
 
 Distribute cards with such words as felt, slip, thus, 
 rife, life ; have the words formed with the cut letters ; 
 have the letters in each word transposed to form a new 
 word ; namely, left, lips, shut, fire, file. 
 
 Exercise 8. 
 
 Select some word, as pasture ; have words formed 
 from it by selecting and transposing the letters in it. 
 
68 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 Exercise 9. 
 
 Select and copy from the reading-books, words 
 (a) beginning with a certain letter, 
 {b) ending with a certain letter, 
 
 (c) containing a specific number of letters, 
 
 (d) containing a specific number of syllables, 
 
 (e) denoting the names of fruits, 
 
 (/) denoting the names of vegetables, 
 
 (g) denoting the names of animals, 
 
 {h) denoting the names of people, 
 
 (J) denoting the names of places, 
 
 (J) denoting facts about the weather, including the 
 
 phenomena of nature, 
 (k) denoting number, quantity, and size. 
 
VII. 
 MISS FULLERS PHONIC DRILL CHART 
 
 The accompanying drill chart, for practice in phonics, was 
 prepared by Miss Sarah Fuller, Principal of the Horace Mann 
 School for the Deaf. It is published by D. C. Heath & Co., 
 Boston, whose courtesy in permitting its use is gratefully 
 acknowledged. For the directions for using the chart, we 
 are indebted to Miss Fuller. 
 
 DRILL CHART 
 
 Final Consonants. — m — p — th 
 
 m 
 
 -P 
 
 -V 
 
 -t 
 
 ■th 
 n 
 
 -f 
 
 -sh 
 -ch 
 
 — X 
 
 -1 
 
 -b 
 
 -g(j) 
 
 -d 
 
 -ng 
 
 -g 
 
 ti 
 
 Initial Consonants, m vtknptk, cfth 
 
 s, c sh ch b d g 1 j, g z, x 
 
 s, z (zh) q r w wh y h 
 
 Order of Vowels* 
 
 u 
 
 a 
 
 I e I 
 
 a 
 
 e 
 
 a 6 
 
 ii 
 
 6 
 
 a 
 
 6 XL 
 
 ii 
 
 a 
 
 bw 
 
 01 
 
 To the Teacher. —The pupil will read each vowel element in combination with each 
 final consonant, and will also read each initial consonant with each vowel and final conso- 
 nant ; thus, u will be read ion, uv, utk, un, up, etc, and, also, mum, muv, muth, mun, 
 mup, etc. , vum, vuv, victh, vun, vup, etc. 
 
7° 
 
 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 u, cup 
 
 j o, son 
 { ou, young 
 
 e, bell 
 
 f ea, bread 
 { ai, said 
 
 o, dog 
 
 |a, 
 
 wasp 
 
 a, father | auaunt 
 
 a, fan 
 
 
 u, tube 
 
 lew 
 
 few 
 
 i, pipe 
 
 ( ie, pie 
 
 1y> cry 
 
 o, do 
 
 ( oo, boot 
 ( u, rude 
 
 u, fur 
 
 & 
 
 girl 
 her 
 
 e, me 
 
 ( ea, eat 
 { ee, teeth 
 
 u, put 
 
 < oo, foot 
 
 a, fare 
 
 \ ai, 
 1ea, 
 
 chair 
 pear 
 
 i, pin 
 
 fy, baby 
 ( ai, curtain 
 
 o, home 
 
 ( oa, soap 
 { ow, snow 
 
 ow, cow •] ou, 
 
 mouth 
 
 a, slate 
 
 ( ai, nail 
 1 ay, day 
 
 a, ball 
 
 ( aw, saw 
 (or, fork 
 
 oi, boil 
 
 {oy, 
 
 boy 
 
 m 
 arm mat 
 — m m— 
 
 k c 
 fork key arc cow 
 — k k — — c c — 
 
 b 
 tub boy 
 -b b— 
 
 s(zh) 
 measure j 
 
 z (zh) 
 glazier 
 — z — 
 
 V 
 
 stove vase 
 
 V v — 
 
 f 
 cuff fan 
 — f f— 
 
 d 
 bird doll 
 — d d— 
 
 q 
 
 quill 
 q 
 
 wh 
 
 whip 
 
 wh— 
 
 with the 
 
 — &n. on — 
 
 th 
 mouth thumb 
 th th 
 
 dog gun 
 
 r 
 
 rat 
 
 r— 
 
 y 
 
 yacht 
 
 y — 
 
 n 
 fan nut 
 — n n— 
 
 s c 
 mouse sun face cent 
 s s — — c c — 
 
 1 
 
 ball leg 
 — 1 1— 
 
 w 
 
 wasp 
 
 w— 
 
 h 
 
 hat 
 
 h- 
 
 P 
 cup pin 
 
 -P P- 
 
 sh 
 fish shell 
 -sh sh — 
 
 j g 
 jug cage gill 
 
 j s g— 
 
 X 
 
 box 
 
 — X 
 
 t 
 hat top 
 — t t— 
 
 ch 
 watch chain 
 ch ch — 
 
 z s 
 fez zinc nose 
 — z z — — s 
 
 ng 
 ring 
 -ng 
 
 
PHONIC CHART 71 
 
 Directions 
 
 Distribute the charts, at the same time giving to each 
 child two or three vowels written upon little squares 
 of card-board. All the more common spellings of a 
 vowel-sound should be written under the vowel as it 
 appears on the drill-chart, as, — 
 
 a 
 ai 
 ay 
 a-e 
 
 It will add to the interest of the lesson if care is taken 
 that no two children have the same vowels to work 
 with ; at least those seated near each other should have 
 different ones. 
 
 Either mention or write upon the blackboard an 
 initial consonant. Require each child to pronounce 
 silently the syllables which result from combining the 
 given consonant with one of the vowels and every final. 
 (For example, if the initial is m and the vowel 0, the 
 resulting combinations would be moon, move, month, 
 moor, etc.) As he comes to a combination which is a 
 vowel contained in his ow'n speaking vocabulary, let him 
 write it down, spelling it as best he can. 
 
 Enough vowels should be supplied to insure employ- 
 ment throughout the period, the number differing with 
 the working capacity of the individual child. 
 
 At the end of the period the teacher should call 
 for each child's list and write every common word upon 
 the blackboard, of course spelling it correctly ; by this 
 means each gets the benefit of the labor of all. 
 
 Many consonant combinations such as sp, st, sk, sm, 
 si, bl, gr, pr, str, scr, etc., may be used as initials or 
 finals, or both. 
 
72 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 THE VOWEL, AND CONSONANT CHARTS 
 
 Direct the children to write columns of words contain- 
 ing (a) the same initials, or (£) the same finals, or (V) 
 the same vowel sounds as the words in any selected 
 group. It often happens that a combination which 
 is not by itself an English word is nevertheless a 
 syllable of some well-known word. Pupils should be 
 encouraged to notice such syllables and to write the 
 words of which they are a part. 
 
 Call for the lists at the end of the period, but only 
 uncommon or unfamiliar words need be written upon 
 the board. The exercise should be progressive ; com- 
 mon words ought gradually to be ruled out, and the 
 children taught to spend much thought in adding to 
 their lists words which they have heard other people 
 use. 
 
 Note : The fear which some teachers feel that such exercises 
 will react unfavorably upon the spelling is not realized in 
 practice. 
 
 S. F. 
 
NUMBER 
 
VIII. 
 
 NUMBER WORK FOR FIRST-GRADE PUPILS 
 
 I. 
 
 MEASURING AND CUTTING 
 
 1. Make measures eight or ten inches long and one 
 inch wide, from cardboard. Mark off only inch lengths. 
 Give each child a measure and slips of paper cut from 
 any paper furnished for school use. The children may 
 cut one-inch lengths, two-inch lengths, three-inch 
 lengths, etc., as many of each as the teacher may 
 indicate. Grade I. 
 
 2. Early in the year the children cut writing paper 
 on the lines. 
 
 Later, cut in the same way and then cut each strip 
 into halves. When they can do this readily, ask them 
 to cut one whole strip, then cut the next strip into 
 halves and place under the whole strip, the next into 
 fourths, the next into eighths. Try the same kind of 
 cutting with squares, circles, triangles, and oblongs. 
 
 Grades I. and II. 
 
 3. Give each child a four-inch square, also a measure, 
 and ask him to mark and cut into one-inch squares. 
 
 Grade I. 
 
 4. During May and June let the first class mark 
 squares of tagstock into inch squares. Then in each 
 one of these squares they draw a number picture. Let 
 them cut these inch squares, and let these number 
 
76 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 pictures be sorted by the children who enter the next 
 school year. Grade I. 
 
 5. A box of assorted sticks (eighteen cents a box) 
 are useful in teaching measurements. Make gardens a 
 given number of inches square, and place sticks of dif- 
 ferent lengths inside to represent the height of the 
 plants in that garden. 
 
 All these exercises under measuring and cutting are 
 very valuable and can be used throughout the year. 
 
 Cutting Exercise to increase Perceptions of Form 
 and Size 
 
 (This exercise may be taken the second month of first 
 primary year and continued several months, by children 
 who have received full kindergarten training.) 
 
 Cut (by measure) a square of one inch side, then 
 a two-inch square, a three-inch square, etc. Cut the 
 same without measure. Vary by cutting oblongs, one 
 inch by two inches, one inch by three inches, two inches 
 by three inches, etc. Grades I. and II. 
 
 Cut forms into halves, thirds, fourths, etc. Grade I. 
 
 Cut a rectangle. Cut another twice as large, another 
 three times as large as the first, etc. 
 
 Grades I. and II. 
 
 Cut a rectangle. Cut another one-half, one-third, or 
 one-fourth as large. Use pins to fasten a set together. 
 
 Grades I. and II. 
 
 Drawing Exercise to teach Careful Use of Measure, and 
 Perception of Form and Size 
 
 (This exercise may be taken the second month of first 
 primary school year, and continued several months, 
 by children who have received full kindergarten training.) 
 
NUMBER WORK, FIRST GRADE 77 
 
 Draw on paper one-inch, two-inch, and three-inch 
 squares, using measure. Continue to draw larger and 
 larger squares. Draw the same without measure. 
 Draw oblongs of any given dimensions, first with and 
 then without the measure. 
 
 Draw lines one inch long, two inches long, first with, 
 then without measure. Grade I. 
 
 Lines one-half inch long, one and one-half inches 
 long, etc., in the same manner. Grades I. and II. 
 
 Draw forms and divide them, by lines, into halves, 
 thirds, fourths, etc. Grades I. and II. 
 
 Draw a plant having four flowers. Draw another 
 having twice as many. Draw another having three 
 times as many. Draw one having one-half as many. 
 Use other representations, as, a house having a certain 
 number of windows; another having twice as many, 
 etc. Grades I. and II. 
 
 II. 
 
 exercises with pegs 
 Exercise i. 
 Rows laid in order of numbers. 
 I 
 
 II 
 III 
 
 I I I I etc. Grade I. 
 
 Exercise 2. 
 Rows laid in twos. 
 
 II II II II II 
 
 II II II M M Grade I. 
 
I PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 Exercise 3. 
 Rows laid in threes, etc. 
 
 Ml IN Ml Ml Gradel. 
 
 Exercise 4. 
 Tell the children to build woodpiles, laying three logs 
 
 and two logs ; or four logs and three logs, as 
 
 Or tell them to make a four or five barred gate with 
 
 a cross-bar, as / using any number, according 
 
 to the ability of the child. Grade I. 
 
 Exercises tvith Pegs to increase Perceptions of Relative 
 Magnitudes 
 
 (These exercises may be used in first primary year. 
 They may be used in the second month in school by 
 those children who have had full kindergarten training; 
 in the latter part of the year by those children who 
 have not received such training.) 
 
 Lay two pegs to form a vertical (or horizontal) line. 
 Close to the right (or left) of this line, lay a line of 
 pegs twice as long. At some distance from these two 
 lines, lay a vertical (or horizontal) line of three pegs. 
 Close to the right (or left) of this line, lay a line twice 
 as long. Lay a line of three pegs, then a line twice 
 as long, etc. The children will be able to do this 
 without reference to the number of pegs required, and 
 will, incidentally, learn a good deal of number. 
 
 Vary this exercise by laying lines one-half as long as 
 other lines; three times as long; and in the latter part 
 of the year, one-third or one-fourth as long. Grade I. 
 
NUMBER WORK, FIRST GRADE 79 
 
 Exercise with Pegs to increase Perceptions of Form 
 and Relative Size 
 
 (This exercise may be used the first month of the first 
 school year by children who have received kindergarten 
 training, — three or four months later by children who 
 have not had such training.) 
 
 Lay, with pegs, a small rectangle. At the right or 
 
 left side, lay a rectangle of a slightly larger size. Next 
 
 the same form a little larger, and so on. Grade I. 
 
 Lay oblongs and triangles in the same way. 
 
 Grade I. 
 
 Lay vertical, horizontal and oblique lines, dividing 
 them (by single pegs) into halves, thirds, fourths, etc. 
 
 Grade I. 
 
 Lay squares and oblongs. Divide them, by lines of 
 pegs, into halves, thirds, fourths, etc. Grades I. and II. 
 
 Work with Pegs and Figures 
 
 Material : Printed figures cut from calendars or bought 
 in sheets, envelopes. Give each child pegs and 
 envelopes containing figures. 
 
 Exercise i. 
 
 Place figures on desks in rows. Place corresponding 
 number of pegs below each figure. Grade I. 
 
 Exercise 2. 
 Teach the children how to lay the pegs to represent 
 the table of twos : — 
 
 II 
 
 II II 
 
 II II I etc., up to twelve twos. Grade I. 
 
80 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 Exercise 3. 
 
 When the children can lay the pegs well, distribute 
 envelopes containing figures, and let them find and place 
 the figures corresponding to the groups, thus : — 
 
 II 2 
 
 II II 4 
 
 II II II 6, etc. Grade I. 
 
 Teach threes and fours in the same way. 
 
 Note: Exercise I. is useful during the third and fourth 
 months. II. and III. during the last three months. 
 
 Pegs — Signs and Figures 
 
 Purpose : Development of multiplication and division. 
 
 INTERPRETING SIGNS 
 The written expression is placed upon the board, as, 
 4x2, 2x3, 3X3, and so forth. The children take 
 their pegs and arrange them upon their desks; two 
 groups with four in a group in the first row, three 
 groups with two in a group in the next row, and three 
 groups with three in a group in the next row. 
 
 Grades I. and II. 
 DIVISION 
 
 In the division, if the equations are 7 -f- 3, 8 -f- 4, the 
 children place seven pegs in the first row and divide 
 them into groups with three pegs in each group and 
 one peg remaining ; then place eight pegs in the second 
 row and divide them into groups with four pegs in each 
 group. Grade I. 
 
 Note : Use these exercises during the last two months of the 
 first year. 
 
NUMBER WORK, FIRST GRADE 81 
 
 III. 
 STRINGING BEADS 
 
 Material required : {a) Twenty-four spool boxes ; 
 
 (£) Twelve gray lacings; (c) Red and white glass 
 
 beads. 
 
 These beads can be bought at toy stores at five cents 
 a bunch. Cut ^lacings in halves ; tie knots at the end 
 of each string. Put fifty red and fifty white beads in 
 each box and one lacing, (Instead of the lacing, patent 
 shoe button needle, with strong cord attached, may be 
 used.) 
 
 Instruct children to string a certain number of red 
 and white beads alternately. Grade I. 
 
 This exercise aids in number and increases ability to 
 follow directions. 
 
 Use during the first two months. 
 
 IV. 
 
 STRINGING TABLETS 
 
 Material required : (a) Ten gray lacings. Cut these 
 in halves, making twenty strings. Tie knots at 
 end of each string; (b) Colored tablets of different 
 colors and different shapes. These can be bought or 
 made from Bristol board ; (<:) Twenty boxes. 
 
 V. 
 
 WORK WITH LENTILS AND STICKS 
 
 Material: Sticks and lentils. Lentils can be bought 
 at any grocer's. 
 
 Manner of using: Make number pictures 
 with lentils, and enclose each picture with 
 sticks (wooden toothpicks may be used). 
 
82 
 
 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 Make as many number pictures of any number as 
 there are combinations of two numbers to make the 
 number. Thus : — Grade I. 
 
 •••• 
 •••• 
 
 
 •••• 
 • ••• 
 
 
 •••• 
 •••• 
 
 
 • ••• 
 
 Then with extra sticks lay off the lentils to show com- 
 binations of any two numbers to make the number 
 under consideration. Thus : — 
 
 / 
 
 • ••• 
 
 
 
 • 
 • 
 
 • •• 
 
 • • • 
 
 
 
 
 
 • • 
 
 • • 
 
 • • 
 
 • • 
 
 
 
 Proceed in the same manner with all the lentil pictures. 
 Toothpicks may be used also in making squares, tri- 
 angles, etc. Place inside groups of twos, fours, sixes, 
 etc. Divide these into halves by placing a stick ver- 
 tically, horizontally, or obliquely among them. Grade I. 
 
 VI. 
 
 SPLIT PEAS AND STICKS 
 
 HOW THE FAMILY MOVES. 
 
 Material required : {a) Oblong blocks (obtained 
 from city) ; (b) Paper and pencils (obtained from 
 city); (c) Split peas, ten cents a quart; (<^) Tooth- 
 picks and half toothpicks. 
 
 1. Make oblongs with sticks. 
 
 2. Make given number pictures with split peas For 
 example, picture ten at top of desk; the empty 
 
NUMBER WORK, FIRST GRADE 
 
 83 
 
 • • • • 
 
 • • •!• • 
 
 • • • • • 
 
 oblongs or houses, below; the family of ten moves 
 into the empty double house. Thus : 
 
 Empty double house. 
 
 Five in each room. 
 
 Six in one room and four in the other 
 room. 
 
 Represent all possible combinations. 
 The same can be represented by drawing round or 
 oblong tablets and making rings instead of using peas. 
 Use this exercise during the first half of the year. 
 
 Grade I. 
 
 VII. 
 
 CARDS AND SPLIT PEAS 
 
 Use oblong cards of a convenient size. The teacher 
 makes on the board oblongs with pictures of the num- 
 ber in the upper half. Children are to lay the peas 
 on their cards in the same way and fill in the lower 
 half with the number of peas necessary to make the 
 number required. Grade I. 
 
 Note: This exercise is useful during the third and fourth 
 months. Later in the year require the children to write 
 two addition "stories" and two subtraction "stories" 
 about the number represented in each card. 
 
84 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 VIII. 
 
 ANOTHER WAY OF OBTAINING FIGURES 
 
 Number cards containing figures, signs of addition, 
 subtraction, multiplication, and division, also the signs 
 of dollars and cents, may be procured at the printer's. 
 
 After developing the different combinations in any 
 number, give each child a box containing these figures 
 and signs, and let them make the combinations on their 
 desks. * Grades I. and II. 
 
 IX. 
 
 CARDS USED AS A COPY 
 
 l. A set of cards with dots arranged domino-fashion 
 may be painted in water-color. Grade I. 
 
 The cards should be of dimensions 
 large enough to be seen across the room ; 
 the dot the size of a silver quarter. The 
 
 
 children may copy the dots and oblongs, with the cor- 
 responding equation underneath. 
 
 3+4 = 7 
 4+3 = 7 
 
 Twenty-five cards will give the combinations up to 
 ten. These cards being always at hand, no time is 
 wasted in putting work upon the blackboard and much 
 space is saved. 
 
 2. Letters or figures may be painted on large cards 
 and outlined by the children with pegs or split peas. 
 These cards should be ten by twelve inches. Grade I. 
 
 Use this exercise when teaching the forms of the 
 figures. 
 
NUMBER WORK, FIRST GRADE 
 
 85 
 
 3. Blank Cards. Cut into strips and use in the fol- 
 lowing ways : — 
 
 (a) Figures in order from 1-5, for children to copy. 
 
 (b) Same with figures from 1-10. 
 
 (c) Same with figures 2, 4, 6, 8, 10. 
 
 (d) Same with figures I, 3, 5, 7, 9. 
 
 (e) Write questions in addition and subtraction with- 
 
 out answers. 
 (/) Multiplication and division in the same way. 
 
 Grade I. 
 
 Use a, b, c, d, during the first half of the year; e, f, 
 during the last of the year. 
 
 4. Cards prepared for Class Work. Write all the com- 
 binations from 1-10 in columns on large-sized card- 
 board with brush and ink. 
 
 Pupils copy columns and find answers. Grade I. 
 
 X. 
 
 WORK WITH TABLETS 
 
 Material : Oblong tablets, one inch by two inches, cut 
 from leather board or tagstock. 
 
 EXERCISE i. Each child is provided with pencil, 
 paper, and tablet. Teacher draws on the blackboard 
 four large representations of the tablets with pictures in 
 them, thus: — 
 
 • • • 
 
 • • • 
 
 • • • 
 
86 
 
 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 Let some child read the pictures as the teacher 
 points to them, thus : I + 2, 2 + 3, etc. No figures 
 are to be written. Then for busy work the children 
 mark round their tablets and copy the pictures, mak- 
 ing as many rows as possible, without crowding. All 
 the number pictures taught in the first grade can be 
 made in this way. Grade I. 
 
 EXERCISE 2. After figures are taught, arrange as 
 follows : 
 
 •••• 
 
 • 
 
 
 • • • 
 
 • 
 
 • 
 
 
 • • • 
 
 • 
 • 
 
 
 • • 
 • 
 
 • • 
 
 •••• 
 
 
 
 • • • 
 
 • 
 
 
 • • • 
 
 • 
 
 
 • • 
 
 • • 
 
 8+1=9 
 
 
 7+2 = 9 
 
 
 6+3 = 9 
 
 
 5 + 4 = 9 
 
 1 + 8 = 9 2 + 7 = 9 3 + 6 = 9 4+5=9 
 
 9 _i=8 9-2 = 7 9-6 = 3 9-5=4 
 
 9- 
 
 3= 1 
 
 
 9- 
 
 7 = 2 
 
 
 9-3 
 
 = 6 
 
 
 9- 
 
 4=5 
 
 TRANSITION FROM NUMBER PICTURES TO 
 FIGURES 
 
 Calendars of large figures are mounted upon tagstock 
 
 and cut into pieces so that each piece contains one figure. 
 
 Upon the back of each slip is placed the number picture 
 
 corresponding to the figure upon the other side. The 
 
 children arrange the number pictures, following an order 
 
 upon the blackboard, and match the number pictures 
 
 with the figures ; or they place the figures in a given 
 
 order and match these with the number pictures. 
 
 Grade I. 
 
 DOMINOES MADE FROM TAGSTOCK 
 
 Represent a number on one half, leaving the other 
 
 half blank to be filled with corresponding figure. 
 
 Grade I. 
 
NUMBER WORK, FIRST GRADE 87 
 
 ENVELOPES, FIGURES, AND SIGNS 
 
 Make a set of envelopes with fifteen examples on the 
 outside. Inside, place the figures and signs necessary 
 to make the questions and answers. The children then 
 find the first figure of the first equation on the envelope, 
 then the sign ; then the next figure, then the sign and 
 figure, which gives the answer. These are placed on the 
 desk. Grades I. and II. 
 
 WORK WITH FIGURES 
 
 Material: Figures may be obtained by pasting old 
 calendars on cardboard, then cutting the figures apart ; 
 or they maybe made on cardboard with a rubber pen. 
 
 Manner of using: Give each child a handful of figures 
 from one to ten. 
 
 1. Figures sorted and laid in rows ; 2's, 3's, 4's, etc. 
 This helps to fix the names of figures. 
 
 2. Figures laid in order of numbers, 1-10. This 
 assists in counting. 
 
 Both 1 and 2 are useful the first of the year, or when- 
 ever it is desirable that the pupils should recognize 
 figures. 
 
IX. 
 PROBLEMS IN NUMBER FOR GRADES II. AND III. 
 
 Children of second and third grades may be very much 
 helped by exercises which teach them how to illustrate the 
 conditions of the problems which are presented to them in 
 number. It often happens that children fail in arithmetic, 
 not because they cannot add, subtract, multiply, or divide, 
 but because they cannot picture the conditions which are 
 stated in the problem. Their imagination is deficient. It 
 should be trained through thoughtful exercises. If a child 
 makes a picture to represent the problem as it appears to 
 him, the teacher is enabled to judge whether his mental 
 picture of the conditions is clear or vague. 
 
 For example, recall the typical problem : " James and 
 John started from the same tree and walked in opposite 
 directions. One walked 12 feet and the other 8 feet. How 
 far apart were they? " The child may fail to solve this prob- 
 lem correctly because he does not know that 12 and 8 are 20, 
 but the failure of the majority is due to the fact that the word 
 " opposite " is not clearly understood by them. If, however, 
 the pupil draws a picture of a tree and of James 1 2 feet away 
 on one side and John 8 feet away on the other, he can hardly 
 fail to get the correct result. It matters very little whether 
 the picture or the diagram is used. The picture is more 
 pleasing to the young child. The diagram should take the 
 place of the picture in the third and fourth grades. Such 
 practice will prove very helpful in stating conditions in all 
 problems in later school life. 
 
NUMBER, GRADES II. AND III. 89 
 
 The following exercises are suggested for teachers who 
 must prepare occupation for many classes and who may, there- 
 fore, desire ready-made exercises for occasional use. Ed. 
 
 1. A mat is four feet long and two feet wide. 
 How many feet of braid shall I buy to bind the 
 mat? 
 
 2. How much fringe shall I buy for the ends of a 
 mat six feet long and two feet wide? 
 
 3. John has two bamboo -fishing-poles. One is six 
 feet long, the other is twice as long. How many feet 
 of bamboo in the two poles? 
 
 4. Mary made an apple-pie. She gave one-half of 
 it to Annie and a third to Tom. How much was left 
 for herself? 
 
 5. Kate has three times five cents. Ned has two 
 times seven cents. Which has the more money? How 
 much more? Show it. 
 
 6. I have a garden about four feet long and six feet 
 wide. How many geraniums can I plant in the bed if 
 I put them one foot apart? 
 
 7. A flag-pole stands between the house and the 
 barn. The pole is twenty feet from the house and sixty 
 feet from the barn. How far is it from the house to 
 the barn? 
 
 8. May's lily has two blossoms. Ruth's has three 
 times as many as May's. Draw both lilies. 
 
 9. A room is ten feet long and nine feet wide. How 
 much picture moulding must be bought for it? 
 
 10. Henry's room has three windows. Each window 
 is two yards high. His mother is making muslin cur- 
 tains for the windows. How many yards of muslin must 
 she use? 
 
9 o PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 11. There are six rows of desks in a school-room and 
 eight desks in a row. How many desks are there in 
 the school-room? 
 
 12. I have three window-boxes with five geraniums 
 in each box. How many geraniums have I? 
 
 13. John's book-case has three shelves. He has ten 
 books on each shelf. How many books has he? 
 
 14. My garden is twenty feet long and twenty-four 
 feet wide. How many feet of wire fencing must I 
 buy? 
 
 15. Kate has one-half of twelve apples. May has 
 one-third of fifteen apples. Show which has the greater 
 number. 
 
 16. A mug holds half as much as a bowl. The bowl 
 holds half as much as a pitcher. The pitcher holds 
 half as much as a jug. The jug holds eight quarts. 
 How much does the mug hold? 
 
 17. Henry found 7 eggs in one nest, 6 eggs in another, 
 and 5 in another. How many eggs did he find? 
 
 18. George picked 25 peaches from a tree and gave 
 16 of them to a little sick boy. How many did he 
 have left? 
 
 19. Mary found 8 buttercups and 9 daisies on her 
 way to school. How many flowers did she find? 
 
 20. A long ladder has 13 steps, and a short one has 
 7 ; how many more steps has the long ladder than the 
 short one? 
 
 21. In a certain school, 6 pupils sit in the first row, 
 5 in the second row, and 7 in the third ; how many are 
 there in the three rows? 
 
 22. How many parts has a clover leaf? How many 
 parts have 7 clover leaves? 
 
NUMBER, GRADES II. AND III. 91 
 
 23. In a street there were 12 doves picking up corn, 
 but a dog frightened away 8 of them. How many were 
 left? 
 
 24. Kate cut an orange into 5 equal parts, and then 
 gave away 2 of the parts. How much of the orange 
 did she give away? 
 
 25. Divide an apple so that 8 boys may each have a 
 piece of equal size. 
 
 26. Ned has 6 quarts of strawberries. How many 
 pint baskets can he fill? 
 
 27. Joseph had 34 marbles, but lost half a dozen. 
 How many has he left? 
 
 28. A schoolroom contains 35 desks; there are 7 
 rows. How many desks are there in each row? 
 
 29. A boy found 21 eggs in the barn. He put them 
 in his hat to carry into the house, but fell and broke 
 some. When he reached the house, he found a dozen 
 eggs in his hat. How many did he break? 
 
 30. If two men start from the same place and travel 
 in the same direction, but one travels 7 miles an hour 
 and the other 9 miles an hour, how far apart will they 
 be at the end of two hours? 
 
 31. A boy, having 25 cents, bought 1 quart of cherries 
 for 10 cents, one orange for 5 cents, and some candy 
 for 8 cents. How many cents had he left? 
 
 32. I saw 4 sleds going down hill, and on each sled 
 was one girl and two boys. How many children did I 
 see going down hill? 
 
 33. Ned and Jack each have a peach-tree. There 
 are 22 peaches on Ned's tree, but only one-half as 
 many on Jack's tree. How many peaches are there 
 on Jack's tree? 
 
92 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 34. A boy had 22 oranges and lost 6 of them. He 
 divided the rest equally among 8 of his playmates. 
 How many oranges did each playmate receive? 
 
 35. Nellie saw 5 gray squirrels on one tree and 6 
 birds in another tree. If 2 of the squirrels and one of 
 the birds go away, how many squirrels and birds are 
 left? 
 
 36. Rose had 5 apples, Jack had 8 apples, Will had 
 9 apples, and Joe had 10. How many did they all 
 have? 
 
X. 
 
 EXERCISES DEMANDING PRACTICAL JUDGMENT 
 IN NUMBER 
 
 The common tendency in the early work in number is to 
 emphasize the work with figures and to omit the experience 
 which demands the use of figures. We frequently attempt to 
 teach a child the tables when he sees no use for them. 
 Fractions appear to him as mere figures. Pupils in gram- 
 mar grades will often place figures upon the boards when 
 called upon to show fractions. 
 
 Great care should be taken in primary grades to present 
 the figure only as the sign of the number, and the equation 
 only as a sign of a truth which pertains to numbers. The 
 " process " is simply the manner of solving problems which 
 occur in every- day life, and the written record in figures 
 is the arithmetical statement of the thing which is done. 
 " John has three dozen eggs. How much will he receive for 
 them at twenty cents a dozen? " This is a practical problem 
 which John will need to work out if he keeps hens. It is of 
 practical interest to his mother if she buys eggs. He needs 
 to know that three twenties are sixty. He should receive 
 sixty cents for his eggs. In the same way it may be conven- 
 ient for him to know that there are twelve eggs in each dozen ; 
 six eggs in a half-dozen ; that if twelve eggs are worth twenty 
 cents, six eggs must be worth ten cents, and three eggs worth 
 five cents. The relation between the whole dozen and the 
 half-dozen, the price of a whole dozen and the price of a half- 
 
94 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 dozen, between ten and twenty, five and ten, appears in this 
 example. The child's solution of the problem depends upon 
 his power to see this relation. It must be remembered, how- 
 ever, that this relation is taught, not by mere figures, but by 
 objects and groups of objects. He must cut objects into 
 halves, must realize that the value of the whole is equal to 
 the value of the two halves. He must divide objects or 
 groups of objects, or multiply them so as to have their value, 
 double their value, etc. 
 
 For example, he knows that he can buy a cake for ten 
 cents. One-half the cake is, therefore, worth five cents. 
 Two cakes would be worth twenty cents. He cuts a piece of 
 paper to represent the cake. He must cut it into halves to 
 represent the half-cake; he must have two equal pieces to 
 represent the two cakes ; he must recognize five as one-half 
 of ten ; ten as twice five ; twenty as twice ten. These 
 numerical facts should be taught only in connection with the 
 study of the things themselves. The most valuable part of 
 the primary school number work is that which emphasizes 
 relative sizes and values and which applies the truths of 
 number to the children's experience. 
 
 If this be true, it follows that a large portion of the drill and 
 practice in primary number should be given to actual experi- 
 ence with values and the study of the relation of numbers 
 to the numerical expression of the facts observed. The 
 following exercises have been suggested to meet this need. 
 They may be multiplied indefinitely by any teacher who 
 understands how to use them wisely. Ed. 
 
 EXERCISES 
 
 1. Cut a square of paper one inch side ; two inches 
 side ; three inches side, etc. 
 
 Your square represents a cake. Show one-half the 
 cake. Show one-fourth the cake. 
 
PRACTICAL JUDGMENT IN NUMBER 95 
 
 2. Your cake is worth 12 cents. What is one-half 
 of the cake worth? One-fourth? 
 
 3. Three boys buy the cake together. How many 
 cents must each boy pay? Show his share of the cake 
 by a drawing or folding. 
 
 4. Draw and cut squares having a given diameter. 
 Let the squares represent cakes. Use them as above. 
 
 5. Draw and cut rectangles having given dimensions. 
 A given rectangle represents a floor. It will cost $20 
 to carpet the floor. What will it cost to carpet a floor 
 half as large? Represent the problem by means of the 
 rectangle. What will it cost to carpet a floor twice as 
 large? Represent the problem. 
 
 6. John's father has a rectangular field. Represent 
 it. It will cost $5.00 to mow the field. Dick's father 
 has a field twice as large. Represent the field. What 
 will it cost to mow this field? 
 
 7. Make a square of a given size. Make a rectangle 
 twice as large. Make another rectangle three times as 
 large as the square. Four times, and so on. Make 
 problems using the rectangles as illustrations. 
 
 8. Draw a line to represent the conditions of the 
 problem. 
 
 Draw pictures to represent the conditions. 
 
 9. Use toy money. Attach it to the objects or fig- 
 ures to indicate the relative values. 
 
 10. Cut strips of carpet to cover the desk. Cut 
 square inches to cover the surface of boxes. 
 
 Lay square inches to cover surfaces of given dimen- 
 sions. 
 
 Mark out square yards on the floor or in the school 
 yard. 
 
 11. Let the children make for themselves bundles of 
 
96 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 splints (or wooden toothpicks) , by which they can 
 represent numbers made up of tens and units. Illus- 
 trate simple problems by means of these bundles. 
 
 12. Bring little articles to school, — toys, utensils, etc. 
 State actual cost or value, and make problems involv- 
 ing buying or selling such articles. 
 
 13 Let the children relate their actual experience in 
 building and making, buying or selling, and ask the 
 class to compare. 
 
 EXERCISES IN MEASUREMENT 
 
 Exercises in measurement are very valuable. Every child 
 should provide himself with a foot rule, yard-stick, and tape- 
 measure, which he has made for himself. Measurements 
 should be made and compared, and this work assigned as 
 actual individual or class work. The measurements should be 
 compared at the period of recitation. Accuracy and pains- 
 taking should be insisted upon. Later, measurement can be 
 applied to the sewing, cooking, and wood-working, where such 
 practice is indispensable. 
 
 The following examples are suggestive : 
 
 1. The skirt of Jeannette's next dress is to be trimmed with 
 ribbon. How many yards of ribbon will be required for one 
 row of trimming? Two rows? Three rows? How much 
 will it cost at five cents a yard? Six cents? Ten cents? 
 
 2. Kate is making candy. The recipe calls for a cup of 
 sugar, a half-cup of cream, and one-fourth pound chocolate. 
 To make twice as much candy, how much sugar does she 
 need? How much cream? How much chocolate? 
 
 3. Jack is making a checker-board. He divides the board 
 into two-inch squares. How large must his board be ? 
 
 As soon as this element of reality enters into the child's 
 work, he will learn readily, will apply his new knowledge and 
 
PRACTICAL JUDGMENT IN NUMBER 97 
 
 will retain what he has learned. He will remember only what 
 he uses. He will use nothing which does not enter into his own 
 experience. It is because the practice runs against the grain 
 that it is necessary to spend so much time in primary drill. 
 Teachers are urged to observe the plays which interest the 
 children, their building, their making, their buying and sell- 
 ing, their trading. Out of these experiences abundant prob- 
 lems may be constructed, to be repeated in the school 
 practice. Ed. 
 
XI. 
 
 SEAT WORK IN NUMBER FOR GRADES II. 
 AND III. 
 
 Measuring and Cutting exercises should be given 
 freely, especially during the first half of the year. 
 They may be similar to those given in Grade I., ex- 
 cept that more difficult measurement should be re- 
 quired. These exercises should emphasize the oral 
 arithmetic lessons which are being given at the time. 
 
 TYPE Examples may be put on the blackboard by 
 the teacher. The children change the figures in the 
 example, otherwise retaining the form. 
 
 Ex. John sold 50 newspapers and Edwin sold 28. 
 How many more papers were sold by John than by 
 Edwin? 
 
 Pupil's Ex. John sold 42 newspapers and Edwin 
 sold 23. How many more newspapers were sold by 
 John than by Edwin? 
 
 This exercise may be varied by using the names 
 of members of the class. Several examples may be 
 required. 
 
 Through such practice, the children will become 
 familiar with the method of solving any easy problem. 
 
 The tables of long measure, dry measure, and any other 
 tables required in the course, can be fixed more firmly 
 in the child's mind by frequent use in these examples. 
 
 After a few months' practice in these examples use 
 
SEAT WORK IN NUMBER 99 
 
 two problems involving two dissimilar operations. The 
 pupils should make one example of each sort. 
 
 This work in problems should receive more attention 
 than the more abstract number work. 
 
 The material mentioned below is useful : 
 
 1. Individual counting-frames. These are wires upon 
 which fifty (50) beads are strung; they may be used 
 in all combinations of numbers to fifty. 
 
 Each wire is about 18 inches long and \ inch 
 diameter. Wire may be bought and cut at any store 
 where wire is sold. Glass beads f inch diameter, with 
 holes large enough to admit wire. 
 
 The beads are strung two blue and one white alter- 
 nately, every tenth bead a yellow one. The wires must 
 be turned up in a loop at each end, to prevent beads 
 from slipping off. 
 
 Wire and beads for fifty-six children cost $3.00. 
 
 2. Cards containing problems may be purchased at 
 school supply firms. The questions may be copied and 
 answers written, or work may be performed without 
 copying questions. 
 
 3. Cut large-sized figures from old calendars. These 
 may be placed in envelopes and distributed to the 
 children when needed, or they may be mounted on 
 stiff paper^or cards and placed in boxes. 
 
 Unmounted they last a long time, and are valuable in 
 helping children to a knowledge of counting from one 
 to thirty, in arranging the calendar months and for 
 assorting. They may be mounted so as to give all the 
 numbers from one to one hundred, and in this way may 
 be used for decade work and for multiplication and 
 division. LofC. 
 
XII. 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS EXERCISES WITH 
 ABSTRACT NUMBERS 
 
 I. 
 
 Write equations and have the children supply the 
 missing term, as 
 
 9+?=n ?X8 = 48 494-?=7 ? — 6 = 9 
 
 ? + 8=i6 4x7 = 24 9 + 8=? 15-7-5 = ? 
 
 i8-?=ii ?-^7 = 5 7x8=? 16-7=? 
 
 These may be written on cards 3JX4 inches. 
 
 II. 
 
 Ten sets of cards 3JX4 inches, every card different, 
 may be used for drill on numbers from 10 to 100. Six 
 sets include some of the forms of equations just men- 
 tioned, as, 
 
 (1) 
 
 (2) 
 
 (3) 
 
 9+ 8 = 
 
 9+ ?= 17 
 
 ? + 9= 15 
 
 8 + 7 = 
 
 8+ ?= 15 
 
 ? + 7= 15 
 
 7+5 = 
 
 7 + ?= i5 
 
 ? + 5 = i5 
 
 0) 
 
 CO 
 
 (6) 
 
 17-8 = 
 
 17- ? = 8 
 
 ?- 8 = 9 
 
 15-7 = 
 
 15 - ? = 7 
 
 ?-7 = 8 
 
 12-5 = 
 
 12 — ? = 5 
 
 ?-5 = 7 
 
ABSTRACT NUMBERS 101 
 
 
 ilL 
 
 
 
 J» 
 
 
 (9) 
 
 (10) 
 
 v2 
 
 -3 
 
 ^4 
 
 + 1 
 
 ■5-9 
 
 -7- 12 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 27 
 
 4 
 
 8 
 
 14 
 
 54 
 
 94+8 
 
 6x9 
 
 6 
 
 3 
 
 16 
 
 36 
 
 16 
 
 67 
 
 37-9 
 
 8-f- 4 
 
 8 
 
 36 
 
 24 
 
 75 
 
 29 
 
 109 
 
 63 + 9 
 
 7x8 
 
 12 
 
 30 
 
 48 
 
 86 
 
 56 
 
 47 
 
 74-6 
 
 144 -7- 12 
 
 24 
 
 21 
 
 28 
 
 29 
 
 98 
 
 86 
 
 etc. 
 
 etc. 
 
 etc. etc. 
 
 III. 
 
 Let children make lists of numbers. Begin with a 
 certain number and add an equal number each time ; 
 set down results to about 100. Thus, begin with zero 
 and add two each time; begin with two and add three 
 each time. 
 
 o 2 
 
 2 5 
 
 4 8 
 
 6 11 
 
 IV. 
 
 Write on the board a number, as 30, with a row of 
 numbers under it, thus ; — 2-9-6-4-5-1 -4-3-7-8-. Children 
 add 2, 9, etc., to 30, then subtract 2, 9, etc., from 30. 
 
 V. 
 
 The wheel is a helpful device for written drill in num- 
 ber. Place a row of numbers around the inside of 
 the circle; in the centre, put a number and sign, as 
 8-f. The children's work from the wheel, as it now 
 looks, should be, — 
 
PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 8+2=10 
 8 + 3=11 
 8 + 5-13 
 
 etc. 
 
 If the sign and number are reversed, thus, + 8, the 
 work would be, — 
 
 2 + 8 
 
 3 + 8 
 
 5 + 8 etc. 
 
 The cross at the top shows the starting-point. The 
 arrow shows which way to take the numbers. When 
 the pupils are able to do more, other numbers to be 
 added may be placed in the centre ; then subtraction 
 may be taken; place a number and sign, as 12 — ; the 
 work would then be, 
 
 8 + 2 = 10 
 
 12 — 2 = 10 
 
 8 + 3 = 11 
 
 12-3 = 9 
 
 8 + 5 = 13 
 
 12-5= 7 
 
 8 + 6 = 
 
 12 — 6 = < 
 
 = etc. 
 
ABSTRACT NUMBERS 103 
 
 Gradually multiplication and division may be added to 
 the work. The wheels may be varied in many ways, 
 and made attractive by using colored chalks. 
 
 VI. 
 
 A change from the wheel, yet practically the same 
 
 thing, is a column of figures written on the 6 
 
 board, embraced in a bracket, at whose point 3 
 
 are figures, preceded by signs which tell what g 
 
 is required. This may include giving the first c 
 
 and second terms to find the third, or the first 4 
 
 and third to find the second, or the second and 2 
 
 third to find the first term. Grades II. and III. g 
 
 VII. 
 
 Prepare a chart like the following, for rapid drill in 
 addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. 
 
 + 7 
 — 2 
 
 +-2 
 
104 
 
 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 I 
 
 ii 
 
 21 
 
 3 1 
 
 4i 
 
 5 1 
 
 61 
 
 7i 
 
 81 
 
 9i 
 
 2 
 
 12 
 
 22 
 
 32 
 
 42 
 
 52 
 
 62 
 
 72 
 
 82 
 
 92 
 
 3 
 
 13 
 
 23 
 
 33 
 
 43 
 
 53 
 
 63 
 
 73 
 
 ^3 
 
 93 
 
 4 
 
 14 
 
 24 
 
 34 
 
 44 
 
 54 
 
 64 
 
 74 
 
 84 
 
 94 
 
 5 
 
 '5 
 
 25 
 
 35 
 
 45 
 
 55 
 
 65 
 
 75 
 
 85 
 
 95 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 8 
 
 16 
 
 26 
 
 36 
 
 46 
 
 56 
 
 66 
 
 76 
 
 86 
 
 96 
 
 17 
 
 27 
 
 37 
 
 47 
 
 57 
 
 67 
 
 77 
 
 87 
 
 97 
 
 18 
 
 28 
 
 38 
 
 48 
 
 58 
 
 68 
 
 78 
 
 88 
 
 98 
 
 9 
 
 19 
 
 29 
 
 39 
 
 49 
 
 59 
 
 69 
 
 79 
 
 89 
 
 99 
 
 IO 
 
 20 
 
 30 
 
 40 
 
 5° 
 
 60 
 
 70 
 
 80 
 
 90 
 
 100 
 
 VIII. 
 
 Supply each child with a quantity of pegs and an 
 envelope containing numbers from one to fifty (these 
 are written on cardboard or cut from calendars and 
 pasted). When told to make a certain table,— for in- 
 stance, the fours, — the child places the pegs thus, — 
 
 II 
 
 II 
 
 MM 
 
 MM 
 MM 
 
 and as he completes each progression, finds the required 
 number in the envelope and places it thus : 
 
ABSTRACT NUMBERS 105 
 
 llll 4 
 
 INI llll 8 
 
 llll llll MM 12 
 
 Grade II. 
 
 If the numbers are written on cards, some will be lost 
 or soiled with constant use. The child himself may- 
 replace these by writing the required number on little 
 squares of blank card, given to him for the purpose. 
 
 IX. 
 
 Peg boards for drill on the " tables." Have a square 
 board, half an inch thick, with twelve rows of holes, 
 twelve holes in a row, the holes one inch apart ; holes 
 large enough to admit the pointed end of a peg. Any 
 table may be made, by placing the required number of 
 pegs in each row down the twelve rows. Grade II. 
 
 X. 
 
 Make charts covering all multiplications and divisions. 
 
 Arranged thus : Written by children thus : 
 
 4 4 x 6 — 24 
 
 4 6 X 4 = 24 • 
 
 4 6 24 -r- 4 = 6 
 
 4 6 24 -f- 6 = 4 
 4 6 
 
 _4 6_ 
 
 24 24 Grade II. 
 
 These charts should be made from large sheets of 
 gray manila paper, marked with a rubber pen, and 
 provided with some arrangement for hanging. 
 
106 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 Seat work from the charts should follow concrete 
 work, and be used only after children do good oral 
 work from same charts. The work is easily looked 
 over, affords constant repetition, and forms a basis 
 for quick drill. 
 
DRAWING AND WRITING 
 
XIII. 
 
 EXERCISES TO ACCOMPANY LESSONS IN 
 DRAWING 
 
 1. Make circles, squares, and oblongs of tough brown 
 paper. 
 
 (a) Let the children outline them, placing them in 
 rows. 
 
 {b) Let the children outline them and draw the 
 diameters. 
 
 (V) Let the children outline them and draw the diame- 
 ters and diagonals. 
 
 (d) Let the children outline them and combine them 
 in designs. (This suggestion should be followed for 
 busy work only after several lessons in designing have 
 been given to the class, as suggested in the regular 
 course in drawing. Otherwise the children make hap- 
 hazard arrangements with no real thought of design 
 underlying them; and this, while it may serve to keep 
 them busy, cannot fail to affect harmfully the work 
 in design.) 
 
 2. Objects such as kites, leaves, stars, may be cut 
 out of tagstock. Let the children outline them. 
 
 3. Simple, straight, and curved line figures, such as 
 squares, circles, fans, flags, and ladders, may be drawn 
 by the teacher on both sides of blank cards (a differ- 
 ent figure on each side). Give each child a card, with 
 
no PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 paper on which to draw as many of the figures as the 
 space will allow. Encourage orderly arrangements of 
 drawings in rows vertical and horizontal. Try to prevent 
 haphazard arrangements and crowded papers. 
 
 4. The teacher may outline figures of animals upon 
 cards. Give each child a card and a sheet of tissue 
 paper and let him trace them, or give him drawing 
 paper and let him draw them. 
 
 5. In October let each child bring a pretty leaf to 
 school and trace around it, then put in the veins, and 
 later draw it freehand. 
 
 6. Let the children trace around leaves, color them, 
 and then cut them out. In using colored crayons en- 
 courage the children to make the strokes in one general 
 direction, rather than rubbing round and round. 
 
 7. Cut from old books and papers outline pictures of 
 flowers, dogs, cats, rabbits, etc. Give each child a sheet 
 of tissue paper and a picture and let him outline it. 
 After a time he can reproduce it freehand. 
 
 8. Let the children draw the specimens used in nature 
 study, as seeds, leaves, fruits, twigs, and flowers. Pressed 
 leaves and flowers may be utilized here. 
 
 9. Let the children illustrate the subjects talked of in 
 the general lessons, either with pegs or pencil. For ex- 
 ample, in November the teacher may outline upon the 
 board pictures of the Mayflower, Plymouth Rock, a wig- 
 wam, or a log house, and the children will be delighted 
 to reproduce them upon their desks with pegs. Then 
 they may be erased from the .board and the children 
 directed to draw them upon paper, with such additions 
 of their own as their imaginations dictate. The general 
 subjects for each month may be treated in a similar 
 manner. 
 
EXERCISES IN DRAWING m 
 
 10. Let them illustrate a poem or a story. (See pp. 
 127-132.) 
 
 11. The children may trace the geometric figures, 
 and by the addition of a few lines change the figures 
 into some familiar object. 
 
 12. The teacher may put upon the board a design of 
 geometric figures, — as a border composed of a repeti- 
 tion of squares or of alternating squares and circles. 
 Give the children corresponding tablets to outline and 
 let them copy the design. 
 
 13. Give them the tablets and let them originate 
 designs for borders. 
 
 Note : This should not be attempted until after instruction in 
 the same line has been given in the drawing lessons. The 
 simple principles of order and strength being understood, 
 the children will not be tempted to create such weak designs 
 as they otherwise will. 
 
 14. Put upon the board designs other than borders, 
 composed of geometric figures, and allow the children 
 to reproduce with tablets. 
 
 15. Let them originate similar designs. (See No. 13.) 
 
 16. Put upon the board designs composed of straight 
 lines. Let the children reproduce them upon paper, 
 with the aid of Prang's one, two, and three inch sticks to 
 secure right proportions. Good suggestions for these 
 borders may be obtained from " Elementary Needle- 
 work," by K. M. Foster, published by Prang Educa- 
 tional Company. 
 
 17. Let them originate borders in like manner. (See 
 note under No. 13.) 
 
 18. Give each child a pair of scissors and a sheet of 
 paper. Let him cut, freehand, leaves, flowers, and 
 
ii2 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 objects which he may see. He may draw in lines or 
 color afterwards. This is most excellent work at any 
 time. One or two lessons in handling scissors and 
 holding paper properly should first be given. 
 
 19. Give each child a sheet of plain paper and a 
 tablet of any shape. The children may cover the paper 
 with outlines of the tablet, and then draw in each some 
 object, as a butterfly, violet, buttercup, etc. The chil- 
 dren enjoy this very much if the teacher selects the 
 best sheets to be colored at some later time. Orderly 
 arrangement should be insisted upon. 
 
 20. Give each child a sheet of tissue paper and one 
 of ruled paper. Let him trace the ruled lines on the 
 tissue paper, then bisect the spaces by lines parallel 
 to those traced. Afterwards cut the paper on the lines 
 drawn. Purpose : Practice in drawing vertical and 
 horizontal lines. Do not place dots and draw from one 
 dot to another, but draw the line freely. 
 
 21. Give each child a sheet of tissue paper and one 
 of ruled paper. Let him trace the ruled lines and fill 
 every other space with a border design, as a row of 
 apples, of leaves, or flowers, or with symbolic designs, 
 as three lines diverging from a point to represent a 
 plant, horizontally elongated diamonds to represent 
 pollywogs, oblique lines composed of dashes for driving 
 rain, triangles for tents, etc. Purpose : Practice in 
 border designs. 
 
 22. Placing points and drawing from one to another 
 is extremely cramping in its effect, and does not develop 
 the idea of the direction of line which is one of the first 
 things that it seems wise to foster. 
 
 " Practice in drawing straight lines " should develop 
 this feeling and judgment of direction of line and the 
 
EXERCISES IN DRAWING 113 
 
 manual ability of keeping the line going in the right 
 direction without the mechanical contrivance of a dot at 
 the end. A child should be taught to draw .a square by 
 placing light, soft little lines thus 
 to show the mass or proportion of 
 the square, — the height and width, 
 — then to examine or test these, 
 and correct by moving one line, 
 then to sketch the sides of the 
 square through these indicated 
 
 lines, with no thought of the comers, fixing the atten- 
 tion wholly upon the proportion of the whole. 
 
 23. Give each child a one-inch stick, a pencil, and 
 sheet of drawing paper. Ask the children to place the 
 stick on the desk near the top edge of the paper. Direct 
 them to notice its length, to call it " one inch long," 
 to place a point by guess, on the top edge of the paper, 
 one inch from the corner; then to take the stick, 
 measure this distance, and correct, if necessary. Then 
 sketch a vertical line to the lower edge of the paper, 
 parallel to the left edge. Place another point at the top 
 edge, by guess ; test, correct, sketch second line parallel 
 to the first, and proceed in the same way until paper 
 is filled. This may be carried out similarly by placing 
 points on left edge of paper and sketching horizontal 
 lines. No point should be placed at the end of the line 
 toward which the child is drawing. The direction of 
 the line, not the end of it, is the important idea. 
 
 Object : learning to estimate one inch, and to sketch 
 parallel lines. 
 
 24. Give each child a circular tablet one inch in 
 diameter. Direct the children to outline the tablets, 
 then to measure one-half inch to the right and left of 
 
II 4 
 
 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 this circle by using the one-inch sticks. Through these 
 points which they have found they may draw another 
 circle about the first one. Then measuring as before, 
 they may draw a third circle, and so on until a given 
 number of concentric circles has been drawn. Purpose : 
 Practice in drawing circles. (Use only after careful 
 teaching.) 
 
 25. Let the children draw designs and borders and 
 color them with pencils or crayons which may be 
 bought for one cent or five cents apiece. They may 
 also draw and color leaves and flowers from nature. 
 Useful all through the year. 
 
 A great variety of borders, rosettes, etc., may be 
 planned. Pegs may be used for many of these borders 
 and designs. At times the children make designs with- 
 out a copy. 
 
 This suggestion is valuable, but should be used only after 
 several lessons in designing borders have been given to the 
 children and the principle of strength in arrangement has 
 been explained. 
 
 Border lines made of the Prang sticks or of shoe pegs add 
 much to the value of the designs. 
 
 Tablets placed overlapping, or at a sufficient distance from 
 each other to give the feeling of their ability to stand alone, 
 will have the necessary element of strength, 
 
 CO CO CD 
 
 none oooo 
 
EXERCISES IN DRAWING 115 
 
 whereas tablets just touching each other or just touching mar- 
 gin lines seem weak. 
 
 ODD ^^ m 
 
 This principle is easily understood by the children and should 
 govern all work in designing or arranging. 
 
 For more advanced work the children may arrange 
 tablets in original designs on their desks and then 
 draw them on paper, freehand, watching carefully the 
 size and proportions of the tablets and the spaces 
 between. 
 
 26. The teacher may collect, or she may encourage 
 the children to collect, little pictures of objects based 
 on the type forms. These may be cut from advertising 
 pages of magazines, etc. The pictures may be placed 
 in envelopes and given to the children to arrange in 
 groups according to the particular basic type. 
 
 27. Children may arrange and paste the colors of the 
 spectrum. At first the six colors, red, orange, yellow, 
 green, blue, violet, are used ; later some of the interven- 
 ing colors are added. 
 
 Milton Bradley's colored squares divided into sixteen 
 oblongs are used. These give a narrow oblong, but 
 waste little paper, while the children are working out 
 the arrangement of colors as seen in the spectrum. 
 Later, larger oblongs may be used, by dividing the 
 square into eight oblongs. 
 
 28. Collections of scraps of pretty colored materials 
 may be made, placed in envelopes, and the children 
 allowed to sort according to the six primary spectrum 
 colors. 
 
n6 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 29. Make a collection of pasteboard units for designs. 
 These may be several geometric outlines, or units of 
 historic ornament. There should be a large number of 
 duplicates. Let the children arrange these units in 
 effective designs and copy and color the designs. 
 
 30. Allow each pupil to make an individual sketch- 
 book in which he is free to draw whatever he may choose 
 after other lessons are ended. As a reward for diligent 
 and faithful work, individual pupils may be allowed to 
 sketch out of doors ; or groups of children may be sent 
 to sketch selected objects. Such exercises are partic- 
 ularly necessary in schools where large number of classes 
 make frequent recitations impossible, and where variety 
 must be provided through the busy work. 
 
XIV. 
 
 A SERIES OF CHARTS FOR BUSY WORK 
 IN DRAWING 
 
 THE eight following pages represent a chart which 
 the teacher may copy in large size upon heavy manila 
 paper, the sheets to be fastened together and hung 
 upon the wall. The different forms may be copied by 
 the children with pegs or sticks, upon the desk or a 
 sheet of cardboard. 
 
 Similar pages may be added at the teacher's pleasure. 
 
 A rubber pen or a wide drawing pen made for such 
 purposes should be used in making the chart. 
 
 (The drawings for the chart were prepared by Miss Kate F. 
 Pierce, Assistant Director of Drawing, Boston, whose courtesy 
 and kindness are gratefully acknowledged.) Ed. 
 
18 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
DRAWING CHART FOR BUSY WORK 119 
 
120 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
DRAWING CHART FOR BUSY WORK 121 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 >' 
 
 
 
 ^sssf 
 
22 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
DRAWING CHART FOR BUSY WORK 123 
 
24 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
DRAWING CHART FOR BUSY WORK 125 
 
XV. 
 CHILDREN'S DRAWINGS 
 
 THE use of imaginative and illustrative drawing is 
 most beneficial to the child, because it gives the constant 
 practice of pencil handling that is absolutely necessary. 
 It also keeps the child in the habit of trying to express 
 his ideas for himself. Both the ideas and the drawings 
 are necessarily crude at first, but gradually grow more 
 and more complete through the very trying. 
 
 Older children, whose early efforts in this direction 
 were not encouraged, are very unwilling, and indeed 
 unable, to put their ideas, unaided, upon paper. They 
 should not be allowed to grow self-conscious, nor to 
 feel that their crude attempts are of no value or will 
 be ridiculed. 
 
 The skilful teacher will use these drawings as records 
 by which to judge the progress of the child's mind, — 
 how much he has grasped of what she has just been 
 telling him, how much he observed in his walks, how 
 much of a nature-lesson he really absorbed, how much 
 of a story he understood. 
 
 This work is especially valuable in connection with 
 
 lessons on animals. It should never be considered as a 
 
 result, but as a means to an end, — the end that every 
 
 good teacher keeps always in view, the growth of the 
 
 individual child. 
 
 KATE F. PIERCE. 
 
CHILDREN'S DRAWINGS 
 
 127 
 
 Hiawatha 
 
 " Of all beasts he learned the language." Artist seven 
 years of age. He depicts the reindeer, squirrel, rabbit, 
 and beaver. The latter, being less familiar, is drawn 
 most poorly. The Indian has a real Indian face. Per- 
 spective is good. Arrangement is good, indicating a 
 clear mental picture of the whole scene. 
 
 Story of " Three Bears " 
 
 The child's idea of relative size is good and well 
 expressed. So also is the action in the figure. Minor 
 details, buttons, etc., omitted, and thought evidently 
 concentrated on main points. 
 
128 
 
 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 © 
 
 £cruuLAje,#AA^4>w 
 
 MllMilMiAl 
 
 S\J3*-0<XtL. 
 
 The Field Lesson 
 
 This child remembers the various trees noticed while 
 walking and tries to depict them, distinguishing them 
 by their leaves. Those given are the most important 
 in her estimation. She attempts to show road and 
 sidewalk, and succeeds, too. Arrangement and obser- 
 vation excellent. 
 
 4*4jc 
 
 r 14*4 r oJfr &JLi**>~- yyiatuL 
 
 \! ^^.^^:(^lj rn rtt+Z 
 
 This picture was drawn to illustrate spelling lesson, 
 the subject being " A Frosty Day." Words given were 
 water, rain, drops, ice, slippery, snow, etc. Note action 
 in two figures at right ; also flagging. 
 
CHILDREN'S DRAWINGS 
 
 l 2( 
 
 /3o^JL4 l^ 
 
 Drawing remarkable on account of the suggestion of 
 great numbers of men, arranged one behind the other 
 and only parts of each being shown. Artist distin- 
 guishes very well also between the farmers and the 
 regulars. This drawing shows undoubted influence of 
 some picture seen and studied. 
 
 Washington fighting the French and Indians 
 
 As explained by child, the first man is Washington, 
 the next McKinley; the third one is uncertain. Snow 
 on ground, consequently horses' feet all " balled up." 
 The army is over at left (with expressive gesture over 
 desk at left of paper), — "Don't you see them over 
 here hiding behind the trees?" Note "arsenals" of 
 warriors, shape of caps, etc., also absence of ideas 
 regarding historical sequence. 9 
 
3° 
 
 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 Boys Skating 
 
 Unusually good action. Notice calm indifference of 
 big boys not playing hockey. No idea of perspective, 
 but remarkably good observation of figures in motion. 
 
 The Field Lesson 
 
 Artist seven years of age. Notice action and arrange- 
 ment. Tt is true, as he has shown, that those children 
 at the end are apt to straggle behind. No observation 
 of trees. 
 
CHILDREN'S DRAWINGS 
 
 13 1 
 
 Hiawatha 
 
 " Once a warrior . . . seized his grandmother and 
 threw her," etc. Artist ten years of age. Notice the 
 action. The grandmother seems to go. Child needs 
 a few hints as to relative size of head and body, etc. 
 
 Snow Scene 
 
 Note unusual arrangement. Child has expressed the 
 fact of one object in front of and consequently partially 
 covering another object. This is very unusual. Shows 
 a very clear mental concept of the whole scene. 
 
3 2 
 
 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 Paul Revere's Ride 
 
 The child's thought of Paul was Poll (parrot). Note 
 beak, shape of body, etc. Poor arrangement, lack of 
 unity and clearness in idea and grasp of the whole 
 thing, as well as mistaken concept of the hero. 
 
 LIST OF STORIES OR INCIDENTS AND SCENES TO 
 BE ILLUSTRATED BY DRAWING 
 
 Many of ^Esop's Fables. 
 
 Hiawatha's childhood. 
 
 Hiawatha's building of canoe. 
 
 Hiawatha's sailing. 
 
 Hiawatha's fishing. 
 
 Hiawatha's learning language of bird and beast. 
 
 Hiawatha's shooting of the deer. 
 
 Hiawatha and the pearl feather. 
 
CHILDREN'S DRAWINGS 133 
 
 Red-Riding-Hood. 
 
 Cinderella. 
 
 Goldenhair and the Three Bears. 
 
 Rhymes from Mother Goose. 
 
 The first Thanksgiving. 
 
 Santa Claus and Reindeer. 
 
 Christmas tree. 
 
 Stockings hung by chimney. 
 
 Jack Frost. 
 
 Paul Revere's Ride. 
 
 George Washington at the elm. 
 
 George Washington and the hatchet 
 
 Admiral Dewey at Manila. 
 
 A rainy day. 
 
 A windy day. 
 
 A summer day. 
 
 A winter day. 
 
 Children going to school. 
 
 Gathering apples. 
 
 Gathering chestnuts. 
 
 The snow man. 
 
 Jack and Mary run a race. 
 
 Our schoolhouse. 
 
 Peggy's Christmas tree. 
 
 The Ugly Duckling. 
 
 The Leak in the Dike. 
 
 Pied Piper. 
 
 Any walk or picnic in which the children all take part. 
 
XVI. 
 FOR PRACTICE IN WRITING 
 
 MOTTOES, PROVERBS, AND QUOTATIONS TO BE COPIED 
 BY THE CHILDREN 
 
 A MERRY heart goes all the day. 
 
 All great works are made up of little works well done. 
 
 Come, work together with hearty good will. 
 
 Do noble things, not dream them. 
 
 He who loves to know must love to learn. 
 
 I '11 do the best that I can. 
 
 Learn to labor and to wait. 
 
 Not how much, but how well. 
 
 There 's nothing so kingly as kindness, 
 
 And nothing so royal as truth. 
 
 There is always something going on out of doors 
 worth looking at. 
 
 To thine own self be true. 
 
 Think much, speak little. 
 
 The good deed lives through all ages. 
 
 What ought to be done, can be done. 
 
 Work teaches us to be faithful. 
 
 Constant occupation prevents temptation. 
 
 Obedience is more seen in little things than in great. 
 
 Obedience is the mother of happiness. 
 
 Mistakes occur through haste, never through doing 
 a thing leisurely. 
 
 Method will teach you to win time. 
 
FOR PRACTICE IN WRITING 
 
 35 
 
 Set about whatever you intend to do ; the beginning 
 is half the battle. 
 
 Time is precious, but truth is more precious than 
 time. 
 
 Lost time is never found again, and what we call time 
 enough always proves little enough. 
 
 He who gains time, gains everything. 
 
 A little too late, much too late. 
 
 The worth of a thing is best known by the want of it. 
 
 The workman is known by his work. 
 
 Never was good work done without much trouble. 
 
 The result tests the work. 
 
 Good material is half the work. 
 
 A work ill done must be twice done. 
 
 A work well begun is half done. 
 
 The time is never lost that is devoted to work. 
 
 By the work we know the workman. 
 
 Do the head work before the hand work. 
 
 Scatter with one hand, gather with two. 
 
 Promise little and do much. 
 
 Patience is the key of Paradise. 
 
 At the bottom of patience is Heaven. 
 
 How poor are they who have not patience. 
 
 Patience is the door of joy. 
 
 Patience opens all doors. 
 
 He who is not ready to-day will be less so to-morrow. 
 
 When you have set yourself a task, finish it. 
 
 From small beginnings come great things. 
 
 Deserve success, and you shall command it. 
 
 A child has two ears and one mouth, that he may 
 hear much and speak little. 
 
 Unfading are the gardens of kindness. 
 
 Good to begin well, better to end well. 
 
i3 6 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 Cross words are like ugly weeds. 
 
 Make haste slowly. 
 
 Never is a long day. 
 
 No one is always right. 
 
 Tell me with whom you go, and I will tell you what 
 you are. 
 
 When there is no good within, no good comes out. 
 
 Not how long you live, but how well. 
 
 You can do more good by being good than in any 
 other way. 
 
 Our thoughts are heard in Heaven. 
 
 The wise man is not he who never makes a mistake ; 
 but he who never makes the same mistake twice. 
 
 JEFFERSON'S TEN RULES. 
 
 1. Never put off until to-morrow what you can do 
 to-day. 
 
 2. Never spend your money before you have it. 
 
 3. Never trouble another for what you can do your- 
 self. 
 
 4. Pride costs more than hunger, thirst, and gold. 
 
 5. We seldom repent of having eaten too little. 
 
 6. Nothing is troublesome that we do willingly. 
 
 7. How much pain the evils have cost us that have 
 never happened. 
 
 8. Take things always by the smooth handle. 
 
 9. When angry, count ten before you speak, if very 
 angry, count a hundred. 
 
 10. Never buy what you don't want because it is 
 cheap. 
 
FOR PRACTICE IN WRITING 137 
 
 POOR RICHARD'S SAYINGS. 
 
 1. Many a little makes a mickle. 
 
 2. Three removes are as bad as a fire. 
 
 3. A word to the wise is enough. 
 
 4. God helps them that help themselves. 
 
 5. The used key is always bright. 
 
 6. If you would have your business done, go; if not, 
 send. 
 
 7. A small leak will sink a great ship. 
 
 8. Fools make feasts, and wise men eat them. 
 
 9. It is hard for an empty bag to stand upright. 
 
 10. Rather go to bed supperless than rise in debt. 
 
 11. The sleeping fox catches no poultry. 
 
 12. Sloth makes all things difficult, but industry all 
 easy. 
 
 13. Plough deep while sluggards sleep. 
 
 14. Never leave that till to-morrow which you can do 
 to-day. 
 
 15. Handle your tools without mittens ; the cat in 
 gloves catches no mice. 
 
 16. Little strokes fell great oaks. 
 
 17. Vessels large may venture more, 
 
 But little boats should keep near shore. 
 
 18. Get what you can, and what you get hold ; 
 
 'T is the stone that will turn your lead into gold. 
 
 19. Remember that time is money. 
 
 20. He that riseth late must trot all day. 
 
 21. There are no gains without pains. 
 
 22. One to-day is worth two to-morrows. 
 
 23. Be ashamed to catch yourself idle. 
 
138 PLANS FOR BUSY WORK 
 
 24. Leisure is time for doing something useful. 
 
 25. If you would have a faithful servant, serve 
 yourself. 
 
 26. A stitch in time saves nine. 
 
 PROVERBS. 
 
 1. Train up a child in the way he should go, and 
 when he is old, he will not depart from it. 
 
 2. Labor not to be rich. 
 
 3. A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in 
 pictures of silver. 
 
 4. Let another man praise thee, and not thine own 
 mouth ; a stranger, and not thine own lips. 
 
 5. Go to the ant, thou sluggard ; consider her ways, 
 and be wise. 
 
 6. Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. 
 
 7. A wise son maketh a glad father ; but a foolish son 
 is the heaviness of his mother. 
 
 8. Lying lips are abomination to the Lord : but they 
 that deal truly are his delight. 
 
 9. A soft answer turneth away wrath; but grievous 
 words stir up anger. 
 
 10. A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance. 
 
 11. Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty 
 spirit before a fall. 
 
 12. He that is slow to anger is better than the 
 mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit, than he that 
 taketh a city. 
 
 13. A merry heart doeth good like a medicine. 
 
 14. Even a child is known by his doings, whether his 
 work be pure, and whether it be right. 
 
 15. Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty. 
 
FOR PRACTICE IN WRITING 139 
 
 16. A good name is rather to be chosen than great 
 riches; and loving favor rather than silver and gold. 
 
 17. My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. 
 
 18. Be not wise in thine own eyes. 
 
 19. Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, her ways 
 are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. 
 
 20. Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not 
 in the way of evil men. 
 
 21. Get wisdom ; and with all thy getting, get under- 
 standing. 
 
 22. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left ; remove 
 thy foot from evil. 
 
 23. There be four things which are little upon the 
 earth, but they are exceeding wise : 
 
 The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare 
 their meat in the summer. 
 
 The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their 
 houses in the rocks. 
 
 The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them 
 by bands. 
 
 The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in 
 king's palaces. 
 
JnlT-ie. 1901 
 
JUL 10 1901