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Devices Used in the First Grade

T

BESSIE F. DODGE

HE season is here for snow, rain, sleet and thaw, and we hope all children are supplied with rubbers. Now the question is, What shall we do with these during school hours?

Some will say, "If the children keep them on they make. less noise whether walking, standing, or sitting; there are no rubbers kicking about the floor, and no time wasted removing, remating, and replacing them."

But aren't the child's health and comfort to be considered? How many teachers keep on rubbers during a school session? We all know how hard it is to accomplish much with extremely restless children. So, for this reason as well as for others, have rubbers removed in school.

If you have rubber boxes, or can get them, this is the best arrangement. If not, try this device for them.

At a convenient place on the floor make chalk lines from the wall toward the center, about ten inches long and eight inches apart. Each apartment is numbered, on the wall, that each child may readily find his own. One child said, "They look like horse stalls." "Oh, no," said another, "they are rubber stalls."

If the crayon is soaked a few hours, or over night, in diluted mucilage (using equal parts of mucilage and water) it will not easily rub off.

I use the floor space under the windows on which are wide shelves for plants, as there is no convenient place in the hall. This is a neat, orderly arrangement which we have found very satisfactory.

I divide my school into two classes according to ability, putting the brighter, more mature children and those who are the best workers together in one class, and the slower children, who have to be taught the same thing over and over, into the other. This class is always smaller. With a very large school of course it is necessary to have three or more divisions, and changes from one class to the other are frequently made.

The children who sit in the south part of the room I call the Sunshine class. The other is the Star class, so named from the fact that our music supervisor puts a colored star on the board when all do their best for him and I plan to have a board on the north side used for this. I prefer these names to A and B, first and second, for several reasons.

On the right end of each desk I place a number beginning with 1 at the front left corner of the room. The desk behind is 2, back desk, 5; the first desk in the second row is 6, back desk, 10; third row, 11 to 15, etc. It seems best in my school to duplicate these numbers on the other side of the room for the other class.

Our reading books, which are in sets of from twenty to twenty-five, are numbered with colored crayon both inside and outside on the paper cover. Each child has the book of the same number as his desk.

If both divisions are using the same set of readers at the same time, the books must be collected and passed several times a day, but by planning to avoid this, each child has his own book to keep at his desk until it is finished or a certain portion of it completed.

When there are cases of contagious disease, such as scarlet fever, it is necessary to destroy only the infected books and not the whole set, as would have to be done if the books were not numbered and were collected after each recitation, for there would be no knowing which book any child had. Even first grade children can be taught to study and will use their readers to advantage when seat work is completed, if they are in their desks.

Sometimes books will be exchanged. Perhaps a boy who left his at home will unconsciously pick up another's. Then the trouble begins. We shall hear, "I took my book home, but I brought it back. I put it down while I took off my coat and now it is gone."

All books may be placed on the desks and probably the offender will discover that he has not his own. And for that one he is held responsible.

A short time ago, some of our books were reviewed in the next room. When they were returned, the teacher asked

"How many books did you lend us?" I answered, "Twentyone." "Well," she said, "I have twenty-two. One day a lady brought a book, saying it was found on a wood-pile. I supposed one of my class had left it there."

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We examined the books and found there were two numbered the titles and numbers both being in my hand-writing. At first I couldn't understand it. Then it came to me. A member of the class of two years before had lost his book. As it was not found at the close of the year, he had paid for it. Recalling his seat and number the mystery was solved. When the lost book had been paid for, another was numbered 3.

Unless the first grade books are very carefully graded, try reading the first half of several primers before attempting the last half of any. In some series, the first part of the first reader is easier than the last part of the primer. We used to hear over and over in our normal days: "Proceed from the known to the unknown from the easy to the difficult." If we give considerable thought to the order, as we have many books to use, many hard places may be smoothed.

We find bookmarks (protruding at the top of the book) a great help for marking the page for the beginning of the reading lesson. Much wear and tear of the books and valuable time are saved. The children cut the bookmarks, using pictures from magazines, circles, oblongs, and so forth, of colored paper, tracing around a pattern.

One little beginner once said, "My teacher is not stingy of paper." Let them be able to say the same of bookmarks, for they will look very shabby in a short time, but the children will keep the supply good if allowed to. They will be more careful about the cutting if making something for a definite

use.

My children enjoy so much collecting and passing material and doing helpful work about the room that I try to let each one do his share.

Sometimes I appoint each night several helpers for the next day, choosing those who have been especially good and who have tried very hard. Effort counts even if the results have not been all that could be desired. At another time they take turns, one child from each class being the helper for a half day.

But my old "stand-by" is to select helpers from the front seats on Monday, second seats on Tuesday, and so on during the week, so all are sure of a chance.

When collecting material, one child is appointed for each two rows. Teach the children just where and how you wish everything placed. To do this takes time at first, but more time is saved later on.

Those in the first, third and fifth rows may place papers (name at top) on the upper left corner of desk. Those in the second, fourth and sixth rows place them on the upper right corner of desk. This will avoid reaching.

The collector begins at the back. Using both hands he lifts a paper, taking hold of the two sides, and places it on the paper across the aisle. These two he places on the third: the three papers on the fourth, and so on. When collected in this way, the papers will be in an orderly pile for correcting, right side up with care, and any child's easily located.

Let each child have his own box of colored crayons to use through the year. If a careless child breaks a crayon, he has to use the pieces, so may be more careful in the future. A careful child is repaid by having crayons in good condition. Of course accidents sometimes happen, but crayons are usually broken through carelessness.

The child's number is placed on the cover of the box. Should he change his seat during the year, he keeps his box and crayons simply changing the covers, taking the one of the

same number as his new desk.

The boxes for the different rows are held together by rubber

bands.

Does all this sound like extra work? It really is not and we seldom hear, "My red crayon is broken," "My orange crayon is too short," or, "I haven't any green." Children do not usually make complaints about themselves, and if there is any trouble they know whose fault it is. There are sanitary advantages and the responsibility of having the sole care of a definite part of school property is good for children. A line on each desk against which to place the paper or

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Knights and Castles on the Sand-Table

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ETTA MERRICK GRAVES

HE children's patriotism is stirred by tales of soldiers' bravery and of their sacrifices for their country. Yet we cannot hold up the soldier as an ideal type of manhood for the child to emulate, as the soldier is too near our time and his faults are often glaring. We, therefore, need the perspective of years which effaces the faults and leaves only the gallantry and chivalry as ideal virtues of manhood. This we find in the far-off Medieval knights, serving their king, defending the poor and weak, enduring hardship and riding erect in gorgeous apparel on spirited horses.

The subject of the knights and their search for a good child is found in Froebel's Mother Plays, translated by Susan Blow. We spoke of the hard steps through which a boy had to pass in order to learn to become a knight. This was embodied in Mrs. Harrison's story ("In Storyland") of "How Cedric Became a Knight." He loved to see the knights ride down the hill from their castle and was delighted when his acts of kindness and chivalry evoked comment from these knights-that he was "brave, kind or courteous enough to be a knight, some day." At last he went to the castle to learn the steps to knighthood, and was finally sent to the king's palace to be "dubbed a knight." This was the basis of our sand-table work. It also shows the possibility of working

out a story.

Posters of knights riding down a hill from a castle were first made and extra hektographed units saved for the sand-table.

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for a ceiling on which to erect the second floor. The cylinders gave a colonnade effect and open court. Triangular prisms finished off the roof, while larger cylinders and cones presented an imposing effect at the entrance. Circular plinths were inserted in the wet sand for steps up the hill to the door and knights in black and white pranced up the driveway and around the embankment. Around the base of the hill was a deep "mont" dug to the level of the zinc table for water level, to "protect the castle." Over this was a "drawbridge" (wooden box cover) with a "tower" at each corner consisting of a square prism with a triangular prism on top. Large half cylinders bordered the driveway. This approach was certainly worthy of the knights' castle.

THE KING'S PALACE

Of course the king's palace must be even more imposing. A large sized set of models was therefore brought from seclusion and made to do service that would have shocked the old-time drawing for which they were originally intended. This palace was built of larger plinths for foundation on which

he agonal prisms were placed for walls, finished with plinths, cylinders and hemispheres for turrets. Pillars in front were built of square prisms and pyramids. Although the palace was built on level ground, the larger material gave it greater size and height. The unstable nature of the blocks instilled

caution as the children played with it, especially as dismay followed a careless jarring of the table.

represented by red cedar twigs, which being dark showed off

A stretch of woods through which Cedric passed was

well in contrast to the light blocks.

PATTERNS

Patterns of mounted knights were hektographed on black and white cutting paper 5 x 5. The black is coated on only one side ready for hektographing. Splints were glued on the back of the units the entire length to keep them from curling. The king was cut from the King Arthur flour

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trade-mark and stood beside his palace to welcome the companies.

SOLDIERS

Following the subject of the knights came the celebrations of Lincoln and Washington, therefore soldiers were needed. Cavalrymen were hektographed on gray and infantry on white. The latter were colored blue. Toothpicks were glued to the backs to help them form in orderly ranks as they marched toward their post of duty. For patterns of soldiers and knights, see "A Year of Primary Occupation Work," Term II.

Neither the names of Washington nor Lincoln were referred to in connection with the soldiers on the sand-table, as knights and king were not of their period. The soldiers were merely "soldiers," neither American nor English being applied to them. A child's idea of time is limited and a hundred or five hundred years makes very little difference in his mind. It is the spirit only, which one aims to instill by such representations of chivalry and duty.

LINCOLN AND WASHINGTON

Special exercises for Lincoln and Washington were the culmination of our patriotic celebrations. The room was decorated with flags brought by the children, and a large chalk flag was made by the teacher on the board. Tiny white paper stars were given to each child to be brought in turn and pasted on the blue field. The right number of stars were counted as placed.

The February blackboard border consisted of white silhouettes of flags hektographed and cut. These were crossed and pasted on a blue chalk "sky."

The blackboard calendar was ornamented with a shield in colored chalk, in the center of which was pasted in turn a picture of Lincoln, then of Washington.

As the children "played soldier" the virtues of soldierly bearing, order, promptness and obedience were instilled and its effect has been a lasting one.

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No. I.

- John B. Tabb

6 Pinch out and twist a little of the thigh material for a tail, but do not make the tail the full length at this time, else it will break in the handling.

7 Round up and smooth the back.

8 (See illustration No. 2 a.) Smooth and round the hollow between the thighs. (Have a real mouse to model by, if possible.)

Draw a line with a toothpick or pointed stick around the top and sides of the thigh-bone region.

Mousie has big, strong thighs compared with his size, so that he may leap away into the

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dark.

9 Smooth and round the thighs and the lines by stroking with the finger, think always of the work the thigh must do; of its muscles; its bone. Draw down some of the material to indicate hind legs.

ΙΟ Round and smooth the shoulders, drawing down some of the material to indicate the fore legs.

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II Hollow out the ears; make little openings in the ears to let the sound in to mousie's brain.

12 Make hollows for eyes.

13 Lengthen the tail; put a real live twist in it.

THE TOAD

I Mold the ovoid. See b in illustration No. 1.

2 (Toad rests on his haunches.) Make the base of support as in b, illustration No. 1.

3 In this way you will find the centre of gravity, the point of support, and learn how to balance the parts so that toad will not "tip over" when you set him down.

4 Model the head by rounding the top and pointing the end of your figure. Make toad's eyes bulge so he can see in all directions without turning his head. Make his mouth broad to catch insects. Make his throat round out so he can fill it with air and make it swell out like a bagpipe when he is in the mood for music.

5 Round up that big, strong, curiously folded thigh of his, so that he may leap a good wide leap after the insects in your garden. (See b in illustration No. 2.)

6 Model the sleeping kitty in the same way. (See illustration No. 3.)

THE CHICKEN

Ι
I Mold the egg shape.

2 From the smaller more pointed part of this mold chick's head.

3 Indicate legs at centre.

4 Find the centre of gravity by setting chick up: if he falls forward, you have too much material in the head and breast parts; if backward, too much in the hind parts. See illustration No. 4.

5 Carry chick a little farther by indicating wing, bill, breast, tail and by deepening the eye. See illustration, No. 5, a. 6 As chick grows older, the bulk of her form is still the egg shape, but her neck is longer, her tail grows larger and stands up. Her comb grows. See b in illustration No. 5.

Seat Work that is a Joy

T

ALICE P. ROBINSON

HERE is no better occupation for seat work than drawing, and frequently the very best results in expression are obtained when pupils are left alone to tell a story in their own way, unaided.

Last year a teacher of a first grade stressed that form of seat work with surprising results, as the illustrations here plainly show. The children had been drawing objects, en masse, for some time before they were left alone to work out problems and to tell stories. During the regular drawing period they had learned to express their thoughts and to make a picture with as few lines and objects as possible.

While one section was reciting, paper and crayons were quietly distributed by two or three pupils to the other sections, the teacher having given instructions for the work by simply designating the story to illustrate. Soon busy fingers were working away to finish the drawing before the recitation was completed.

The simplest stories, such as "Jack Be Nimble," two boys running a race or something of the kind, were used, in which few objects or figures were required in the drawing. There was a tendency at first to use more than one sheet of paper; some children would begin to draw and spoil that side, turn on the other and do the same thing, then ask for a fresh sheet. That fault was overcome in the very beginning by allowing each child only one sheet, with the privilege of using the other side if the first one was spoiled. It was not long before all the children prided themselves on being able to use just one side for a story.

It was found that the best results were obtained through the reproduction stories already developed, the poems that had been learned, and favorite games, with soft black crayons as the medium of expression.

In the very beginning the teacher suggested that each child illustrate the story in his own way, so each one would be different, to prevent copying, as some children are inclined to do. The papers were collected by the children and placed on the teacher's desk, and at recess, or after the day's work, three or four, sometimes more, of the best drawings were selected and pinned on an oblong piece of dark green burlap, tacked on the wall, to encourage and to stimulate the successful ones as well as those less successful. It required only a short time to do this.

The illustrations were selected one day after the ildren had finished the story of "Chicken Little." One little girl, who drew a large hen with two chickens, had taken a bit of red crayon from her desk of her own accord and colored their combs red to make them more realistic. So good was the work for a child of six years and told in such an unusual way that the teacher asked her about it. She said the old mother hen and "Chicken Little," with her little sister, had just started to the woods. During the conversation it was discovered that the little girl had a hen with two little chickens

at home of which she was very fond, and it was plain that she had put them in her story.

In illustrating the poem, "The Swing," a little boy made a picture that would have been a credit to any grammar grade pupil. It was so good that the drawing teacher sent it to one of the art journals. Yet that little fellow in the beginning thought he could not draw, and his efforts were exceedingly crude, until one day he chanced to cut a boy running that showed splendid action. The teacher commented on it as she placed it on the burlap. "I just thought I couldn't do it, but I can, can't I?" he said, as he proudly surveyed his work occupying the place of honor. After that his efforts were surprisingly good, on days when he felt well, but occasionally there were times when his "fingers just would not do right," as he aptly expressed

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