What pupils can give the name of five objects seen on the way to or from school? How many things do they remember having seen in the grocery store window? Ask them to run by, to-night, and tell you how many things they saw while running, that they may be able to see as many things at a glance as an Indian boy does. APRIL. Robins call robins in tops of trees; Doves follow doves with scarlet feet; Frolicing babies, sweeter than these, Crowd green corners where highways meet. Violets stir and arbutus wakes, Claytonia's rosy bells unfold; Dandelion through the meadow makes For April sobs while these are so glad, -Helen Hunt Jackson. LIGHT. Sources and kinds. Artificial and natural. NATURAL LIGHT. Sunlight, moonlight, starlight. ARTIFICIAL LIGHT. Fire light, gas light, electric light, lamp light, candle light. (This series of lessons may follow the lessons on the Earth, and be given the first week of April, before Easter week, if preferred.) THE SUN. LANGUAGE OR OBSERVATION. 4 What makes our room so bright this morning? What makes the air so warm? What big lamp gives us light and heat every day? What peeps into your room and tells you when it is time to get up in the morning? Sing to or with the children a verse of "When the Little Children Wake," in K. D. Wiggin's Song Book. "When the little children wake Bright the sun is shining; Sunshine bids them do their work With no vain repining; He will help them with his light All their tasks to do aright. When the little children wake Sunshine floods the way they take." Is Question the pupils as to what they know about the sun, its color, shape, appearance in sky, apparent movements. the sun always in the same place? Where is it when you come to school? when you go home at noon? at night? It never seems to stand still. It takes the same journey across the sky every day. direction is that? the sun on dark Where does it begin its journey? What Where does it end its journey? Where is days when we can not see it? Which is nearest us then, the clouds or sun? Illustrate the movements of the sun according to Dr. Holland's story. Observe the sun, where it falls into the room at nine, eleven or twelve, again at half past one and at close of school. THE SUN'S WORK. What does the sun do for us? (Heats and lights the world.) What has it done with the frost and the snow on the ground and on the sidewalks? the ice in the ponds and rivers? the mud in the roads? What is it doing for the seeds, buds and sleeping flowers? Sing the little song that tells us. "God sends his bright spring sun To melt the ice and snow, To start the green leaf buds And make the flowers grow." -Eleanor Smith's Songs, No. 1. What happens to seeds that are sprouted and kept in the dark? How do plants become when put in a dark cellar? We would become ill, pale and weak also if it were not for the sunlight. Where is the sun while you are sleeping? Where does it go when it leaves our sight? Does it sleep? Does it visit other countries? What boys and girls does it visit? If we could follow the sun it would take us to China and Japan, where we mean to go this month. It is sometimes called the "Sunrise Kingdom." Do you know why? What do you think the sun would say if it could reply to the little child who asked the questions in the song "Good Morning, Merry Sunshine"? "I saw you go to sleep last night How did you get way over there And where have you been staying?" I think the sun would say this: (Sing to the pupils.) "I never go to sleep, dear child, I'm always shining bright, But as your world goes turning round It takes you from my light. And then I shine upon the moon And she shines back to you, So that my light you often see When hidden from my view. And as your world goes turning round, It whirls you into night, But brings round other boys and girls And so I shine, forever shine, While you both sleep and wake; And now you've rolled around again My kind 'good morning' take." -By Amy Fisk, in Kindergarten Magazine. Sing to the air "Good Morning, Merry Sunshine," in Eleanor Smith's No. 1 Song Book. Don't try to get along without this song book. SUNSET AND SUNRISE. How many ever saw the sun rise? The sun set? Tell how a sunrise looks. What color is the sky? Where does the sun rise? What changes does the sunrise bring? Sky grows lighter, stillness is broken by bird songs, rooster crowing, insects humming and moving about. The leaves and flowers that have folded their leaves in sleep, open. Men, women and children get up and begin to work and appear out doors. Frost and dew leave the ground and grass. SUNSET. How does the sky look at sunset? How does it paint the windows at times? The snow? The hills? Does the sun set When the sun sets, what behind trees, houses or hills? changes come in the pictures we see about us? Bees go into hives, birds into nests, chickens to roost, some flowers fold leaves and petals, animals in fields lie down, sky grows darker blue or gray, moon or stars come out and lamps are lit, dew begins to fall, and children go to bed. What time does the sun rise? Set? Is it always the same hour? Earlier in winter or summer? DRAWING. Draw pictures of sunrise and sunset, or paint, cut and paste sunset and sunrise borders of yellow, orange or red. Paint these borders. How much of the sun can we see while it is can we see while it is setting? Rising? What does it look like? (Hemisphere.) PICTURES. "Day" and "Night," Thorwaldson. "Aurora, Goddess of Dawn." LITERATURE. "The Wind and the Sun," Æsop. "Clytie," Flora Cook's Nature Myths or September Plan Book. "The Swan Maidens," Flora Cook. "Aurora, Goddess of Dawn." "Apollo." "Phaeton." "Sunset Land." "The Sun's Travels" (a poem), Stevenson. "At Daybreak," Longfellow. SONGS. "Awake, Said the Sunshine," Smith No. 1. "The Sunbeams," Eleanor Smith No. 2. |