the teacher was sitting, and, with her children close around her, stood near the teacher's chair.

8. No one saw her, and she stood still, as if waiting to be noticed; then she spoke.

9. "Cluck, cluck!" said she, in quite a loud voice, and the teacher and children jumped nearly out of their seats.

10. When they saw the queer little hen and her five chickens, they all laughed, and the teacher said, "Mrs. White Hen, we are glad to see you, but the school for chickens is out in the field;" and the hen with her brood walked away, to find the right school.

1. Quiet (qu=kw), window, middle, visitor, waited, family, empty, turned, close, noticed (d=t), platform, brood, jumped (d = t).

2. Was the room noisy? Were the children idle? Was the door shut? Did the hen walk rapidly to the center of the room? Did the hen stand close by the teacher? Was this school in the country? Was it winter? What mark is used after Mrs.? Is Mrs. a short form for Mistress? What is meant by a brood of chickens? What do you call a number of geese? of cattle? of sheep? of soldiers? Find words in the lesson in which ee, ie, or ea have the sound of e. Is a sailor one who sails? Is a visitor one who visits? Is a caller one who calls? What can you see in the picture that is not mentioned in the story? Change the word family to

THE STRANGE VISITOR.

17

make it mean more than one.

What words in the first para

graph would you read as one word? Would you read the first sentence, The schoolroom was

L

or

In

| very quiet L The schoolroom was very quiet, ? In the second sentence, would you make the sense-words The boys and girls, were all busy with their lessons ? Be careful, generally, to stop after a sense word or group only a second or two. The shortest pause possible is all that is generally required, but sometimes the sense shows that a longer pause is needed. grouping words, take no notice of the punctuation, excepting as far as necessary to help you to understand the sense. Every lesson should be marked in groups for reading, until you make the pauses properly. The slightest mark that will catch the eye is all that need be made. "Quietly|a strange visitor came through the open door | and | with her few little ones | slowly walked to the middle of the room.

NOTE.-Under 1 will be found a list of words. These are (a) to be spelled by letter; (b) to be spelled by sound, marked, and the silent letters indicated; (c) to be defined as far as definitions are needed to show that pupils understand their meaning in the lesson. This can be done by using them in sentences, by giving their opposites, by giving synonyms, or simply in the pupil's own language. Dictionary definitions are generally good, but, in many cases, not so desirable for these lessons as the simple meaning that the pupils can be led to give for themselves. Take the word window, for example. Pupils know what a window is, but they may not be able to express themselves. Lead them to do so by talking and questioning about it until they can clearly define it, both as the opening in the wall to let in light and air, and the sash or door that closes it. This cultivates the powers of observation, thought, and expression, and is a better definition for them than "an aperture for the intromission of light."

If pupils have not been well drilled on the tables, and can not spell the words by sound, begin at once a drill on the tables, and apply the sounds as fast as learned to the words in the list for spelling.

Under 2 will be found a few questions to guide the work in language, thought, expression, etc. These questions should generally be answered in complete sentences. The words or forms in the questions are often different from those in the lesson, and the answers should use the words of the lesson to show that both words are understood. The second exercise in this lesson has been made quite complete as a guide to the work expected in future lessons. The few questions inserted in each lesson are merely suggestions. Every class can easily cover the work outlined, and most classes can and should do a great deal more. Do not limit the work in any direction to the outline given, but use this as a guide only.

II. THE LITTLE BIRDS.

1. Here are three little birds in a nest,
In a nest high up in a tree;
They swing in the sun all day,
As happy as happy can be.

2. What if the birdies should fall,
Fall from their nest so high?
Their feathers have not yet grown,
And no one has taught them to fly.

3. By and by their wings will grow strong, Grow strong; and some bright sunny

day,

Taught by their birdie mamma,

They will fly through the air away.

1. Sunny, feathers, taught, grow, strong.

Where is their nest? What do

If they should drop out of
Have their feathers grown?

2. Where are the birds? they do? How happy are they? their nest, would they get hurt? When will their wings grow strong? Who will teach them to fly? What will they do then? What sound has ea in feathers? au in taught? What is nest the name of? Of birdie's home? Is it a name-word? Tell three words in the lesson that are the names of some things.

In a nest high up in a tree. In a similar way mark

THE POEM RE-TOLD.

19

the groups in the second line of the second stanza, and in the first and second lines of the last stanza.

NOTE.-Answers to 2 will tell the entire poem in prose. If pupils can write well enough, this would be better written.

III. THE POEM RE-TOLD.

A little bird made her nest near the top of a large tree. She thought the cat could not get at it there. By and by there were three little eggs in the nest. Now there are three little birds.

Their mamma feeds them and takes care of them. They um very happy as they suving

мити

in the sun.

If they should fall from their nest they could not fly up again.

But they will soon get strong: their feathers will grow,

and their mamma will teach

them to fly.

1. Feeds, thought, now, teach.

2. What did the bird think? Who cares for these birds? Of what is a bird's nest made? Who makes it ? Do all birds make nests in trees? Would birds fly if they were not taught? Group the words in the second paragraph. Is mamma a name-word? Give two name-words not in the lesson. What sound has ou in thought? What sound of a is like this? What is the sound of th? What letters are silent? What words can you make from feed? Tell the poem in your own language. Compare your work with this lesson. Is anything told in prose that is not in the poem ?

NOTE. As the entire lesson should be grouped, only a few groupings are asked for, simply to remind you at first of the value of doing this work well. To make words from a given word, use prefixes, suffixes, and other words; e. g., see, seeing, saw, unseen. The parts of speech are developed as an aid to reading and to expression.