of these details the children are happy to assist and such service may carry to the home.

Greeting:

From this active preparation the children come together for the good-morning talk and song when the teacher may recognize the new child, the one who has been absent, or the birthday child in a special way. It is at this time that the children are often eager to show some little treasure that they may have brought in—a leaf, a flower, a picture, or a toy. Sometimes interesting and worthwhile conversations center about these contributions.

Then almost always there are confidences of supreme importance to the individual child which he wishes to tell the group as "My father came home from New York," "We had dinner at my aunt's house," "I've got a little dog!" The teacher accepts these, the child is satisfied and the group brought closer together. Sometimes a few words of prayer either of request or thanksgiving are inspired by these experiences.

During this time or at the close, some rhythmic activity should be used, either clapping to the music of the song or marching or skipping to music, informally with no emphasis on succession.

Pictures and conversation:

A few new pictures of children in the home with the baby or caring for pets-birds, kittens, a dog or rabbit—may be placed on the picture screen and shown to the group. Conversation concerning these pictures will take place among the children with the teacher guiding to bring out the necessary care in each case as, "What is the little girl giving the kitten?" "Where do you suppose the kitten sleeps?" "Does the kitten like the warm hearth?"

The little child will not only answer the questions and ex

press his ideas about the picture, but he will tell many incidents about his pets and the care for them, as: "I have a little dog. He likes a bone." "Our bird sings when he has a bath." "My kitten scratched me on the cheek." "I give our rabbits bread." Among the pictures will be some of the baby, and the teacher may lead the conversation once more to the way the children help care for him. They may sing, "Hush-a-bye Baby" as a group and individually, while one or two hold the dolls.

Story and dramatization:

Then the teacher may retell the story of "The Baby Moses," in the same words as she used before-the children will resent any changes. After she has told the story the children may look at the picture again; this time the teacher may ask suggestive questions; as, "Where was the baby?" "Why did the mother put him in the basket in the water?" "Who watched him when the mother went away?" "Who found him in the basket?" "What did the princess do with the baby?" "Shall we thank God for watching the baby and ask him to watch our babies?" After the prayer, the children may want to dramatize the story. They can do so very simply by letting one child represent the mother, who puts one of the dolls in a basket and places it in a make-believe river, by letting another child represent Miriam, who watches near by, and by selecting a third child as the princess, who rescues the baby. Very little conversation is to be expected; almost all of the story will be told in action. This dramatization should not be forced on the children, and the teacher should carefully select from the children who want to play the best ones for the parts. The setting should be agreed upon before the action starts.

Handwork:

The handwork may be the modeling of a little basket out of clay. Each child may be given on a piece of wrapping

paper a lump of clay about the size of an egg. The child may shape the little basket by putting his thumb in the center of the clay and pressing out the form. The teacher may help by modeling with the children. After the baskets are finished the teacher may cut from paper little babes for the boats. The children will enjoy reviewing the story with this play toy, and the story will be made more realistic thereby.

If clay is not available, a little basket may be made from paper as follows: a piece of square paper is folded once to make an oblong and again to make an oblong half the width.

The paper is opened and one strip cut off. The paper is cut at either end about an inch on the two lines, and the ends pasted together to form the basket.

Dismissal:

The dismissal may take place as suggested in the first lesson.

LESSON IV

WHAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE AT HOME TO CARE FOR (CONTINUED)

Observation and conversation:

On this day the teacher has brought to the class not only the pictures of the pets but one or perhaps two canaries. The cage is set on a table around which the children place their chairs at a sufficient distance not to frighten the birds. They watch the little birds intently.

The teacher lets one child fill the water dish and another one the seed dish; it is of the greatest interest to watch the birds eat. There is conversation too about when they should be fed and how much as well as what they eat. Children who have birds at home will volunteer information. A child can fill the bath tub for the birds and perhaps they will bathe if the children have been very careful not to excite them. Then they may sing after the bath. The children can interpret the song of the little birds by singing "The Canary Bird," from Songs for the Little Child:

"I'm glad to see you here,
Chee-ree-ree-cheer!

Chee-ree-ree-cheer!

I'm glad to see you here,
My little children dear."

Then what fun to reply to the little bird:

"We're glad to see you here,

Chee-ree-ree-cheer!

Chee-ree-ree-cheer!

We're glad to see you here,
Our little birdie dear."

Story: How Dickie Came Back.

If a story is wanted, the following true incident may be told :

Once upon a time there were some children playing in a room where there were two little birds in a cage. The windows of the room were open, and one of the children pushed the door of the cage up. Before she knew what had happened one of the little birds had hopped out of the door and flown out of the window.

"Oh, dear, dear, what shall I do?" cried Marjorie, for that was the little girl's name.

"Close the door quick so the other little bird will not fly out!" called Bobbs, who had seen.

Then the rest of the children heard, and they ran with Bobbs and Marjorie to the window. On the branch of the tree outside sat the little bird very near and yet too far to reach.

"I am sure that he will freeze if he stays out there," said Marjorie.

"Maybe the cat will catch him," said Harry.

"What can we do to get him in?" demanded Bobbs.

At first they thought they would close the blinds and make the room dark as they had done one day when the little bird flew out in the room. Then they saw that pulling the blinds would not make it dark outdoors and would not bring the little bird in.

"I'll tell you what I'll do, I'll climb the tree and catch him," said Harry.

"You will only frighten him away if you do that," said Marjorie.

Then somebody thought of calling the little bird, and they called him very sweetly again and again, “Here Dickie, Dickie, Dick"; but the little bird did not move.

"I am sure that Dickie likes apple," said Bobbs. "We will put a piece here on the table by the window."