LESSON IX

THE BULBS ARE PLANTED

THIS lesson suggests nature's part in producing more leaves and flowers again, and the child's part in cooperating with God in the making of more beauty. The Bulb Planting may be a festival about the time of the familiar one of Halloween.

Conversation and song:

As the weather grows colder there may be frost in the morning and the children come in with rosy cheeks and tingling fingers. They speak of the cold and of sliding on the frost, of finding ice on the pond and pictures on the window panes. They are filled with the joy of the winter time that is coming. At the climax of this expression the following song may be sung:

"Very cold it was last night;

Window panes are coated white;
Hoary frost lies all around

On the fences and the ground.

Ice has covered pond and stream,

And my breath is turned to steam."

(Songs for the Little Child.)

Then the teacher may ask what has happened to the seeds, and the children find that they are covered by the brown leaves and by the frost. The brown leaves, however, keep them warm. The teacher may bring to the children the branch of a tree, letting them discover the little knobs which are the leaf buds. They note how carefully these are protected from the frost and the cold of the winter. The teacher may

suggest the planting of bulbs in the garden to make it beautiful in the spring when the wild flowers come up and the leaves come again on the trees. If a florist shop is near, teacher and children may walk over and purchase their bulbs. The children will be greatly interested in the brown house in which the little plants are sleeping.

The planting:

If the school has a garden, the children plant there preferably. They may dig the bed with small spades, put the bulbs in at the right depth and cover them over with earth. They may carry or rake leaves over the earth so that their bulbs will be even better protected than the wild-flower seeds. If the planting out of doors cannot be managed, pots of dirt can be provided, the bulbs planted in these, covered with earth and with straw and put in a cool, dark place for from three to six weeks. When brought out they should be put in the sunny windows and watered well. They will bloom during the winter and in the early spring, to the great joy of the children. The children will watch for the first green shoot and will note every step in the growing process. When the planting has been done, they may come together and talk over their anticipations concerning the garden and the blooming of their bulbs. They may ask God to help them care for the bulbs and thank him for the sunshine and the rain.

Review in story, verse and song:

The teacher may ask the children to choose one of the stories for retelling. Perhaps they will choose "The Magic Flower," or "The Wee Nest." The verses about the caterpillar and the swallow may be repeated and the song of the Brown Leaves may be sung. Perhaps there will be time for a dramatization of some of these activities, such as the flight of the birds south, the falling of the leaves, the going to sleep of the flowers.

Children like to play that they are seeds asleep under the leaves, then later to awaken when the spring rain and sunshine are announced. They curl up in quiet little balls on the floor, slowly unfolding and stretching up toward the sun.

Song: Seeds Fall. (Songs for the Little Child.)
"Little seeds fall to the ground,

Soft earth covers them from view,
Snowflakes form the counterpane-
So they sleep the winter through."

LESSON X

THE GIFT OF THE HARVEST

THE fruits and vegetables are familiar to every child. The child in the city sees them in the groceries and on the carts; the child in the country, on the trees and in the garden. If possible all the children should have the opportunity to see a garden at least. Fruits, vegetables and nuts may be brought to the class and pictures and drawing may be used to illustrate. A little of the process of growth may be explained and God's part in the giving of sun and rain made clear.

Song and rhythm:

If the morning is cold and frosty, the teacher and children may comment upon the frost, the coated window panes, the ice on pond and stream. They will enjoy singing again the Frost Song introduced at the last period. Perhaps the children will want to show how they slide upon the frosty walks. Appropriate music (a slow three-fourths rhythm well accented) may be used as an accompaniment to this activity; the movement is a gliding one. The mood of the children may call for a different type of rhythm; happy as a result of the fall sunshine and crisp air they may delight in a quick, light skip. "A Clear Frosty Morning! Here We Go!" from The Rhythms of Childhood, by Caroline Crawford, may be used.

Conversation:

After the rhythmic expression, the conversation may be continued. The children may recall the planting of their

bulbs, and the various preparations for the winter which they have been observing. Perhaps some child may tell about the bringing in of fruit and vegetables from the garden and the orchard, or about the barrel of apples or box of pears that the family have received from the country. If the information does not come spontaneously from the children, the teacher may tell some experience of her own or may ask questions which will elicit the information about this further fall preparation. The teacher may propose a walk to a garden, an excursion to an orchard if such can be reached, or failing either one of these possibilities, a visit to the grocery store.

Excursion:

With two or three baskets, a little cart or wagon the happy group starts to the garden or the orchard. They will probably want to skip or run from time to time on this crisp morning and part of the joy of the excursion will be the anticipation in the going. When the garden is reached (the teacher ought always to visit the place previous to taking the children there, making arrangements with the owner about what she wishes to do), the children may first visit every nook and corner, finding for themselves the different vegetables and fruits. If the process of gathering and storing is going on or has been completed, the children may observe how the fruits and vegetables have been packed and stored. They may talk with the gardener and the teacher about the growth and also the necessity of gathering before the cold of the winter. They may then purchase from the gardener some vegetables for their pets and some fruit for themselves and their fathers and mothers.

Return to school:

The return will be at a slower pace; the baskets and the little