Ontario Teachers' Manuals: Literature Part 7

When? When she was as small as the baby swallow is now.

Why does the "Mother" tell him this? To encourage him to make the attempt.

How does the baby swallow make his start? He "spreads out his wings" as far as he can and "springs" out.

Which stanza has almost the same form as this?

The second.

What is he surprised to find? That he is able to fly.

How does he feel after that about flying? He is no longer afraid.

PREPARATION

What is he able to do well? To steer.

What does this mean? To fly in any direction he wishes.

How does the "Mother" feel over her baby's success? She feels glad.

To whom does she give thanks? To G.o.d.

How does she do so? By singing a song of thankfulness.

What can we learn from this story? That, if we really try to do a difficult thing, we can usually succeed; that sometimes a thing that looks hard is really very easy when we try to do it.

Tell this story in your own words. Tell any similar story you know.

THE BROOK

(First Reader, page 110)

PREPARATION

You stood on the bridge and looked at the stream. What did you see? I saw some little fishes. I saw my image. I saw some bright stones.

It is no wonder you looked at the stream when it shows you so many things. What were the fishes doing? They were swimming. They would dart after some crumbs that we dropped into the water.

Why were the fishes there? That is their home.

Yes, they like to live in the clear water. Mary says she saw her image. What have you at home that shows you your image? The mirror.

Yes, the brook is somewhat like the mirror. Did you see images of any other things? Yes, I saw images of the trees, and some stones, and I saw the images of the ducks that were swimming.

Willie says that he saw some pretty pebbles.

Does the brook make any noise? Yes, it seems to sing when it runs over the pebbles, but in the deep places it does not make a noise.

PRESENTATION

Now I shall read you a little poem about a brook. (Read with emphasis, even with slight exaggeration.) Now, where did this brook begin?

In "a fountain".

What is that? A spring of water.

Where was the fountain? "In a mountain".

What is that? A high hill.

Was it very large where it started? No, the lesson says it was only "Drops of water" and it trickled "through the gra.s.ses".

What does it mean by "Trickling through the gra.s.ses"? It means that there was so little of it that the blades of gra.s.s seemed almost to check its source.

Did it run very fast at first? No, the lesson says that it "started" "Slow".

Did it run any faster after that? Yes, "Soon it darted", and it was "Hurrying".

What caused it to dart and hurry? The ground was steeper, and it had to run more quickly.

Where was it running? Down "to the sea", where it would be lost in the other water.

Did it grow any larger before it came to the sea? Yes, it grew "Swift and strong", and it widened "very fast".

What caused it to widen? Other little brooks ran into it and made it wider.

Now, the brook is said to be like a person. Can you point out any words that make you think it was like a person? Yes, it hurries just as children hurry.

In the next stanza, the lesson says it was "Glad". Why was it glad? It was glad that the "Children" came to play on its banks.

Yes, it felt just as you feel when your friends come over to your house to play. Do you see any other words that make you think it is like a person? Yes, it is "Swift and strong and happy". It rushes and it sings.

What is it like now? It is like a big, strong, happy boy.

Why did the children come to play on its banks?

They came to pick the flowers.

What line shows you that? "Blossoms floating."

The children picked the flowers and threw some on the stream to watch the current carry them away.

What else were the children doing? They were sailing toy boats in the water.

What words show you that? "Mimic boating."

What else did the children enjoy? They liked to see the "Fishes darting past" them. The fishes were timid.