FIRST GRADE 



SUGGESTIONS TO THE TEACHER 



Basis of First Grade Work. The content of the mind of 

 the little child who first enters this grade is derived from his 

 home environment. His fund of knowledge and experience 

 contains little save what the home has furnished and the 

 teacher must build upon this foundation. For this reason 

 the subjects considered in this grade include such common 

 things as the house and its parts, clothing, food, domestic 

 animals, common insects and plants, the weather, the sun 

 and moon, pebbles, a school garden, etc., a variety of 

 things familiar to most children. 



In developing these lessons, the teacher should use words 

 and illustrations commonly heard in the home, and seek to 

 develop ideas and experience already acquired, rather than 

 to build a new mental structure, foundation and all. The 

 home life will then be made to enrich the school life and 

 none of the child's valuable experience be wasted. 



There is a great need of bringing the school life and 

 experience nearer to the real life and this grade is a good 

 place to begin. In fact, it is the firm belief of the author 

 that all school work, and particularly the part done in 

 the grades, should be influenced and unified by the natural 

 conditions, needs, and unfolding of the child in his home 

 and social environment. The school work should be so 



