Towner County, North Dakota, Picton School, District ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ************************************************************************ (C)2001 Mary Lindbo SYNOPSIS OF COURSE OF STUDY FROM TEACHER'S REGISTER PICTON SCHOOL DISTRICT 6 COUNTY OF TOWNER, STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA FOR SCHOOL NO. 6 - 1891-1898 FIRST GRADE OR PRIMARY OBJECT LESSONS FOR IMPRESSIONS, ETC. 1. Train the eye to see, and to distinguish colors, forms, size, distance and location of objects. 2. Train the ear to hear accurately, or to take directions in work, given by the teacher. 3. Train the hand to handle, to determine properties of matter through touch and to acquire dexterity. 4. Draw pictures and maps of familiar objects and places, with oral descriptions of the same. 5. Oral instruction, how to live, how to behave, how to go to school, given daily. NUMBER LESSONS AND BUSY WORK 1. Use real objects or counters, grouping them variously, or teaching how to count. 2. Use representative objects as circles, squares, triangles, etc. marks and dots in groups as counters. 3. Use sticks and marks to represent numerical characters, and count with these in the same manner. 4. Rapid combinations of small numbers, counting forward and backward by singles and groups. 5. Analysis and composition of numbers up to 10 or 20 with object illustrations in fractions. LANGUAGE LESSONS AND READING 1. Conversation with children to test their vocabulary of words, and to improve their language. 2. Use spoken words as names of objects, etc.; then represent same words in script on the board. 3. Special exercises in this manner in order to teach foreign children the English language. 4. Written words carefully analyzed by sound and letter and used in sentences of the child's own making. 5. Lessons from charts and books, using First Reader, with original sentences from the children. SECOND GRADE FORM LESSONS AND GEOGRAPHY 1. Use objects and pictures to represent geometrical forms, both solids and surfaces, with moulding in sand or clay. 2. Draw groups or straight or curved lines of given length at given angles and at given distances apart. 3. Draw maps of school room, yard and adjacent lots, locating all prominent objects thereon. 4. Oral descriptions of these by the pupils with the growth and cultivation of the various productions. NUMBER LESSONS AND ARITHMETIC 1. Oral Lessons in rapid combinations of numbers in the four fundamental operations. 2. Combine all these operations in original problems, the entire work to be done by the pupil. 3. Use primary book and teach children how to get lessons therefrom, making similar problems. 4. Teach how to factor numbers (analysis) and to find common divisors, dividends and denominators. LANGUAGE LESSONS AND READING 1. Oral lessons in elements of botany, zoology, geology, etc., teaching children to observe and describe plants, animals and minerals. 2. Brief written descriptions of the same, in which punctuation, use of capitals and abbreviations may be taught. 3. Use second and third readers in this grade with phonic and graphic spelling, defining words by using them. 4. Oral lessons in physiology and hygiene, teaching effects of narcotics and stimulants, bad air, light, heating, etc. with gymnastics. THIRD GRADE FORM LESSONS AND GEOGRAPHY CONTINUED 1. Practice drawing geometrical figures and outline maps of township, county and state. 2. Use intermediate geography here with careful instruction how to prepare lessons, etc. 3. Historical events with descriptions of places where occurring, using maps, etc. NUMBER LESSONS AND WRITTEN ARITHMETIC 1. Drill on oral and mental exercises, with original problems securing accuracy and rapidity. 2. The advanced book may be completed in this grade as far as proportion and reviewed. 3. Require complete analysis and reasons for statements before solution and proof rather than answers. LANGUAGE LESSONS, READING AND HISTORY 1. Stories and incidents in history with composition and select readings from choice literature. 2. The fourth reader should be completed in this grade with abundant supplementary matter. 3. The parts of speech and classification of sentences with brief analysis may be studied here. FOURTH GRADE NATURAL SCIENCE AND GEOGRAPHY 1. Descriptions of the various orders of animal and vegetable life, introductory to higher studies. 2. Advanced geography should be completed first part of grade, elementary physics the latter part. 3. Physiology and hygiene from text books alternating daily with physical geography. ARITHMETIC AND ITS APPLICATIONS 1. Mental problems and text exercises continued, covering all the ground studied. 2. Written arithmetic completed and parts reviewed, with elementary algebra and geometry. 3. The science of accounts with business forms and transactions may be associated. RHETORIC, ENGLISH GRAMMAR AND LITERATURE 1. Composition weekly, letter writing and drills in vocal culture and expression. 2. English grammar and analysis, United States history first part of grade, civics latter part. 3. Select readings and declamations from standard authors weekly. Memory gems daily for all advanced grades. Vocal music and gymnastics should be practiced daily in all grades. Note: The above synopsis is given here for convenience and reference to Full Course, a copy of which should be in the hands of every teacher. Copies to supply every school house are furnished county superintendents to be kept with Teacher's Register in the school house during term time and in the hands of district clerk at other times. It is expected that all teachers will make themselves familiar with its principles and methods and follow them as closely as possible, thus giving uniformity to the workings of our entire system of common school instructions. 11/25/2001 Page 1 of 5