S-RYWftKD. mo BftCR. LUCY M. ROBINSON ?tatc Qallw of Agriculture 2U (Cornell MtrtncraitB nu ._„ Cornell University Library On 47.R65 Skyward and back again, for first and sec 3 1924 001 125 156 _ The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924001125156 SKYWARD AND BACK / Stories of Natural Phenomena for First and Second Grade I LUCY M. ROBINSON 1895 SCHOOL EDUCATION COMPANY MINNEAPOLIS MINN. Copyrighted, 1895, by William G. Smith. All rights reserved. INTRODUCTORY. Dear Sister Teacher: — I send to you some stories that have given a few pleasant hours to my pupils and myself. These are a favorite series because, my valued critics, the children, have decided in their favor. They have tried to explain, in a childish way, how, watching sun and sky and clouds touched something in their higher nature. If you find them helpful, I ask in return that you be kind to their faults, I^ucy M. Robinson SUGGESTIONS. [Hav e little talks that give a trend to thought and set the little eyes watching, days before, and come to the story as a natural climax.j These conversations will also help the children to read with more expression, and to readily grasp the new words. ^ ipo not attempt to read the stories continuouslyjjbut let the atmospheric changes, which to a considerable extent control the thoughts of the children, be your guide in making selections. \ Do not even trouble to finish one story before beginning another, but change from clouds to sunshine, whenever it suits. ; This will give helpful reviews and the helpful thought that there is still something more to learn in every subject, Let some story grow that is in harmony with the day. The children enjoy songs and poems in harmony with the story and the day, and will, themselves, carry on the subject in their illustrated number and other original work. CONTENTS: My Sphere 7 The Sky S King Sun - 9 The Air-Fairies ii The Clouds - 14 Queen Moon - 16 The Rainbow - - 17 Busy Air-Fairies 18 Giant Gravitation - 22 The Water-Fairies 26 The Rain-Drops' Trip 29 The Water-Fairies and Jack Frost 32 The Ground Cloud 3& The Sunset 39 North Wind 41 Cloud-Land Fairies. Part I. 45 Cloud-Land Fairies. Part II. 49 The Spruce Tree 53 Under the Snow 5& Over the Snow 58 A Winter Party - So Who? - • 63 Under and Over 65 The Ice-Palace 67 Ice-Rivers 7° Icebergs 7i The Ice King - - 73 Baby Buds 79 A Winter Ride - 8z Up In a Balloon - 8 5 Busy Sunbeams * ' 8 9 Blue Jay. — In Autumn. - • 94 Blue Jay.— In Winter. .... . g6 Blue Jay.— In Spring. - - 9 8 Blue Jay.— In Summer. - ... 100 GO FORTH UNDER THE OPEN SKY AND LIST TO NATURE'S TEACHINGS. — Bryant. My Sphere. Look at my sphere. It is round. It can stand. It can roll. Roll, roll little sphere. My sphere can spin. Spin, spin little sphere. Spin round and round. The Sky. Look at the sky! The sky is blue. The blue sky is far away. See the sun in" the sky! The sun is far, far away. The sun is round. It is a sphere. Does the sun spin? The sun is high in the sky now. Can you look at the sun? No, it is so bright. Beautiful, bright sun! Beautiful, blue sky! — 9" King Sun. King Sun is far, far away. He has sunbeam children. He sends us the sunbeams. They bring us light. They make us warm. They make us grow. They make things grow for us. We love the kind sunbeams. The sunbeams have a long, long way to come. They come very fast. Can you hear them come? Do they stop to play? No, they come straight from the sun to us. Sometimes the clouds try to hide the sunbeams. They always send some light on to us. — II- King Sun never sleeps. He never gets tired. Children sleep at night. The sunbeams never sleep. They go to wake up other children. They are always busy. They are always making new days. The Air -Fairies. Air- fairies float all around us. They float in the sky, too. We can not see air -fairies. We can feel them fly in at the window. We can feel them fly from the hot stove. We can feel them when they fly fast. Then we say, "How the wind blows." The air-fairies whisper, "Burn, fire, burn! We will carry heat to the children." Could we have any fire without air-fairies? The air-fairies say, "Grow, trees, grow!" ^-13— They say, "Children, grow; breathe and grow." Could we live without the air-fairies ? Air-fairies say, "Little birds, we will help you ny." They bring us the birds' songs. They carry all the words we say. "We "will say beautiful words for the air- fairies to carry. —14- The Clouds. Look at the clouds ! The clouds are in the sky. The clouds are white. The clouds look soft and fleecy. The soft, fleecy clouds float in the sky. Can you hear the clouds float in the sky? O, the beautiful, fleecy clouds ! See the blue sky beyond the clouds ! See the clouds hide the sun! —i5- Can you go to tlie clouds? Yes, you can go to the clouds in a balloon. Can you go to the sun? !N"o, it is so very far away. Some clouds are gray. Sometimes they hide all the blue sky. Some nights they hide the moon and the stars. -i6— Queen Moon. At night King Sun is gone. He does not leave us in the dark. He sends us Queen Moon. He sends light to her. She sends it on to us. He is king of the day. She is queen of the night. She has stars for company. They make the sky very beautiful. We all love the beautiful Queen Moon. We love the bright stars. —17- --<„ ^«i»'fc^J/y». Look at the rainbow! Beautiful rainbow! See the colors! Beautiful colors! They live in the rainbow. Sunbeams touch the rain- drops. The colors are the raindrops' "Thank you." Good-bye, beautiful colors. — 18— Busy Air-Fairies. Willie's mother stood on the doorsteps. Little Willie stood by her. She called, "D — i — n — n — e — r, d — i — n — n — e- — r . ' ' The air-fairies caught the words. On they passed them to other air-fairies. They made great waves of sound. On and on to the woods they carried them. — ig— — 20 — Willie's father was swinging a heavy ax into a tree. Into his ears the air-fairies carried the words. He was hungry. The words made him glad. He laid down his ax. He held his hands each side of his mouth. He called, " ¥h- o o p." It meant, "I hear you, I'll come to dinner." Away across the fields the air-fairies carried and passed the word. — 21- It took many, many fairies to carry the word across the long field. Every fairy helped a little. They carried it into "Willie's ears. They carried it into his mother's ears. Into the house they went. They made everything ready for dinner. Soon Willie's father came. He said, "I was glad to hear you call when I was far away in the woods." -22 — Giant Gravitation. Giant Gravitation has a home like a sphere. Does his home spin round and round? His home is the earth. He has many, many long arms. We can not see his arms. They are very strong. They never get tired. The children play with Giant Gravitation. They toss up balls. He pulls them down again. —23— He pulls their sleds down hill. Giant Gravita- tion pulls the children. They say, "See how heavy we are." They grow and . grow. He pulls hard and harder. They say, "See how much we weigh now!" Giant Gravitation is a good friend of the children. He helps them swing. He helps them jump. He does not let them fall off his earth. He says, "Ap- ples, do not go to the sky." He says, "Come to earth for the v "' children." He is a good friend of the fairies, too. He says, "Little fairies, do not go too' far away." He never lets any of his little fairies get lost. — 26- Th e Water-Fairies. The water-fairies are friends of the air-fairies. Their home is in the water. They rest in the lake. They run in the river. Giant Gravitation helps them to run fast. He wants them in his ocean. He rocks them there. The sunbeams make the water-fairies warm. When they get very warm they want to fly. —27— The air-fairies say, "Come fly with us. Away they fly, "with their friends, the air-fairies. They touch the grass and the trees. They feel light and happy. Away they fly to the sky. They feel a cool wind. They make fleecy clouds. They float and float in the beautiful clouds. Cold air-fairies fly into the clouds and say, "The thirsty trees and flowers want you." —28— The water-fairies foid their wings. They cuddle into little round spheres. Giant Gravitation calls, "Come to earth again." Down, down come the little spheres. They make the trees and grass happy. The children watch the beautiful rain. —2 9 - Tlie Rain- Drops' Trip. All the way from the sky the rain- drops won- dered where they "would go next. Some of them dropped in- to the ground by the roots of trees. They climbed up inside the bark and away out the long branches. They said, "Little green leaves we have come all this way to see you." — 3 o— Some of the rain-drops ran away into the earth. The j picked up bits of lime. They crept to the river. They carried the lime to shell fish in the river. Some of the drops picked up salt to carry to the ocean. Some of them crept into stones. They hunted for things they liked in the stones. Many together carried pebbles down the hill. —3i- They carried tiny bits of earth, too. They made a little creek. The creek ran its way to the river. The river ran on to the ocean. All the rain-drops were very busy making the earth beautiful. —32— The Water-Fairies and Jack Frost, Last night the air was fall of water-fairies. Jack Frost came to play with them. Fie said, "Pat on your new white dresses. Please help me to cover the trees with frost-leaves and frost-flowers. " Oh, what fan they had! How happy they were as they made the trees beautiful. —33— "Oh!" said the fairies, "we will put a velvet cover on the walks." " Yes, and a velvet cover on the. fences," said the fairies. "The stones want a velvet cover, too," said Jack Frost. "Oh!" said the fairies, "we will make frost-velvet and frost-flowers over everything. We will make everything beautiful while all the children sleep." —34— One night Ice King sent Jack Frost to say, "Winter is coming." The water-fairies grew sleepy as they heard him. They counted one, two, three, four, hve, six, and gave a push. They were fast asleep. Some of them pushed so hard they broke the dishes where they slept. Some of them slept in rocks. They pushed the rocks very hard. -35— Some of the water-fairies slept in lakes. Some slept in rivers. They made great ice fields. The happy children loved to skate on the ice. -36- Th e Ground- Cloud. We cannot see the sun- beams this morning. The air is thick and white. We can hardly see across the street. The air looks like vapor from the tea-kettle. It looks like soft, fleecy clouds. Why does it look so queer? The air is full of water- fairies. Jack Frost has made their wings white. —37— There are so many, they hide the sunbeams. Sometimes the clouds hide the sunbeams. Is this a cloud? Are we in a cloud? Sometimes people go to the clouds. They go in a balloon. They go away up to the • sky-clouds. We are not in a sky-cloud. We are in a ground-cloud. We call a ground-cloud, fog. We can look into the cloud. We can not see through it. - 3 8- God can see through the clouds. Now the cloud has gone away. We could not hear it go. It has gone to the sky. Now it is a sky-cloud. White frost-flowers are on the trees now. Jack Frost and the water- fairies made them while the clouds were here. Soon the sunbeams will come and pick the frost-flowers. Beautiful frost-flowers. 39— The Sunset. Willie and Alice were watching the clouds. "See, Willie! what great mountains they make." "Don't you wish we could climb the mountains?" said little Willie. "I think you would need pretty big snow-shoes," said Alice. "Oh, look, Alice! they are turning red and yellow." "Oh, Willie, how beautiful they are!" — 40— "Yes," said little Alice, "and I think I see castles there." Their mother said, "They are .water-fairies' castles." "They must be very happy in such beautiful castles," said Alice. "See how the colors change," said "Willie. "The sun is making them beautiful for us," said their mother. "See how the castles and mountains change." "It is a beautiful sunset." -41- ISforth Wind- Cold ]N~orthWind said, "I feel like a race to-night. " ' 'Run away, South Wind, run fast," he said. "I am too strong for you East Wind." "Follow the sunset, West Wind," he cried. "This is my night and the race is mine." Over the mountains and over the lakes he went. He rolled up the waves. He gave them white caps. —42— "Are you strong? O, trees," lie cried. He swung the branches. He tossed the leaves. He shook off the fruit. He shook off the nuts. Close to the earth, the grass leaves he pressed. He caught and carried the feathery seeds. He scattered them far and wide. "Have you a winter home?" he said to the birds, "How thick is your wool?" he said to the sheep. "How thick is your fur?" he said to the squirrel. He tried the barns. He tried the houses. —44— "How strong are you built?'* lie said. He slammed the doors and shook the windows. "Better drive more nails m here," he said. He howled in the chimney. "Get ready, Old Winter is coming," he called. "Is your coal-bin full? Is there wood in the wood- shed piled? To-night is my night and I come to warn you all. Get ready, Old Winter is sure to come." —45— Cloud-Land Fairies. Part I. "Sunshine, we miss you so. Oh beautiful Sunshine, do please come to see your children again. We love you, Sunshine. Where have you gone?" "I am here dear children. I am watching the little cloud-land fairies. They are very busy and very happy fairies." "What are the cloud-land fairies doing? - 4 6- Tell us, dear Sunshine." "They are making star- houses. Dear little fairies, they were so happy playing* with rny sunbeams. Jack Frost saw them playing. He told the North Wind to run find them. When North Wind touched the fairies, quickly they kissed the sunbeams good-bye. Quickly they counted one, two, three, four, five, six. —47— Then they clasped their hands together, and made the star-houses. Little cloud-land fairies love to help each other. They are all the time helping each other." ""Where are the star-houses, Sunshine?" "The cloud that hides me is a city of star-houses, where the fairies love and help each other." "I wish I could see a star- house." "You will see one soon. - 4 8- When the star-house is all finished, it gets very heavy — too heavy for cloud-land. Down, down it goes such a long, long wa} T . Poor frightened fairies, they do not know where they are going. God cares for little cloud- land fairies; not one gets hurt." "Down out of cloud-land, Down from the star-land, Down into our land, Comes the white snow." -49- Cloud-land Fairies. Part II. "Dear little snow-stars, how beautiful you are. What a long way you have come. Who cared for you on such a long journey? I am glad there are so many fairies for company in one snow-star. We love you, beautiful white snow-stars. We love to watch you come. -50- How softly you come. We love to play with you. We make you into balls. How many snow-stars there must be in one snow-ball. How many, many cloud- land fairies there must be in one snow-ball. —5i— I am glad they love each other and hold each others' hands so fast. Snow-stars, please stay with us. v ,• Do not go back to cloud- land. The children have been waiting for you. The sleepy flowers have been waiting, too. Jack Frost made them sleepy. They laid their heads on the ground and waited for you. —52— Keep them nice and warm all winter, snow-stars. The brown grass is glad to see you snow. The trees are glad, too. Keep the roots warm and do not let the buds grow. We are very glad to see you dear, beautiful, white snow." — S3— The Spruce Tree. How softly the snow-stars light on the spruce tree. How pretty they look on the dark green needles. Bye and bye the wind will shake them off. Are you not glad the spruce trees are green all the long winter? Can you see. the brown cones hanging on the tree? The brown cones make pretty winter flowers. Don't you think so? Do they mind Jack Frost? Do they mind the cold winter wind? —55— The cones are made of scales. There are little spruce seeds in the cones. The cones will keep them safe and dry all winter. In the spring they will let them fly away. A spruce tree makes a beau- tiful Christmas tree. The children hang it full of presents. They put candles on it. On Christmas eve they light the candles. The children are happy with their Christmas tree. - 5 6- Under the Snow. Children sleep under a blanket made of wool. The snow makes a blanket. What sleeps under the blanket made of snow? Many seeds sleep under it. In each seed a tiny plant is waiting to grow. The lily bulbs are sleeping under the snow. Grass roots, full of food, are sleeping there, too. Tiny crocus buds, ready for spring, sleep all winter. —57— They will not die this long cold winter. The snow is caring for them. The brown leaves help care for them, too. They make a soft cover now. They cannot frolic in the wind any more. The toads are taking their winter nap down under the leaves and snow. Do you know where the turtles sleep? Woodchucks have a hole in the ground. There they sleep all winter. -S8- "What do you know that sleeps under the snow? Are you glad boys and girls do not sleep all winter? What would they do with their sleds and skates? Oh, for the winter fun! Over the Snow. Over the snow the squirrels frolic and leap. The fox goes hunting his winter food. Have you seen rabbits' foot- prints in the snow? —59- The trees are tall and strong. High over the snow their branches are swinging. Some birds are here all the long winter. Children love to go over the snow. Sometimes they run. Sometimes they go on sleds. How fast they slide over the sparkling snow! In the air the merry sleigh- bells ring. The good horses draw their sleigh-loads safely over the snow. -6o— A Winter Party. Mrs. Sparrow gave a party. Many sparrows came. They sat on a ledge in the warm sunshine. They said, "Chee-eep, chee- eep," to one another. Mrs. Sparrow said, "A man had a bag of seeds. — 6i— He had them in a sleigh. He drove around the corner. Many seeds dropped out. I think they dropped out for us. "We will go and have a nice dinner." "Chee-eep, chee-eep, a nice dinner! a nice dinner!" sang all the sparrows. Away flew the sparrows to the corner. How nice the seeds were for hungry sparrows! They heard sleigh-bells. Very near they came. —62— Away flew the sparrows to let the sleigh pass. Quickly they flew back. They hopped about and picked up all the seeds. Some of them flew up to the telegraph wire. Some flew away to the roof. Some flew back to the ledge. "Chee-eep, chee-eep, what a nice dinner. Mrs. Sparrow we were happy at your party. Good-bye, good-bye." Have you seen a sparrow 1 party this winter? -6 3 - Who? It was very hot down there. How all the fairies were working! We rushed away. "We wanted to get out into the air. We new as fast as we could up the chimney. We wanted more room. It is much nicer up here. We have all the room we want. What fun it is to have so much room. -6 4 - See how it makes us grow? Do you like to see us go whirling away in the air? Sometimes we make great puffs for you. Sometimes we race after the wind. Can you tell us from a cloud? Good-bye, we are in a great hurry, we must go. Watch and see if you can tell where we go. "Who are we? WfC^~ ~- j nJ -6 5 - Under and Over. Under the ice the fishes are dreaming of spring. Over the ice the merry children skate. See the lines their skates cut in the ice. The snails have closed their doors. They lie resting under the ice. ]STear by are stalks of water- weeds they used to climb. Lily-roots are resting. In summer, they will give us beautiful lilies. —66— They will help to make us happy. Over the ice the ice-boats glide. With white sails spread, how fast they go. Hear the sleigh-bells ring, as merry parties ride. Busy men are working over the ice. « They cut great blocks of ice. They load the ice on sleighs. The horses draw heavy loads over the smooth ice. Busy are the winter days when they gather ice for summer use. -6 7 - The Ice-Palace. The people of St. Paul wanted an ice-palace. They thought it would be so beautiful. One winter they built it. They cut great blocks of ice. They built the palace with the blocks of ice. It took many days to build it. They made it with turrets and towers. It was very beautiful. How it glistened in the sun! The colors were beautiful. —68- At night it shone clear in the moonlight. There were many rooms in the ice-palace. It was only to look at, no one could live in it. It was very cold inside. — 6g— People came from far away to look at it. It was a beautiful sight. Some nights they had fire- works around it. The sun shone for many days on the bright ice-palace. The north wind kept it strong. At last the south wind came to help the sunshine. It took many days to melt the great ice-palace. People like to think now how beautiful it was. \ \ —70— Ice-Rivers. Away in the far north there are ice-rivers. They now very slowly. They now between the snow- covered mountains. Very deep are the ice-rivers. They push very hard against the rocks. The ice pushes very slowly onward to the sea. It carries rocks and gravel to the sea. It pushes great icebergs into the sea. —yi— Icebergs. Vif* it, He