LESSON FIFTEEN

NATURE STUDY

1. Why Nature Study is Important.-(1) Nature study furnishes material, abundant, interesting, valuable and varied, for lessons in language, reading, number, form, color, size, drawing, clay modeling, sewing, cutting and pasting.

(2) It trains all the special senses to greater usefulness and develops the powers of observation, comparison and

reason.

(3) It arouses sympathy, kindles the imagination, develops kindness in word and deed, awakens reverence and strengthens the will to do right.

(4) It affords endless food for thought and arouses interest in and respect for patient labor and for industry in all its forms.

(5) It affords culture that is broad, varied, generous and useful to the end of life.

(6) It furnishes much practical information, preparing the way for the future study of botany, zoology, geography and kindred subjects.

(7) It leads to a better understanding and appreciation of art in all its forms.

(8) It develops the power to see and enjoy beauty in all

that God has created.

(9) "That the child may be reverent and upward-looking, and that he may come to know himself as subject to eternal laws, we would have him study nature."-Sarah L. Arnold in Waymarks for Teachers.

(10) "We have become convinced that some intimate, sympathetic acquaintance with the natural objects of the earth and sky adds greatly to the happiness of life, and that this acquaintance should be begun in childhood and be developed all through youth and maturity. A brook, a hedgerow or a garden is an inexhaustible teacher of wonder, reverence and love. The scientists insist to-day on nature study for children, but we teachers ought long ago to have learned from the poets the value of this element in education. The idea of culture has always included a quick and wide sympathy with men; it should hereafter include sympathy with nature, and particularly with its living forms, a sympathy based on some accurate observation of nature.". President Eliot of Harvard University.

2. Apparatus Needed. (a) REFERENCE BOOKS. The teacher should have a few standard works of reference on botany, zoology and minerals; also one or more good books treating of nature study. None of these needs to be expensive. For prices and publishers see the bibliography on page 415.

(b) STENCILS. Blackboard stencils are inexpensive and will facilitate both the rapidity and accuracy of the blackboard work. Stencils for nearly all well-known varieties of trees, shrubs, flowers, fruits, insects, birds and animals can be procured at five cents each or at the rate of twenty-five for one dollar.

(c) ILLUSTRATED FLOWER AND SEED CATALOGUES. These may usually be obtained by writing to well-known dealers in this line. These catalogues supply much useful information difficult to get elsewhere, and furnish good models for lessons in coloring when not enough natural specimens are at hand to supply the class.

(d) OPERA GLASSES. Opera glasses with large eye pieces are desirable if one wishes to study the habits of wild birds. The timidity of the birds makes it impossible to study them at

close range, and the glasses enable the teacher to obtain the information by which she may identify birds that the children observe in their rambles or drives about the country.

(e) A MICROSCOPE. A pocket microscope is convenient in the examination of flowers and insects of the smaller species, and when minute details are to be studied or definite classifications, made it becomes a necessity.

(f) CHARTS. There are good colored charts of birds, animals, fishes, insects and flowers that will materially help the work and are not expensive. These are desirable, but not indispensable.

(g) NOTE BOOKS. Each child should have a note book in which to record observations. These books may be homemade, and should be about six inches square. If used in the primary grades, they should contain but brief records. To illustrato: Make a general note book having at least twelve leaves, and give a proper share to each month. On the cover print or write in large letters, Nature Study, with the owner's name and the year. Above each section place the name of the month, March, for instance. pupil make records like the following:

First robin, March 8.

First crow, March 15.

First pussy willow, March 20.

First anemone, March 29.

Have each

The records are to be made with neatness, and should be kept for comparison in following seasons. This is useful and lends dignity and encouragement to the work.'

Cautions. 1. Teachers who are not able to secure the aids to study mentioned above should not be discouraged; much can be accomplished even without them.

2. Use familiar, natural specimens belonging to the imme

In some schools the use of note books by the pupils is not attempted until the third grade, when children are better able to write independently. The teacher's judgment must determine the time.

diate neighborhood, borrow pet birds and animals belonging to the children and, if possible, add to the collection by borrowing stuffed specimens from the nearest high school museum.

THE STUDY OF PLANTS

3. The Study of Plants.-Before taking up the study of any one plant in particular, it is well to make a general study of several of different species, that the pupils may learn the characteristics common to all plants, viz., the parts of a plant and the use of each part to the plant as a whole. 4. Outline of Work.-(a) PARTS OF A PLANT. The parts of a plant are the root, stem, leaves, flower, fruit and seed. (b) KINDS OF ROOTS. Roots are fibrous or thread-like, branching, fleshy, conical, bulbous, spindle-shaped.

(c) USES OF ROOTS. (1) They hold the plant firmly in the ground. (2) They reach down into the ground and draw nourishment from the soil to feed the plant. (3) They are often used as food for both man and beast, as turnips, carrots, beets, etc.

(d) STEM OR STALK. The stem or stalk bears the branches, buds, leaves, flowers and fruit.

(e) KINDS OF STEMS. (1) As to Manner of Growth. Stems are erect, drooping, creeping, trailing, ascending, climbing, twining, underground.

(2) As to Structure. Stems are herbaceous or woody. Herbaceous stems are juicy and weak; woody stems are strong and contain bark, wood and pith.

(3) As to Color.

striped, spotted.

(4) As to Form.

Stems are green, brown, red, purple,

Stems are round, half round, compressed, fluted, acute-angled, triangular, square, four-sided, five-sided, etc.

(5) As to Surface. Stems are smooth, rough, dull, shiny, hairy, etc.