trafton] CHILDREN'S INTEREST IN NA T URE MA TERIA LS 159 



TABLE FIVE. 



Ability to understand talk as a sign of intelligence. 



Grades: 4th 5th 6th 7th 



Bovs, 25perct. I2perct. 13 per ct. sperct. 



Girls, 15 " 48 " 23 " 28 " 



TABLE SIX. 



Ability to perform tricks as a sign of intelligence. 

 Grades: 4th 5th 6th 7th 



Boys, 58 per ct. 22 per ct. 29 per ct. 54 per ct. 



Girls, 25 " 9 " 12 " 27 " 



TABLE SEVEN. 



Acting like a man as a sign of intelligence. 



Grades: 4th 5th 6th 7th 



Boys, operct. isperct, 9 per ct. 30 per ct. 



Girls, 8 " 17 " 15 " 9 " 



TABLE EIGHT. 



Saving and caring for people as a sign of intelligence. 



Grades: 4th 5th 6th 7th 



Boys, l6perct. I2perct. isperct. loperct. 



Girls, 33 " 8 " 22 " 37 " 



TABLE NINE. 



Memory as a sign of intelligence. 



Grades: 4th 5th 6th 7th 



Boys, o per ct. 12 per ct. 7 per ct. 9 per ct. 



Girls, o " 3 " 5 " o " 



Tables 5-9 show the summary of these results, from which 

 it appears that the saving of life and the ability to understand 

 the human language impress the girls more than the boys; while 

 the ability to perform tricks appeals more to the boys. This last 

 contrast may doubtless be explained by the fact that the boys 

 have probably attended the circus more frequently than the girls. 



The results obtained from all the material used may lead to a 

 few general suggestions regarding Nature teaching. One thing 

 stands out prominently, the limited acquaintance of the children 

 with the wild plants and animals. The average number of wild 

 animals named was 11; of domesticated animals, 7 ; of cultivated 

 trees, 4 ; of wild trees, 6 ; of cultivated flowers, 6 ; of wild flowers, 

 3. The various answers were confined very largely to a few 

 domesticated animals, showing an ignorance of wild life, but it is 

 onl}^ through an acquaintance with this wild life that one may 

 expect to acquire a true sympathy with Nattire. Special attention 

 may well be given to introducing the children to a few of the 

 manv common inhabitants of Nature's realm. 



