bigklow] SCIENTIFIC NATURE-STUDY 35 



of nature in the firm assurance that her treasures there are no less 

 simple, no less fascinating, no less profitable alike to teacher and 

 pupil. 



THE SCOPE AND METHOD OF SCIENTIFIC NATURE-STUDY 



BY M. A. BIGELOW 

 Teachers College, Columbia University 



[Abstract of a paper read at the 1904 meeting of the New York State Science 

 Teachers Association. Published in Sec. Ed. Bull. 28, Oct. 1905, by the New 

 York State Education Department.] 



The subject was discussed under four headings: (i)-what is nature- 

 study and how related to natural science of higher schools; (2) the 

 scope of nature-study; (3) the values and aims of nature-study; (4) is 

 nature-study scientific ? 



1. The line between nature-study and natural sciences should be 

 on the basis of generalizations and principles which are fundamental 

 in organized science. Nature-study is primarily the simple observa- 

 tional study of common natural objects and processes for the sake of 

 personal acquaintance with the things which appeal to human interest 

 directly and independently of the generalizations of organized science. 

 Natural-science study is the close analytic and synthetic study of natu- 

 ral objects and processes primarily for the sake of knowledge of the 

 general principles which constitute the foundations of modern 

 sciences. (See Nature- Study Review, Vol. 1 pp. 14-1S, Jan., 1905). 



2. Concerning the scope of nature-study, the proposition was dis- 

 cussed that all elementary-school studies of nature should be 

 nature-studies as defined above. At present some of our high-school 

 work, chiefly biologic, is nature-study; but this is rapidly becoming a 

 duplication of work of the lower school. (See Nature-Study 

 Review, Vol. 1 pp. 77-79, March, 1905.) 



3. The educational values of nature-study are similar to those of 

 natural science, and may be grouped under (a) discipline and (b) in- 

 formation, along practical, intellectual, moral and esthetic lines. 

 From these values we lead to the aims: (a) to give general acquaint- 

 ance with and interest in common objects and processes in nature; 

 (b) to give the first training in accurate observing, and in other simple 

 processes of the scientific method ; (c) to give pupils useful knowledge 

 concerning natural objects and processes as they directly affect human 



