grout] METHODS OF TEACHING NATURE-STUDY 235 



the lives of our pupils; have made petty narrowness of life, pessimism, 

 and ennui almost impossible. 



But let it be understood that the ability and the desire to know 

 more cannot be acquired without the acquirement of facts, of habits 

 of observation and reflection about facts, and of habits of inquiry into 

 the reasons for facts. The sympathy with nature and interest in her 

 ways on which other writers so strongly insist must also be present. 

 Desire and ability to know are the first and great requirements that 

 include all the lesser. 



Professor Bailey gives the following as the three important parts of 

 a nature-study lesson: the fact, the explanation of the fact, and the 

 interrogation in the mind of the pupil. 



In accordance with well recognized laws of mental development, 

 the fact must be most emphasized in teaching very young pupils. 

 As they grow older the explanation of the fact takes most prominence 

 and with still older and more mature pupils the mental interrogation 

 becomes of increasing importance. 



It must be fully recognized by the teacher that generalizations, 

 which are of supreme interest to intelligent adults, do not appeal to 

 children to any great extent. One cannot appreciate general laws 

 until the facts which the laws connect are acquired. One does not 

 perceive the necessity or utility of a string when one has but one or 

 two pearls. It is agreed, practically without exception, that nature- 

 study to accomplish its purpose must interest the pupil. Interest, 

 outside of subjective tendencies, as in all other cases, is principally 

 dependent upon two factors, the facts presented and the method of 

 presentation. 



There can be but little doubt that the method of presentation is the 

 most important factor in arousing interest, as we all know by personal 

 experience. It has even been said with a show of truth that many 

 people prefer nothing said gracefully to the most weighty statements 

 blunderingly expressed. Nevertheless we must remember that there 

 is a difference in the facts themselves and out of nature's inexhausti- 

 ble storehouse of material it behooves us to display to the child those 

 treasures of the most intrinsic interest. 



In the author's own experience he has found that certain things 

 always interest while others of equal importance in themselves appeal 

 to but few, even with his best efforts. 



With the young child names of common objects or of the parts of 

 objects are learned most readily and nature-study in the kindergar- 



