grout] METHODS OF TEACHING NATURE-STUDY 237 



common things are two classes of facts that one can usually rely upon 

 to serve his purpose in nature-study. The latter class is so large, so 

 easy of access and so provocative of individual observation that it 

 should furnish a very large proportion of the subject-matter. If the 

 child be an East Side or a North End tenement dweller he can at 

 least learn of flies and spiders, dogs, cats, horses, geraniums and 

 Chinese lilies. 



The age when the child who knows that the chestnut-bur is prickly 

 and the acorn bitter is able to appreciate the reason why, varies with 

 different individuals but the observant teacher will have no difficulty 

 in seeing whether or not her class is ready for much work in the reason 

 why. 



Many facts of great interest to adults are beyond the comprehen- 

 sion of any but the older pupils. Such are the various devices for 

 securing cross-pollination in flowers, mimicry and protective colora- 

 tion in animals. The young child can readily see that the stamens 

 mature before the pistils or that the grasshopper is of the same color 

 as the sand on which it lights, and he may seemingly comprehend 

 when you tell him that the pollen cannot reach the stigma of its own 

 flower or that the bird cannot see the grasshopper to catch it, but the 

 full import of these facts may be beyond his comprehension and may 

 not appeal to his imagination or interest in any such degree as to an 

 older person. With the older pupils and with adults, facts showing 

 an adaptation of means to end have a great and increasing interest. 

 Such are the ovipositor of Thalessa, the hollow bones of the bird, 

 or the beautiful treacherous leaves of the sundew. 



To sum up: Our facts should not be too familiar. They should 

 be suited to the age and mental development of the pupil. Observations 

 of active life are of greatest interest to children of all ages. New 

 and unsuspected things about common objects should constitute a 

 large proportion of the work. Marvelous and striking facts are legiti- 

 mate and highly useful material. .Adaptations of means to end 

 appeal with increasing force as the pupil grows older. 



The general method advocated by Professor Bailey is very useful, 

 bring in an object, say a flower, and ask the children to look it over 

 carefully. Then ask each one what he sees. Everyone will note 

 the bright colored corolla but many will see no difference between 

 stamens and pistils. Create a spirit of emulation to see who can see 

 the most things and the most important things. Some pupils will 

 always be seeing the hairs on the stem before they see the essential 



