CALDWELL] PR A C TIC A L NA TURE- S TUD V IN GRA DES i 7 g 



ventilation, of beautiful skies, of buds, trees and grasses. My 

 only advice on the line of material is, use what is at hand. But 

 do not for a moment think I mean haphazard, misguided study. 

 I mean that the work should be well planned, well arranged, 

 thoroughly studied and then excellently taught. Use plenty of 

 standard texts on the subject for reference. Go to magazines 

 and collect authentic information. But, instead of using it at 

 random, use it in a systematic organized manner. 



I have touched on the matter of material; now I come to the 

 all enveloping topic, "Method." I wish someone would coin 

 another word for that. "Method" sounds so cut and dried, so 

 "This way or your life." But that is the heading for this part of 

 my paper and I will give you a method which I think will prove 

 helpful. Let us suppose that it is summer and you have been 

 assigned to your school for the coming year. In the course of 

 study you see nature-study. It looms up, large and forbidding. 

 What shall you teach, and when and how? Now suppose you 

 try some such plan as this. Let us plan it. 



In the first place we must study our time. We cannot study 

 things to any advantage out of their season. Therefore, we must 

 consult two things: our environment and the season. Our 

 school commences in September. Take your list of months: 

 September, October, November, December, January, February, 

 March, April, May. Now we have our months. 



I should say, make out your outline for the entire year as care- 

 fully as you can, as to what each month will bring. Having done 

 this to the best of your ability, set yourself to see that you are 

 informed on the subjects. In your general reading, in your 

 walks, in your drives, notice anything you can find along the 

 line and at once upon your return, note it down. In conversation 

 with people who know, if any information comes to you put it in 

 your note-book. You will be astonished to find how facts will 

 pour in upon you. Do not trust to your memory, but add these 

 things to your note-book in the proper place at once. You begin 

 in September. You have your work well planned and ready for 

 that month. You know just how much you intend to teach and 

 pretty well how you intend to teach it. 



Leave plenty of blank space for the information and fill it in as 

 you are ready, and at the end of the year, you will have a manual 

 of nature-study far more valuable than any to be bought. 



