pattersonj ABSTRACTS OF DISCUSSIONS 191 



A unifying and guiding element in arranging any course in 

 nature-study must be the home experience of the pupils. Les- 

 sons in the first grade should he based upon the things seen and 

 experienced in the home — the house, its rooms, furniture, uses; 

 pets and domestic animals ; window and garden plants ; toys and 

 games: and such occupations as cooking, washing, etc. For 

 study of succeeding years, follow the child's expanding mind from 

 the home activities and supplies to the store, the farm, the factory 

 the mine, the forest, and other sources of supply, the ways of 

 transportation and the laws of nature are manifest in all these 

 things. In short, the child's physical and mental environment in 

 his various stages of growth furnish a natural and abundant sup- 

 ply of topics for nature lessons so that no lesson needs to be 

 repeated. New and interesting material is found in greatest 

 quantity in each grade and if presented aright will keep the pupil 

 in intelligent harmony with his environment at each step in his 

 development. 



The Training School of the Utah State Normal School has 

 developed a correlated course of study based on this principle, 

 including other branches than nature-study, and the results are 

 highly satisfactory. 



VIII 



By ALICE JEAN PATTERSON 

 Normal, Illinois 



I wish to add a word to what has already been said regarding 

 nature-study in its relation to children. To me a recognition of 

 this principle is of vital importance. We must meet the children 

 on their own ground if we make nature-study a real force in edu- 

 cation. We must make an effort to fit the needs of the children 

 at every stage in their development, both as regards selection of 

 material and methods of presentation. We must bear in mind 

 that children, especially little children, gain most of their ideas by 

 motion activity. Nature-study gives ample opportunity to 

 exercise the muscular activity ; no other subject is better adapted 

 to train hand and mind and heart at the same time. 



In regard to training teachers for this subject, one difficulty we 

 have encountered is getting teachers to realize that nature- study 

 can not be treated in the same way as other subjects. What they 

 wish to do is to plan and teach formal lessons which are complete 

 units bound together, tied up and put away once for all. They 



