90 



THE PLANT WORLD 



written matter. To this the answer was made that they might use a 

 better way if they could find one, and the boys were asked to hand in 

 suggestions the next day. Among the other papers was the following : 

 1st leaf. 2d leaf. jd leaf. 



Description. Description. Description. 



Compare first. Compare first and second. 



This the boys would not accept, as it would take even more space and 

 work than the old way. The author claimed that the important part 

 was the comparison and that alone could be read. No use was directly 

 made of this, but it led to a discussion in which the condensed form in 

 which the daily school program was arranged suggested a model where 

 the leaves might be at once described and compared, and the following 

 form was offered : 



Size . . 

 Color . . 

 Veining 

 Placing 

 Shape 

 Edge . 



First tree. 

 Silver maple. 



7 m. 



Gr. white below. 



Radiate. 



Pairs. 



Five-lobed. 



Irreg. toothed. 



Second tree. 



Third tree. 



The boys had all been holding their books vertically, and the objec- 

 tion was at once made that but three or four trees could be done on one 

 page. Next came the proposition to place the topics across the page and 

 the names of the trees vertically. This was followed and four or five 

 trees were described in this way, one working at the board and the rest 

 in their books. Soon the boys found that there were more things worth 

 mentioning than the points before mentioned. Upon their suggestion 

 another column was made down the right edge, which was headed 

 " Remarks," and contained such data as " often has gall strings " and 

 *' is round between teeth." 



At this point the class began to do individual work ; four pupil 

 teachers were asked to help in distributing leaves or occasionally to give 

 a word after a pupil had defined the condition which demanded a new 

 expression. 



When about fifteen leaves had been described in this way, one of the 

 books was taken at random, and one description read aloud without 

 the name. Some thought the tree described was the beech, others the 

 chestnut. Several books were consulted and in many the two descriptions 

 varied only in size. Other descriptions were found to be very similar. 

 Naturally the pupils were asked, " Are these leaves alike ? " "Where do 

 they differ ? " " What does your book lack ? " " What do you suggest ? ' ' 

 " What shall we head this new column ? " Here the columns, base, tip, 

 and leaf -stalk were added. 



