Home Nature-Study Course. 363 



The Field Note-Book. 



The field excursion naturally suggests that greatest of all helps in 

 nature-study, the field note-book. The teacher should by no means 

 compel the children to have these note-books, but she herself should 

 have one which she evidently prizes and uses constantly, and very 

 soon she will find that the children \vill follow her example. Any 

 little blank book with a pencil tied to it will do. We have in our 

 possession some most interesting pupil's note-books that were blank 

 account books of the family grocer. It must be remembered that the 

 spirit in which the note-book is kept is more important than the 

 book or the manner of keeping it. I have examined many field 

 note-books kept by children of the intermediate grades which were 

 full of interesting observations and graphic illustrations, and were 

 precious beyond price to their owners. Such a note-book is a ver- 

 itable mine for the teacher to work, in securing from the pupil volun- 

 tary and happy exercises in language and drawing. Such a note- 

 book, however, should be considered the personal property of the 

 child and should never be criticised except by way of encourage- 

 ment no matter how crude it may be at first. The teacher should 

 use it merely as a friendly gate which admits her to a knowledge of 

 the child's interests and observations. If children could keep their 

 note-books, they would prize them greatly in later life. 



In order that you may realize the value of a field note-book, I shall 

 ask each pupil of the Home Nature-Study Course to keep such a 

 book for the work this year. Write your observations freely and 

 informally in this book and from it make up the lessons that you send 

 to us. 



Lessons on Leaves. 



For leaf study an ordinary blank book not smaller than six by 

 eight inches will do very well. Take such a book to the tree nearest 

 your house and observe for ten or fifteen minutes, trying to cover the 

 following points: 



1. Describe the shape of the tree in a few words,— that is, whether 

 its trunk is bare for some distance, or whether the limbs grow near 

 the ground, and whether the branches at the top are spreading or 

 close, and the general shape of the outline of the tree (slim or broad). 



2. Where on the branches are the leaves borne? 



3. Are the leaves opposite each other on the twigs? 



4. Is the leaf rough and hairy, or is it shining and glossy? 



5. What is the color of the leaf above? Beneath? 



6. Has it changed color since summer? 



