HOME NATURE-STUDY COURSE 



TEACHER'S LEAFLET 



For four years the leaflets of the Home Nature-study Course have 

 been devoted to the work as outlined in the Syllabus of Nature-study 

 and Agriculture issued by the New York State Education Depart- 

 ment. Three hundred and forty lessons have been discussed in the 

 leaflets, covering one hundred of the required subjects. 



In the October leaflet it was announced that the publication of these 

 leaflets should be discontinued after this year. The demand for the 

 leaflets has been so insistent, however, and since there has grown up 

 during the year a definite demand for nature-study lessons on the 

 cultivated plants, it has been determined to continue the publication. 

 The lessons in the Home Nature-study leaflets for the coming year 

 will be devoted to the nature-study of the garden, and will be supple- 

 mentary and tributary to the general interest in gardening. 



Those desiring the Home Nature-study leaflets for the coming school 

 year should send in their names as early as possible, since the edition 

 is limited. 



LESSON XXXIV 



THE ORIOLE 



Purpose. — To call special attention to the habits of this most skillful 

 of our bird architects. 



Method. — Begin during winter or early spring with a study of the 

 nest, which may be obtained from the elms of the roadsides. During 

 the first week in May give to the class the questions concerning the 

 birds and their habits. Let the pupils write the questions in their 

 field note books and answer them when they have opportunity. The 

 observations should be summed up once a week. 



Observations by pupils. — 



(i). Where did you find the nest? On what kind of tree? Was it 

 near the trunk of the tree or the tips of the branches? 



(2). What is the shape of the nest? How long is it? How wide? 

 Is the opening as large as the bottom of the nest? How is it hung to 

 the twigs so that the opening remains open and does not pull together 

 with the weight of the bird at the bottom? Is the bottom of the nest 

 stayed to a twig or does it hang loose? 



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