HOME NATURE-STUDY COURSE, 



TEACHER'S LEAFLET. 



Based ox the Fall Work for Third- Year Pupils as Outlined in 



THE Syllabus of Nature-Study and Agriculture, issued 



r>Y THE New York State Education Department. 



The editors of the Home Nature-study Course have changed the plan 

 of the nature-study lessons for the coming year in the following respect : 

 In each lesson a number of direct questions are given to assist the teacher 

 in guiding the observations of the pupils. Following these questions the 

 facts which they cover are given for the teacher's reassurance and refer- 

 ence. This plan has been adopted after consultation, and advice from 

 some of the best teachers of the State. However, the editors do not 

 wish it understood that they advise the teaching of nature-study by direct 

 questions and object lessons. The most successful teacher will direct 

 the pupils' observations without much questioning; but it is well that 

 the teacher should have clearly in mind the points she wishes her pupils 

 to cover in a lesson, and the lists of questions given in these lessons are 

 meant to aid in this. The very essence of nature-study is to work with 

 the object or phenomenon itself just where it occurs naturally ; but the 

 teacher must first have information about the subject. 



The editors ask in return for these lessons that the teachers write 

 something of their experience in giving the work to their pupils. 



TWO BIRDS OF THE MEADOW. 



Preliminary Txvrk. — Two large, brown birds are common in the meadows of 

 New York State from April until the last of October. These are the meadow- 

 lark and dicker. They are in nowise related, however, except in their taste for 

 meadow lands. They are approximatel}' the same size and color and each has a 

 black crescent locket on the breast, and each shows the "white feather" during 

 flight. But this last is the chief distinguishing character; the outer tail feathers 

 of the meadowlark are white while the tail feathers of the flicker are not white 

 at all, but there is a single patch of white on the back just in front of the tail. 

 The first work of the teacher may well be to instruct the pupils to distinguish 

 these two birds by these white markings, and next to learn to distinguish them 

 by their flight. The lark lifts itself by several sharp movements, and then soars 

 smoothly over the course, while the flicker has a continuous wave-like flight up 

 and down. Next, the pupils should learn to distinguish the birds by their songs, 

 which are very characteristic. 



52£ 



