Teachers' Leaflet. 449 



Our domestic fowls are well adapted fo-r the beginner in bird study 

 because they give opportunity for, continued observation; and if the study 

 is rightly begun, the child will be able to understand better all bird life 

 because of his understanding of the habits of these common birds. 



Preliminary Work. — There are two good ways of presenting this topic : First, 

 if the pupils live in the country- where they have chickens at home, the whole series 

 of lessons may be best done through interesting talks on the part of the teacher, 

 letting the children make their observations at home and report the result either 

 in oral or written lessons. Second, if the pupils are not familiar with fowls, a 

 hen and a chick if possible should be kept in a cage in the schoolroom for a few 

 days, and a duck or gosling should be brought in one day for observation. The 

 crates in which fowls are sent to market make very good cages. One of the 

 teachers of the Elmira schools introduced into the basement of the schoolhouse 

 a hen which there hatched her brood of chicks, much to the children's delight and 

 edification. After the pupils have become thoroughly interested in the hen or 

 chick and are familiar with her ways and have fed her and watched her, and have 

 for her the sense of ownership, the following lessons may be given in an informal 

 manner, as if these talks had naturally suggested themselves through watching 

 the hen. 



Purpose of lessons. — (a) To induce the child to make continued and 

 sympathetic observations on the habits of the birds, (b) To cause him 

 involuntarily to compare these birds with other birds, and to understand 

 as far as possible the reasons for the differences, (c) To set him to 

 thinking for himself why the shape of the body, wings, head, beak, feet, 

 legs, and feathers are adapted to assist the bird in getting its living. 



THE BIRD'S CLOTHING. 



We naturally begin with the bird's covering because the wearing of 

 feathers offers the most striking character for distinguishing birds from 

 other creatures ; and it is through the use of feathers that birds are 

 enabled to fly, which is the first thing the young child notices about birds. 



There are four chief uses of feathers which the child in the primary 

 grades can understand: First, Warmth. Second, Protection from rain 

 and snow. Third, Uses in flight. Fourth, Ornament. 



LESSON I. 

 feathers provide warmth and protection against wind, rain 



AND SNOW. 



Purpose. — (a) To teach the pupil that there are several types of 

 feathers, each absolutely necessary to the bird in order that it may with- 

 stand the vicissitudes of climate and weather, (b) The care of the 

 plumage by the bird. 



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