1903] Nature Study — No. 8. 165 



NATURE STUDY— No. VIII. 



The Proposed Course in Nature Study for Public Schools. 



S. B. Sinclair, Ph.D. 



At the annual meeting of the Ontario Education Association 

 in Toronto last Easter, a draft of " proposed changes in the Pub- 

 lic and High School Courses of Study " was submitted for con- 

 sideration, and in all probability these changes (with minor 

 modifications) will come into effect at an early date. 



In this scheme it is proposed 10 make a somewhat definite 

 course of Nature Study compulsory for all classes in Public 

 Schools, and to insist that all Public School teachers take an 

 extended course of training in Natural Science before entering the 

 Normal School. This forward movement cannot fail to be of 

 interest to every reader of The Naturalist, and in future dis- 

 cussions it may be of value to know something of the content and 

 sequence of the Nature Study material which is to be dealt with 

 in the Public School. 



The following is a brief outline of the proposed Course of 

 Study for the first four classes : 



form I. 

 Note. — From the character of Nature Study, the course therein must be 

 more or less elastic, and a selection should be made therefrom subject to the 

 approval of the Inspector. The acquisition of knowledg-e should be secondary 

 to the awakening' and preservingf the pupil's interest in nature, and to train- 

 ing- him to habits of personal observation and investigfation. The topics are 

 sugg^ested as suitable ones from which a course which will meet the conditions 

 of the school may be selected ; but the treatment must be suited to circum- 

 stances, age, and experience of learners, and to the seasons of the year, 

 accessibility of materials, etc. 



Animal Life : Habits of pet animals, their care and food ; 

 domestic animals on the farm, their care, habits and uses ; birds, 

 their nesting, song, food, migrations in the autumn ; metamor- 

 phosis of a few conspicuous butterflies or moths. 



Plant life : Work in school garden ; study of a plant, as a 

 geranium or pansy, from slip or seed to flowei ; caring for plants 

 in pots ; buds, their preparation for winter, their development ; 

 autumn leaves, collection, forms, tints; economic fruits, collection, 

 forms, how stored for winter, fruit as seed holders, dissemination 



