1904J Nature Study — No. 18. 145 



NATURE STUDY— No. XVIII. " 



The Prescribed Course in Nature Study for Public Schools. 



S. B. Sinclair, Ph. D. 



The Easter meetings of the Ontario Educational Association 

 held in Toronto, have for several years been devoted almost 

 entirely to the consideration of new courses of study for Public 

 and High Schools. 



As a result ot this investigation the regulations regarding 

 the subject matter of study in these schools have been greatly 

 changed. One of the most radical of the reforms made is the 

 introduction of Nature Study into every grade of the Public School. 

 The December number of the Naturalist for 1903 contains an 

 outline ot the course which was proposed. As a number of alter- 

 ations were made before adoption it has been thought better to 

 give the following copy ot the revised courses, which are now 

 compulsory in the first four classes ot the Public School. 



Form I. 



Nature Study. — Animal life : General appearance and habits 

 of pet animals, their care and food ; domestic animals on the farm, 

 their care, habits and uses ; birds, their nesting, ?ong, food, 

 migrations in the autumn ; metamorphosis of a few conspicuous 

 butterflies or moths. 



Plant life : Work in school garden or in window boxes ; 

 study of a plant, as a geranium or pansy, from slip or seed to 

 flower ; caring for plants in pots ; buds, their preparation for win- 

 ter, their development ; autumn leaves, collections, forms, tints ; 

 economic fruits, collection, forms how stored for winter, fruit as 

 seed holders, dissemination of seeds ; roots and stems, uses, com- 

 parison of fleshy forms, how stored for winter. 



Life on the Farm : Harvesting, primitive and modern methods 

 compared ; preparation for winter ; the barn and its uses ; activities 

 of the farm during winter ; winter sports and social life on the 

 farm ; the varied operations of spring time ; spring time as 

 awakening to new life ; eff"ect§ of sun and moisture on the soil. 



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