THE 



NATURE-STUDY REVIEW 



DEVOTED PRIMARILY TO ALL SCIENTIFIC STUDIES OF NATURE IN 

 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS 



Published monthly, except June, July and August. Subscription price, including mem- 

 bership in the American Nature Study Society, 11.00 per year (nine issues). Canadian postage, 

 10 cents extra: foreign postage, 25 cents extra. 



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 to the Editor. 



Editorial 



Nature-study and natural history are terms that are confused 

 in the minds of most people and especially in the minds of most 

 teachers, yet the fields of the two are sharply defined in the terms 

 themselves. A nature-study lesson is one in which the pupil 

 consults Nature to ascertain the answer to his questions; but 

 when he consults books to ascertain his facts, he is stud>dng 

 natural history. 



As a matter of practical teaching the two work hand in hand 

 in the school-room as in the laboratory. All that is possible to 

 be discovered through observing an object is first accomplished 

 and then books are consulted to round up the knowledge of the 

 subject. The two are equally legitimate in a course of nature- 

 study planned for the grades in the elementary and primary 

 schools. However, great discretion is needed on the part of the 

 teacher to know just how to use the two in order to make each 

 stimulate a desire for the other. 



A rule that should be closely adhered to with young pupils is 

 not to permit them to read about an object until they have studied 

 it and have become interested in it. There was a series of readers 

 published about thirty years ago, devoted to descriptions of 

 animals, birds and insects and their habits. The reaction against 

 these stories on the part of the children was often most unfavor- 

 able. We once talked to a boy who said he hated ants, and on 

 inquiring the reason for this attitude, we found his dislike came 

 from having to read a story about these insects in one of these 

 readers. 



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