rilE TEACHER'S CORNER 



315 



it composed; the shape of the leaflets; do the leaflets have petioles; are the 

 edges of the leaflets toothed; which of the leaflets is the largest and which is 

 the smallest; are the leaflets paired and opposite each other; are the leaves 

 opposite each other on the twig or are they alternate? 



For supplementary reading use the stories of famous trees. 

 Fifth Grade. — The pupils of this grade should be interested in the tree as a 

 whole and perhaps there is no better way to accomplish this than making a 



card mount of a tree species 

 which shall include a leaf, a 

 blossom if possible, the fruit, a 

 bit of the bark, a cross-section 

 and a lengthwise section of the 

 wood, and an account written 

 of the tree, where found, for 

 what used, etc. It takes some 

 time to make such amount 

 and each pupil should contri- 

 bute one to the school exhibit ; 

 and while two may choose the 

 same tree it is best to have as 

 wide a representation of tree 

 species as possible. An exhibit 

 of this kind fastened to the 

 walls of the room is of great 

 interest to everybody and of 

 very real educational value to 

 the pupils. 



Another way of securing a 



wide knowledge of trees is the 



making of a portfolio of leaf 



prints which is especially fitted 



for fifth grade work .See p. 295. 



The pupils should learn about the life processes of a tree. The uses of its 



roots, trunk, branches, bark and leaves; how a tree grows; its food when found 



and how prepared; the movement of sap and transpiration; how it breathes 



and how it builds its rings of growth. 



Sixth Grade.— This should include note book work on all the trees in the 

 region. The note books may be those with formal outHnes or may be purely 

 individual books with sketches and original observations by the pupils, but in 

 general the note book should include the following observations : (i ) Where is 

 the tree growing, was it planted by man or did it plant itself? If an isolated 

 tree it should be sketched. (2) Does the bole or trunk extend straight up 

 through the head or does it divide into many branches? (3) The character of 

 the bark of the tree, especially noting whether the bark is smooth, scaly, rolled 

 up, or divided by fissures, and note whether the ridges between the fissures are 

 sharp, rounded, or flattened. Note especially the color of the bark. (4) Are 

 the leaves placed opposite or alternate on the twigs; is the leaf simple or 

 compound? Describe its appearance above and below. A sketch should be 



Leaf and acorn of red oak mounted 

 on a card 



