NOLAN] AGRICULTURAL NATURE-STUDY 349 



The children will be interested in sowing seeds and in seeing them 

 germinate, and the window garden affords opportunity to cultivate 

 this interest in school. 



1. Get some neat boxes, or earthen flower pots, fill them with 

 good, rich, sandy loam soil and place in sunny windows. 



2. At this season of the year sow tomato seed, cabbage seed 

 and lettuce seed for vegetables, and morning glory, nasturtiums 

 sweet peas, pansies or some other old fashioned flowers. Such 

 plants as the tomatoes, and cabbage may later be transplanted in 

 the home gardens. The class period of one day may be used in an 

 exercise having the children help in preparing the soil, planting the 

 seed, watering and placing the pots or boxes in the window. 



Lesson VI 

 Title: The Chick. 



Aim: To learn interesting facts about chickens, and to deepen 

 interest in them. 



Material : Several or a single chick. 

 Subject-matter and method: 



1 . Bring a few little chicks in a cage before the class and let the 

 children watch the action of the chickens as the lesson proceeds. 



2. Ask introductory questions similar to these: Why do you 

 like little chicks ? Where did they come from ? How did they get 

 out of the egg't (See the little tooth on the tip of the upper part 

 of the beak.) What good are the chickens to us? 



3. Give some bread crumbs to the chicks and watch them eat. 

 Do they chew their food? What do they eat? How does the 

 chick drink? Why does it drink this way? 



4. Where do the chicks sleep? 



5. How does the hen call her chicks? How warn them of 

 hawks ? What notes do little chicks make ? 



6. Tell the children that the covering on the body is called 

 "down." What becomes of the ''down" as the chick grows older? 



7. Name some of the things little chicks like to do. 



8. What misfortune often happens to little chicks? How can 

 we help the mother to raise them ? Tell or bring out the fact that 

 shrubs furnish good hiding places for hen and chicks; that little 

 chicks should have fresh water to drink; that they should have 

 clean dry coops ; and that they need plenty of good food. 



9 . Ask the children to tell of any pet chickens the}^ may have had. 



