2400 Journal of Applied Microscopy 



Field Work in Zoology. 



How we can best familiarize our children with plants and animals in their 

 natural surroundings, is one of the problems still unsolved by the instructors of 

 biology in great cities. The large number of students in each class, the distance 

 between the school and the places where this work can be carried on, and the 

 nervous strain upon the leader, are some of the reasons which militate against 

 the success of this work. In spite of these objections, however, all will agree with 

 me that field work is most valuable in all natural science teaching. It brings the 

 children in touch with nature and her many secrets. They learn to observe more 

 closely and it may lead them to place a higher value on the life of the lower 

 animals, many of which are of economic importance to man. Interest is always 

 a great educational factor and one of the best ways of arousing it is to take children 

 out to study living things. 



While we are conscious that we have not yet attained the best method for 

 doing field work, some of our excursions may be of interest to those who have a 

 similar environment. 



The Morris High School is fortunate in being located in the upper part of 

 the city, where it takes but five or ten minutes to reach a field. Our course has 

 been outlined in this journal for May. We have five periods per week of forty- 

 six minutes each. Our time schedule is so arranged that each class has the last 

 period for biology at least once during the week. I advocate one double period. 

 If it is not seasonable for outdoor work it could be used for laboratory work. 

 Biology is taught in the first year, so the children are rather immature. Expe- 

 rience has taught us that they gain more, when working outside of school, by 

 having some topic assigned with definite questions which they are required to 

 answer on paper. 



During our insect work each class was taken for one period to a field in the 

 immediate neighborhood. Here they could study the living specimens. The 

 following topics were suggested for observation : the home, habits, methods of 

 locomotion, food-getting, and adaptations for protection. Specimens were ob- 

 tained by the pupils for class-room work. In their efforts to secure grasshoppers 

 and butterflies they had the method of locomotion well illustrated. The next 

 day these topics were discussed in class and their notes written up more care- 

 fully. Dead specimens were now used for the study of the external morphology. 

 Then the functions of insects were taken up, special attention being paid to the 

 adaptations of the bee and butterfly for the cross-pollination of flowers. 



A small class of boys went out to collect water insects. Their joy was great 

 in being permitted to drag the pool of water with their nets. The fresh water 

 aquarium that we stocked on our return has been of interest to them all winter. 



In studying the earthworm the pupils were requested to study the home and 

 habits of the animal. Living specimens were brought in for class work. A 

 number of them were put in a large glass jar containing moist earth, some ferns 

 and leaves, so the pupils could observe their habits. Since then two large black 

 snakes have been added to the jar. 



