PROCEEDINGS FOR 1899 LV 



[For the Teacher in the School Section.] 



Local " Nature " Obsekvations. 



This sheet is provided for the purpo,se of aiding teachers to interest 

 their pupils in observing the times of the regular procession of natural 

 phenomena each season. First, it may help the teacher in doing some 

 of the "Nature" lesson work in the course of study: secondly, it may 

 aid in procuring valuable information for the locality and province. Two 

 copies are provided for each teacher who wishes to conduct such observa- 

 tions, one to be attached to the school register, so as to be preserved as 

 the property of the section for reference from year to year; the other to 

 be sent in with the return to the inspector, who will transmit it to the 

 Superintendent for examination, and compilation if desirable. 



What is desired is to have recorded in these forms, the dates of the 

 first leafing, flowering and fruiting of plants and trees; the fii'st appear- 

 ance in the locality of birds migrating north in spring or south in 

 autumn, etc. While the objects specified here are given so as to enable 

 comparison to be made between the different sections of the province, it 

 is very desirable that all other local phenomena of a similar kind be 

 recorded. Each locality has a flora, fauna, climate, etc., more or less 

 distinctly its own; and the more common trees, shrubs, plants, crops, 

 etc., are those which will be most valuable from a local point of view in 

 comparing the characters of a series of seasons. 



Teachers will find it one of the most convenient means for the stimu- 

 lation of pupils in observing all natural phenomena when going to and 

 from school, some of the pupils radiating as far as two miles from the 

 school room. The " nature study " under these conditions would be 

 mainly undertaken at the most convenient time, thus not encroaching 

 on school time; while on the other hand it will tend to break up the 

 monotony of school travel, fill an idle and wearisome hour with interest, 

 ■and be one of the most valuable forms of educational discipline. The 

 eyes of a whole school daily passing over a whole school district would let 

 very little escape notice, especially if the first observer of each annually 

 recurring phenomenon would receive credit as the first observer of it for 

 the year. The observations will be accurate, as the facts will have to be 

 demonstrated by the most undoubted evidence, such as the bringing of 

 the specimens to the school when possible or necessary. 



To all observers the following most important, mo.st essential prin- 

 ciples of recording are emphasized: Better no date, no record, than a 

 WRONG ONE or a DOUBTFUL ouc. Sports out of season due to very local 



Proc, 1899. D. 



