248 METHODS IN TEACHING 



the creamery pays the patrons he takes so much off for his 

 work." 



FIFTH YEAR GRADE 



The two principal topics for this year are the earth as a 

 whole and Stockton and San Joaquin county. The earth as 



a whole means that world units begin to take 

 Course 



the place of local units. History helps de- 

 velop an idea of the size of the world and of the location of 

 other lands than our own. No detailed work is done, the 

 desire being to grasp the larger ideas of the world first. The 

 topic includes elementary geography and many studies on 

 food products, especially those that find their way to our own 

 tables near and far. The home geography of the year is 



confined to two or three weeks. Mathe- 

 The Earth 



matical and physical phases of geography, 



in forms that are intelligible to the children, are given at the 

 beginning of the year. Every device imaginable to the 

 teacher is used to give the pupils a clear concept of the form, 

 size, daily motion, and zone division of the earth. 



The various geographical sections of the United States 

 are studied from an elementary text book, comparing con- 

 stantly with our own section. Each division 

 United States . . y 



is given a few days or a week or two as 



needed. The geographical study is followed by an examina- 

 tion of products, interest being sustained by outside reading 

 and by comparisons with the products of the home county 

 and state. For instance, how have the supplies of coal, iron, 

 and oil benefited the New England states? Have we in 

 Stockton been benefited by the opening of the Tesla coal 

 mines ? The price of coal in the East is compared with the 



