APPENDIX 411 



SUGGESTED SYLLABUS FOR COURSE BEGINNING FEB- 

 RUARY 1 AND ENDING THE FOLLOWING JANUARY 



FIRST TERM 



First week. WHY STUDY BIOLOGY? Relation to human health, hygiene. Rela- 

 tions existing between plants and animals. Relation of bacteria to man. 

 Uses of plants and animals. Conservation of plants and animals. Relation 

 to life of citizen in this city. Needs of plants and animals : (1) food, (2) 

 water, (3) air, (4) proper temperature. Study of a single plant or animal in 

 relation to its environment. Problems of city government : (a) storage, pres- 

 ervation and distribution of foods, (6) water supply, (c) overcrowded tene- 

 ments, (d) street cleaning, (e) clean schools. Biological problems in city 

 government. 



Second week. INTERRELATIONS BETWEEN PLANTS AND ANIMALS. Plants furnish 

 food, clothing, shelter, and medicine. Animals use food, shelter. Man's; 

 use of plants as above. Man's use of animals as above. Plant and animal 

 industries. Use of balanced aquarium as illustrative material. 



Third week. DESTRUCTION OF FOOD AND OTHER THINGS BY MOLD. Home exper- 

 iment. Conditions favorable to growth of mold. Food, moisture, tempera- 

 ture. Destruction of commodities by mold : food, leather, clothing. 



Fourth week, fifth week. DESTRUCTION OF FOODS BY BACTERIA. Experiment. 

 To show where bacteria are found. Soil, dust, water, milk, hands, mouth. 

 Use and harm of decay. Relation to agriculture. Experiment. Conditions 

 favorable and unfavorable to growth of bacteria : boiling, cold, sugar, salt. 

 Bacteria in relation to disease briefly mentioned. Bacteria in industries. 



Sixth week. USE OF STORED FOOD BY YOUNG GREEN PLANT : (a) for energy, (6) for 

 construction of tissue. Experiment. Structure of bean seed. Draw to show 

 outer coat, cotyledon, hypocotyl, and plumule. Test for starch and sugar 

 (grape). Test for oil, protein, water, mineral matter. Use of all nutrients 

 to seedling. 



Seventh week. OTHER NEEDS OF YOUNG PLANTS. Home experiments to show 

 (a) temperature, (6) amount of water most favorable to germination. 

 Experiment. To show need of oxygen. To show that germinating seeds give 

 off carbon dioxide. Proof of presence of carbon dioxide in breath. The 

 needs of a young plant compared with those of a boy or girl. 



Eighth week. DIGESTION IN SEEDLING. Structure of corn grain. Experiment. 

 To show that starch is digested in a growing seedling (corn). Experiment. 

 To show that diastase digests starch. Discussion of experiments. 



Ninth week. WHAT PLANTS TAKE FROM THE SOIL AND How THEY DO THIS. 

 Use of roots. Proof that it holds plant in position, takes in water and 

 mineral matter, and in some cases stores food. Influence of gravity and 

 water. Labeled drawing of root hair. Root hair as a cell emphasized. 

 Osmosis demonstrated. 



Tenth week. COMPOSITION OF THE SOIL. Demonstration of presence of mineral 

 and organic substances in the soil. What root hairs take from the soil. 

 Mineral matter necessary and why. Importance and sources of nitrogen. 

 Soil exhaustion and its prevention. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Review 

 bacteria of decay. Rotation of crops. 



