FORMS OF MATTER. 29 



that it is alive or not alive; hence this should not be a 

 part of your record of observations. This is an inference 

 based on certain observations. What? How many 

 distinct statements of observations can you make that 

 are true of all these plants? Which seem to you essen- 

 tial to their plant-ness? Why? If you cut a plant in two, 

 do you have two plants? Can you give a name to the 

 quality of plants that makes this true? 



f. Animals. Study animals as you have the plants, 

 using all the animals you have actually seen in your 

 study. Do not introduce into your lists any comparisons 

 of animals with plants or with other objects that you 

 have been studying. Write as though you had only stud- 

 ied animals, and use only simple, observable qualities. 

 Which seem to you the most distinctive characters? 

 which of your list do you think of particularly when the 

 word "animal" is used? 



38. Discrimination. Go over your lists again now and 

 compare carefully the various qualities of sand. Are they 

 all equally important and full of meaning in making it 

 sand? Why are some characteristics not as significant 

 as others? Check the essential characteristics in some 

 way. Treat each of the other lists similarly. 



39. Comparison of Objects on the Basis of their Observed 

 Qualities. If, now, we undertake to compare the various 

 classes of objects with one another, as sand with pebbles 

 or shells, which will be more useful in the comparison 

 the qualities you checked (38) or those that were not 

 checked? Why? 



What are the important distinctions between sand 

 and pebbles? What qualities distinguish crystals from 

 the sand and pebbles? Can you find a suitable name 



