8 NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [7:1— Jan., 1911 



The animals that are noticed in connection with the garden 

 work may be studied when found. Endeavor to discover in what 

 respect they aid or hinder the success of the garden. Some of 

 the animals that are likely to claim attention are the earthworms, 

 grubs of various kinds, cutworms, beetles, bees, ants, leaf-eating 

 larvae, moths, aphids. 



In addition to the study of these animals, teachers who have 

 vivaria should continue the excellent work they have been doing 

 with the habits and life histories of grasshoppers, toads and 

 moths. 



Those having aquaria have a never-ending source of interest 

 in the study of fishes, toad spawn, frog spawn, and tadpoles. 



The study of the silk worm should be continued as hereto- 

 fore. It furnishes a type study that is invaluable. In the upper 

 grades, children should be encouraged to learn to unwind the 

 silk from the cocoons. 



Health lessons should be given during the winter months 

 when work cannot be done out of doors. 



To the teachers we will say : "Do not be overwhelmed with 

 the quantity of matter that has been written about nature-study, 

 nor by the courses of study that suggest a multitude of subjects." 

 To attempt to teach all that is laid out in courses in nature-study 

 would be to insure failure in the teaching. 



If the garden belonging to each room is well managed, if 

 there is earnest study of the problems that arise in connection 

 with the garden work, if the few questions that arise in the minds 

 of the pupils are intelligently answered and they learn slowly 

 to ask other questions, the result will be more satisfactory than 

 to follow any elaborate course of study. 



The teacher will be wise if she teaches the subjects she 

 knows best and in which she is most interested. She should be 

 progressive, however, — should not teach the same subject twice in 

 the same way. She should each time teach it better because she 

 has learned more about it. 



Membership in the American Nature-Study Society will be 

 a great help to each teacher and she will receive the Nature-Study 

 Review, besides having the privilege of making at last four 

 field trips during the year with the St. Louis Branch of this 

 Society. 



Mr. Dewey's statement of a teacher's relation to the course 

 of study applies with full force to nature-study. He says: 

 "What gets to the child depends upon what is in the consciousness 

 of the teacher, and upon the way it is in her mind." 



