THE 



NATURE-STUDY REVIEW 



DEVOTED PRIMARILY TO ALL SCIENTIFIC STUDIES OF NATURE IN 

 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS 



Please note date of expiration of your subscription on the label of the 



wrapper. Subscriptions must be paid in advance to comply with postal 



requi'ements. Subscriptions and advertisements should be sent to The Comstock Publishing 



Co., Ithaca, N. Y. Manuscripts for Publication and Books to be Reviewed should be sent 



Important 



requi'ements, 

 Co., Ithaca, N. 

 to the Editor. 



Vol. 10 February, 1914 No. 2 



The Beginning of Star Study 



Anna Botsford Comstock 



The study of the stars has a great fascination for children but 

 there have been difficulties attending the teaching of this study 

 in the elementary schools, j 



First of all, the teachers have "^ "^ 



found it impracticable to take » 



, . , , , • 1 , Diagram I. — The Pole Star and ', 



their classes out at night. Big Dipper. V 



This difficulty, I am sure, Jr''' 



may be easily met so far as the chief constellations ; 



are concerned by giving a demonstration on the black- '' 

 board, showing the forms of the constellations and by f 

 explaining in what part of the heavens they may be )f 

 found at an early hour in the evening. 



February is a favorable time for beginning star study, \^ 

 for early in the evening Orion, the most magnificent 

 of all the constellations, occupies the middle of the southern 

 skies. The study should begin about the middle of the month 

 when the moon rises late so that the stars are visible as soon as 

 darkness falls. 



The first study should be of the Polar constellations. The 

 Big Dipper and its relation to the Pole Star forms naturally the 

 earliest lesson. Place the accompanying diagram (No. i) on the 

 board. If the lesson is given at the middle of February, the Dip- 

 per will be seen at seven in the evening low down in the eastern 

 sky with the handle extending down toward the horizon. The 

 teacher should have made the observation previously so as to be 

 sure of the exact location. During the following two or three days 



45 



