Agricultural Nature-Study 



A. W. Nolan 



University of Illinois 



Lesson Plans for the Grades 



If the teaching of nature study in the public schools be based 

 upon the following principles, there can be no criticism of such 

 work, either by the practical farmer or by the conservative educator. 



i. Nature-study is a direct, observational study of the common 

 things and processes of nature which touch human interests. 



2. The aim of nature-study should be to give acquaintance with 

 and interest in the common things of nature. 



3 . Nature-study should be differentiated from technical science. 



4. Nature-study should be for the child and not for the adult. 

 With these principles in mind the writer will present a series of 



suggestive lesson plans in nature-study from the first to the fifth 

 grades of the public school. 



Grades I and II 

 The natural response of children of these grades to phenomena 

 of nature is, ' ' What is it ?" The aim of nature-study in these grades 

 should therefore be to teach acquaintance with and interest in the 

 common things and processes of nature in the environment of the 

 child. Their contact with nature is wide and varied, and the school 

 through nature-study should make them acquainted with the 

 names of natural objects and arouse a permanent interest in nature. 



Lesson I 



Title: Our Pets— The Dog. 



Aim : To teach sympathetic interest in the dog. 



Material: A live dog. 



Subject-matter and method: Introductory talks about each 

 child's dog. What kind of dog is this ? How can you tell ? Name 

 other kinds. 



What have you seen the dog do ? What does the dog eat ? 



How does he get his food? Where does he sleep? 



Why do we like dogs? How does he help us? How can we 

 help him? 



What harm do some dogs do ? How can you tell a sick dog from 

 a well dog ? How many have ever seen a mad-dog ? 



346 



