shourek] NATURE-STUDY IN PLATOON SCHOOL 57 



eradicate it in our section, a civic activity which very nearly wiped 

 out the pernicious weed in our neighborhood. 



Much reference material is brought from the Carnegie library 

 by this group and the children are trained to find for themselves 

 the subject matter dealing with the work in hand. Such material 

 is later read aloud for the benefit of the rest of the class. This 

 work has acquainted the pupils with many books and is teaching 

 them how best to use the library. When good illustrations are 

 found they are often copied on the board by a child who has a gift 

 for drawing and many a boy who has no real liking for the regular 

 work of the school finds a place where his love for drawing has a 

 definite value. 



A most interesting project was worked out by these children 

 this fall in connection with the movement for food conservation. 

 Two classes studied wheat and the cereals which might be substi- 

 tuted in this country so that the wheat might be sent abroad; 

 another group made a series of food charts showing what substitute 

 might be used to save the fats, sugar, meat and wheat. A third 

 group brought materials for an exhibit while the fourth made up an 

 illustrated booklet to go with and explain the exhibit. This work 

 involved a study of foods their values and sources and included 

 nuts, fruits, grains, fats, sugar and meats. 



The work proved fascinating and the exhibit was interesting as 

 well as instructive. It has been borrowed by the Carnegie library 

 and is to be used in the branch libraries for furthering the work of 

 conservation. 



Such work involves much correlation. Language, spelling and 

 oral expression are the chief studies concerned but arithmetic and 

 reading are used to some extent. The making of artistic chart 

 illustrations for compositions, and blackboard drawing bring in the 

 art work while the assignments from the library teach a use and 

 an appreciation of books. Many stories suggested by the various 

 kinds of work are recommended and in this way the children 

 become acquainted with literature. 



The garden work is done in the fifth and sixth grades. What 

 better correlation could one wish than that which is developed 

 between the garden and the school ? Arithmetic is involved in the 

 measuring of the garden, in its planning, in the ordering of seeds; 

 and again in the final estimate of the amount and the value of the 

 crops. Manual training cooperates in the making of garden pegs, 



