58 NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [14:2— Feb., 1918 



the building of tool racks, plant supports, seed flats and animal 

 houses. At the present time a tool house with concrete floor and 

 foundation as well as a concrete runway for rabbit and guinea pigs 

 is being built by the eighth grade boys. This project has furnished 

 material for problems in volume, surface and proportion. 



The garden furnishes material for composition which of course 

 also involves spelling ; it furnishes both form and color for the art 

 work. This fall all garden products taken after September first 

 were turned over to the domestic science department where they 

 were canned or dried for use during the winter. The work created 

 such an enthusiasm that even boys had canning classes. Nearly 

 three hundred jars of vegetables were put up from the garden. 

 This work was in line with efforts made for the conservation of 

 summer fruits and vegetables. 



In the sewing work where fabrics are used the study is made of 

 textiles. The garden classes planted flax and cotton in order to 

 study the fibers. Our cotton crop was a failure but we had cotton 

 bolls from Augusta and we have raised a sheep for the study of the 

 sheep itself as well as its wool. 



Geography is the study most commonly correlated with nature- 

 study. Many times nature-study is geography. Winds, seasons, 

 forms of land and water, sedimentation, and erosion — all these are 

 phases of nature-study. When animals are studied in the nature- 

 study department the characteristics of the various animal families 

 are established and the fauna of the various countries studied in 

 geography means more to the child than merely a page of illustra- 

 tions. Work done on plants does the same for the flora besides 

 laying a foundation for the study of botany later. 



In the grammar grades we take up general science which is, 

 in most cases, merely a more systematic form of nature-study. 

 Here we aim to have the child see nature as a great organized power 

 which contributes to our progress and happiness. I have found 

 some difficulty in making a definite outline to follow in these 

 grades. I know the range I wish to cover but find that if the 

 subject in hand seems to be of the child's own choosing a greater 

 interest is manifested and better work done. Each class is asked 

 at the beginning of the term what they wish to take up as the 

 foundation of the term's work. Naturally the studies are based 

 upon some work previously done. 



Oil, gas and coal have proved a very popular topic; this of course 



