billig] NATURE-STUDY SITUATION IX KANSAS 323 



it in the first four grades, that 62.71 per cent teach it in grades 

 one through six, while 44.06 per cent teach it in all of the eight 

 grades. 



The amount of time per week given to nature-study varies 

 from no regular period to five hours. An average of sixty- ^ight 

 minutes per week is given to the work by those schools reporting 

 the time given to nature-study. 



The preceding information is correct, in so far as the data 

 received from the replies to my questionaire are correct. It 

 is, however, not conclusive, but it is interesting for the reason 

 that it gives definite information concerning the nature-study 

 situation in Kansas during the school year 1017-1018. 



While interesting, the value of the above information would 

 be increased by a discussion of the work that is Deing carried on 

 by the various schools in the state 



The Elementary Training and Junior High Schools of the 

 Training Department of the Kansas State Normal School are 

 doing some definite work along this line. We are not certain 

 that we are attacking the problem in the best manner, though 

 some excellent results make us feel that we are at least headed in 

 the right direction. 



The aim of our schools is to prepare boys and girls to live well 

 and to occupy intelligently their places in society in general. 

 One need only to study the world's advancement to learn that 

 progress is everywhere concerned with a knowledge and utiliza- 

 tion of nature. In consideration of these points, nature-study 

 and elementary science cannot be omitted but must necessarily 

 hold an important place in the school curriculum. 



In the training department of the Kansas State Normal School, 

 a flexible, tentatively organized course of study is used. This 

 course does little more than show the large projects on which the 

 various grades will work. Many of the most valuable problems 

 arise unexpectedly and cannot be included in an outline of study 

 for similar situations may not arise the second time. 



The work in the kindergarten and primary grades is largely 

 based on nature. The children come to school alive with nature 

 experiences for they have been living an out-of-door life. Nature 

 experiences, then, serve as one of the connecting links between 

 the home and school. 



