BROWN A NATURE-STUDY PROJECT 367 



the room, and the children might be encouraged to copy some 

 of them in colors. They will enjoy drawing and coloring some. 

 The teacher can have printed outlines ready, such as the Audubon 

 societies and the Comstock Publishing Co. furnish, and thus 

 reduce accuracy of the student to merely the color observation. 

 Let the students make up stories of their own about what a bird 

 which they have come to know might say to another, or about 

 how the turkey got his gobble, or the bluebird his russet breast. 

 Let them retell some of the stories read by the teacher. Most 

 of the literature will have to be read by the teacher. This of 

 course involves a regular and definite reading program to be 

 carried out, entirely separate from the Nature-project work. 

 That is, there is need for a student reading program here, but 

 I have not found any folk-tales which are simple enough for the 

 need. 



As background reading, I should have in the classroom such 

 books as Olive Thome Miller's, "First and Second Books of Birds," 

 and her "Queer Pets at Marcy's." 



Then, for folk-tale literature to be read by the teacher, I should 

 suggest Indian myths from any tribe which lived in the locality 

 of the teaching, and, from Joel Chandler Harris, selection could 

 be made from any of the following: 



"Uncle Remus and His Friends." 



"On the Plantation." 



"Mr. Rabbit at Home." 



"Told by Uncle Remus." 



Third Grade 



For the third grade, I should develop with great care what I 

 call the Nature Calendar. This can be arranged by the teacher 

 and should contain only material which seems to her to be very 

 good illustrative and accurate descriptions of the out-of-door 

 world. Nothing sentimental, nothing having much ideal sugges- 

 tion, nothing morbid should come into this year's work. Tlio 

 idea is simply to have within the year a calendar of verses wJiicJi 

 shall chronicle the changing seasons. Let the students koc]) 

 notebooks and copy from the board from time to time tlie verses 

 of songs or poems. Many of the loveliest little ])oems have 



