JANUARY. 



PLANTS. 



Effect of frost upon plants. Select a number of twigs from fruit 

 and forest trees and count number of buds formed, dormant, frozen. 



What proportion are in good condition? Which trees suffer most, 

 those on north or south side of a house; of a street; northern slope 

 of a hill or southern slope? Would you plant fruit trees on a hillside, 

 facing a lake, near the base, top, or on the slope? Why? Distin- 

 guish between air, drainage and water drainage in their relation to 

 plants. 



ANIMALS. 



Economic relation of insects. Make a study of the silk industry. 

 Compare food, habits, cocoons with the silk spinners of your own 

 neighborhood. 



MINERALS. 



Agents at work on surface. 



1. Air. Destructive action of moist air; of changes of temperature; 



of wind. Constructive action. 



2. Water. 



(a) Rain. 



Its chemical action, producing weathering. Soil. 

 Its mechanical action, removing and renewing soil. 



(b) Rivers and streams. 



History of river from source to mouth. Its destructive and 

 constructive effect. Bars. 



(c) Ice. 



Destructive effects of frost, frozen rivers and lakes. 

 ,>. life. 



Plants and animals are destructive and constructive agents. 'Soil, 

 peat, mosses, coral reefs and limestone. 



(NOTE. A few fundamental ideas about absorption and radiation of heat and 

 its relation to currents of air will give children a knowledge of the best life con- 

 ditions of plants. 



Material for the study of the silk worm can be secured from silk manufacturers, 

 and sometimes from the Smithsonian Institute, at Washington. 



The study of the soil producers might be classed as geographical nature study. 

 Geography is no longer the study of flat, brightly colored maps with a few black 

 lines for rivers and various sized dots for cities and towns. The universe is a 

 wonderful laboratory in which great physical and chemical and biological forces 

 are at work. Children should be led to realize and appreciate the constantly 

 changing relationship between earth, air, water and life. 



