CONTENTS 



PART I 



\PTER PAGE 



I. THE MOTIVE IN NATURE-STUDY .... 3 



The social motive. Natural interest. 



II. THE EDUCATIONAL VALUE OF NATURE-STUDY . . 8 

 Discipline of mental functions: observation, comparison, 

 general reasoning, and imagination. The practical 

 utility of nature-study. 



III.. THE ^ESTHETIC AND ETHICAL VALUE OF NATURE- 

 STUDY 14 



Cultural value. Primitive culture. The nature instinct. 

 Enjoyment of nature. Developing sympathetic atti- 

 tude toward nature. The ethical and spiritual value 

 of nature-study. 



IV. STUDYING NATURE IN THE GRADES How AND WHAT . 21 



Informal methods. The scientific method. The devel- 

 opment method. The teacher's preparation. Giving 

 the lesson. Rules for questioning. 



V. ILLUSTRATIVE MATERIAL 33 



Function in the lesson. Kinds of illustrations and their 

 value: actual objects, models, pictures, diagrams, etc. 

 The experiment. The museum. Live specimens. 

 Outdoor observations. The field lesson. 



VI. CORRELATION 53 



Principles of application correlation with geography, art 

 study, and literature. 



PART II 



VII. ANIMAL STUDY 71 



General principles of selection and presentation. Out- 

 lines for study of animals. Emphasis on life habits, 

 adaptations, and life histories. Courses of mammal 

 lessons. 



