176 NATURE STUDY. 



scription. Even more helpful in insuring individual 

 connected observation may be a drawing, each pupil 

 drawing, as exactly as possible, his own leaf. After 

 such a drawing they will describe much better. 



In the experience of the writer, scores of lessons in 

 nature study have been spoiled, even when the teacher 

 had her work well planned, and was well prepared, had 

 excellent and abundant material, and wide-awake, ob- 

 servant pupils, by such questioning, making it impossible 

 for the pupils to really observe or think for themselves. 



In such a comparison as that between the dandelion 

 and thistle suggested in Chapter I, the teacher may 

 lead the pupils to make a clear, orderly comparison by 

 asking a series of questions bringing out in order, point 

 by point, the features in which the dandelion and thistle 

 blossoms are similar. But after the pupils have care- 

 fully studied and have understood the flower of one of 

 these plants, it is better for them to discover for them- 

 selves as many points of resemblance as they can, even 

 though the work may not be quite so orderly. When 

 they have noted all that they can, then the teacher can 

 ask questions to bring out features unnoticed before, 

 and can lead them to an orderly comparison. 



In abstract work, as when leading pupils from many 

 particulars to the demonstration of a rule or general 

 principle in mathematics or grammar, or when gaining 

 a definition in geography, close questioning may be 

 most helpful, even absolutely necessary. In generaliza- 

 tions in science, as in classifying animals and plants, or 

 leading pupils to distinguish characteristics essential in 



