202 NATURE STUDY. 



All the work heretofore indicated may be considered 

 as preparatory. Now comes the presentation of new 

 matter in the schoolroom. With what shall we begin ? 

 Of course we want to build on the foundation laid in 

 the preparatory work. How ? By going on with the 

 same line of thought or sequence ; studying in the 

 schoolroom habits, work or function, development or 

 formation. 



Have the pupils told a little about the habits of the 

 animal they are studying, rabbit, crayfish, cricket, fish, 

 canary, squirrel ; not merely where it lives, but how it 

 lives ? Continue the study of life and habits by observ- 

 ing these in the schoolroom ; how the animal moves, 

 crawls, walks, flies, how and what it eats, how it 

 breathes, how it sleeps. Read about those habits which 

 cannot possibly be observed. Study carefully the use or 

 work or function of the different parts, and the way in 

 which they are used ; that is their " why " and " how." 



Have the children study in the schoolroom the de- 

 velopment and the work of the plant and its parts. 

 They have gathered buds in the early spring, noted the 

 trees from which they came, and their position, and 

 perhaps, arrangement on the branches. Have them put 

 those buds in water, watch their development, discover 

 the function of gummy or hairy covering and scales and 

 stipules, and note, as the parts develop, how they are 

 arranged, and why they are so arranged. Have they 

 learned to recognize the mallow, discovered how well 

 it is anchored in the ground, noted how its leaves face 

 the sun from morning to night, and how its younger 



