318 NATURE STUDY. 



Michigan, and Northern New York, and is based on 

 several years' experience in Minnesota and New York. 

 It can be easily modified for and adapted to climatic 

 conditions farther south. 



The selection of material must be largely influenced 

 by the teacher, her interests and education or prepara- 

 tion for such work. 



We have already referred to the advantage in .begin- 

 ning work in nature study, of allowing and encouraging 

 the teacher who is interested in any special line of nature 

 study or science, to study with her pupils that in which 

 she herself is interested. The teacher doing work in 

 which she is interested, because she is interested, will 

 accomplish much more than those doing the work merely 

 because it is prescribed in the course of study. 



The lack of preparation on the part of the teacher 

 must be considered in selecting material, and planning 

 a course in nature study. A most important question 

 is, What can the teacher do ? For what are the teachers 

 best prepared ? 



Probably the greatest obstacle which the elementary 

 schools will encounter in the introduction of nature 

 study is the lack of preparation of the teacher for 

 such work. It is wise to reduce to a minimum the dif- 

 ficulties of the teachers who are beginning such work. 



The average teacher, doubtless, knows most about the 

 plant world. Plants are probably the most noticed, 

 best known, and most admired parts of the physical en- 

 vironment of mankind. People walk on the grass, they 



