WINTER EARTH STUDY. 517 



concepts made much clearer and broader. They will have 

 a better understanding of the forms of land and water, and 

 a much better conception of the earth as a thing of change , 

 and development, and of the forces producing these changes. 

 Each ravine and valley, the brook meandering through the 

 plain, even the little stream or pool or mud-puddle formed 

 by the spring rains, will be, not an isolated fact, a mere 

 "what," but, to the observant out-of-door pupil, will be- 

 come part of a great whole, will constantly suggest the 

 questions " why ? " and " how ? " and will be a story full 

 of interest and value. 



SUGGESTIONS FOR THE STUDY OF THE WORK OF RAIN. 



Visit after a rain-storm a bank or cut where the soil is 

 sandy or loose. If possible have some of the children 

 watch the rain at work, so that they can tell what it has 

 done and how it has done it. The action of the rain may 

 be imitated by pouring water from a watering-pot slowly 

 down the bank or incline. 



In what kinds of soil are the deeper furrows made by the 

 rain streams (rills)? Why? Are the deepest furrows 

 made where the bank is steep, or where it is more nearly 

 horizontal ? Why ? What kinds or sizes of soil or other 

 material are carried farthest by these rills, the fine or the 

 coarse ? Why ? What kind or size of material is moved 

 the least ? Why ? Are the furrows straight or winding ? 

 Why? When the furrows open into a little pool, what 

 kind or size of material is deposited near the edge of the 

 pool ? What material is carried into the deeper parts of 

 the pool ? Why ? After a rain, what makes the water in 

 the pool " muddy " ? As the pool dries up, what kind of 

 soil covers the surface where the pool has been ? Why 

 is it covered with fine mud ? What kind of soil do you 

 find under the mud near the edge of the pond ? Why ? 



