184 NATURE STUDY AND AGRICULTURE 



night." Can you see why this is true? After you have 

 studied radiant heat, you will understand better how 

 the clouds act as a screen to keep the heat close to 

 the earth. Which seems colder, a windy day or a calm 

 one ? Why ? 



After the first hard frost ask the children to note the 

 effect it has had upon plant life. If there are some plants 

 near the schoolhouse that show the effects well, make a 

 study of these, or, if that is impracticable, bring into the 

 schoolroom a few that are badly nipped and some that are 

 not hurt and call attention to the difference. Have the 

 children report on the garden plants that can stand the 

 frost best, and those that are easily killed. Continue this 

 observation at intervals during the fall and winter. Are 

 there any plants that remain green over winter? Note 

 clover, blue grass, thistle, dandelion, mullein. The last 

 named makes a most interesting winter study. Observe 

 how wonderfully the leaves are protected. 



What is the effect of cold weather on insect life ? Do 

 the grasshoppers continue to live? Keep eyes open for 

 living insects. Some time you may find in the middle of 

 winter a house fly, a cricket, or even a tiger caterpillar that 

 have crept out of their winter quarters too soon. 



Spend a little time discussing what effect the weather 

 has on ourselves; effect of cloudy weather, fair, cold, hot, 

 etc. Have the children think of all the different things 

 we do to protect ourselves from the weather, such as the 

 preparation of shelter, houses, clothing, the making of 

 fires, etc. 



The seventh-grade pupils may well learn something of 

 the work of the Weather Bureau, with a study of weather 



