NATURE STUDY MADE EASY 



135 



VI. PRACTICAL WORK AND APPLICATION 



VI. 1. Let class collect and press moss. 

 Let class make drawings of any part of 

 moss plant. 



While describing evolution of spore, 

 make drawings (no matter how simple) 

 on blackboard. Interest is maintained. 



2. Visit gardens in public parks, e.g. 

 Prospect Park, Bronx Park, and find 

 wonderful collection of mosses. 



MUSHROOMS 



CLASS 40 pupils. 

 AGE 9 to 10. 

 TIME 30 minutes. 



to cultivate power of observation. 



to interest in lowly things in nature. 



to give elementary knowledge of mushroom 

 growth. 



AIM 



INFERENCES 



I. PARTS 



II. COLOR 



Head, or top, smooth. 

 Gills, running like rays 



from stem. 

 Ring, at base of gills. 

 Stem, thick, short, solid, 



white, smooth, leafless. 



Varies from white to 



brown to black. 

 In common mushrooms 



gills turn from pink to 



dark brown. 

 Stem white or light 



brown. 



OBSERVATION AND ILLUSTRATION 



I. Bring into class room (or better take 

 class to wood, where they can study nat- 

 urally) several common mushrooms 

 full-grown ; also some buttons. Provide, 

 if possible, each scholar with a mushroom. 

 Note odor. Pass finger along top of stem. 

 Note smoothness. 



II. Note color, texture, surface, length. 

 Exami ne gills. Note color in young mush- 

 rooms ; in old mushrooms. Examine ring. 

 Why is mushroom so light ? so soft ? Note 

 absence of leaves, flowers, seeds. Mush- 

 room belongs to lowest order of plants. 

 Flowerless, seedless. Tell about ink 

 mushroom, about edible and poisonous 

 mushrooms. 



