8 Preface 



It is believed that when the foundations of nature 

 study are understood, and when the aims to be at- 

 tained have become clearly defined in the teacher's 

 mind, a method will be developed by the thinking 

 teacher. Such a method must be the true method so 

 far as that particular teacher is concerned. 



In submitting this rather formal special method of 

 treating nature study in the grades, it is not intended 

 to instruct those who have a satisfactory method of 

 their own; but, rather, to assist those who feel that 

 they have not yet been able to see their way clear 

 amid such an array of objects and phenomena as 

 those with which nature study deals. A sense of fatigu- 

 ing bewilderment is often felt by the inexperienced 

 teacher. This doubtless must always be the case so 

 long as both the method and the matter of nature study 

 are chaotic. Uniformity and law must be discovered 

 here as elsewhere. 



J. P. MUNSON. 

 WASHINGTON STATE NORMAL SCHOOL. 



