General Methods 



101 



PROGRAM FOR STEP V (Experimentation). 



Motto: " The teacher is needed jor those steps which 

 the children cannot take alone" De Garmo. 



Analysis experiments on 

 efiebts of 



1. soil 



2. light 



3. heat 



4. moisture 



5. gravity 



6. air 



7. electricity 



8. chemicals ; 



functions and tropisms of 

 organs and organisms 



1. PREPARATION: (a) Use material brought by the 

 pupil if fresh; if not, supply plenty of fresh material 

 to work with; (b) provide such simple apparatus as 

 may be needed, or supply material from which ap- 

 paratus can be constructed. 



2. TIME: From one to several periods. 



3. METHOD: Investigation. (2.) (See Part I, Chap- 

 ter II, Section IX.) 



4. AIM: (a) To develop the inquiring mind; (b) to 

 develop the habit of answering one's questions and 

 settling one's doubts by experimental tests; (c) to 

 develop the habit of inquiring into the questions of 

 use and functions of the forms seen; (d) to train in 

 the use of the hypothesis; (e) to develop a judicial 

 mind; (/) to develop skill in construction and ma- 

 nipulation of apparatus; (g) to promote a scientific 

 understanding of the subject. 



5. POINT: (a) Facts are correlated; (b) solutions of 

 special problems aid in understanding more general 

 ones; (c) the more simple and primitive the apparatus 

 the better. 



6. PRESENTATION: (a) Distribute pencil and paper 

 for notes; (b) place on the board or dictate a few 

 general questions that are suited to guide observa- 

 tion; (c) lead pupils to talk about general problems, 

 such as how do living things differ from dead ones; 

 what are the evidences of life; how is it maintained, 



