CORRELATIONS. 13 



correlations they would take pleasure and make progress if 

 their teacher knows how to teach the subjects. His skill and 

 diligence would be taxed chiefly in sustaining their interest to 

 the last so that the observing would be done cheerfully if not 

 eagerly, and the expressive work with constant aim at truth 

 and beauty. 



Correlations. — Not only do the expression and form 

 studies — reading, writing, spelling, composition, modelling, 

 drawing, and color-work — naturally and easily correlate with 

 Nature Study but such subjects as geography, physiology and 

 even arithmetic may be taught in considerable part as Nature 

 Study or by the Nature Study method. Geography of the 

 home and its surroundings cannot be taught well in any other 

 way. In Physiology, what children may learn from the obser- 

 vation of their own bodies, and of articles obtainable at the 

 meat market, and by simple chemical and physical experiments 

 leaves less than half to be taught by the lecture or text-book 

 method. For teaching the teeth and mouth cavity, for example, 

 mirrors are better than charts ; for teaching the joints, the 

 pupils' hands, and legs of fowl, are better than the pictures in 

 their books. 



In the Nature Study lessons many opportunities occur to 

 introduce number work. The concepts of numbers and of the 

 standard units, e.g., inch, foot, ounce, quart, etc., should be 

 developed from the comparison and quantification of real 

 objects. Something of the Nature Study quality would be 

 given to problems assigned thus : — 1. Observe that load of 

 hay passing on the road ; estimate its weight. By consulting 

 the newspaper this evening or by inquiry find the current price 

 of hay so that we may estimate the money value of the load 

 to-morrow. 2. Of what kind of wood is this floor made ? Note 

 the width of the boards. On Saturday make inquiries of any 

 one who can tell you the prices of such flooring, of the nails 

 needed, of the cost of laying it down. 3. Estimate the 



