24 THE NATURE STUDY COURSE. 



Daily Preparation of Lessons by Teacher. — Dr. 



Arnold is said to have excused his withdrawing from a 

 pleasant company to prepare the next day's lessons on the plea 

 that he desired his boys to drink from a running stream rather 

 than a stagnant pool. The remark has given form to one of 

 the most familiar pedagogical maxims. Daily preparation by 

 the teacher contributes much to the efficient teaching of any 

 and every subject in any grade, but it is of vital importance to 

 efficiency in Nature Study teaching. It should be impressed, 

 however, that a mere book-preparation is of comparatively 

 little benefit. Referring to the illustration in the preceding 

 paragraph it is obvious that no preparation could be complete 

 without the field study of the roots and flowers referred to, 

 observations of the moon on the evenings named, and examin- 

 ation of the boy's pump. Remember the rule : Do yourself 

 what you intend to guide your pupils in doing. Books in 

 the teacher's hand may play an important and useful part 

 when they guide the teacher's doing but not when they are 

 substituted for the observance of the rule just stated. 



Aids to Teaching Nature Study.— If they are kept in 



their proper place, useful assistance may be derived from 

 books, pictures, models, lenses, opera-glass, microscope, aquar- 

 ium, terrarium, collections and ready-made apparatus. 



Books. — The teacher should have access to, and know how 

 to use, such scientific manuals as Gray's " Botany," Jordan's 

 " Vertebrates," Chapman's " Birds," Comstock's " Insects," and 

 Crosby's "Minerals." He will be benefited by reading and re- 

 reading treatises on Nature Study teaching. The best of these 

 published at date are Crawford's, 1 Silcox & Stevenson's, 2 C. B. 

 Scott's, 8 L. H. Bailey's, 4 Jackman's, 5 Hodge's 6 and Bigelow's. 7 



1 Guide to Nature Study, Crawford, IHus., The Copp, Clark Co., Limited. JO 90 



s Modem Nature Study, Silcox & Stevenson, IHus., Morang & Co. 75 



• Nature Study and the Child, C. B. Scott, IHus., Heath & Co. 1 50 

 ♦The Nature Study Idea, L. H. Bailey, Doubleday, Page & Co. 1 00 



• Nature Study for the Common Schools. W. S. Jackman, Holt & Co. 1 00 



• Nature Study and Life, Hodge. Illus., Oinn & Co. 1 60 

 ■ How Nature Study should be Taught, Bigelow ; Hinds, Noble & Eldredge. 1 00 



