72 THE NATURE STUDY COURSE. 



put in such a cage as was described for the frog, with damp 

 moss or a saturated sponge to keep the atmosphere in the 

 jar moist. There is no exception to the necessity of 

 keeping all animal cages sweet and clean. The interest 

 in living animals is so well-nigh universal among children 

 that when a teacher speaks of its lack it is nearly- 

 certain that the subjects have been approached from the 

 structural instead of the functional side. The animal that 

 the child has helped to feed and care for will call forth his 

 interest and sympathy. To serve is more educative intel- 

 lectually and spiritually than to receive service. Preaching 

 and telling and reading avail little for the ethical training of 

 children if not followed up by doing with definite ethical 

 purpose. 



Ontario. Form III (5th and part of 6th years). — Course of 

 Form II continued. 



Animal Life : — Adaptation of different kinds of animals to their 

 respective habits and surroundings ; birds, life-history of types, habits 

 of wild fowl in different seasons ; fish, forms and uses of different parts 

 of the body, food and how obtained; life-histories of moths, butterflies, 

 beetles and grasshoppers ; useful insects, as ladybird and dragon fly ; 

 harmful insects ; Nature's insecticides. 



Plant Life : — Germination of seeds under controllable conditions and 

 in the school garden and window boxes ; opening of buds ; study of the 

 forms and functions of the parts of plants, and comparison of these 

 forms and functions in different plants ; observation of the culture of 

 farm and garden crops and of orchard and shade trees ; the observing 

 and the distinguishing of the common forest trees. 



Different kinds of soil, as sand, gravel, loam, leaf-mould and clay ; 

 experiments to ascertain how soils are composed, whether of mineral or 

 of decayed organic material, and which best retains water. Additional 

 phenomena of spring in the vicinity of the school, cause of snow 

 melting, ice floating, etc. ; how nature prepares the soil for growth of 

 plants. Distinction between hard and soft, pure and impure water ; 

 tests and methods of purification of water. 



