46 The Nature-Study Exhibition 



(/) A toad's skin shed before the class and mounted on paper. 



ig) A miscellaneous collection of great water-beetles, their grubs* 



water -boatmen, snail shells, caddis -grub cases, water -bugs, 



water-scorpions, and so forth. 

 (-4) A snake found in a pond on a Nature-study walk, and killed in 



the terrarium by a violet ground beetle." 



From Radcliffe St. [Andrew's School, Manchester, came 

 a series of specimens illustrating the life-history of a frog, 

 which would serve as an excellent reminder to children of 

 the stages they had seen when rearing frogs from spawn. 

 At Laira Green School, Plymouth — 



"The children are incited to bring any natural objects which arouse 

 their curiosity; these are put aside with the finder's name, and a delight- 

 ful half- hour on Friday afternoon is devoted to brief chats on each. 

 All suitable specimens are mounted and placed in cases [by the master], 

 with the pupil's name as an encouragement. This system has been in 

 practice for over twenty years." 



(5) Weather Records. — The recording of observations 

 upon the weather was undertaken by the children of some 

 schools. 



For instance, the methods adopted at the Red Lion Street 

 Higher Grade Girls' School, Burnley, are as follows: — 



^^ Records. — Sometimes we keep the weather record for some time. 

 We did this continuously for three months (October, November, and 

 Decembe*-, 1901); sometimes we record other things. 



•'I have given notice that next week we shall make a continued story 

 of ' the funny things the clouds do when you watch them *. 



" These continued stories are very amusing, and they have a use too. 

 They make the children very observant, and give them a bright and 

 happy way of looking at life. 



** When and how we take these stories. 



"(i) Any few minutes which can be spared are used by the teachers, 

 who ask what the children have noticed as they came to school. Chil- 

 dren who wish to be ready with a good answer have specially noticed 

 all sorts of things about the weather as they came to school, and are 

 usually very ready to remind the teacher to ask the class for its 'story'. 

 Those who have not noticed, have to get the best help they can for their 

 answer from what they can see from the school windows. 



