9. In connection with the work of each season, of each topic and of each lesson, have a 

 definite, attainable aim. This aim should appeal to the child in order to arouse his full inter- 

 est and serve as an incentive to his best efforts. Emphasize the human element as much as 

 possible and make frequent application of principles deduced. 



10. The economic phases of the various topics should be developed, these being of greatest 

 interest and value to the child. Topics should be selected very largely because of their eco- 

 nomic importance. 



1 1 . The observational study of animals and plants should be given first place these hav- 

 ing been of fundamental importance to the race. Following this should come the study of the 

 weather, the home geography and the minerals and rocks. Still later the simple principles of 

 physics, chemistry and physiology, with suitable experimentation. 



12. All the Nature topics should be as thoroughly knit together as possible ("unified," 

 "integrated," "correlated,") the strictly logical order being sacrificed for the pedagogical 

 order. In this way one topic will supplement and strengthen the others. It may not be 

 feasible to take up the related topics simultaneously but they may be taught in proper 

 sequence and by means of drill and reviews the earlier acquired knowledge may be fully 

 util'zed in apperceiving the new. 



13. As soon as the children have made the necessary progress simple note-books should 

 be kept and the Nature work correlated with the expression work of the school. The time 

 devoted to the Nature lessons should be employed as fully as possible in firsthand observations 

 with the children face-to-face with the material. The formal accounts of the work should be 

 made an exercise in oral or written language and should be given the time set apart for this 

 expression subject. The mastery of the spelling of the needed terms, along with those 

 required in the other thought subjects, should be secured during the time devoted to spelling. 

 The formal copying of the corrected notes should constitute an exercise in penmanship. 

 When drawings are required they should be made during the drawing period and the teacher 

 should be on hand to teach the necessary principles. In this way there may be secured a 

 very creditable note-book, and at the same time valuable drill in expression without taking 

 any extra time of pupil or teacher. The following advantages of keeping such a note book 

 will occur at once to the thoughtful teacher. 



a. There is thus secured a permanent record for reference. 



b. Leads to more accurate and complete observations. 



c. Results of work are more firmly held in the memory. 



d. Gives opportunity for the ideal development of the expression work. 



e. Enables the teacher to judge of the quality and quantity of each pupil's work. 



f. Secures an orderly arrangement of the divisions of each topic. 



14. The following general plan for the study of a living type may be found to be 

 suggestive, a. Preparation; in which is ascertained the state of the pupil's knowledge, the 

 recalling of former concepts now needed, statement of aims and arousing of interest, b. 

 Simple environment, c. General parts and their characteristics, d. Points of adaptation, 

 e. Habits, in case of animals, f. Life history, or seasonal history, g. Simple 

 classification, h. Relation to man. i. Related forms. The mere anatomy of animals 

 and plants should be introduced only that the habits and points of adaptation to the 

 environment may be appreciated. The most interesting and valuable work centers about 



/hat the organism does to maintain itself and how it came to be what it is. 



C. Course of Study. Two enthusiastic workers and writers along the line of Nature 

 tudy Prof. Bailey and Dr. E. F. Bigelow have recently opposed the idea of having any 

 cbedule whatever, simply depending upon what the children can be encouraged to bring in 

 :>r the day. They limit the results to be secured mainly to the development of a close bond 

 sympathy and love for Nature and fear that this can not be secured if a definite outline is 

 emulated. In blindly following a rigid schedule there is danger of losing this higher aim 

 ad more especially if the child is given in advance a syllabus of the ground to be covered in 

 ie year, or through the eight grades. Either Prof. Bailey or Dr. Bigelow could take the 

 vig, shell, pebble or insect from the tiny fingers and have the children so enthusiastic that 

 ley could not be kept in their seats, but with the majority of teacheis the lesson would de- 

 slop into an impromptu lecture, and a very poor one, from a single specimen. The same 



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