EXERCISES FOE SOUTHERN RURAL SCHOOLS. 7 



Correlations. — Language lessons should consist of stories and de- 

 scriptions concerning the plants studied, the garden work done, and 

 the fruit and seed collections mounted and stored. 



Ample material for drawing lessons is provided by the plants, 

 leaves, fruit, and seed studied this month. 



Geography: Simple lessons in distribution of crops may be drawn 

 from such questions as: What crops or parts of crops studied this 

 month are consumed by the family? By the animals and poultry? 

 Are sold for community use? For shipment to other sections? 

 (Blackboard exercise.) 



The studies should be correlated with history by simple lessons on 

 the crop under consideration as suggested by the following questions : 

 What plants have been grown in the community a long time? 

 Recently introduced ? What shrubs are native ? Which introduced ? 

 Which have been domesticated a long time? Which recently? 

 (Blackboard exercise.) 



Gather data and state problems on cost of production, value, and 

 estimated yields per acre of crops studied this month. 



ANIMALS. 



Review and continued work. — Birds: Continue the population stud- 

 ies. For advanced work, group the birds you have been studying 

 according to their methods of catching insects. Do they climb over 

 buds, leaves, and limbs looking for insect eggs ? Do they search on 

 the ground for cutworms, crickets, and grasshoppers ? Do they look 

 among the branches and leaves for caterpillars or do they perch in 

 some open place and dart into the air after flies and beetles ? 



Mammals: Continue the study of domestic and wild mammals, as 

 indicated in the outline for the third grade. 



New work assigned. — The toad is of inestimable value to man in 

 the destruction of harmful insects of garden, orchard, and field. 

 Children should be taught that this homely amphibian is a real friend 

 and that it should be protected in every way possible. The toad will 

 soon go into winter quarters, so the pupils should be encouraged to 

 observe its habits. (Farmers' Bui. 196.) 



Some attention should be given to some of the more common insects, 

 such as the boll weevil, the cattle tick, the house fly, the potato 

 beetle, and the white fly. Where common, bring them to school, 

 learn to identify them, become familiar with the injury they work, 

 and note the ways in which they are active during the month. 



Practical exercises. — Locate one or more toads in the school yard, 

 home yard, garden, or orchard. Watch closely this month. Is the 

 coat or skin shed? What time of day is the toad moving about? 

 What kind of tongue has the toad? Does the tongue differ from 

 those of Other nnimals in shape? In the way in which it is attached ? 

 How is the tongue employed in catching insects? What insects does 



