EXERCISES FOE SOUTHERN RURAL SCHOOLS. 17 



deal of food at this time and lay on sufficient fat to enable them to 

 sleep all the winter, like the ground hog. 



Study as many of the animals of your community as possible this 

 month and classify them under one of the three heads. 



Assigned ivorJc. — The ant and the bee are quite similar in some 

 respects. They are making preparations for the winter. In the 

 early part of October attention should be given to these busy little 

 creatures. Valuable lessons can be learned by the pupils from their 

 industry and organized efforts. 



The ant community or nest consists of: (1) Workers, which are 

 wingless, and the ones commonly seen; (2) queens, or females, 

 usually one or few at best in a nest and never seen except at mating 

 time (the queen is much larger than the workers). At first they 

 have wings, but after collecting a colony about them they tear their 

 wings off and begin laying eggs; (3) males, smaller than queens, also 

 have wings, but are short-lived and are not seen about the nest 

 except at mating time; and (4) "soldiers," a kind found among some 

 ants which are recognized by their large jaws. 



In the latter part of September and the first part of October the 

 young queens and males oome out of their nests to mate. Some 

 communities or nests of ants should be located and watched care- 

 fully for the purpose of studying the males and queens when they 

 come out. 



The workers should be observed to note what preparations they are 

 making for winter in the way of supplying food and arranging their 

 nests. (Reference: Bureau of Entomology Circ. 34.) 



The beehive consists of: (1) Workers, the ones usually seen; (2) 

 the queen, one in a hive much larger than the workers, which lays 

 the eggs; and (3) males or drones, smaller than the queens. They 

 mate with the queens in the fall and then die. 



Bees should be studied at this time to become familiar with their 

 methods of getting ready for the winter in the way of collecting 

 honey and preparing their hives. (See Farmers' Buls. 442 and 447.) 



Practical exercises. — The pupils of the fourth grade must keep their 

 eyes and ears open at home, in the fields, on the way to school, and 

 on the school grounds to learn the things suggested as animal studies 

 this month. The teacher should plan a few trips to the woods and 

 to the home of some one in the community who keeps bees. Let 

 some pupil bring a small bit of honey to school and place at a con- 

 venient place outside the building. Watch the bees that visit it. 



Correlations. Making records of the bird and animal groups, and 

 writing stories of the ant and bee provide ample practice in language 

 work. 



Drawing: Make drawings of the different kinds of ants and. boos. 

 5394° Bull, 305 -15 3 



