im APPERCEPTIOX IX GEOGRAPHY 



Climate. — Lessons upon climate, with exj)eriments and map study, 

 follow. The rain jrauge is observed and a record of the rainfall is 

 made to show how the annual amount of moisture is determined. 

 Such observations are accompanied l)y others on wind, temperature, 

 and the api)earance of the sky. After the pupils have become familiar 

 with such facts as these observations furnish, they extend the bounds 

 of their knowledge by the study of climatic maps. 



Raiii,f(tll. — On the rainfall map. number 15, the pujtils find the an- 

 nual precipitation about New York City and select other regions 

 having the same amount. By the aid of map 11a list of cities in 

 these regions is made; also the density of ])opulation in each region 

 is compared with that about New York City. Regions having less 

 rain than New York and those having more are compared with New 

 York as to density of i)opulation. 



Temperature. — The use of the thermometer is taught before the map 

 of isotherms is presented. The symbols on the United States weather 

 map are used to record the observations, and this maj) is understood 

 before the work on the atlas map is given. After gaining these facts, 

 a further comparison is made of places differing in density of popu- 

 lation, and reasons for the varying density are deduced from the 

 climate and surface of each region. 



Veyctation. — A visit to Washington Park furnisiies the first common 

 ideas of vegetation. Satisfactory types of forest, prairie, desert, and 

 marsh are all to l)e found there, and here also the conifer of the cold 

 climate, the palms of the tropics, and deciduous trees of the temperate 

 regions have each a representative. 



In tlie sul)se<[uent lessons on vegetation the })upils use map num- 

 ber 7, and make lists of the kinds of vegetation found in North Amer- 

 ica. They color an outline map of North America to represent the 

 vegetation regions. From other maps of the atlas the pui)ils discover 

 and record temperature, winds, rainfall, physical features, and density 

 of population in each region of vegetation. 



The first work, then, in map reading is associated with the pre- 

 vious field lesson or experiment. Since the ma])S and plates of the 

 atlas are the medium through wliich the geographical facts of conti- 

 nents and political divisions are to be gained b}' i»u})ils. our first 

 work in geogra})hy. as outlined above, is an introduction to these 

 symbols. In this connection I wish to acknowledge the valuable 

 suggestions I have received from the teachers' edition of Leete's 

 Exercises in Geogra|)hy, a little book containing exhaustive material 

 for such map studies. ' 



