A GRADED COURSE OF NATURE-STUDY 421 



are to do practically all this work, and to have the care of 

 the plants. 



Spring 

 Animals. 



Mammals: Sympathetic study of the horse,* show- 

 ing what it does for us,* and how we ought to care for 

 and treat it. Various uses in the city and on the farm. 

 Observe horses Note different kinds — draught, carriage, 

 race horses, ponies. Visit a farm yard or stable. Observe 

 how the horses are cared for and fed. Their food. Call atten- 

 tion to abuses of horses by drivers overloading, too fast driv- 

 ing, too tight a check, not enough food, etc. Read parts of 

 "Black Beauty." Talks and stories about the inteUigence 

 of the horse. Observe how a horse uses his ears. What 

 is the tail good for? Is it right to dock a horse? Note 

 the hoofs. Why do we put shoes on them? Visit a black- 

 smith or horseshoer. (D, 40, 60.) 



Birds: (H, 95, 96, 100; 107 to 125, 478.) Identification 

 study. Review the spring birds learned in the first grade. 

 Meadow-lark,* catbird, wren,* oriole,* bobolink,* martins. 

 Observe these and learn about their ways. Return of the 

 birds. Make a bird calendar. Observe the wild ducks 

 and geese, robins,* blackbirds, etc. as they come back. Note 

 their songs and calls, try to identify by these alone. Em- 

 phasize the beauty element, and develop sympathy for birds, 

 a desire to help and protect. In the nesting time hang up 

 hair, wool, threads, feathers, etc. for wrens, sparrows, blue- 

 birds, etc. Observe the birds at work on the nest.* Eggs.* 

 Observe but do not steal. Observe young, feeding, sohci- 

 tude of parents. Protect and feed young birds fallen out 

 of the nest, perhaps taming them, but not keeping them in 



