424 NATURE-STUDY 



coarser work of spading, etc., to be done by upper classes or 

 some one else. This grade to select seeds, and have a part in 

 planning the garden. Let them mark off the plots, sow and 

 transplant, water, weed, etc. Teach right methods. (221,229, 

 240, 222, etc., seed catalogues. For flowers and vegetables 

 in this grade see page 295.) Transplant seedlings started 

 in school. Begin a tree nursery. (220, 240.) 



Dig up and transplant, in borders, school-garden or window- 

 boxes, wild flowers — hepatica, bloodroot, columbine, vio- 

 lets, etc. 



Encourage the children to help their parents in the mak- 

 ing of home, flower, and vegetable gardens. 



Remove the mulching from the tulip beds. 



THIRD GRADE 



Aim and Method : While these are, in the main, the same 

 as in the first and second grades, the children are now older 

 and are capable of more observation and reasoning. They 

 are more interested in the practical application of their 

 knowledge, hence they should be taught more of manual 

 training, geography, and hygiene. Though field work should 

 be continued as much as possible, more indoor study can be 

 made, relying somewhat upon previous observations and 

 experiences of the child, and using pictures to a greater ex- 

 tent than before to represent the thing studied. But the ac- 

 tual object should be used whenever possible as the basis of 

 the lesson. More can be done with the direction for prelimi- 

 nary observations by the children. Less familiar types may 

 be studied. The principle of variety need not be carried 

 so far as in lower grades, and there may be more of a se- 



