PREFACE, 



This little book is the outcome of ten years' experience 

 in teaching elementary science. It embodies the outlines 

 of what I have found it wise to attempt with children, 

 and is offered to teachers with the hope that it may 

 prove suggestive and helpful. A special effort has been 

 made to remove stumbling-blocks, by explaining points of 

 structure that are likely to be puzzling, by giving minute 

 directions for procuring and handling specimens, and by 

 providing simple outline drawings that can be quickly 

 copied upon the blackboard by one who has little artistic 

 talent. 



In general, the lessons are composed of two parts, — 

 one in coarse type, consisting of short, clear statements 

 of children's observations, frequently in their own words, 

 with the facts that a teacher must sometimes supply in 

 order to make a lesson complete in essential points ; the 

 other in finer type, containing directions for the teacher 

 and additional facts, many of which the older children 

 can be led to discover for themselves. In some of the 

 lessons full illustrations have been given of the method of 

 guiding pupils' observations by questions, which it has not 

 been thoDght necessary to repeat in the study of every 

 type, though the plan remains the same in all. If 



