Children's Pets: A School Outline 



By Elliot R. Downing. 



[The following outline has had repeated use in the grades. 

 It is printed here so that it may serve other teachers and with the 

 hope that it may receive criticism and provoke discussion. The 

 early lessons are suitable for lower grades ; the later ones only 

 for the upper grades. They should be given in order as there is 

 a sequence.] 



The teacher needs to be careful not to impart information. 

 It is much easier to tell a child what you want it to know than it 

 is to compel the child to observe for himself. It is eminently 

 more desirable to accomplish the latter object. 



In this work it is imperative to have the animals themselves 

 in the schoolroom for observation. The cat and dog may be 

 brought daily by some pupil. The squirrel and rabbit may be kept 

 in the school room for a few weeks during observation. A cage 

 may be improvised from a large box and some inch-mesh gal- 

 vanized wire netting. Do not use the wire mosquito bar for cages. 

 Animals will gnaw off the paint with which it is coated, with 

 disastrous results. Sawdust or dry earth spread on the bottom of 

 the cage will add to the animal's comfort. A pan of drinking- 

 water should be provided. Feed rabbits and squirrels on dry 

 foods — corn, oats, bread crusts, nuts for the squirrel and an 

 occasional bit of lettuce or grass or other green stuff. This avoids 

 offensive odors. Keep the cage clean. 



Lesson I. Feeding. — Ask two or three of the children to 

 bring their cats to school, not giving them anything to eat before 

 they come. It is well to have more than a single cat to observe, as 

 puss is likely to be more or less stage struck and refuse to eat in 

 the presence of so many spectators. Have ready for this lesson 

 two or three bones with a little meat upon them as a pork or mut- 

 ton chop. Now give the cat a bone and let the children gather 

 about quietly to watch her eat. While she is cleaning the bone ask 

 appropriate questions to bring out significant points. Does she eat 

 at once or does she sniff at the food and take a little time to inspect 

 it before she begins to eat ? Does she try to run off with the food ? 

 If so where does she go to eat it? How does she hold the bone 

 while she eats? Does she use her claws to hold it? Does 

 she stand up or lie down while eating? Does she eat hur- 

 riedly or slowly? Does it disturb her to have you move around 

 while she eats? Does she bite off the meat as you would bite 

 it off a bone or as you would bite corn off a cob? J What teeth 



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