INTERESTING ACTIVITIES 7 



identify new forms. Trips to various localities will help us under- 

 stand why some animals and plants thrive there while others are 

 found in different places, and to know what kinds of living things 

 to expect in different places — under stones, under the barks of 

 trees, in the water, and in galls on leaves. All these places and 

 many more harbor animals, usually insects. 



Another interesting experience that some can have is that of 

 collecting fossils, which are the evidence of life in times past. 

 Many parts of the country have fossil remains, and it is very easy 

 to get some local expert in geology to help you label your findings. 

 Start a collecting club and exchange specimens with boys and girls 

 in other localities. Thus you can do a good piece of constructive 

 work for your school by adding to the school museum. You will 

 be surprised to find many people who are willing to help you in this 

 work. 



Have you a biology club in your school ? If not, then organize 

 one at once, using 10 to 20 of the most interested members of your 

 classes as a nucleus. This organization will help keep interest in 

 the work and will later in the year be of much help in presenting 

 demonstrations and projects, in planning exhibits and in helping 

 in the care of the living things in the laboratory. Such a club can 

 take charge of the school collections, help classify them, and add to 

 them when possible. 



How to prepare for a field trip. The boy or girl who will go 

 afield must do several things to prepare for the trip. Chief 

 among these is to get or prepare collecting nets, insect killing 

 bottles, collecting boxes, and spreading boards. Field trips will 

 be of most value if materials are found and brought back for later 

 study in the school laboratory. 



How to make an insect net. An insect net can easily be made 

 in the following way: Cut a 36-inch piece of stout wire (#12 

 spring brass wire is good), bend it into a loop nine to twelve inches 

 in diameter, and then twist the ends and bend them so that they 

 will lie in two shallow grooves which have been made in an old 

 broom handle. Fasten the wire in place with fine wire twisted 

 tightly around the end of the broom handle at the place where the 

 two heavy wires He along the grooves. Make a net of cheesecloth 



