Ontario Teachers' Manuals: Nature Study   By: Ontario. Ministry of Education

NATURE STUDY

AUTHORIZED BY THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION

TORONTO THE RYERSON PRESS

COPYRIGHT, CANADA, 1915, BY THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION FOR ONTARIO Second Printing, 1918 Third Printing, 1923 Fourth Printing, 1924

Transcriber's note: Minor typos have been corrected. Italics are indicated by subscripts ( ) and bold words are indicated by tildes (~).

CONTENTS

PAGE PREFATORY NOTE 1

COURSE OF STUDY DETAILS 3

CHAPTER I

The Aims of Nature Study; General Methods 13 Concrete Material 15 Topics and material must suit the season; matter suited to the child; use of the commonplace; order of development of lesson; problems in observation; note books and records 15

The School Garden 19 Suggestions; Garden Expenses 20

The Excursion 23 Its value; difficulties; frequency; suggestions for ungraded schools; the teacher's excursions; a type excursion 23 Collections 29

Animal Studies 29 Domestic animals; references 29 Birds; references 30 Insects; insect collections 34 Butterfly and moth collections 37

Plant Collections 39

CHAPTER II

Physical Science Phase of Nature Study 42

Instructions and General Method 42 Value of such lessons; conditions under which experiments should be performed 42 Correlations of physical science phase 44 List of Reference Books and Bulletins on garden and plant study, physical science, and animal study 45

Physical Science Equipment for Forms III and IV 47 Desirable apparatus 47

Chemicals 48

Apparatus 50 Grenet cells; decomposition apparatus; pneumatic trough; spirit lamp; barometer; hygrometer; hints 50

Time Apportioned to Nature Study 53

CHAPTER III. FORM I: AUTUMN

Garden Work 54 Lessons on a Garden Plant Pansy 55 Observation Exercises on the Dandelion 57 Correlation with literature and reading 59 Dwarf Nasturtium 59

Seeds 60 Field exercise; class room lesson based on the collection 60 Seed Dispersal 61 Lesson on seeds that fly; correlations 62

Twigs and Buds 62 Lesson on Twigs 62 Further study of twigs; review lesson 63 Lesson on Buds 65 Review lesson; correlations 65

Leaves 66 Field exercises; class room lesson on leaves 66

Garden Studies 68 Studies in the Pupil's individual Plot 68 Studies from the Garden as a Whole 69

Bulb Planting 69 Lesson on Bulbs and Bulb Planting 69 Planting the bulb 70