The Project Gutenberg EBook of Ontario Teachers' Manuals: Nature Study, by Ontario Ministry of Education
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Title: Ontario Teachers' Manuals: Nature Study
Author: Ontario Ministry of Education
Release Date: July 28, 2008 [EBook #26139]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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ONTARIO TEACHERS' MANUALS
NATURE STUDY
AUTHORIZED BY THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION
TORONTO THE RYERSON PRESS
COPYRIGHT, CANADA, 1915,BY THEMINISTEROFEDUCATIONFORONTARIO Second Printing, 1918 Third Printing, 1923 Fourth Printing, 1924
CONTENTS
PAGE
[Pg iii]
PREFATORYNOTE
COURSEOFSTUDY—DETAILS
CHAPTERI The Aims of Nature Study; General Methods
Concrete Material
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
The School Garden
Suggestions; Garden Expenses
The Excursion
Its value; difficulties; frequency; suggestions for ungraded schools; the teacher's excursions; a type excursion
Collections
Animal Studies
Domestic animals; references
Birds; references
Insects; insect collections
Butterfly and moth collections
Plant Collections
CHAPTERII Physical Science Phase of Nature Study
Instructions and General Method
Value of such lessons; conditions under which experiments should be performed
Correlations of physical science phase
List of Reference Books and Bulletins on garden and plant study, physical science, and animal study
Dwarf Nasturtium Seeds Field exercise; class-room lesson based on the collection
Seed Dispersal
Lesson on seeds that fly; correlations
Twigs and Buds
Lesson on Twigs
Further study of twigs; review lesson
Lesson on Buds
Review lesson; correlations Leaves Field exercises; class-room lesson on leaves
Garden Studies
Studies in the Pupil's individual Plot
Studies from the Garden as a Whole
Bulb Planting
Lesson on Bulbs and Bulb Planting
Planting the bulb
Chapter IV. Form I: Winter Pet Animals The Rabbit—Lesson on; correlations
The Domestic Cat—detailed study
The Pigeon—detailed study
Winter-blooming Plants—Observation and care of Trees Pines of the Locality
The White Pine
Field exercises; class-room lesson
The Elm—field exercise
Domestic Animals
The Horse; correlations
Domestic Birds
The Duck—class-room lesson
CHAPTERV. FORMI: SPRING
Garden Work Garden Studies—window garden
59 59 60 60 61 62 62 62 63 65
65 66 66 68 68 69 69 69 70
72 72 75 76 78 79 79 79 79 82 83 83 85
85
87 88
[Pg v]
Wild Flowers
Recognition of Wild Flowers
Lesson in Outline—Bloodroot; correlations
Insect Study
Cecropia, or Emperor-moth
Dragon-fly
Other Conspicuous Insects Birds The Robin
Field exercises; the nest, eggs, and young
The Song-sparrow
Field exercises; class-room lesson The Sheep Problems for Field Work
CHAPTERVI. FORMII: AUTUMN
Bulb Planting Out-of-Doors
Bed for growing bulbs; planting of bulbs indoors Garden Work Seed selection; storing seeds; harvesting and storing of garden crops; class-room lesson; autumn cultivation
Garden Studies
Garden Records; correlations
Climbing Plants Trees Storing of Tree Seeds A Flower Type—Nasturtium
Outline of a class-room lesson on the white pine; correlations; references
Apples—Comparative Lesson on Winter Varieties
King, Baldwin, Northern Spy
Codling moth; references
Some Common Animal Forms; references
Centipeds and millipeds
Salamanders or newts Spiders Bird Studies
Forest Trees
CHAPTERXIII. FORMIV: WINTER
Evergreens; Wood Specimens Fruits Weeds and Weed Seeds
Physical Science Phase of Nature Study
Water Pressure—exercises
Study of Air
The barometer; the common pump; expansive force of air; composition of air; oxygen; carbon dioxide; impurities of air
Solutions of Solids
Solutions of Liquids
Solutions of Gases Limestone Carbon Hydrogen Magnets
Electricity Steam Farm tools—machines; problems
CHAPTERXIV. FORMIV: SPRING
Method of Improving Home and School Grounds
Making and Care of a Lawn; References
228 229 230
230 232
235
239 239 240 242 243 243 244 245
246 246 247 248 248 248 249
250
255 256 256 256 257 258 258 259 260 260
263 264
[Pg ix]
Soil Studies Weight Subsoils
Fertilizers—experiments
Soil-forming Agents
Tilling the Soil
Garden Work—experiments in plots out-of-doors
Function of Parts of Plants
How the plant gets its food from the soil; germination of some of the common grains
Weeds Vines Wild Flowers
Planting of Trees, Shrubs, and Herbaceous
Perennials in Home and School Grounds
Shade trees; transplanting
Animal Studies
Scale Insects
San José scale; oyster-shell bark-louse; cutworms; white grubs Crayfish Freshwater Mussel Bird Study Different Aspects of Nature Study
PREFATORY NOTE
265 265 266 268 268 269
270 273
274
278 279 279
280 281 283 283 283 285 286 287 288
This Manual is placed in the hands of the teachers in the hope that the suggestions which it contains on lesson topics, materials, books of reference, and methods in teaching will be found helpful to all teachers and in particular to those who have had little or no instruction in Nature Study during their academic or professional training.
The first Chapter of the Manual discusses topics which have general reference to the subject as a whole. The remaining part of the Manual deals more particularly with the subject in its application to the different Public and Separate School Forms. While this division of the matter into Forms is convenient for general classification, it is not to be regarded as arbitrary. Materials and methods of presentation suitable for one class of pupils in a certain Form might, under different conditions, be quite unsuitable for another class of pupils in the same Form. For example, work which would be suitable for a class in Form I made upofpupils admitted to a school at seven or eight
[Pg x]
[Pg 1]
years of age, after two years' training in a kindergarten where nature lessons received special attention, would not be suitable for a Form I class made up of pupils admitted to a school at five years of age with no such previous training. In selecting work for any class the teacher, therefore, should not be guided solely by the arbitrary divisions of the Manual, but should exercise his own judgment, taking into account his environment and the attainments of his pupils. To facilitate such a selection, page references are given in the details of the Course of Study, which in reality forms a detailed expansion of the Public and Separate School Course in Nature Study. By means of these references, the teacher may find, in any department of the subject, typical matter suited to the development of his pupils.
The numerous type lessons that are contained in the Manual are intended to suggest principles of method that are to be applied in lessons upon the same and similar topics, but the teacher is cautioned against attempting to imitate these lessons. This error can be avoided by the teacher's careful preparation of the lesson. This preparation should include the careful study of the concrete materials that are to be used. The books, bulletins, etc., that are named in the Manual as references will be found helpful.
To facilitate teaching through the experimental and investigation methods, special attention has been given to the improvising of simple apparatus from materials within the reach of every teacher.
From the character of the subject the Course of Study must be more or less elastic, and the topics detailed in the programme are intended to be suggestive rather than prescriptive. It may be that, owing to local conditions, topics not named are among the best that can be used, but all substitutions and changes should be made a subject of consultation with the Inspector. The treatment of the subject must always be suited to the age and experience of the pupils, to the seasons of the year, accessibility of materials, etc. Notes should not be dictated by the teacher. Mere information, whether from book, written note, or teacher, is not Nature Study. The acquisition of knowledge must be made secondary to awakening and maintaining the pupil's interest in nature and to training him to habits of observation and investigation.
As a guide to the minimum of work required, it is suggested that at least one lesson be taught from the subjects outlined under each general heading in the detailed Course of Study, with a minimum average of three lessons from the subjects under each general heading.
PUBLIC AND SEPARATE SCHOOL
COURSE OF STUDY
DETAILS
FORM I
AUTUMN
[Pg 2]
[Pg 3]
GARDENWORKANDGARDENSTUDIES:
Division of the garden plots, removal of weeds and observations on these weeds, identification of garden plants, observation lessons based on garden plants, selection of seeds, harvesting and disposing of the crop. (See pp. 54-9.)
STUDYOFPLANTS:
Class lessons based on a flowering garden plant, as pansy, aster, nasturtium; study of a field plant, as buttercup, goldenrod, dandelion. (See pp. 55-9.)
Potted and garden plants: Observation lesson based on a bulb; planting bulbs in pots, or in the garden. (See pp. 69-71.)
BIRDSANDCONSPICUOUSINSECTS:
Identification of a few common birds, as robin, English sparrow, meadow-lark; observation lessons on the habits of these birds; collection of the adult forms, the larvæ and the cocoons of a few common moths and butterflies, as emperor-moth, promothea moth, eastern swallow-tail butterfly. (See pp. 30-9 and 93-8.)
COMMONTREES:
Identification of a few common trees, as white pine, elm, maple; observations on the general shape, branches, leaves, and bark of these trees. (See pp. 62-7 and 79-82.)
FARMANIMALS,INCLUDINGFOWLS:
WINTER
Habits and characteristics of a few domestic animals, as horse, cow, sheep, hen, duck; the uses of these animals, and how to take care of them. (See pp. 83-6.)
PETANIMALS:
Observations on the habits, movements, and characteristics of pet animals, as cat, pigeon, bantam, rabbit, etc.; conversations about the natural homes and habits of these animals, and inferences upon their care. (See pp. 72-7.)
COMMONTREES:
Observations on the branching of common trees. (See pp. 79-82.)
GARDENWORK:
SPRING
Preparation, planting, and care of the garden plot; observations on the growing plants. (See pp. 87-90.)
FLOWERS:
Identification and study of a few spring flowers, as trillium, bloodroot, hepatica, spring-beauty. (See pp. 90-2.)