Ontario Teachers' Manuals: Nature Study Part 12

Every pupil should be encouraged to have one plant at least, and the bulbs planted in October and stored away in the dark in the home cellar will require a good deal of care and afford an excellent opportunity for observing plant growth and the development of flowers. If the pots have been stored in a cool cellar and have been kept slightly moist, the bulbs will have made sufficient root growth in a month and should be brought up into a warmer room where they can get some sunshine every day. The pupils will make a report each week as to what changes are noticeable in the growing plant. They will note the appearance of pale green shoots, which later develop into leaves and at least one flower stalk. They should make a drawing once every week and show it to the teacher, and the teacher should make it a point to see a number of the pupils' plants by calling at their homes. In this way the pupils come to know what plants need for their development in the way of soil, water, light, and heat. This interest will soon be extended, until, in a very few years, the children will add new and beautiful plants to the home collection and a.s.sume the responsibility of caring for all of them.

TREES

PINES OF THE LOCALITY

This study may be commenced in November after the deciduous trees have lost their leaves and have entered their quiescent winter period. This is the time when the evergreens stand out so prominently on the landscape in such sharp contrast with the others that have been stripped of their broad leaves and now look bare and lifeless. If no pines are to be found in the vicinity, balsam or spruce may be subst.i.tuted. The lessons should, as far as possible, be observational. The pupils should be encouraged to make some observations for themselves out of school. At least one lesson should be conducted out-of-doors, a suitable pine tree having been selected beforehand for the purpose. The following method might serve as a guide in the study of any species of tree.

THE WHITE PINE

FIELD EXERCISES

Have the pupils observe the shape and height of the tree from a distance, tracing the outline with the finger. Compare the shape of this tree with that of other evergreens and also with that of the broad-leafed trees. Have them describe in what particulars the shapes differ in different trees. They will come to realize that the difference in shape results from difference in length, direction, and arrangement of branches. They may notice that other evergreen trees resemble the pine in that the stems are all straight and extend as a gradually tapering shaft from the bottom to the top, that all have a more or less conical shape, and that the branches grow more or less straight out from the main stem, not slanting off as in the case of the maples and elms.

Coming close to the tree, the pupils may first examine the trunk. By using a string or tape-line, find its diameter and how big it is around.

Tell them how big some evergreens are (the giant trees of the Pacific Coast are sometimes over forty feet around). Have them notice where the trunk is largest, and let them find out why a tree needs to be so strong at the ground. Heavy wind puts a great strain on it just at this point.

Ill.u.s.trate by taking a long slat or lath, drive it into the ground firmly, and then, catching it by the top, push it over. It will break off just at the ground. If a little pine tree could be taken up, the pupils would be interested in seeing what long, strong, fibrous roots the pine has.

Let them examine the bark of the trunk and describe its colour and roughness. The fissures in the bark, which are caused by the enlarging of the tree by the formation of new wood under the bark, are deeper at the bottom of the tree than at the top, the tree being younger and the bark thinner the nearer to the top we go.

Let the pupils look up into the tree from beneath and then go a little distance away and look at it. They will notice how bare the branches are on the inside, and the teacher will probably have to explain why this is so. They will discover that the leaves are nearly all out toward the ends of the branches as they get light there, while the centre of the tree top is shaded, and the great question that every tree must try to solve is how to get most light for its leaves. The pupils will now see an additional reason why the lower limbs should be longer than the upper ones. The greater length of the lower limbs brings the leaves out into the sunlight.

The reason for calling this tree an "evergreen" may now be considered.

Why it retains its leaves all winter is a problem for more advanced cla.s.ses; but if the question is asked, the teacher may get over the difficulty by explaining to the cla.s.s that the leaves are so small, and yet so hardy, that wind, frost, or snow does not injure them. Each pupil may bring a small branch or twig back to the school-room for use in a cla.s.s-room lesson.

CLa.s.s-ROOM LESSON

~Materials.~--Small branches--one for each pupil, cones, bark, pieces of pine board.

~Introduction.~--Review the general features of the pine that were observed in the field lesson.

~Observations.~--The branches are distributed. Pupils test the strength and suppleness of the branches and find the gummy nature of the surface.

Of what value are these qualities to the tree during winter storms?

Examine the texture, stiffness, and fineness of the needles.

Note that the needles are in little bunches. How many are in each bunch?

Are there any buds on the branches?

If so, where are the buds?

How are the buds protected from rain?

The pupils examine the cones and describe their general shape.

The pupils are asked to break open the tough scales and find the seeds.

Allow the seeds to fall through the air, and thus the pupils will discover the use of the wings attached to the seeds.

The wood is next examined, its colour and odour are noted, and its hardness is tested.

Find articles in the school-room that are made of pine wood.

ELM

The following topics are suggested for aiding in the selection of matter for a lesson on a typical broad-leafed tree:

The height of the tree.

The part of the height that is composed of tree tops.

The umbrella shape or dome shape of the top.

The gracefully drooping branches of the outer part of the top.

Try to find other trees with tops like that of the elm.

The diameter of the trunk.

The diameter is almost uniform up to the branches.

The branches all come off from one point, like the ribs of an umbrella.

The thick bark, that of the old trees being marked by deep furrows.

The birds that make their nests in the elm.

In spring find and examine the flowers, fruits, seeds, and also the leaves.

FIELD EXERCISE

A good out-of-door exercise to follow the general lesson outlined above, is to require the pupils to find all the elm trees or a number of elm trees growing in the locality and to describe their location and the kind of soil on which they grow.

The maple, oak, horse-chestnut, and apple are also suitable trees upon which to base lessons for Form I.

DOMESTIC ANIMALS

Domestic animals not only furnish suitable subjects for observation work, but also afford good opportunities for developing that sympathetic interest in animal life which will cause the pupils to more nearly appreciate the useful animals and to treat them more humanely.

THE HORSE

I

~Introduction.~--By means of a conversation with the pupils, find out what they know about the horse and lead them to think about his proper treatment.