Ontario Teachers' Manuals: Nature StudyOntario. Department of Education
Science
Ontario Teachers' Manuals: Nature Study
Ontario. Department of Education
Nature study; Science -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- Ontario
OUTLINE OF A CLASS-ROOM LESSON ON THE WHITE PINE
~Inferences.~--If possible, each pupil is supplied with a small branch of
the white pine and the teacher with a larger branch which can easily be
seen by all the pupils. Before proceeding to examine the specimens, give
the pupils a chance to tell what they now know about the white pine, and
thus review the lesson taken out-of-doors. Then ask a few questions
bearing upon their own observations, such as: What was the soil like
where you found the pine tree growing? (They are found most commonly on
light, sandy soil.) Did you notice any difference between the shapes of
the pines in the deep woods and the pines in the open fields? Did you
notice any dead limbs on those in the woods? Why did they die? The
pupils may conclude that branches whose leaves cannot get the sunlight
must die. Show that this causes knots in the lumber and exhibit samples.
This explains also why the trees of the forest have such tall stems
without branches for a long distance up from the ground. They get the
light only from above and seem to strive with the surrounding trees to
reach it. If we want trees to grow tall, how should we plant them?
(Close together) What would such trees be good for? (Making timber or
lumber) If we want trees to grow low and have thick and bushy tops, how
should we plant them? (Far apart) What would such trees be good for?
(Their shade and their beauty) Good shade trees should be thirty to
forty feet apart.
Ask the pupils if they have ever been near a pine tree when a gentle
breeze was blowing, and have them tell the cause of the sound that they
heard. They may decide that the shape and size of the leaves caused the
sound when the wind was blowing through the tree top. Have them examine
the branches in order to discover the following points:
LEAVES.--These are in bunches of five, two to three inches long,
three-cornered, and with little teeth pointing toward the tip, light
green near the tip of the bough (young leaves) and darker further down
(older leaves); age of a leaf the same as the age of the wood it grows
on, therefore some leaves are one year, some two, and a few three years
old. No leaves on four-year-old wood, therefore the leaves fall off the
white pine the third year. Ask pupils to try to find out by observation
when the leaves fall off the pines. Note the fragrance of the leaves,
and that they are sometimes put into "pine" cushions, also, how slippery
they are to walk on.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account