Ontario Teachers' Manuals: Nature Study — John Shaqi
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
In studying the material provided, whether it be in the class-room, or
during a nature excursion, or by observations made in the farmyard at
home, the teacher must guide the efforts of the pupils by assigning to
them definite and suitable problems. Care must be taken to reach the
happy mean of giving specific directions without depriving the pupils of
the pleasure of making original discovery. For example, instead of
asking them to study the foot of the horse and learn all they can about
it, more specific problems should be assigned, such as: Observe how the
hoof is placed on the ground in walking. What are the arrangements for
lessening the shock when the hoof strikes the ground? Examine the under
surface of the hoof and discover what prevents the unshod horse from
slipping.
NOTE-BOOKS AND RECORDS
In Grades higher than Form I, written exercises should be required and
also sketches representing the objects studied. For this purpose a
Nature Study note-book is necessary--a loose-leaf note-book being
preferable because of necessary corrections, rearrangements, additions,
or omissions.
In all records and reports, independence of thought and of expression
should be encouraged. The drawing and the oral or written description
should express what is actually observed, not what the book or some
member of the class says has been, or should be, observed. The
descriptions should be in the pupil's own words, because these are most
in keeping with his own ideas on the subject. More correct forms of
expression may be obtained when notes are taken from the teacher's
dictation, but this is fatal to the development of originality.
The disparity of the results in individual work gives opportunity for
impressing upon the pupil, in the first place, the necessity for more
accurate observation and, secondly, the impossibility of reaching a
correct general conclusion without having studied a large number of
examples. The development of critical and judicious minds, which may
result from carefully observing many examples and generalizing from
these observations, is vastly more important than the memorizing of many
facts.
THE SCHOOL GARDEN
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