ANIMAL STUDY IN CITY PRIMARY SCHOOLS L. E. RECTOR, Principal P. S. 4, P. D., Manhattan In every educational problem there are certain inherent difficulties to the solving of which we must bring the triple virtues of intelligence, patience, and open-mindedness. In our city, at the present time, there is perhaps no subject in the entire school course that is so rich in difficulties as the subject of nature-study. Two serious obstacles confront us at the very outset. The first of these is the almost entire absence of objective material, and the other is the lack of apperceptive intelligence on the part of the pupils. The first difficulty is obvious to the theorist and to the teacher alike. The second may possibly be disputed by those not familiar with existing conditions. In order to ascertain the reason for the city child's lack of interest in animal study, the writer, some years ago, made a series of investigations upon two hundred children of the second year. All were fairly familiar with the horse, the cat, and the dog; and the larger number had a vague knowledge of sparrows, mice, rats, flies, and spiders. Ninety-five per cent. of the children had never seen a cow; of that number, ninety per cent. said that milk came from a can, and ten per cent, that it came from a bottle. Four per cent, had seen sheep, and eight per cent., goats; twelve per cent. knew something of domestic fowls, and one child had seen little chickens; the rest had seen chickens in boxes, or hanging up in the meat markets. Six per cent. had seen rabbits; twenty per cent., canaries; twelve per cent., parrots; thirty per cent., pigeons, and four per cent. frogs; but the word tadpole was unintelligible. Six per cent. had seen butterflies and moths. All had eaten fish, but only four children had ever seen fish swimming in the water. Ten per cent. had been to the circus and the Park, and knew something of one or more of these animals -the elephant, camel, lion, tiger, bear, and monkey. In general, less than one-fourth of the children knew anything of living animals other than the horse, cat, dog, sparrows, mice, rats, flies, and spiders. Of the third-year boys, about fifty per cent. had been to Central Park and to the circus. The animal-knowledge of the third-year girl was but slightly greater than that of the second-year children. These facts are not encouraging; but I believe they will be found true of a very large portion of the schools of our city. Correspondence with teachers in Chicago, Philadelphia, and San Francisco, leads me to infer similar conditions in those cities. I shall be happy, however, if these statistics stimulate some one to make a fuller explanation of the question, and to modify or even to disprove my conclusions. So much for existing conditions, as far as I have known them. What is the remedy? Let us be honest and face the facts, and admit we have not faced them in the past. If anything outside of actual teaching in the class room is needed to emphasize these assertions, consider for a moment the existing books and lectures upon nature-study. Writers and speakers alike start with the assumption that their pupils have some knowledge of the country conditions, and force their generalizations in the face of facts that are both ridiculous and pathetic. "A cow is two feet high and chews his food in his stomach. . . Animals live in canals where we eat our bread. . . A nightingale sometimes carries off babies and eats them." Every city teacher has a similar experience of mis-information and ignorance. Now in animal-study, as in all other nature-work, it is necessary to remember the truism that a child's elementary ideas are born of contact with things, and do not come from the repetition of words, nor even from looking at pictures, which often induce misinformation. For at least two years the study of animals should be confined entirely to those which the children can observe directly. To this rule there should be no exception, no matter what expense and trouble may be involved. No rational education is possible until children can be brought closely in contact with nature's facts and forces. Better no nature-study at all than the naturestudy that belabors the pupil into repeating the word of book or teacher. Since less than twenty-five per cent. of the children under consideration. have a working basis for nature-study, it is well to start with nothing more than the presumption of brains on their part. Born and reared as they are in the city, these children have no rational or apperceptive basis for nature-study; nor can they acquire it unconsciously outside of the school, as do their more favored brothers in sub room. urb and country. As far as possible, then, the city teacher must seek to create country conditions in the classShe must organize the children's slender impressions as they are gained, seeking at the same time to widen and enrich them. During the third year this school acquired apperception basis may be used for other lessons involving some use of books, pictures, lectures and stereographs. As object-lessons the sparrow and horse will be studied in the street; other animals may be brought into the class-room. It is well for us to keep in mind that we are not dealing with scientific classification. The animals are simply interesting physical realities, brought before the children in order to create interest in the object itself and to form habits of scrutiny. With very young children the best results will come from continuous observation of an interesting animal rather than from set lessons. everything about the ideas of growth and activity. The primary law of learning is from percept to concept, therefore, do not force upon the childmind a question your mature mind is only just beginning to comprehendyour own latest generalization. Give time for the problem to formulate itself into a question in his mind. Keep before yourself potentialities, but children deal only with appearances and with such implications as result from their own reasoning. MODEL LESSONS. Center The Fish Lesson-One dollar for a glass receptacle, and ten cents car fare to the New York Aquarium-no further expense is at present necessary to obtain material for a series of delightful lessons upon marine animals. In one east-side school a five-cent catfish in a Mason jar made possible two weeks' nature lessons in a 2A class. A little sacrificed beef every third day enabled the catfish in question to eke out an instructive and useful career of five weeks' duration. Even with the aquarium at hand it is well to have a larger specimen in a separate vessel for comparative study. Allow the children to become acquainted with the fish prior to any questioning of them. Before and after school they may watch and feed the fish and observe its breathing, eating, and motions. In this and in the other typelessons, one may begin the questioning anywhere. To start with what the children find most interesting, and want to talk about, is a fairly safe rule. What is the shape of the fish? Draw it on the board. Why this form? Do you know of anything else that is kept. in the water and has this form? (A toy boat may here be shown to illustrate the reason for the wedge shape.) What is the covering of the fish? Color of the scales? How placed? (Allow the children to handle the fish and find out that it is slimy.) Why slimy? Why is the fish not covered with fur? Feathers? Clothing. How does the fish move about? What enables a bird to move about? A horse? Count the fins. Suppose we call two of them arm-fins, where are they? Two of them leg-fins, where are they? What other fins? Why call the tail a fin? What in the boat is like the tail? Why does the fish open his mouth continually when he is not eating? What else opens at the same time? Why? (Tell the children that the gills are the lungs of the fish and that the air comes from the water.) How does the air get to our lungs? Make a drawing of the gill-covers. Where are the nostrils? What are they used for? How do you know they are not needed for breathing? Where are the eyes? Can they move? Have they lids? Should there be a transparent fish in the aquarium, call attention to the much-coiled intestine, and describe the process of elimination, which may be readily observed in the gold-fish. Point out the air bladder which helps to keep the fish afloat. Butterflies and Moths-Even in city streets it is possible to follow in a general way the life-history of butterflies and moths-I have found the cabbage-butterfly and the tussockmoth as far south as Grand Street. In springtime we may begin the study by watching the butterfly emerge from the chrysalis which has been kept in the classroom for several weeks. Well-mounted specimens are easily obtained, and are as good in every respect as living specimens, except that they have no motion. Remark the weak, damp, and crumpled condition of the butterfly at the time of its birth. How many wings has the butterfly? Compare size of front and back pair; their color on the upper and under sides. (The butterfly flies about in the daytime visiting flowers for food. By holding its wings erect over the body the more brilliant coloring is concealed, and the insect is less likely to be noticed by its enemies.) Did you ever see a "butterfly" flying about a light at night? Do you remember its color? How did it hold. its wings? (As the moth flies about at night, it is not necessary to conceal its coloring, so it holds its wings horizontally.) Notice the "dust" or scales upon the wings of the butterfly. What is its What is the dark spot on either side of the head? Notice the projections on either side of the head. (Show the children a number of mounted specimens to illustrate "feathers" and "knobs.") In the living butterfly uncoil the tongue with a pin. Tempt it to eat sugar and water. Study the caterpillar in September. Tell the children the simple facts, or show the butterfly eggs. None are better for this purpose than the large, light eggs of the cecropia. Improvise a simple vivarium. Remove one side of a chalk-box, make a hole in the cover, and tack mosquito netting over these places. An inch of moist earth and plenty of food are the only conditions necessary to enable the class to complete the study from caterpillar to winter quarters. Color of caterpillar? Color of leaf? Of what use is the leaf? Is the caterpillar smooth or hairy? How many "rings" has the body? What is found on each? Are all the feet alike? How many are used for crawling? Notice the position, color, size, and number of the eyes. The children will observe that the caterpillar changes its skin several times on account of its rapid growth. When full-grown it spins a thick blanket or cocoon and sleeps until spring. A cast-off cocoon will show that the outside is water-proof. Within is a loose mass of silk, and inside of this is the cast-off skin. A brood of caterpillars may be raised in the classroom. The Horse-Does your father own a horse? What does he use him for? Name some things you have seen horses do. How do you draw a little wagon? A horse has no handshow does he draw a wagon? Tell me of some of the heavy loads you have seen horses draw. Could men draw such loads? Why not? Have you ever seen horses drawing loads too heavy for them? Did you ever notice the difference between a horse which draws a heavy truck and one which draws a buggy? Which can run faster? Which would run faster-a fat man or a lean man? Which could carry the heavier load? What kind of horses are used on fireengines? Why? How does a horse know when to turn a corner? What are the lines fastened to? Put your pencil in your mouth like a bit. Why can't you shut your mouth? Does a horse shut his mouth? Could you do anything to your mouth so that the bit would fit in and allow you to shut it? Ask a driver, please, to show you the inside of a horse's mouth and notice if he has any teeth where the bit goes. Tell me something about the horse's eyes. What do you often see back of the eyes? What are "blinders" for? Use your hands as blinders for your eyes-what do you find? Some drivers do not put blinders on their horses; what would you do? But even blind horses are sometimes frightened; why, do you suppose? How could a blind horse know about noises? Where are your ears placed? Where are the horse's placed? Can you move your ears? Can a horse move his ears? Do you know what a horse is thinking about when his ears are upright? When they lie back? Notice the foot or hoof of a horse. How does it differ from your foot? From the foot of a cat? From the foot of a bird? Does the horse wear a shoe? What kind? Could you wear an iron shoe? How is it that a horse can wear an iron shoe? Where do you get your shoes mended? Where does a horse have his shoes mended? Of what use are horses' tails? If they had no tails could they keep the Allies off? Can you move any part of your skin? What other long hair is found on the horse? This is called a mane. Do you like to see horses without manes? What keeps a horse warm? When is the hair longest and thickest? Does a horse ever need any other covering? What might happen if he were not covered with a blanket? Across the street is a sign, "Horses clipped." What does it mean? We will ask Joseph to find out for us. What does a horse eat? Has any one ever seen a horse eat anything else? Which jaw do you move in eating? Which jaw does a horse move? Can you move your jaw sideways? Can the horse? What does a horse drink? How does he drink? How much does he drink? Do you know how often he should have a drink? Does a horse ever make a sound? We call that sound a neigh or whinny. Besides asking for food and water, the mother-horse calls her baby by neighing. Suggestive correlation. Stories of affection and intelligence shown by horses. Recall Washington's admiration for "Hero" and for his war horse. Show pictures, especially Rosa Bonheur's Norman Sire, Noble Charger, and Horse Fair. Dramatize the work of a horse pulling a heavy load. Let the child trot about the room to music or the beating of time. Game of "The Blacksmith"; a child strikes a horseshoe with a hammer, in time to some strongly accented music; all the children joining in the movement. Illustrate "The Blacksmith." Of oak tag make horseshoes, feed-bag, wagon, barn, fire-engine. Third year children may write a composition on the horse. All the above will lead to fuller observation and more varied expression, the objects and the raison d'être of the class-room lessons. Similar lessons may be given on the cat, dog, mouse, rat, rabbit, squirrel, provided always that the animal is present for direct observation. The Canary-Bring the bird into the class-room and keep it in sight for a few days. The children will watch the canary as it eats, drinks, bathes and flies about. Do not check this preliminary observation by any questions until a suitable time. Then ask: What is the color of the canary? Have you ever seen any other animal of this color? Any fruit? What is his yellow coat made of? Do you know of any other animals that have feather coats? What kind of a coat has the horse? The cat? The dog? How many legs has the canary? What does he use them for? How many toes and what does he use them for? Do you think he ever falls off when asleep? Could the canary get along with a foot like ours, or the horse's, or the cat's, or the dog's? Why not? If we wanted to take hold of a perch, what would we use? Show how. What besides the legs helps the canary to move about? (Allow the bird to fly about the room.) Show with your arms how the canary opens and shuts his wings and flies. (Spread |