In the later part of this course the physical features of countries may be introduced, and the children should get clear conceptions and accurate definitions of terms commonly used in geography, such as mountains, valleys, plains, islands, capes, etc., and they should both be shown models and allowed themselves to make them.
The simpler facts concerning the work of rivers and other forces modifying the surface of the land will also find a place among these lessons.
The physical geography which should follow this preliminary work must of course be modified to suit the age and intelligence of the pupils.
Later course in physical geography.Physical and chemical experiments may now be introduced, and the mathematical side of the subject will be more insisted upon as the children begin to learn algebra and geometry.
The illustrations also need no longer be drawn from the child’s immediate surroundings, but may be the result of reading, or of description on the part of the teacher, and whereas in the lesson general laws are arrived at from special cases, in the home work the class should be encouraged to search for new cases illustrating the laws.
These later courses should be preceded by simple work on the physical and chemical properties of air and water. The form and movements of the earth should be treated of, and with the help of a tellurium most of the simple facts may be made clear, and the phenomena of the seasons and the varying length of day and night may be demonstrated. The nature of the proof of the earth’s movement round the sun is appreciated by few, and the children should be encouraged to make for themselves some of the observations on which it is based.
Thus they might be expected to keep an account of the groups of stars seen due south every evening at a given hour. The change of constellations will stimulate their curiosity, and it will not be necessary to wait for the whole year before giving them some explanation. Or they might be asked to keep a register of the varying length of the shadow of a stick at noon for three months. The fact could then easily be drawn from the children that the sun is at some times higher in the heavens than at others, but they would almost certainly have to be helped to find out the reason.
The meaning and use of the various lines ordinarily drawn on a globe may now be given.
The atmosphere: pressure and temperature.After this work on the earth as a planet, its gaseous envelope should next be studied, i.e., the atmosphere, its composition, pressure and temperature, and the instruments used for measuring them. In an earlier course the instrument and its use will be enough to deal with; in a course to older pupils the construction and correction of the instruments may be considered.
The children might keep a chart of both temperature and pressure for a month, and at the end of that time be taught to find the average temperature for the month, and to understand the methods for showing variations of the barometer used in the leading daily papers. The nature of isobars and isotherms should also be explained, and the isobars for July and January should be filled into two maps and kept for use later. A map with isotherms filled in should also be given, and the children encouraged to find reasons for the curves in any given line.