A brief course in the teaching process

To teach division of decimals.

The following is assumed as class knowledge upon which the process should be based.

1. Ability to read and write decimals.

2. Vivid knowledge of the relations of one hundred to ten, ten to one unit, one unit to one tenth, one tenth to one hundredth, etc.

3. Knowledge of the process of division of whole numbers.

4. The principle: multiplying or dividing both dividend and divisor by the same number does not change the quotient.

The horse seen on the street; drinking fountains; horsemanship observed; harness; shoes; protection; different kinds of vehicles; printed matter issued by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and by the Department of Agriculture.

To train the children to meet sympathetically and intelligently their responsibilities to the horse.

Years of interest in horses; directed observation of other periods.

1. Stories of horses known to the children—those owned by their parents, fire horses, horses of the mounted police, showing their faithfulness, intelligence, strength, training, treatment.

    In the city of Baltimore the old fire horse is practically pensioned when unfit for further service. This is one way in which right-minded people acknowledge their obligations to horses, by providing for their comfort in their old age.

    Have stories like the Pacing Mustang read to the class; allow the children to take the storybooks home, and encourage them to bring to the class other stories about horses. Encourage the children to read brief histories of the great breeds of horses—the Norman horses, Clydesdales, etc.—horses that hold the world’s records for speed.

2. Observations to identify horses that show normal blood, and discover their fitness of blood and temperament for the work they are doing.

    Are they strong enough for the work they are required to do?

    Are they disturbed by passing street cars? If so, how do they show it?

    What is the effect upon them of the confusion of other city noises?

    Notice that while some horses are evidently distressed by the confusion of city life, others love it and become homesick when sold for use in the country.

    Call attention to the manner in which large firms so carefully blanket their horses.

    Why should a horse be blanketed when he is standing?

    Notice the cause of slipping, stumbling, and falling on icy or wet pavements, and therefore the necessity for rough shoes, rubber shoes, etc.

    If possible, bring into the class a specimen of a patent horseshoe; the shoe and shield of a cart horse.

    Is the horse easy in harness?

    What sort of a checkrein would you use? Why?

    Why is the back pad used with the two-wheel cart?

    What are the effects of an ill-fitting harness?

    What do you think of the law which in some places punishes a man whose horses show galls?

    Have the children report critical situations which have happened within their observation and how they were met by drivers; their observation of the affection shown by a horse toward his master.

    Discuss the effect of grooming upon the horse’s coat.

    Why should the horse be fed regularly?

    Why should ground food be given to an old horse whose teeth are poor?

    Discuss the necessity of allowing the horse freedom in traveling.

    Temporary lameness is frequently due to a stone in the foot; how may it be removed?

    What should be done for a horse that is seriously lame?

3. The economic value of such knowledge as the foregoing:—

    Horses are stiffened by standing unblanketed in the wind or cold.

    Foundering is caused by watering a horse when he is over-heated.

    A properly fitted harness and a comfortable checkrein, if any is used, save the strength of the horse.

    The selection of a horse whose strength and temperament fit him for his work adds to his value and usefulness.

    Skillful drivers, especially those who like their teams, can secure a great amount of work from them and yet save much of their energy. It frequently happens that after a day’s work one man will bring in a team comparatively fresh, while under a different driver the same team will be worried into exhaustion.

4. Knowledge of the work of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals:—

    The work of this society demands judgment based on a fuller knowledge of conditions and causes than most children of their ages possess. Its work, therefore, is not intended for children, but they should know what help they may give the society, and be taught to use it.

5. Knowledge of the city law for protecting horses.

Sketches of horses’ hoofs showing how a stone may cause lameness.

Sketches of different kinds of shoes.

Sketches of different kinds of checkreins: the overdraw check and its effect; side check and its effect.

Different head and ear postures of horses indicative of their conditions and feelings.

Getting records of observations into shape to present to class.

Have each member of the class imagine himself to be his favorite horse,—a fire horse; mounted policeman’s horse; a United Railway repair wagon horse; a hospital ambulance horse; an express-wagon horse; a carriage horse; a broken-down carriage horse, etc.,—and write a story of his part in a fire, a serious accident, or some other situation.

Give related language work.

Pictures, maps, sand table, specimens of iron ore, coal, coke, limestone, reference books, railroad folders.

To show how natural advantages have determined the location and growth of Pittsburg; to show the direction and extent of manufacturing and commerce in Pittsburg.

1. Study of coal mine, iron mine, blast furnace.

2. Relation of iron mines to coal mines.

3. Location of Pittsburg—

    (a) in coal region.

    (b) at junction of rivers which form the Ohio River.

1. Advantages of Pittsburg for iron and steel manufacturing. Illustrate with sand map.

    (a) Coal region—rivers bring coal to Pittsburg.

    (b) Iron region near.

        Much iron ore brought from Lake Superior region via Great Lakes, by railroad from Lake Erie.

          In manufacture of steel more coal is used than iron ore; it pays to bring iron ore to coal.

    (c) Manufactured products—steel rails, armor plate, pig iron.

    (d) Rank of Pittsburg in regard to manufacture of iron and steel. Pittsburg makes 10 per cent of all iron and steel goods made in the United States.

2. Neighboring manufacturing towns.

    (a) Names—Allegheny, Carnegie, Homestead, Braddock, etc.

    (b) How do their manufactures compare with those of Pittsburg in kind? in quantity? in value?

3. Coke ovens.

        Uses of coke.

        Kind of coal used; where obtained.

        Amount of it put into each oven.

        Length of burning.

        By-products.

        Drawing out and cooling.

        Extent of ovens.

        Effect on landscape.

4. Blast furnaces.

5. Other manufactures.

    (a) Oil refining.

          Where oil comes from.

          How it is pumped, carried, stored.

          Value of pipe lines.

          How is oil brought to Baltimore?

          Effect of oil tanks on landscape.

          Processes of refining.

          Dangers.

          Uses.

          By-products.

    (b) Glass making.

          Kinds of glass made.

          Materials used.

          Where found.

6. Transportation by water. Illustrate with sand map.

    (a) Need for means of transportation: of raw material to Pittsburg; of manufactured products from Pittsburg.

    (b) Rivers.

          The Allegheny and Monongahela bring raw materials to Pittsburg.

          The Ohio carries raw materials and manufactured products away from Pittsburg.

          No tracks or roadbed to be laid for river,—river always ready; Ohio deep enough for large barges; swiftness of current due to nature of slopes.

          Coal and iron carried by river as far as New Orleans.

7. Railroad center.

    (a) Sections of country not reached by waterways. How products are transported to those parts?

    (b) Need of railroads for people who travel to and from Pittsburg.

    (c) Chief directions in which railroads lead from Pittsburg. What roads lead from Baltimore to Pittsburg? From New York to Pittsburg?

    (d) What supplies are brought by railroad besides those needed in manufacturing?

8. Aspects of the city of Pittsburg:—

    Wealth—opportunities for getting, for spending.

    Education—what special class of schools likely to develop.

    Smoke and dirt—due to nature of manufactures.