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 MAR 8 2006 
 
BULLETIN No. 56 
 
 BUREAU OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH 
 COLLEGE OF EDUCATION 
 
 TEACHING DEVICES ON THE 
 HIGH-SCHOOL LEVEL 
 
 By 
 
 S. Gertrude Hendrix 
 
 Eastern Illinois State Teachers College 
 Charleston, Illinois 
 
 Published by the University of Illinois, Urbana 
 1931 
 
UNIVERSITY 
 OF ILLINOIS 
 i: PRESS n 
 
PREFACE 
 
 Successful teaching involves the skillful use of 
 techniques that are compatible with sound pedagogical 
 principles, and probably the most difficult phase of 
 the teacher's planning of instruction is the invention 
 and selection of appropriate devices. The Bureau of 
 Educational Research presents this collection of teach- 
 ing devices, secured from a graduate thesis, in the 
 hope that it will be useful to teachers on the high- 
 school level. The devices herein presented have been 
 used with apparent success, and in many cases the 
 teacher may appropriate some or even all of the de- 
 vices given for a particular subject. The greatest 
 value of the collection, however, will be in the sug- 
 gestions that it will arouse in the minds of the teachers 
 who are interested in increasing the efficiency of their 
 instruction. 
 
 Walter S. Monroe, 
 March 30, 1931 Director 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2012 with funding from 
 
 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/teachingdeviceso56hend 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
 Part I. Introduction . 
 
 Part II. Classified List of Devices 
 
 Mathematics . 
 
 Physical Sciences 
 
 Natural Science . 
 
 Social Sciences . 
 
 English 
 
 Foreign Languages 
 
 PAGE 
 
 7 
 
 11 
 11 
 18 
 22 
 28 
 31 
 37 
 
TEACHING DEVICES ON THE HIGH- 
 SCHOOL LEVEL 
 
 PART I 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 Purpose of this project. The purpose of this study was to col- 
 lect, classify, and evaluate original specific teaching procedures being 
 used by high-school instructors. It was thought that a collection of 
 such material would be useful to the average teacher. One of the 
 primary qualifications for a good teacher is a rich stock of special 
 devices— tricks of the trade, so to speak. Nevertheless, the supply of 
 unusual procedures that the average high-school staff member has at 
 his disposal is very meagre. This is especially true of beginning teach- 
 ers. The need for vitalizing school work has been receiving such wide- 
 spread attention that doubtless there are in existence a large number 
 of clever devices that are never known outside the school in which 
 they were originated. Many of these would be of great value to other 
 teachers. It was with the hope that some of the best productions of 
 enthusiastic high-school instructors could be made available to teach- 
 ers in general that this collection of devices was undertaken. 
 
 Definition of terms. In the discussion of this project the term 
 "special device" is used to designate those rather unusual specific 
 teaching procedures that display some ingenuity and originality on the 
 part of their authors. In this bulletin the word "device" is interpreted 
 to mean "special device." 
 
 Collection of material. The devices collected were limited to six 
 groups of high-school subjects: mathematics, physical sciences, natural 
 sciences, social sciences, English, and foreign languages. Contributions 
 were requested from teachers in Illinois high schools only. 
 
 The first step in compiling the collection was to get in touch with 
 teachers who could and would contribute. It was found that there 
 were 426 four-year high schools having faculties of six or more teach- 
 ers listed in the Illinois School Directory* It was thought that check- 
 ing every third school in the alphabetical list of the directory would 
 give a representative sampling of the schools of the state. A letter 
 was sent to the principal of each school checked, asking him to sub- 
 mit the names of teachers in his school who were employing unusual 
 
 iBlair, F. G. Illinois School Directory. Danville, Illinois: Illinois Printing Company, 
 1928. 171 p. 
 
 7 
 
8 Bulletin No. 56 
 
 types of lesson plans, assignment units, problems, motivation pro- 
 cedures, projects, and the like, in the departments of mathematics, 
 physical sciences, natural sciences, social sciences, English, and foreign 
 languages. The fifty-three principals who replied provided the names 
 of 210 teachers. 
 
 Since not more than one-third of the field was covered in this 
 survey, it was deemed advisable to bring the problem before the various 
 sections of the Illinois High School Conference in Urbana, November 
 22, 1929. Accordingly, teachers from the University High School dis- 
 tributed copies of the following announcement to the sectional groups 
 representing the school subjects included in the study: 
 
 A Cooperative Project 
 
 A project which has for its aim the collection and publication of un- 
 usual teaching devices designed by teachers in Illinois high schools is 
 being carried on under the direction of Walter S. Monroe, Director of the 
 Bureau of Educational Research, University of Illinois. He desires to get 
 in touch with all teachers of mathematics, history, English, languages, bio- 
 logical sciences, and physical sciences who have used or are using unique 
 lesson plans, assignment units, problems, motivation procedures, projects, 
 drill schemes, individual or group remedial devices, and the like, in these 
 subjects. 
 
 If you have anything to contribute along this line, please fill in the 
 blanks below and leave this slip with the chairman of your section, or 
 mail to the Bureau of Educational Research. 
 
 Name Department 
 
 School Address 
 
 Forty-three of these blanks were filled out and handed in at the 
 time or mailed to the Bureau of Educational Research later. In order 
 that the contributors might have some idea of the type of material 
 wanted, and of the form in which the material should be submitted, 
 letters were addressed to the teachers whose names had been obtained, 
 explaining to them the project and presenting several examples of the 
 kinds of devices desired. Contributions were received from fifty of 
 these teachers. 
 
 Besides the devices received through the mail, several were ob- 
 tained through personal interviews with members of the University 
 High School faculty, and a few, from reports of outstanding seniors 
 doing practice-teaching in the University High School. The writer has 
 also been able to include several original procedures tried out in her 
 own mathematics classes at the University High School. 
 
 Classification of material. A total of 174 devices was secured. 
 For the purpose of an analytical study, the details of which are not 
 
Teaching Devices on the High-School Level 9 
 
 reported in this bulletin, these devices were divided into the following 
 groups : 
 
 1. Devices to provide perceptual experience 
 
 2. Devices for motivation 
 
 3. Devices for directing study 
 
 4. Devices for drill 
 
 5. Devices for review 
 
 6. Remedial devices 
 
 Many of the devices fell into more than one of these classes. Ac- 
 cordingly, they were classified under each of the several types to which 
 they belonged. The following tables show the distribution according to 
 subjects and according to types. 
 
 Table I 
 
 Distribution of Teaching Devices According to Subjects 
 
 Number 
 
 Mathematics 40 
 
 Physical sciences 14 
 
 Natural sciences 35 
 
 Social sciences 15 
 
 English 37 
 
 Foreign language 66 
 
 Total 
 
 174 
 
 Table II 
 
 Distribution of Teaching Devices According to Types* 
 
 Number 
 
 Devices for perceptual experience 52 
 
 Motivation devices 68 
 
 Devices for study direction 64 
 
 Devices for drill 
 
 Devices for review 10 
 
 Remedial devices 
 
 Unclassified 2 
 
 *It will be noticed from the numbers that almost one-third of the 174 devices 
 are combinations of types. 
 
 Selection of material. Space does not permit all the contribu- 
 tions to be included in this bulletin. The necessary elimination of ma- 
 terial, however, proved an extremely difficult problem. An objective 
 measurement of the excellence of a device was not feasible. It was, 
 therefore, not possible to make the selection upon any single basis. 
 Some devices were omitted because the excessive length of their de- 
 scriptions made their reproduction impractical. Some were excluded 
 because they were judged to be practices rather well-known to most 
 teachers. When two or three devices were found to be similar, only 
 one of the group was retained. Other devices were omitted because 
 the materials necessary for their use were likely to be available in only 
 
10 Bulletin No. 56 
 
 a limited number of schools. Still others, though excellent, were not in- 
 cluded in this bulletin because they represented a type of work that only 
 the exceptionally ingenious teacher with an unusual amount of leisure 
 time can produce. The contributions that were retained are thought 
 to be sufficiently representative of the various types of devices included 
 in the project to offer the widest possible variety of suggestions to a 
 reader. 
 
 Practical value of this collection. It is the writer's opinion that 
 the devices compiled in this study represent an unusually w^orth while 
 collection. The value of the bulletin to other teachers does not, how- 
 ever, lie in the extent to which it furnishes them a prepared stock of 
 special teaching procedures. These devices, no doubt, differ in value, 
 but any evaluation effected by a single writer cannot be accepted as 
 an exclusive basis of recommendation. Far more important is the per- 
 sonal reaction of an individual teacher to the device he is intending 
 to use. This reaction is best when the teacher has incorporated into 
 the plan some feature of his own creation — some bit of originality that 
 stamps the device with his own personality. 
 
 The value of this collection, then, rests largely in the rich store 
 of suggestions that it presents to its readers. Most of the replies to 
 the questionnaires sent out in this project indicated that even the best 
 teachers in Illinois feel the need of more special devices. The teachers, 
 however, do not feel that ready-made procedures will serve the pur- 
 pose. Nevertheless, the more clever ideas a teacher acquires from 
 others, the more fertile is his own mind for devising plans of his own. 
 The contributions described in Part II of this bulletin offer a wealth of 
 suggestions to any teacher seeking ideas by which he may increase his 
 own repertoire of special devices. 
 
PART II* 
 TEACHING DEVICES ON THE HIGH-SCHOOL LEVEL 
 
 Introduction. This part of the report contains seventy-eight of 
 the devices compiled in the study. All of them were submitted by 
 Illinois teachers. Each device, except those provided by the writer, 
 is headed by a number, its title, and the name and school of the teacher 
 from whom it came. Those for which the title only is given were 
 provided by the writer. The contributors designated as "practice seni- 
 ors" were all students in educational practice at the University High 
 School, Urbana, Illinois. 
 
 It was found necessary to revise many of the reports of the de- 
 vices in order to maintain brevity, simplicity, and some consistency 
 of form ; however, the original features and details of the procedures 
 have been carefully preserved. 
 
 DEVICES FOR TEACHING MATHEMATICS 
 Algebra 
 
 1. A Graphical Progress Record for the Algebra Bulletin Board 
 
 (J. M. Cline, Bloomington High School) 
 
 In the Bloomington High School an exercise book is used to supplement 
 the text in first-year algebra. Most of the exercises in this book are used 
 for drill purposes during the recitation period. A record of progress in 
 this work is exhibited on the bulletin board of the classroom throughout 
 the first semester. The record consists of an alphabetical list of the mem- 
 bers of the class, with a "c" placed opposite a student's name to designate 
 each exercise that he has completed without mistakes. If the student works 
 correctly at the first attempt every exercise of the set assigned, the "c" 
 is recorded in red; if he makes mistakes but corrects them within the 
 time allowed, the record is made in black. 
 
 In groups that are not classified according to ability, this advertising 
 of progress would no doubt discourage the student who habitually failed to 
 make a creditable showing; but in groups classified according to ability, it 
 stimulates wholesome rivalry and furnishes an incentive to careful work. 
 
 *The writer wishes to express appreciation and gratitude to all those whose coopera- 
 tion made possible this compilation of material; to those teachers over the state of Illi- 
 nois who submitted reports of original teaching procedures; to the high-school principals 
 who sent in names of teachers capable of making contributions; to the chairmen of the eight 
 sections of the Illinois High School Conference (held at Urbana, November 21-23, 1929) 
 who allowed announcements of the project to be distributed there; to the members of the 
 University High School staff who distributed those announcements; to the office staff of the 
 Bureau of Educational Research for stenographic work; and especially does the writer 
 wish to express grateful appreciation to Professor Walter S. Monroe for the suggestion of 
 the problem, his kindly counsel and guidance, and his careful direction of the project. 
 
 11 
 
12 
 
 Bulletin No. 56 
 
 2. Introducing Graphs in Algebra (H. M. Luther, Mt. Pulaski High 
 
 School) 
 During the study of graphs, the algebra students were asked to find 
 and bring to class examples of the various graphs found in newspapers 
 and in magazines. The response was favorable, and after a discussion in 
 class as to the types of graphs presented and the meanings derived there- 
 from, the best examples were placed on the bulletin board for further 
 inspection. 
 
 3. A Drill Chart for Positive and Negative Numbers 
 
 A device for providing the large number of simple problems desir- 
 able for oral drill on the fundamental operations with directed numbers 
 may be easily constructed in the form of a chart. A piece of white canvas 
 tacked to a round stick (on which it may be rolled when not hanging on 
 the wall), a broad-pointed "poster" pen, and some heavy black ink are all 
 the materials necessary. Any such arrangement of numbers as the one 
 suggested below may be used. 
 
 
 a 
 
 b 
 
 c 
 
 d 
 
 e 
 
 A 
 
 -4 
 
 + 7 
 
 + 1 
 
 
 
 +9 
 
 -2 
 +6 
 +8 
 
 -8 
 
 +4 
 +3 
 -6 
 
 + 10 
 
 - 3 
 
 - 1 
 
 + 5 
 
 5 
 
 B 
 
 7 
 
 C 
 
 +2 
 -9 
 
 D 
 
 Each number on the chart may be added to, subtracted from, multiplied 
 by, or divided by any other number there. The example above provides 
 190 exercises for each operation, not to mention the possible combinations 
 of three or more numbers that may be used for further drill in addition. 
 
 4. A Remedial Course of Mathematics for Poorly-Prepared High- 
 
 School Freshmen (W. A. Snyder, New Trier High School, 
 Winnetka) 
 
 Thirty freshman students who had low I.Q.'s and who were reported 
 by their grade schools to be so weak in arithmetic that they were almost 
 sure to fail algebra the first semester were placed in a special class. For 
 the first six weeks they reviewed arithmetic. Next, they took up algebra, 
 covering just the fundamental processes, simple equations, evaluation, and 
 checking. Some work in experimental and intuitive geometry was planned 
 for the rest of the semester. 
 
 With this review and introduction as a foundation, the students were 
 much better prepared to undertake the regular course in algebra the next 
 semester. 
 
 5. A Relay Race (Vera Benner, Edwardsville High School) 
 
 Often when a class becomes tired of doing the usual things in fresh- 
 man algebra, the teacher may permit her students to have a relay race. The 
 class is divided into two groups — one sitting on each side of the room. 
 
Teaching Devices on the High-School Level 13 
 
 A name is assigned to each group. If the relay occurs just before a big 
 athletic contest, one side may adopt the name of the school, while the other 
 side, that of the opponents. 
 
 After the first student of each group has been given chalk, he goes 
 to the board and puts on the first line of the problem which the teacher 
 dictates. When this has been done, he carries the chalk to the one who 
 sits back of him. This one passes to the board, corrects any mistakes he 
 sees in the preceding work, and puts on the next line. Thus it goes until 
 the problem is finished. The idea is to see which side will have the prob- 
 lem worked correctly first. The one who is supposed to finish it must do so, 
 as each side is allowed the same number of students for a problem. The 
 score is kept at another board, and at the end of the period a check-up 
 is made to see which side has won. 
 
 The "relay race" keeps the boys and girls alert for mistakes, because, 
 naturally, they are anxious for their side to win. Then, too, this device 
 relieves the monotony of the ordinary classroom. 
 
 Geometry 
 6. A Notebook Project for Pre-Demonstrative Geometry Days (E. 
 
 S. Parrish, Wapella Community High School) 
 In order that the way may be paved for demonstrative geometry, two 
 or three weeks, either the last of the algebra year or the first of the 
 geometry year, may be devoted to a geometry project. Exercises are 
 used to introduce the student to the use of the ruler, compass, and pro- 
 tractor. In each exercise the student draws his own conclusion. Below is 
 a typical exercise taken from a notebook of a sophomore girl. 
 
 Exercise 59 
 
 Required: To find the sum of the angles of a triangle. 
 
 Material: Any triangle cut from construction paper, and paste. 
 
 Procedure: Tear the triangle into three parts so that each part contains one 
 
 of the angles of the triangle. Paste the angles about a point so as to form 
 
 adjacent angles. 
 
 Conclusion: The angles when pasted about a point form a straight line. In 
 Exercise 17 I found that a straight line forms an angle of 180° ; therefore, 
 I conclude that the sum of the angles of a triangle is 180°. 
 
14 Bulletin No. 56 
 
 7. Demonstrating the Insufficiency of Inductive Proof (Walter 
 
 Hodge, Practice Senior) 
 
 Several members of a plane geometry class when called upon to prove 
 a theorem persisted in trying to establish the proof by giving two or three 
 specific illustrations of the desired conclusion. Finally the teacher placed 
 the expression, n 2 + n + 41, on the board and asked the class whether or 
 not it represented a prime number for any value of n. Eight or nine values 
 were tried, the result being prime in each case. By that time most of the 
 class were ready to draw a general conclusion. Then the teacher substi- 
 tuted 40 for n and obtained 1681, which is the square of 41. 
 
 That ended the argument, for the students agreed that if thirty-nine 
 
 examples O = 0, 1, 39) would fail to prove that n 2 + n + 41 
 
 was prime, it must be very dangerous for them to try to establish theorems 
 by illustration. 
 
 8. The Pantograph in Plane Geometry (Marie Weldin, Deerfield- 
 
 Shields High School, Highland Park) 
 In a class of excellent students the theory of the pantograph was 
 studied. The class then used the instrument to enlarge maps for their his- 
 tory work and to make silhouettes of a desired size from shadows on the 
 wall. This increased the interest of the class in similar figures and gave 
 to the students some knowledge of projection. 
 
 9. Modern Advertisements as Examples of Plane Geometry Defi- 
 
 nitions (H. M. Luther, Mt. Pulaski High School) 
 After the students of a class in beginning geometry had learned the 
 first main group of definitions, they were asked to take an advertisement 
 from a current magazine, paste it on a piece of drawing paper, and then 
 number the parts of the drawing that represented the definitions learned. 
 
 This helped the students to notice the use of geometric forms in struc- 
 tures of various kinds and to understand the importance of geometry in 
 everyday life. 
 
 10. An Argument for Rigorous Proof (S. H. Taylor, University 
 
 High School, Urbana) 
 
 A discussion of optical illusions is very effective in the plane geometry 
 class, if it is introduced just after the class has first studied the nature 
 and purpose of the formal demonstration. It is difficult for high-school 
 students to grasp immediately the importance of, or the need for, a formal 
 proof of many of the theorems. They say, "Why, any one can see that this 
 is true." or, "That is obvious; it looks true." 
 
 At this stage the teacher may well introduce a considerable number 
 of optical illusions. Many geometry texts and elementary-psychology texts 
 contain simple drawings of the line-segment type of illusion, such as equal 
 line segments with arrow heads pointing in different directions, or systems 
 of parallel lines which look non-parallel because of short segments crossing 
 them at different angles. 
 
 The circle drawings present a more novel type of illusion. The stu- 
 dents are asked to compare the distance from the left side of the lower 
 left circle to the right side of the lower right one with the inside distance 
 
Teaching Devices ox the High-School Level 
 
 15 
 
 between either lower one and the upper one. The horizontal or first named 
 distance seems shorter, but it is in reality about a radius length greater. 
 To place letters on the segments named completely destroys the illusion. 
 The other sketch, the circle clusters, have equal inner circles, the one sur- 
 rounded by smaller circles, and the other, by larger circles. This arrange- 
 ment seems to change the size of the inner circle. 
 
 11. The Significance of the Centroid (Roy Hartman, Practice 
 
 Senior) 
 
 A geometry teacher, just after assigning the proposition about the con- 
 currency of the medians of a triangle, added this list of directions: 
 
 "After you have studied the theorem, cut out a triangle of stiff card- 
 board, construct the medians, put a knot in one end of a heavy string, and 
 slip the other end through the intersection of the medians in your triangle. 
 Bring these figures to class with you.'' 
 
 The next day, after discussion of the proposition, the teacher remarked 
 that the point determined — the centroid — was the center of gravity of the 
 triangles. He then had the students suspend their models by the strings. 
 The students were delighted to find that their triangles, though hanging by 
 only one string, assumed a horizontal position. 
 
 12. Geometric Terms in Literature (H. C. Wright, Deerfield- 
 
 Shields High School, Highland Park) 
 Among the new books in the school library is Anne Bosworth Greene's 
 The Lone Winter, a volume of essays in the form of a journal. From page 
 
16 Bulletin No. 56 
 
 144 this excerpt was read to the class: "My neighbors — who did my haying 
 'on shares' — have taken away their half, cutting perpendicularly down and 
 leaving a shaven precipice in the very middle so that the built-in ladder 
 which bisects the mow barely connects with one small and shaky corner of 
 the square." The reader had asked the class to listen for, and to make note 
 of, geometrical terms. After this little experiment it was suggested that the 
 class be on the lookout for geometrical and other mathematical terms in 
 their general reading. In a few days a student who had heard the passage 
 read brought in a number of sentences which she had found in her reading 
 for another subject. 
 
 13. Conducting a Class in Geometry (Edgar Leach, Evanston High 
 School) 
 
 By way of background, it should be said that at Evanston the periods 
 are forty-one minutes in length. Students are assigned home work, which 
 almost invariably includes some material to be written and handed in. 
 
 The class period in plane geometry is divided roughly into four parts. 
 As the students enter the classroom during the four-minute interval for 
 passing, they leave on the teacher's desk a report of their home-work ac- 
 complishment. This report is made on a slip 2 inches by 3 inches. Since 
 this report plays an important role in the recitation, the following explana- 
 tion is in order: 
 
 At the top of this slip the student writes his name. Down the left-hand 
 margin he writes the numbers 1, 2, 3, and so forth, corresponding to the 
 number of items in the lesson; e.g., 1. Art. 118, 2. Art. 119 H. I., 3. Ex. 
 144 H. I, 4. Ex. 145 H. L, 5. Ex. 146 H. I. ("H. I." is an abbreviation for 
 "hand in.") If the student thinks he has mastered Item 1, he puts a star or 
 an asterisk opposite it. If he has tried 2, but not successfully, he puts a plus 
 sign opposite it. If he has done 3 and 4 and has them ready to hand in, he 
 stars them. If he has not tried Item 5, he puts a minus sign opposite it. At 
 the bottom of the slip the student records the number of quarter hours that 
 he has spent on his home work. 
 
 These reports are put on the teacher's desk as the class is assembling 
 and are arranged on the desk at that time. After the tardy bell, the assign- 
 ment is given for the next day. The students are supposed to put this as- 
 signment in a small notebook. Often the teacher assigns an extra-credit 
 item. No one has to do it, but the students understand that it is a way of 
 testing power. The better students accept it as a challenge to their ability. 
 Credit is given to those who hand in this extra assignment correctly done. 
 When the item has been corrected, it is returned to the student. Seldom is 
 the extra-credit item discussed in class. 
 
 Ordinarily some or all of the home work is put on the board. Glancing 
 over the reports, the teacher directs to the board students who have reported 
 little or no difficulty with the lesson. She seldom assigns to a student an 
 item which he has not starred. Often such an item is not assigned as a 
 board project, but it is discussed with the class later. In general, it does not 
 seem advisable to direct a student to put home work on the board if he has 
 failed to get it during his study period. It is much more economical and 
 effective for him to be listening, or contributing, to a discussion of some 
 point in the day's lesson, in review, or in the next day's assignment. 
 
Teaching Devices on the High-School Level 17 
 
 Now comes the second part of the recitation. While the students to 
 whom board projects have been assigned are performing their tasks, the 
 others of the class are busy with another project. Sometimes they write 
 either on a review or on an item in the day's lesson. At other times they 
 discuss an item at the board, making whatever contributions they can. At 
 all times the students are asked for comments and questions. Those who 
 have finished their board work are expected to become active in the dis- 
 cussions. 
 
 As soon as the board work is done, the third part of the recitation is 
 begun. If there has been an item in the assignment that has caused all stu- 
 dents trouble, it is taken up at this time. The board work is then discussed. 
 Usually the students who have put the work on are asked to demonstrate. 
 Sometimes, after erasing reasons, if they have been written, the teacher 
 may pass from student to student in developing the proof. All are asked 
 for questions and comments. 
 
 Finally, if there is any time left, the remainder of the period is spent 
 either on review or in looking ahead at the next day's assignment. Often 
 this period is cut short. As the students leave the room, they put the 
 "hand-in" home work on the desk. 
 
 There are several advantages in this procedure: It takes care of the 
 superior and average students by keeping them constructively active 
 whether at the board or at the seats; it gives the slower students more op- 
 portunity to assimilate the material, to clear up difficulties, and to perform 
 on geometry they know; all students are participating during the full class 
 period; the report aids the student, as well as the teacher, to check on daily 
 progress; the report facilitates board assignments and selection of items for 
 class discussion; the procedure provides opportunity for each student to 
 develop initiative and leadership; it makes some provision for individual 
 differences; it affords opportunity to each student to produce up to his 
 capacity. 
 
 14. A Special Device for Teaching Substitution (Frances Hudson, 
 Practice Senior) 
 Some remedial work was being carried on with a girl in plane geometry 
 who could not understand a few theorems, such as those on inscribed 
 angles. After talking to the student a few minutes, the teacher found that 
 some of the trouble lay in the fact that the student did not know what "sub- 
 stitution" really meant. The girl was asked whether she had ever done any 
 cooking, and whether she had ever made French dressing. She had had some 
 experience in cooking, so the teacher went on with the explanation — "French 
 dressing is made of vinegar and olive oil; so we can write it as such: 
 French dressing = vinegar + olive oil. Now in cooking, lemon juice, of 
 late, has been considered the equivalent of vinegar, and vegetable oils, the 
 equivalent of olive oil. Therefore, lemon juice = vinegar, olive oil = vege- 
 table oils. Thus we could make French dressing of lemon juice and vege- 
 table oils, or French dressing = lemon juice + vegetable oils. We have 
 substituted lemon juice for vinegar and vegetable oils for olive oil." By 
 this time the student had seen the analogy and was able to apply it to 
 ereometrv. 
 
18 Bulletin No. 56 
 
 15. Stereoptican Slides for a Theorem Review (Roy Hartman, 
 
 Practice Senior) 
 In order to cover all the pivotal propositions of geometry for a se- 
 mester review, the instructor assigned one or two theorems to each student. 
 Plain glass slides were distributed with the following directions: "Draw on 
 the glass a neat India-ink figure for each of your propositions. Be pre- 
 pared to present the proofs orally." At the beginning of the next class 
 hour the slides were collected, numbered, and arranged in the order in 
 which they naturally occurred during the development of the subject. As 
 the slides were thrown on the screen in succession, those responsible stepped 
 forward and presented the proofs required. The class had been instructed 
 to grade each presentation on the following basis: two points for statement 
 of theorem; one point each for "given" and "to prove"; six points for 
 proof. At the end of the hour a class committee was appointed to collect 
 the papers, tabulate the scores on each proposition, and report the results 
 the next day. 
 
 DEVICES FOR TEACHING PHYSICAL SCIENCES 
 Physics 
 
 16. A Convenient Method for Converting Centigrade Readings to 
 
 Fahrenheit, and Vice Versa (W. E. Harnish, University 
 High School, Urbana) 
 
 In converting scale readings from the Fahrenheit thermometer to the 
 centigrade, or the reverse, pupils almost always have difficulty in remem- 
 bering whether to add or subtract 32°, and whether to do it first or last. 
 By the following method they always add first and subtract last; hence, 
 there is less danger of confusion. 
 
 An examination of the two scales shows that the only temperature at 
 which both thermometers read the same is 40 degrees below zero. If we 
 have a reading in Fahrenheit degrees and add 40, we have the number 
 of degrees above the point at which both scales agree; the same thing is 
 true for a centigrade reading. 
 
 Now 1.8° Fahrenheit is equal to 1° centigrade. Hence, our rule fol- 
 lows: Add 40, divide or multiply by 1.8, and subtract 40. Note that 
 the only difference between changing Fahrenheit degrees to centigrade, and 
 changing centigrade degrees to Fahrenheit, is that in the first case we 
 divide by 1.8, while in the second we multiply by 1.8. One can readily de- 
 termine which to do by remembering that it takes a larger number to 
 express a certain temperature in Fahrenheit reading than in centigrade. 
 Degrees below zero are considered negative, and all addition and subtrac- 
 tion is algebraic. 
 
 Example: Change 100° below zero Fahrenheit to centigrade reading. 
 Solution: 
 
 1. Add 40: — 100 + 40 = —60 
 
 2. Divide by 1.8: —60—1.8= —33.3 
 
 3. Subtract 40: — 33.3 — 40= —73.3°, the required centigrade reading 
 Check: Convert — 73.3 centigrade to Fahrenheit reading. 
 
 1. Add 40: — 73.3 + 40 = — 33.3 
 
 2. Multiply by 1.8: —33.3 X 1.8= -60.0 
 
 3. Subtract 40: —60 — 40= —100°, the required Fahrenheit reading 
 
Teaching Devices on the High-School Level 19 
 
 17. A Color Chart for Work in "Light" (A. B. Robinson, Univer- 
 
 sity High School, Urbana) 
 A class studying light made an attractive and useful color-display chart 
 from a square yard of canvas, some scraps of old window blinds, paper, 
 water colors, and some snap fasteners. Pieces of paper painted the desired 
 tints with carefully mixed water colors were pasted upon discs cut from the 
 window-blind material. Half of a snap fastener was sewed to the back of 
 each disc. The other halves of the fasteners were arranged on the piece of 
 canvas in the form of a circle. The chart was fastened to a stick so that it 
 could be unrolled and hung on the wall at a moment's notice. When the 
 chart was in use, the primary colors were snapped into position in the circle 
 and the intermediate colors properly arranged between them. The display 
 then provided excellent drill in the selection of various color composites. 
 
 18. Contests in Physics (Suggestion taken from Preische, W. A. 
 
 "Contests in Physics — a Reviver of Interest," School Science 
 and Mathematics, 29:613-14, June, 1929.) 
 An elaborate list of questions is gathered from the text, laboratory 
 work, practical applications, projects, references, and class inquiry. These 
 are typewritten on file cards and shuffled. The class is divided into two 
 groups, either by student's choice or by the teacher's selection, with a cap- 
 tain in each group. A score board of baseball pattern is placed on the black- 
 board, and the scores are recorded as the questions are asked and answered. 
 Three "cuts," wrong answers or failures to answer, on each side constitute 
 an inning. The teacher determines the number of innings for the length 
 of the game and, incidentally, acts as umpire and score keeper. This device 
 is especially conducive to enthusiasm in a group of boys. 
 
 19. A Foundation Review of Mathematics for High-School Physics 
 
 (W. F. Einbecker, Deerfield-Shields High School, Highland 
 Park) 
 
 In order to help students apply the principles of mathematics to 
 problems in physics, the instructor prepared a typewritten discussion of the 
 topic, "Some Principles of Mathematics Involved in the Study of Physics." 
 This paper is divided into five parts and is the basis of the first week's 
 work. 
 
 Part I deals with mathematical terms and processes. It shows that such 
 expressions as "fractions," "square root," "coefficients," "exponents," and 
 so forth, are but special cases of the fundamental processes known as "addi- 
 tion" and "subtraction," and "multiplication" and "division." Furthermore, 
 every process is shown to have an inverse or neutralizing process. 
 
 Part II deals with the solution of mathematical problems and may be 
 summarized as follows: (1) Read the problem to determine the data given 
 and wanted; (2) determine the variables and constants; (3) state in sym- 
 bolic form the data wanted and given; (4) form the equation (Note: See 
 Part III following); (5) substitute values; (6) solve the equation accord- 
 ing to the rule for solving equations in one unknown. (Rule: Perform the 
 inverse mathematical processes from those shown in that side of the equa- 
 tion from which the unknown is to be found, treating both sides of the 
 equation alike). 
 
20 Bulletin No. 56 
 
 Part III deals with the development of equations, showing that all equa- 
 tions of physics are examples of the power function, y = a x m } by develop- 
 ing the ideas of direct and inverse proportions as applied to the measure- 
 ment of the area of circles and squares. 
 
 Part IV deals with the form of the graph that shows direct and indirect 
 proportions. 
 
 Part V deals with the changing of units of measure from one system to 
 the other. A perfectly mechanical method, involving the above principles 
 of mathematics, is developed. 
 
 Chemistry 
 
 20. A Device for Creating General Interest in Chemistry (J. F. 
 
 Pinkerton, Rushville High School) 
 
 Two sections of chemistry meet together on Fridays to hear reports 
 by members of the class on topics of chemical interest or to view a moving 
 picture projected from an industrial film relating to the subject under con- 
 sideration. 
 
 Experiments suggested in chemistry periodicals sometimes form a part 
 of the program. They awaken interest and can be referred to when the 
 principle involved is taken up in the course. 
 
 Credit is given for reports on current topics relating to chemistry. 
 
 The attempt has been made to create an interest in chemistry among 
 the entire student body by putting on a chemical play or demonstrations of 
 chemical phenomena during general-exercise periods. 
 
 21. A Daily Quiz Plan in Chemistry (B. H. Ball, Deerfield-Shields 
 
 High School, Highland Park) 
 Every day in the chemistry class the teacher administers a short written 
 quiz limited to five minutes or less and based on the advance assignment, 
 laboratory work, review, problems, and so forth. Each question is graded 
 and so marked that a student knows definitely whether his response was 
 correct or not. Graded papers are then returned the next day and reviewed 
 in class. These daily quizzes seem to accomplish the following benefits: 
 Students prepare more consistently, review more consistently, learn to 
 analyze assignments for important facts, settle down to work quickly on 
 coming into the classroom, usually review the assignment just before class 
 to freshen their minds, and gradually lose the fear of more formal exami- 
 nations. The quizzes also serve as means of definitely evaluating students' 
 accomplishments and the instructor's own teaching efforts. Often this last 
 benefit is the most important of all. 
 
 22. A Remedial Project in Analysis (Adapted from Franklin, G. T. 
 
 "A Simple Practical Problem in Analysis," School Science and 
 
 Mathematics, 29:414-18, April, 1929.) 
 A test given after a teacher of chemistry had presented an illustrated 
 lecture on the analysis of baking powder showed that the class had failed 
 to comprehend the meaning of either the lecture or its illustration. Each 
 student was told to bring a sample of some kind of baking powder to class 
 the next day. Then under the teacher's direction each performed certain 
 
Teaching Devices on the High-School Level 
 
 21 
 
 tests upon his sample, which resulted in showing the presence of certain 
 ingredients. In the meantime the teacher devised an experimental instruc- 
 tion sheet outlining tests for carbonate, phosphate, calcium, tartrate, sul- 
 phate, and starch. With these instruction sheets and new samples the 
 members of the class were set to work alone the next day. By the time the 
 project was finished they could, by experiment, list the ingredients and 
 their amounts for any kind of baking powder. 
 
 23. Flash Cards for Chemistry Class Drill (S. A. McEvoy, Rock- 
 
 ford High School) 
 Flash cards containing chemical compounds and formulas have been 
 found to be very successful. The cards are held before the class for a 
 second and then withdrawn.. The students are then required to write the 
 formulas or compounds. This process seems to train them in quick think- 
 ing. 
 
 General Science 
 
 24. An Introduction to the Problems of Obtaining a Good Water 
 
 Supply (J. R. Byerley, University High School, Urbana) 
 This plan was devised to direct a class in general science in their study 
 of water supply. The assignment was developed during a one-hour period 
 by first drawing upon the general knowledge of the students. The teacher 
 wrote suggestions about water supplies on the board as they were contrib- 
 uted by the students. These items of information were analyzed in class 
 discussion until, by suggestion, questions, and answers, the following out- 
 line was organized: 
 
 I. Requirements 
 
 1. Pure 
 
 2. Soft 
 
 3. Cheap 
 
 4. Abundant supply 
 
 5. Efficient distribution 
 
 IV. Methods of controlling 
 
 1. Faucet 
 
 2. Flush tanks 
 
 3. Good plumbing 
 
 4. Hot-water system 
 
 V. Prevention of pollution 
 
 1. Cess pool 
 
 2. Treating sewage 
 
 3. Testing 
 
 4. Sewers 
 
 5. Septic tanks 
 
 VI. Purification 
 
 1. Boiling 
 
 2. Storage 
 
 3. Distilling 
 
 4. Chemical treatment 
 
 5. Filtering 
 
 II. Sources 
 
 1. Wells 
 
 a. Deep 
 
 b. Shallow 
 
 c. Artesian 
 
 2. Springs 
 
 3. Rivers 
 
 4. Lakes 
 
 III. Distribution 
 
 1. Lift pumps 
 
 2. Force pumps 
 
 3. Reservoirs 
 
 a. Standpipes 
 
 b. Water mains 
 
 The class then turned through the textbook chapter on water supply, 
 noting where information about each item in the outline could be found. 
 The teacher added a list of directions to guide them in finding library refer- 
 ences on the subject. The final assignment for the next day, a two-hour 
 laboratory period, followed. Every student was to be prepared to talk five 
 
22 Bulletin No. 56 
 
 minutes on any one of the six major topics in the outline. Directions for 
 organizing short talks had been given the week before. The class was to 
 have the right to question each person on the floor as soon as he had 
 finished his talk. The results of the plan in this class were very gratifying. 
 No one failed to respond. One boy illustrated his talk with an elaborate 
 board diagram of the local water works. The best of the talks was used as 
 a feature of an assembly program a few days later. 
 
 DEVICES FOR TEACHING NATURAL SCIENCE 
 
 25. An Artificial Ant Nest for Insect Study (Adapted from Miller, 
 
 D. F. "An Artificial Ant Nest as a Project in the Teaching 
 
 of Biology," School Science and Mathematics, 29:256-59, 
 
 March, 1929.) 
 
 This device provides the biology laboratory with material for first-hand 
 
 study during the winter months. The students who are handy with tools 
 
 can construct the case out of wall board and window glass. No certain 
 
 design need be followed. Only three features are necessary. 
 
 1. It must close tightly at first to prevent the ants from escaping before 
 they become at home in their new quarters. 
 
 2. One side or corner of the nest must be moist. Arrangements for in- 
 serting a sponge may be made. 
 
 3. Part of the cover must be of glass to facilitate observation. 
 
 A small ant colony to populate the nest may be dug up quickly and 
 placed in a quart fruit jar. If the jar is chilled, the contents — ants, eggs, 
 young, and all — may be dumped into the new nest intact. It may then be 
 darkened or covered to make the ants settle down quickly. 
 
 The ants require little care. Small bits of food and drops of water may 
 be introduced in one corner or compartment. The kind of food depends 
 upon the kind of ants and may be determined by experiment. Sugar, honey, 
 insects freshly killed, raw or cooked meat, and the pulverized yolk of a 
 hard-boiled egg are some of the things that may be tried. The feeding 
 chamber or corner may need cleaning, but the ants will clean the part of 
 the nest in which the eggs and young are kept, if the lid is removed for a 
 few minutes. 
 
 Activities of the insects may be observed through the cover with the 
 aid of a hand glass. All feeding activities, egg-laying of the queen, care 
 and sorting of the eggs, and treatment of the young are some of the things 
 that can be studied. Group protection may be demonstrated by the battle 
 that ensues when a few new ants are introduced into the colony. In fact, 
 the possibilities of interesting and profitable study are almost unlimited. 
 
 26. A Remedial Project for a Skeptical Student (Suggestion taken 
 
 from Cooprider, J. L. "Individual and Class Projects in Bi- 
 ology," School Science and Mathematics, 29:267-72, March, 
 1929.) 
 A girl in a biology class did not believe the teacher's statement that the 
 body of a grasshopper had many parts analogous to the human body. The 
 teacher suggested that she dissect a grasshopper and see for herself. The 
 
Teaching Devices on the High-School Level 
 
 23 
 
 challenge was accepted. After tearing up a few grasshoppers rather hap- 
 hazardly the girl realized that she must learn more about the insect itself 
 before she could prove or disprove the teacher's statement. Careful read- 
 ing and a detailed study of the required material naturally followed. The 
 student was then able to make a precise dissection, compare the results with 
 an anatomical diagram, and see the truth of the original statement. 
 
 27. Star Maps (O. D. Frank, School of Education, University of 
 Chicago) 
 
 Materials: The pupils are asked to bring to the classroom on a certain 
 day a syrup pail, tomato can, or can of similar size. On the appointed day 
 the teacher has on her desk the following articles: star maps, which may 
 be cut out of nature magazines; three or four small hammers; carbon 
 paper; and nails of three sizes. 
 
 Directions: Make on plain white paper carbon copies of the star maps. 
 Place a carbon star map on the bottom of the pail or can. With a large nail 
 make holes through the paper and bottom of the pail or can. These repre- 
 sent the largest stars on the map. In a similar manner drive smaller nails 
 through the paper and tin to represent the smaller stars. 
 
 On a clear night take your pail or can, and by means of a flash light or 
 candle placed beneath the star map you can see the starry heavens shining 
 through the bottom of the can or bucket. Locate a given star on your map. 
 Now find the same star in the sky. This device always creates enthusiastic 
 interest among boys and girls. 
 
 28. Animal Tracks (O. D. Frank, School of Education, University 
 
 of Chicago) 
 
 Directions: Obtain small, fairly strong pasteboard boxes, or cigar 
 boxes or small boxes which can be made in the manual training shop. Place 
 modeling clay or common red or yellow clay in the bottom of the boxes. 
 The surface of the clay should be very smooth. Permit an animal to walk 
 on the clay, or take its foot and make an imprint on the clay. 
 
 Tracks of mice, rats, cats, dogs, pigs, sheep, goats, calves, ponies, 
 guinea pigs, turkeys, chickens, ducks, geese, frogs, toads, turtles, alligators, 
 as well as tracks of baby brother or sister, can be recorded in the clay. 
 
 This little stunt provides a very merry way of becoming acquainted 
 with the tracks of different animals. 
 
 29. The "Gimme" Bag (O. D. Frank, School of Education, Univer- 
 
 sity of Chicago) 
 
 Before going on a field trip prepare as many cards 1 inch by 2 inches in 
 size for each student as the number of specimens you expect the class to 
 identify. Place the student's number in a circle on the upper left-hand 
 corner of each card. On the upper right-hand corner of the card place the 
 number of the specimen. A rubber band should be placed around each set 
 of cards. Give each student his set of cards. 
 
 When the first specimen is pointed out, each student writes its name 
 on his card numbered "1" and drops it in the "Gimme" bag. When all stu- 
 dents have dropped the first card in the bag, the teacher names the speci- 
 
24 Bulletin No. 56 
 
 men. In a similar manner specimens are named and identified until the cards 
 are all in the bag. The cards are then assorted and scored. 
 
 30. Insect Life Histories (O. D. Frank, School of Education, Uni- 
 versity of Chicago) 
 
 Directions: Collect the eggs, larvae in various stages of development, 
 and adult insects. Mount them in glass tubing as follows: Seal one end 
 of the tube with sealing wax or by heating the end of the tube. Place the 
 eggs in the bottom of the tube and pour in a 5 per cent solution of alcohol 
 or formaldehyde. With a smaller glass tube or stick push a piece of cork 
 or corn pith down into the tube near the eggs. Now place in the tube the 
 smallest larva you can find. Over the larva put a second piece of cork. 
 Continue until you have a complete life history. Seal the upper end of the 
 tube with sealing wax. Small numbers should be pasted opposite each 
 specimen in the tube. Descriptive data should be written on a card. 
 
 When several life histories have been prepared, it is well to build a 
 stand to hold them. For the stand you will need two pieces of soft wood 14 
 inches long. One of these pieces of wood should be 1 inch wide and \/ 2 inch 
 thick, and the other should be 4 inches wide and 1 inch thick. Bore fourteen 
 holes 1 inch apart in the 14 x 1 x \/ 2 board. These holes should be a little 
 larger than the diameter of the glass tubing. In the second piece of wood 
 countersink fourteen holes y 2 inch in depth 1 inch apart. You now have 
 the top and base of your stand. Prepare two pieces of wood 1 inch square 
 and about 1 inch shorter than the length of tubes in which you have placed 
 your insect life histories. These are the uprights for the stand. Sandpaper 
 the four pieces of wood and fasten them together with nails or screws. 
 When painted this is a very attractive device for displaying insect life his- 
 tories. 
 
 31. "Indian Runners" (O. D. Frank, School of Education, Univer- 
 sity of Chicago) 
 
 Take your class to the field or to a museum. Find a comfortable seat. 
 Tell the students that they are "Indian Runners." Send each one away to 
 find the answer to a given question. When he has found the answer, he 
 returns to the teacher and gives his report. If his report is correct, he is 
 given one point. If he fails, he must make additional attempts until he suc- 
 ceeds in bringing the correct answer. The student who secures the greatest 
 number of points wins the game. 
 
 The game may be varied by dividing the class into two teams. The 
 team having the greatest number of points at the end of the hour wins. 
 
 The following will serve to illustrate the type of questions asked: 
 
 Are the leaves of the elm tree opposite or alternate? 
 
 Which shoulder of an elm leaf is the higher? 
 
 Are the low shoulders of elm leaves away from the branch or toward the 
 branch? 
 
 Describe the notches on the edge of an elm leaf. 
 
 Describe the ribs on an elm leaf. 
 
 Do all elm leaves have the same number of ribs? 
 
 Are elm leaves smooth or rough? 
 
 What is the shape of an elm tree? 
 
 Where are the buds on an elm tree? 
 
Teaching Devices on the High-School Llvel 
 
 25 
 
 Describe the fissures in the bark of an elm tree . 
 
 Can a grasshopper be drowned by holding his head under water? Explain. 
 
 How many eyes has a grasshopper? 
 
 Where are the ears of a grasshopper located? 
 
 Are the antennae of a grasshopper below or above his eyes r 
 
 Find three ways in which a grasshopper is fitted to live in the grass. 
 
 How far can a grasshopper hop? 
 
 Do all of a grasshopper's legs have spines on them t 
 
 Discover why a grasshopper spits "tobacco juice. 
 
 On what part of a grasshopper's body are his wings lastened? 
 
 On what part of a grasshopper's body are his legs fastened ? 
 
 32. A Seed Study (O. D. Frank, School of Education, University 
 of Chicago) 
 
 At the beginning of school suggest to your class that making a seed 
 collection affords an interesting way to become acquainted with plants. The 
 easiest and most scientific way of identifying plants is through a study of 
 their seeds. The roots, stems, bark, leaves, buds, and other parts of plants 
 may be very similar to those of a plant belonging to another family, but the 
 seeds are usually distinctive. 
 
 If each member of the class will save the seeds of the fruits and 
 vegetables eaten, will secure any other seeds that he can, and will bring 
 them to class where they may be placed in properly labeled containers, a 
 most interesting and varied collection can soon be made. 
 
 The following list will suggest some of the kinds of seeds that may be 
 secured: 
 
 Grains 
 wheat 
 corn 
 rye 
 oats 
 barley 
 
 Melon 
 
 Legumes 
 
 water-melon 
 
 beans 
 
 citron 
 
 cantaloupe 
 
 cucumber 
 
 squash 
 
 pumpkin 
 
 peas 
 locust 
 cloves 
 peanut 
 
 gourd 
 
 
 Fruit seeds 
 apple 
 pear 
 cherry 
 plum 
 prune 
 grape 
 orange 
 lemon 
 rose 
 almond 
 peach 
 
 Vegetables 
 cabbage 
 radish 
 turnip 
 beet 
 red pepper 
 
 Each student should provide himself with a board about 1 foot square. 
 The end of an apple box or an orange crate is ideal. The board should be 
 made smooth on one side, and just before the seed study is to be made a 
 thin layer of plasticine should be spread over this smooth surface. When 
 all of the boards are ready, each member of the class is given a bag con- 
 taining five of each kind of seed with the instructions to arrange the seeds 
 on the board in the most scientific and interesting manner possible. 
 
 uts 
 
 Flowers 
 
 Shade Trees 
 
 pecan 
 
 four-o'clock 
 
 maple 
 
 hickory nut 
 
 morning glory 
 
 box elder 
 
 chestnut 
 
 sun flower 
 
 ash 
 
 hazel nut 
 
 
 elm 
 
 walnut 
 
 
 catalpa 
 
26 Bulletin No. 56 
 
 Walk among your students and note how each attacks the problem. This 
 device affords a most interesting- psychological study. 
 
 33. Earthworm Castings (O. D. Frank, School of Education, Uni- 
 
 versity of Chicago) 
 Directions: Locate a plot of ground fairly well covered with earth- 
 worm castings. Carefully gather the castings from a square foot of ground. 
 Dry the castings thoroughly and weigh them accurately. Estimate the num- 
 ber of tons of soil per acre brought to the surface by these "living plows." 
 
 34. Leaf Life Histories (O. D. Frank, School of Education, Uni- 
 
 versity of Chicago) 
 
 Directions: Select five common trees growing in your neighborhood; 
 take a bud from each of these trees before the buds begin to open in the 
 spring. Mount the buds on a large cardboard, placing them in a perpen- 
 dicular row about 6 inches apart at the left of the cardboard. 
 
 When the buds open, obtain a tiny leaf from each tree and press care- 
 fully. Mount each leaf to the right of the appropriate bud on your card- 
 board. Continue this procedure once each week until the leaves are fully 
 developed. Record under the leaf as you mount it on the cardboard the date 
 on which it was obtained. 
 
 When your collection is complete, summarize in tabular form the facts 
 you have learned concerning the growth of leaves. You will find this to be 
 a most fascinating and interesting study. 
 
 35. Raising Silk Worms (O. D. Frank, School of Education, Uni- 
 
 versity of Chicago) 
 
 Directions: When the buds of the mulberry trees begin to open in the 
 spring, send fifty cents to Mr. F. A. Kelcher, P. O. Box 141, Pennsylvania 
 Avenue Station, Washington, D. C, for silk worm eggs. Place the eggs in 
 a box and keep a supply of mulberry leaves near them. The eggs will hatch 
 in a day or two. The larvae need no care except to be supplied with fresh 
 mulberry leaves. The leaves should not have moisture on them, nor should 
 any water be given to the worms. The box need not be covered, for the 
 worms will not leave the leaves. The worms should be supplied with small 
 branches when they are ready to spin their cocoons. When the moths 
 emerge from the cocoons, they may be kept in an open pasteboard box. If 
 the eggs are put in a cool place, they may be kept until the following spring, 
 when they will hatch out upon being brought to a warm place. 
 
 It is a most fascinating study to watch the silk worm go through its 
 metamorphosis from egg to adult. 
 
 36. Blue Monday Sermons (O. D. Frank, School of Education, Uni- 
 
 versity of Chicago) 
 "A good start is half the race." The week may be started in "tune" by 
 a little five-minute talk on Monday morning. The talk may be given by the 
 teacher, or students may be given the privilege of delivering the "Blue 
 Monday Sermon." The only requirement is that the topic must begin with 
 the letter "B." The following have proved to be interesting topics: 
 
Bees 
 
 Beans 
 
 Bears 
 
 Buds 
 
 Bunnies 
 
 Blossoms 
 
 Bats 
 
 Branches 
 
 Boa constrictors 
 
 Blue Bells 
 
 Birds 
 
 Berries 
 
 Beetles 
 
 Bushes 
 
 Bugs 
 
 Bananas 
 
 Babies 
 
 Banyan tree 
 
 Butterflies 
 
 Bacteria 
 
 Teaching Devices on the High-School Level 27 
 
 Beauty 
 Bravery 
 Bragging 
 Blustering 
 Brothers 
 Broadcasting 
 (gossiping) 
 "Buttinskies" 
 Blessings 
 Being natural 
 
 37. National Apple Week (O. D. Frank, School of Education, Uni- 
 versity of Chicago) 
 Beginning on Hallowe'en each year, cities, schools and other 
 organizations devote a week in displaying and studying the apple. 
 Suggestions for the celebration project follow: 
 
 Suggestions for Celebrating National Apple Week in Schools 
 
 1. Early in October science teachers should suggest the celebration to their 
 
 2. Collect varieties of apples from orchards, from the local markets, and 
 from the various apple-producing sections of the country. 
 
 3. Secure literature from the U. S. Department of Agriculture and from 
 state bureaus of agriculture and horticulture. 
 
 4. Obtain posters, buttons, and other materials from National Apple Week 
 Association, Rochester, New York. 
 
 5. Have students prepare slogans, posters, placards, songs, poems, and plays 
 pertaining to apples. 
 
 6. Cooperate with the Art and Domestic Science departments. 
 
 7. Use glass cases and tables for displaying apples and apple products. 
 
 8. Students are always glad to supply jelly, sauce, pies, tarts, apple butter, 
 cider, vinegar, and the many other apple products. 
 
 9. Grocers will lend samples of the apple products handled in their stores. 
 
 10. Permit each room in the school to have an apple display. Offer a prize 
 of a basket or box of apples for the most original and complete display. The 
 prize may be donated to an orphan home, to a children's ward in a hospital, or 
 to a needy family— a happy way to dispose of the apples and apple products at 
 the close of the celebration. 
 
 11. See to it that each teacher and every one connected with the school, 
 including the janitors, is presented with a rosy or golden luscious apple 
 
 12. Send invitations to parents, grandparents, and others to visit the dis- 
 play. 
 
 Suggestions for Displaying Apples and Apple Products 
 
 1. Secure as many varieties of apples as possible and place one of each 
 variety on a large table. Label each apple carefully. 
 
 2. On another table arrange plates of apples (four apples, three below and 
 one at the top) as follows: the largest apples, smallest, sweetest, streakedest, 
 sourest, reddest, yellowest, greenest, best looking, best for cooking, best keep- 
 ing, best for shipping, juciest, mellowest, most fragrant, best for cider, best 
 for sauce, best for baking, and so forth. 
 
 3. On still another table show variations in apples— i.e., largest to smallest 
 of a given variety, and various colors in a given variety. 
 
 4. An "apple hospital" in which diseased apples are displayed adds much 
 to the celebration. Information telling how these diseases are prevented or 
 cured may be placed on this table. 
 
 5. The "joker" or "clown" table draws many visitors. On this table a large 
 potato is displayed as the "Irish Pippin"; a large onion, as the "Spanish VVme- 
 sap" ; a tomato, as the "love apple" ; three small pumpkins, as the "Three Golden 
 
28 Bulletin No. 56 
 
 Apples of Hesperides" ; garlic, as "Italian crabs." Many other original "apples" 
 ™?% , displayed. Perhaps some ingenuous boy can prepare a clay model of 
 Adam s Apple for this joyous, joker jumble. 
 
 38. Exchanging Collections (O. D. Frank, School of Education, 
 
 University of Chicago) 
 Last year a class in a little school at the edge of the Sand Dunes made 
 a collection of the interesting plants which are found growing in that 
 region. Letters were sent to a similar class in a Florida school near the 
 ocean beach, suggesting that "we exchange collections." As a result beau- 
 tiful shells were sent in exchange for the interesting plant collections. 
 
 39. A Classroom Wild-Flower Garden (O. D. Frank, School of Ed- 
 
 ucation, University of Chicago) 
 Living things, either plants or animals, give added interest to the nature- 
 study room. Lack of sufficient sunlight, irregular temperatures of the room 
 during week-ends, and the prevailing dryness of the air make it impossible 
 to grow plants, such as geraniums, begonias, ferns, and other house plants, 
 in the average school room. Dandelions, the most successful of all plants,' 
 and burdock, cactus, and other wild hardy plants may be grown successfully 
 in spite of the conditions mentioned above. Simply dig them up late in the 
 fall, place them in generous pots filled with good dirt, keep them watered- 
 very little for the cactus— and you will have an interesting wild-flower 
 "garden" throughout the year. 
 
 40. Baked Potato for Bacteria Culture (O. D. Frank, School of Ed- 
 
 ucation, University of Chicago) 
 As the title suggests, a baked potato furnishes an ideal sterile medium 
 for growing bacteria cultures. Bake the potato, let it cool, open and inoc- 
 culate it, and place it in a sterilized mason jar. (Place the jar, rubber, and 
 lid in boiling water for fifteen minutes before placing the potato in it.) 
 
 41. Natural Science Reading Records (O. D. Frank, School of Ed- 
 
 ucation, University of Chicago) 
 Keeping a record of the voluntary supplementary reading of books and 
 magazine articles pertaining to nature study is an excellent method for 
 interesting boys and girls in plant and animal life. 
 
 The following is a suggestive outline for keeping the record: 
 Author 
 
 Title of book or article 
 Publisher 
 
 Number of pages read 
 
 A brief statement of your impression of the book or article 
 read 
 
 DEVICES FOR TEACHING SOCIAL SCIENCES 
 History 
 
 42. "Who's Who" Contest (H. M. Price, Robinson Township High 
 
 School) 
 A "Who's Who" contest is an excellent device for making characters in 
 
Teaching Devices on the High-School Level 29 
 
 history seem real. Each student in the class is assigned an outstanding his- 
 torical character. Each looks up as much material as he can find about his 
 character and presents him to the class. The presentation may take the 
 form of a discussion of characteristic actions, appearance, or peculiarities 
 of personage. Or, the character may be impersonated in pantomime. The 
 use of costume accessories often makes the character more vivid to the 
 spectators. The member of the class who identifies the most characters is 
 the winner of the contest. 
 
 43. Questions as a Supplement to a Text Assignment (Improvised 
 
 from the report of a practice senior, University High School, 
 
 Urbana) 
 A teacher of history, having just directed her class to cover the ma- 
 terial on pages 332-42 in their text, supplemented that assignment with the 
 following: 
 
 1. Douglas was not so much interested in slavery when he was pushing 
 the Kansas-Nebraska Bill, as he was in something else that your book does 
 not even mention. Find it. 
 
 2. The Supreme Court decided something else about Dred Scott that 
 your text does not tell you. Find the real decision. 
 
 3. In your estimation, which of these terms, if any, most accurately 
 describes John Brown: fanatic, crazy, or criminal ? Why? 
 
 Almost the entire class plunged into the lesson with enthusiasm the very 
 next period, and most of them did a commendable piece of library work on 
 the assignment. 
 
 44. A Unit Plan for One Year of United States History and Eco- 
 
 nomics (P. W. Slocum, Deerneld-Shields High School, High- 
 land Park) 
 A series of units is given— one group for the first semester, covering 
 material up to the Civil War, and another for the second semester, placing 
 emphasis on economics and economic history. The course ends with a sur- 
 vey of the United States as a world power. 
 The units are as follows : 
 
 First Semester 
 
 1. The coming of Europe to America 
 
 2. The breaking away of the colonies from Europe 
 
 3. The rise of the common man 
 
 4. The extending of our boundaries 
 
 5. Slavery and secession 
 
 Second Semester 
 
 1. Financial history since 1860 
 
 2. Big business since 1860 
 
 3. Railroads since 1860 
 
 4. Labor and labor unions 
 
 5. The tariff 
 
 6. The United States as a world power 
 
 A unit requires from two to four weeks. Mimeographed sheets outlin- 
 ing the work for each unit in detail are distributed to the class. All neces- 
 sary study material, including the regular texts and the library reference 
 
30 Bulletin No. 56 
 
 books, is brought into the classroom at the beginning of the hour. Most of 
 the fifty-five-minute period is used for individual work. Whenever the 
 necessity for discussion arises, the teacher leads it. Short quizzes are given 
 frequently to test the understanding of special assignments, while longer 
 examinations follow each unit. All other classroom work is informal. 
 About seven or eight hundred pages of outside reading are required each 
 semester. 
 
 45. Dramatization of the Quakers Leaving England (Improvised 
 from the report of a practice senior, University High School, 
 Urbana, Illinois) 
 
 A class in history, studying the situation that led to the Quaker emigra- 
 tion to America, found that they could dramatize the topic without any 
 great inconvenience. 
 
 The first assignment was for every one in the class to find out from the 
 text and library references something about the lives and customs of the 
 Quakers, their reasons for leaving England, and the general history of the 
 incident. At the beginning of the following class period it was decided that 
 the drama should be divided into three acts: 
 
 Act I.— The Quakers are discovered in their English homes. From their 
 conversation the fact is conveyed that it is Sunday, and they are sitting at 
 home reading. The English soldiers enter and arrest them for not going to 
 church. 
 
 Act II.— The Quakers hold a meeting, tell of their fines, and decide to 
 go to Holland. 
 
 Act III.— A group of confused Quakers, surrounded by Dutch who are 
 jabbering unintelligibly, are discovered in Holland. The Quakers draw off 
 to one side, confer seriously, and decide to come to America where their 
 mother tongue and customs will be retained. 
 
 As soon as this outline was made, the class was divided into three 
 groups to write the lines for the three acts. They set to work at once, the 
 teacher helping each group in turn. By the end of the hour, crude and 
 brief though they were, lines for the drama were completed. The assign- 
 ment, made during the last three minutes, was for each group to be respon- 
 sible for getting a copy of the lines of its act ready for every other member 
 of the class at the beginning of the next recitation hour. Group I were to 
 be the Quakers; Group II, the English; and Group III, the Dutch. The 
 dramatization took place in class the next day, the teacher directing, and 
 the characters reading their parts. 
 
 46. A Flag Project in History Study (Mary Newlin, Robinson 
 
 Township High School) 
 One American history project consists of making seven flags, beginning 
 with the flag used by Columbus and covering other periods in American 
 history. The flags are made of cambric and are about 18 by 24 inches in 
 size. 
 
 47. A Costume Project in American History (Mary Newlin, Rob- 
 
 inson Township High School) 
 This project consists of dressing dolls to represent different periods of 
 
Teaching Devices on the High-School Level 31 
 
 history. There are six in this collection, beginning with the Puritan maid 
 and ending with the modern girl. All such material is kept in a display 
 case in the history recitation room. 
 
 48. A Trip to Europe (H. M. Price, Robinson Township High 
 
 School) 
 For general review in modern European history, during the last week 
 of school an imaginary trip abroad is conducted. So far as possible the 
 student is permitted to choose the country he wishes to visit. The first 
 class hour after the assignments have been made and the trip planned is 
 spent in the library collecting material. The second day the trip is begun 
 with the ocean voyage. The teacher explains the method of obtaining 
 tickets and passports and calls attention to other necessary preparations for 
 the journey. In each country the exchange of money, the customs of the 
 people, and visits to historical buildings and places are considered. 
 
 Civics 
 
 49. A Mock Trial in Civics 
 
 A civics instructor planned a mock trial as a climax to the study of 
 court procedure. A member of the class was reported arrested for a 
 flagrant violation of school rules, and the time was set for the trial. Wit- 
 nesses were found, attorneys appointed, and the necessary court officers 
 selected. A local lawyer consented to talk to the class on the day preceding 
 the event, describing the necessary formalities of trial procedures and 
 answering any questions that the defendant, lawyers, prosecutor, witnesses, 
 judge, and the jurors cared to ask. The result was a very realistically con- 
 ducted trial. Every student who was in that class now has an accurate im- 
 pression of court procedure. 
 
 DEVICES FOR TEACHING ENGLISH 
 
 Composition 
 
 50. A First Written Lesson in Freshman English (Ruby Mann, 
 Minonk High School) 
 To find out at the very beginning of the first-year English class whether 
 the members could make complete sentences and group them into para- 
 graphs with indentation and margin, as well as to obtain some interesting 
 information, the teacher made the following assignment: "Please bring to 
 class tomorrow a list of the qualities or characteristics you would like a 
 teacher to have if you could choose one entirely to your liking. Use only 
 complete sentences and group the statements relating to each characteristic 
 in a separate paragraph. Leave a margin on the right and indent each 
 paragraph one inch." The students were then asked whether they would like 
 the teacher to make a similar list of the qualities she would like in her stu- 
 dents. They were eager for this. The lists were read and discussed, and it 
 was found that the very qualities students wish in a teacher are also quali- 
 ties desirable in a pupil. The results proved worth while as a means of 
 creating an atmosphere of cooperation and a desire to be fair to the 
 
32 Bulletin No. 56 
 
 teacher. The assignment proved to be an interesting one for a first written 
 lesson. 
 
 51. Devices to Promote Better Word Choice (M. E. Boyer, Dan- 
 
 ville High School) 
 To encourage better word choice in composition work, have the students 
 bring to class lists of color words, sound words, musical words, and striking 
 words. There will be noticeable results in word choice, if the teacher will 
 read poems aloud and ask the students to write down vivid and unusual 
 words or groups of words they hear in the selections. 
 
 52. Observation Lists for Description Themes (M. E. Boyer, Dan- 
 
 ville High School) 
 To develop ability to describe, have each student make a list of attrac- 
 tive small objects which he sees on the way to school. After that all mem- 
 bers of the class may look for a number of pretty things in a designated 
 two blocks. Then have the students compare and discuss their lists in class. 
 Follow this with the assignment of a written description of one of these 
 objects. This will help many to use their eyes much more than they have 
 been in the habit of doing. The other sense organs may be used likewise. 
 This may be continued with reference to observation of people and may act 
 as a stimulus for the germ of a narrative plot. 
 
 53. A Corrected Theme Notebook for Reference (Clara Martin, 
 
 Sidell High School) 
 One teacher requires each person in her classes to buy a composition 
 book in which to keep the themes that are assigned from time to time. The 
 themes are looked over, mistakes are marked, and the composition books 
 are returned to the students in order that they may make the necessary cor- 
 rections. If improvement over a preceding theme is shown, the teacher 
 makes a notation to that effect in the composition book. Thus before begin- 
 ning another theme, the student may glance over preceding ones and profit 
 by his mistakes. 
 
 Literature 
 
 54. Some Questions that Provoke Good Discussions on English 
 
 Classics (A. M. Jacoby, University High School, Urbana) 
 
 1. Suppose you were the director of this Shakespearean company. 
 What stage directions would you give Hamlet at this point? 
 
 2. If you were the stage manager, how would you set the stage for this 
 scene ? 
 
 3. If the wife of Bath were a modern woman, what would she be like? 
 
 55. Posed Photographs of Silas Marner (A. M. Jacoby, University 
 
 High School, Urbana) 
 A class in English literature had a great deal of fun while studying 
 Silas Mamer by taking posed photographs to illustrate the story. On a 
 winter day one of the students huddled against the snow-covered bushes in 
 the school yard in an attempt to portray the character, Molly, dying in a 
 snow bank. During the next few days the class ransacked attics for old- 
 
Teaching Devices on the High-School Level 33 
 
 fashioned costumes and one afternoon appeared on the steps of a neighbor- 
 ing country church as a bridal procession in ancient dress. Later the char- 
 acter Silas was photographed against the effective background of the vil- 
 lage blacksmith shop. 
 
 56. A "Raveloe News" (Lola Brock, Toluca High School) 
 
 While the freshmen were studying Silas Marner, they were asked to 
 make a newspaper in which they were to present items and stories from the 
 novel. About two weeks before they had finished the classic, each student 
 was given a sheet of paper about 18 inches wide and 24 inches long and 
 asked to make the paper folio form. They were then given suggestions as 
 to the amount of space to allow for advertisements, news items, announce- 
 ments, and news stories. After they had studied the novel, one day was 
 given for completing their project. The work was enjoyed by the class, and 
 much originality was shown in the cartoons and the advertisements. 
 
 57. Original Anthologies as an Introduction to Poetry (A. M. 
 
 Jacoby, University High School, Urbana) 
 
 Each student in a junior English class just beginning the study of 
 poetry was asked to make his own anthology of poems that he really liked. 
 The instructor made her own collection first and brought it to class as a 
 suggestion for what the students might do. She advised them as to sources 
 and listed anthologies both old and new, such as Palgrave's Golden Treas- 
 ury, Stevenson's Home Book of Verse, Masefield's Salt Water Ballads, and 
 Wilkin's New Voices. She also brought into the classroom clippings from 
 magazines (the current poetry page in the Literary Digest is good; also the 
 Poetry Magazine) and some pictures for possible illustrations. The stu- 
 dents were not limited to the type, period, quality, or form of the verse. 
 When class and teacher understand each other, such a lack of restraint 
 does not make the students incredulous or the instructor apprehensive. 
 
 A date was set, one or two weeks ahead, on which each student was to 
 hand in a preliminary draft of these collections. It was suggested that the 
 poems could be clipped and pasted in their anthologies, or written long- 
 hand, or typed. From ten to twenty poems were expected. 
 
 The results were, for the most part, very interesting. The books ranged 
 from neatly typed sheets bound in a manila folder, to large, profusely illus- 
 trated scrapbooks with attractive covers. Most of the poems were modern. 
 Kipling's "If" and "An If for Girls" proved very popular. Specimen pages 
 were pasted on the bulletin board, and some of the students asked permis- 
 sion to borrow them long enough to copy the material presented. The idea 
 of continuance was stressed so that the anthologies, when called in again, 
 would show additions. The aim of enjoyment and wider reading of poetry 
 was realized, and in addition, the instructor received some excellent ideas 
 with respect to the reading tastes of these students. 
 
 58. A Project in American Literature (Lebelva Connelly, Deerfield- 
 
 Shields High School, Highland Park) 
 
 A teacher of American literature suggested to her sophomore class that 
 
 she thought it would be entertaining, profitable, and, perhaps, surprising to 
 
 find what poets had thought or felt on different subjects, such as trees, the 
 
34 Bulletin No. 56 
 
 sea, the seasons, or to find how poets had expressed thoughts or feelings 
 that the students themselves had experienced. Any interested student was 
 to report his subject to her in order to receive any help that she might be 
 able to give in suggesting authors or books. Xo grade was offered and no 
 compulsion used; since the work would be entirely outside of the recitation 
 period, each was free to try the project or leave it alone. 
 
 There were 110 pupils enrolled in her classes at that time. At the end 
 of six weeks, sixty-one notebooks came in, two students volunteered to talk 
 in class about their explorations in poetic fields, and three students were 
 writing poems. The collection of subjects was varied. Among the many 
 subjects included were the following: ''Children in Poetry," "An Old- 
 Fashioned Garden," "Ships at Sea," "Around the Calendar." 
 
 The reading had been done independently; the selections were usually 
 good, amazingly so in some cases; and sixty-one sophomores had read a 
 goodly amount of verse. The teacher was delighted by the fact that twenty- 
 two of the notebooks were done by boys — for she had said in suggesting 
 the work that it always puzzled her to hear that boys could not read poetry, 
 when most of the world's greatest poems had been produced by men. 
 
 59. A Puppet Show— The Merchant of Venice (A. M. Jacoby, Uni- 
 
 versity High School, Urbana) 
 
 A freshman class studying The Merchant of Venice undertook a puppet 
 presentation of the play for a class project. One of the boys had a rather 
 large wooden stage, with an actual stage opening about 19 x 22 inches, which 
 he had built for puppet shows. He brought it to the classroom where all 
 could work together in adapting it to the performance of a condensed ver- 
 sion of Shakespeare's play. A coat of paint, curtains, a lighting system, 
 three sets of scenery, and stage furniture were necessary. The girls brought 
 dressed dolls, all of the same size, to serve as puppets. It was arranged to 
 operate them by strings from above the stage. The stage was set on a level 
 with the eyes and screened so that the actual operating of the puppets was 
 not visible to the audience. Of course the instructor had to supervise and 
 direct, subtly and tactfully, so that the more industrious pupils would not 
 do too much and the indolent youngsters would make some contribution. 
 
 Another section of freshman English, also completing the study of the 
 play, was invited to the puppet show. Readers, assigned to the various 
 parts, sat in the front rows by the stage and provided the speeches. The 
 audience derived much fun from seeing the curtain before the caskets drawn 
 back with a wire hook when Portia spoke: "Go draw aside the curtain 
 
 ;" it was also amusing to have to drop the curtains while Jessica made 
 
 her descent from the balcony. The result was by no means finished and 
 perfect, for the students had spent only one week's time on the project — 
 and that outside of class. Nevertheless the general effect was all right. 
 The freshmen had enjoyed their puppet show, and the fact that some of the 
 least ambitious students re-read the play twice to get needed information 
 for their parts in the project seemed to justify our efforts. 
 
 60. A Plan for the Novel Unit in a Senior English Class (A. M. 
 
 Jacoby r , University High School, Urbana) 
 The study of this unit on the novel occupied three weeks. The subject- 
 
Teaching Devices on the High-School Level 35 
 
 matter dealt with the main biographical data of eight famous English auth- 
 ors — namely, Scott, Austen, Thackeray, Dickens, Eliot, Stevenson, Kipling, 
 and Hardy. Emphasis upon their personalities, characteristics, and works 
 made the unit more a survey of the English novel than a study of its type 
 and structure. 
 
 There was posted a long list of all available novels by these writers, to 
 which were added a few easier ones, such as Captains Courageous, Mase- 
 field's Martin Hyde, Locke's Beloved Vagabond, and Barrie's Little Min- 
 ister, to take care of the duller pupils who had not read as much as the 
 average and were not prepared to enjoy Thackeray or Hardy. Each stu- 
 dent was to select two books for his own reading. This reading was given 
 book-report credit, and extra credit was given for additional reading. Each 
 student consulted with the instructor about his selection, for the instructor 
 knew her students well enough to direct their choice and to give them a 
 general idea of the contents of each book. 
 
 A rather formal written report was made on one of the two books, with 
 attention directed toward characterization, author's personality and style, 
 and communication to the rest of the class of what was good about the 
 book. Free, frank, informal opinions were solicited. 
 
 The treatment of the second novel was quite different. Each student 
 chose an interesting dramatic scene from his book, made his plans for a 
 simple dramatization of it, had his plans approved by the instructor, 
 selected a cast from the class, and directed and staged his selection. In this 
 way every one became familiar with many books on the list, as well as with 
 his own. One class period was devoted to informal discussion and prepara- 
 tion, the students working in groups, selecting casts, and making other 
 preparations. All other work and rehearsing was done during study periods 
 or outside school hours. Two hours were given over to the actual presenta- 
 tions on the stage in the gymnasium with the rest of the class as audience. 
 Some students had written scenarios using properties and costumes; some 
 memorized their parts; others read them; some used only pantomime. Of 
 course, there were dangers to be guarded against; the star actor of the 
 class, being an obliging soul, was almost overworked, and the inevitable 
 lazy ones needed prodding, lest their scenes be too brief; but the advan- 
 tages gained far outweighed any difficulties. On the whole, the unit stim- 
 ulated interest in the older and greater novels and instilled in the pupils an 
 appreciation of their literary style. 
 
 Oral Composition 
 
 61. A Magazine Club (Louise Taylor, Danville High School) 
 
 In order to make oral composition work more alive and to stimulate 
 interest in the reading of good magazines, the members of a sophomore 
 English class organized themselves into a club which was to meet every 
 two weeks for the purpose of promoting more extensive magazine reading. 
 One semester the name, Outside Interest Club, was chosen and another time 
 that of Magazine Club. 
 
 At the beginning of the first semester the students were given a general 
 topic upon which to read for each meeting. The topics were of this sort: 
 "Nature," "Travel," "Interesting People," "Interesting Events," "Modern 
 
36 Bulletin No. 56 
 
 Invention," and "Art and Music." This limitation caused meetings to have 
 a theme around which the talks centered. One class period the librarian 
 brought to the class a number of magazines and talked to the students upon 
 the type of reading to be found in each, calling attention to any outstanding 
 features. The students took notes on the librarian's suggestions of certain 
 magazines best for each type of subject and used these for reference dur- 
 ing the semester. 
 
 Thinking that this limitation of subjects prevented the use of much 
 excellent reading material, the instructor altered the plan the second se- 
 mester. The reading was to be done on any subject found in approved cur- 
 rent magazines. This time familiarity with magazines was promoted by a 
 "browsing" period, in which a good collection of magazines was brought to 
 the class and circulated among the students, each student trying to look 
 through at least five or six. 
 
 For the biweekly meeting of the club, each student was to prepare a 
 three-minute talk based upon some magazine article of interest to him. A 
 chairman, chosen by the teacher, presided at the meeting, presented the 
 speakers, and led any discussion resulting from the talk. Each student was 
 asked to report the name of his talk one day in advance of the club- meet- 
 ing. This gave the chairman an opportunity to arrange the order of talks 
 and also to give the subject of the talk as the speaker was introduced. 
 Some very clever plans of presentation were worked out by various chair- 
 men. 
 
 Correct parliamentary form was insisted upon. The student addressed 
 and was recognized by his chairman before coming to the front to speak. 
 All comments and questions were handled through the chairman. 
 
 Soon after the first trial of this plan a new interest in oral composition 
 was noticeable, for to many a new field of reading had been opened. Better 
 talks naturally resulted when the students found something really appealing 
 to them about which they could tell the class. Emphasis was placed at 
 all times upon reading for enjoyment and upon bringing to the class only 
 that about which the student was himself enthusiastic. 
 
 Spelling 
 
 62. A Cumulative Word List for High-School Spelling (M. E. 
 
 Boyer, Danville High School) 
 Have the students keep lists of words they have misspelled on their 
 papers; test them on these words several times during the semester. 
 
 63. A Time Test for Spelling Drill (M. E. Boyer, Danville High 
 
 School) 
 To stimulate concentration, tell the students that you want to see 
 whether they can learn to spell ten words in three minutes. Make neces- 
 sary explanations before you uncover the list. Follow with a written test, 
 which is to be immediately checked. Repeat the process, allowing two 
 minutes for study, and the next time only one minute. Mention the fail- 
 ure of some members to concentrate, and let these individuals know the 
 things you discover about their study habits during these brief periods. 
 Carry on these drills in the spirit of fun. The students enjoy the game 
 
Teaching Devices on the High-School Level 37 
 
 and derive much benefit from it. Occasional reviews will prove that the 
 spelling of these words has been remembered as well as when the words 
 have been studied for longer periods outside the class hour. 
 
 DEVICES FOR TEACHING FOREIGN LANGUAGES 
 
 Latin 
 
 64. A Search for Latin Derivatives (Alice Roberts, Glenbard 
 
 Township High School, Glen Ellyn) 
 
 A device for associating Latin words with English, for showing the 
 importance of the study of Latin, and for teaching Latin roots was carried 
 out as follows: 
 
 Each student was given a stem, such as fac, cap., ven., and so forth, 
 and asked to represent by a picture all the words he could find derived 
 from that stem. The teacher gave the class ideas for procedure by telling 
 them that they could represent the stem by a tree and the words by 
 branches and leaves. The result was a surprisingly large number of words. 
 The students were urged to use original ideas for their representation. 
 
 65. English Illustrations of Latin Principles (Grace Parker, Bloom- 
 
 ington High School) 
 In beginning the study of a language a helpful plan is to use illustra- 
 tive English sentences for making clear fundamental principles of grammar 
 and, incidentally, for refreshing the minds of those who do not know one 
 part of speech from another, or the subject from the object, the passive 
 voice from the past tense, and so forth. A certain number of English 
 sentences are assigned to be composed by each student to illustrate the 
 subject, possessive, direct object, and so forth. On the day following the 
 assignment the sentences are written on the board. Word relations are 
 indicated by underlining words with chalk of different colors; e.g., the 
 subject is underlined with green, the verb with red, and so on. 
 
 66. An Introduction to "Qui, Quae, Quod" (M. J. Boysen, Univer- 
 
 sity High School, Urbana) 
 One teacher of Latin introduces the relative pronoun by reading the 
 story, "Juno's Peacock." She tells the class that their part of the story- 
 telling is to copy on their papers everything that she places on the black- 
 board as she reads. The story is told in English, and each relative pro- 
 noun — w ho, whom, whose, with whom, and so forth — is placed on the 
 board with its Latin translation and case. When the story is finished, the 
 students have a complete declension of the pronoun and have each form 
 associated with its meaning, case, and use. 
 
 67. Original Latin Sentences for Translation (Grace Parker, 
 
 Bloomington High School) 
 
 At times students are asked to make up Latin sentences illustrating new 
 
 rules and to call on other students to translate these sentences. If both 
 
 the illustrative sentence and the translation are correct, the student who 
 
 composed the sentence and the one who translated it get a credit score, 
 
38 
 
 Bulletin No. 56 
 
 but if either makes a mistake that is corrected by someone else, a point is 
 deducted from his score. 
 
 68. Identification Cards for Roman Characters (M. J. Boysen, Uni- 
 
 versity High School, Urbana) 
 Flash cards bearing the names of characters in Caesar, Cicero, or 
 Virgil, depending upon the class in which they are to be used, are dis- 
 played one at a time. The student called upon has to describe the char- 
 acter in order to obtain possession of the card. The winner of the contest 
 is the one who acquires the most cards. These cards may be distributed 
 to members of the class instead. In this case each student is asked to 
 describe for identification the character whose name is indicated on his 
 card. 
 
 69. Some Latin Crossword Puzzles (Anice Sevbold, Chandlerville 
 
 High School) 
 
 Horizontal 
 3. First person singular accusative 
 pronoun 
 
 5. You are 
 
 6. We 
 
 7. And 
 
 8. You (ace.) 
 
 1 
 
 A 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 'm 
 
 4 t 
 
 
 
 5 E 
 
 9 
 
 
 to 
 
 N 
 
 
 
 S 
 
 
 7 
 
 E 
 
 T 
 
 
 °T 
 
 8 E 
 
 X 
 
 
 
 
 T 
 
 Vertical 
 
 1. First person singular future ending 
 for third and fourth conjugations 
 
 2. He (nom.) 
 
 4. Third person plural future ending 
 for third and fourth conjugations 
 
 5. He is 
 
 7. Preposition — out from 
 
 8. And 
 
Teaching Devices on the High-School Level 
 
 39 
 
 1 
 
 p 
 
 
 
 N 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 9 
 
 'A 
 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 1 
 
 R 
 
 
 
 
 G 
 
 A 
 
 
 
 
 6 
 
 I 
 
 N 
 
 R 
 
 E- 
 
 9 
 
 
 U 
 
 '£ 
 
 T 
 
 1 
 
 A 
 
 U 
 
 Horizontal 
 1. You are placing 
 
 4. From (preposition) 
 
 5. Dative singular demonstrative 
 pronoun 
 
 6. Preposition — in or into 
 
 7. Thing 
 
 8. Also 
 
 Vertical 
 
 1. To prepare 
 
 2. Abbreviation — that is 
 
 3. Sign 
 
40 
 
 Bulletin No. 56 
 
 
 
 M 
 
 
 2 D 
 
 
 
 *l 
 
 N 
 
 1 
 
 M 
 
 1 
 
 c 
 
 A 
 
 = 
 
 
 T 
 
 
 C 
 
 
 
 ' 
 
 4 t 
 
 T 
 
 
 
 5 E 
 
 T 
 
 
 2^^^ 
 
 
 £ 
 
 
 
 M 
 
 
 
 "t 
 
 
 N 
 
 
 U 
 
 
 E 
 
 'M 
 
 A 
 
 .T U 
 
 R 
 
 A 
 
 5 
 
 Horizontal 
 
 3. Unfriendly (feminine, nominative 
 singular) 
 
 4. And 
 
 5. And 
 
 8. You are hastening 
 
 Vertical 
 
 1. They will send 
 
 2. We shall be spoken 
 
 6. An exclamation 
 
 7. You are 
 
 70. A Remedial Chart for the Pupil Who Doesn't Understand De- 
 clension of Latin Nouns (M. J. Boysen, University Hfch 
 School, Urbana) 
 
 Case 
 
 Nominative. 
 Genitive. . . . 
 
 Dative . 
 
 Accusative. 
 Ablative. . . 
 
 Nominative. 
 Genitive. . . . 
 
 Dative 
 
 Accusative. . 
 Ablative 
 
 Feminh 
 
 Masculine 
 
 Neuter 
 
 Singular 
 
 Plural 
 
 The chart above should be blocked out on a piece of cardboard about 
 8 inches wide by 11 inches long. The endings for the two declen- 
 sions are then printed on cards just large enough to fit into the blank 
 spaces. The retarded student, in conference with the teacher, is told to 
 arrange the endings in their proper places on the chart. This enables the 
 teacher to locate the points of difficulty quickly, as well as to provide drill 
 tor the pupil. 
 
Teaching Devices on the High-School Level 41 
 
 71. A Dramatized Review of Cicero's First Oration 
 
 In order to motivate a meaningful and unified review of Cicero's first 
 oration, a teacher of Latin assigned one or two chapters to each student, 
 with the request that he be able to translate those passages from the class 
 texts the next day, impersonating Cicero as he did so. The class was ar- 
 ranged like a Roman senate, with Catiline slinking into a seat at one 
 corner. Directions were given for Catiline's entrance and exit, and a few 
 other minor details were considered. Makeshift costumes were improvised 
 for the leading characters. The results, though very crude from the stand- 
 point of dramatics, were excellent for the review. The translations were 
 nearly all forceful and intelligent, and the whole oration was presented as 
 a connected, meaningful discourse. 
 
 French 
 
 72. An Assignment in Conversational French (Dorothy Brooks, 
 
 Deerfield-Shields High School, Highland Park) 
 In a French reading class certain students were designated to be re- 
 sponsible for questioning the class in French on each page of the advance 
 lesson. The students who were to do the questioning were to take charge 
 of the class during the particular part of the assignment over which they 
 were to question the others. The ''extra" feature of the assignment re- 
 quired each student to be prepared to act out some certain thing, after 
 which the members of the class were to tell in French what he had done. 
 
 73. Pronunciation Aids to Beginners in French (Claire Bocquin, 
 
 Deerfield-Shields High School, Highland Park) 
 The students in one teacher's French classes like to draw pictures (of 
 the teacher, usually) to show the position of the mouth for pronunciation. 
 For example: 
 
 Whistling is also a valuable aid in teaching the pronunciation of those 
 sounds for which the lips must be rounded. The class actually whistles, 
 holds the mouth position, and tries to say c or a. 
 
 Accurate pronunciation can be motivated by allowing a student to 
 give the dictation to the class. If the dictation contains some words un- 
 familiar to the class, the importance of proper pronunciation is keenly 
 felt, since the class is writing "by ear." 
 
42 Bulletin No. 56 
 
 74. Dramatization of French Play Scenes (Alice Roberts, Glenbard 
 
 Township High School, Glen Ellyn) 
 Extra credit is given to those advanced French students who drama- 
 tize in French scenes of plays read in class. This dramatization gives prac- 
 tice in forming sentences for conversation. 
 
 75. Concrete Illustrations for French Vocabulary Lessons (Doro- 
 
 thy Brooks, Deerfield-Shields High School, Highland Park) 
 A class in beginning French sketched gardens, with labeled drawings 
 to represent garden vocabulary, and the interior of a grocery store, with 
 articles labeled in French to illustrate food vocabulary, and so forth. 
 
 German 
 
 76. Reading German Poems Aloud in Unison (E. I. Kubitz, Dan- 
 
 ville High School) 
 The students in one teacher's classes, after memorizing a poem, read 
 it in concert with the sincerest interpretation they are capable of 
 giving. This concert reading is usually engaged in toward the end of 
 the period. For example, with quiet voices and awed intonation the stu- 
 dents read in concert, once, twice, perhaps three times, "Uber alien Zipfeln 
 ist Ruh." After the reading there is deep silence. The bell sounds. The 
 spell is broken, but the pupils have lived the beauty of a language and 
 thought ! They have felt its power ! They love it ! 
 
 General 
 
 77. An Auction of Flash Cards (M. J. Boysen, University High 
 
 School, Urbana) 
 This device is for vocabulary drill in foreign-language classes. Words, 
 phrases, and short sentences are printed in large letters on cards. The 
 teacher displays the cards one at a time and "sells" them to the first pupil 
 called upon who gives a correct translation. The one who is able to "buy" 
 the largest number of cards then auctions his group of cards to the rest 
 of the class. Thus the sale continues until the teacher considers the day's 
 drill sufficient. 
 
 78. A Project in Vocabulary Study (M. J. Boysen, University High 
 
 School, Urbana) 
 A teacher of foreign languages cut pictures from magazines, numbered 
 them, and displayed them around the room. At the end of a certain time 
 each picture was given to the pupil who handed in the longest list of 
 articles found in it— the list, of course, being made out in the foreign 
 language under study. The contest was continued by letting the winners 
 sell their pictures to other members of the class for word lists.