Organizing the Biology Class Into a Nature Study Club.

The article discusses a classroom procedure intended to create a sense of partnership between biology students and biology teachers at the Phillips High School. To find out which are the outstanding students, the ones who would make the best leaders and what the special interests of the class are, students and the teacher have informal discussions once a week. During the Mississippi Flood the class in plant biology was especially interested in the relation between forest conservation and floods. Other local topics studied were related to Mediterranean Fruit Fly, Tent Caterpillars, Insectivorous Birds, Tree Conservation, Living Christmas Trees, and Preparation of Certified Milk. After the pupils have become acquainted, the class is organized as a nature club, with the usual officers: president, vice- president and secretary elected by secret ballot. A committee of four is selected to assist the vice- president in planning programs for the term. Each group sets to work enthusiastically to prepare the best speeches and get the most interesting demonstration material. Pupils are encouraged to bring any kind of specimens they may find. This collecting naturally leads to an interest in field trips. Two days of each week are given to the usual formal recitation and outlines are made for the work covered.