Handbook of Nature-Study was written by Anna Botsford Comstock during an era of growing societal concern for man's treatment of the natural world. Out of this concern grew the nature study movement which sought to teach science to school children (and others) through direct observation of nature by the students themselves instead of by the study of nature books. The book is written as a guide for teachers instructing their classes in nature study and includes a wealth of information about plants, animals, the earth, and the sky along with suggestions for guiding students in their observations. Today, both students and teachers will find the clear, uncomplicated but detailed descriptions of the natural world fascinating and educationally inspiring.
This recording includes Part I, The Teaching of Nature-Study and Part II, Animal Life, Chapter I, Bird Study. (Summary by Jill Engle)
Chapters
1
01 - Part I: "What Nature-Study is" to "The Relation of Nature-Study to Science" Read by Jill Engle 19:08
2
02 - Part I: "Nature-Study not for Drill" to "The Story as a Supplement to the Nature-Study Lesson" Read by Jill Engle 20:09
3
03 - Part I: "The Nature-Study Attitude toward Life and Death" to "Pets as Nature-Study Subjects" Read by Jill Engle 14:09
4
04 - Part I: "The Correlation of Nature-Study with Language Work" to "Gardening and Nature-Study" Read by Jill Engle 18:01
5
05 - Part I: "Nature-Study and Agriculture" to "How to Use this Book" Read by Jill Engle 13:17
6
06 - Part II: Chapter I: Bird Study Intro & Beginning Bird Study in the Primary Grades Read by Jill Engle 5:13
7
07 - Part II: Chapter I: Feathers as Clothing Read by Jill Engle 6:39
8
08 - Part II: Chapter I: Feathers as Ornament Read by Jill Engle 8:16
9
09 - Part II: Chapter I: How Birds Fly Read by Jill Engle 7:09
10
10 - Part II: Chapter I: Eyes and Ears of Birds Read by Jill Engle 3:39
11
11 - Part II: Chapter I: The Form and Use of Beaks Read by Jill Engle 6:37
12
12 - Part II: Chapter I: The Feet of Birds Read by Jill Engle 5:05
13
13 - Part II: Chapter I: Chicken Ways Read by Jill Engle 8:16
14
14 - Part II: Chapter I: Pigeons Read by Jill Engle 11:00
15
15 - Part II: Chapter I: The Canary and the Goldfinch Read by Jill Engle 16:58
16
16 - Part II: Chapter I: The Robin Read by Jill Engle 18:12
17
17 - Part II: Chapter I: The Bluebird Read by Jill Engle 9:33
18
18 - Part II: Chapter I: The White-breasted Nuthatch Read by Jill Engle 8:41
19
19 - Part II: Chapter I: The Chickadee Read by Jill Engle 8:21
20
20 - Part II: Chapter I: The Downy Woodpecker Read by Jill Engle 14:13
21
21 - Part II: Chapter I: The Sapsucker Read by Jill Engle 6:59
22
22 - Part II: Chapter I: The Redheaded Woodpecker Read by Jill Engle 6:51
23
23 - Part II: Chapter I: The Flicker or Yellow-hammer Read by Jill Engle 8:00
24
24 - Part II: Chapter I: The Meadowlark Read by Jill Engle 10:09
25
25 - Part II: Chapter I: The English Sparrow Read by Jill Engle 12:39
26
26 - Part II: Chapter I: The Chipping Sparrow Read by Jill Engle 10:20
27
27 - Part II: Chapter I: The Song Sparrow Read by Jill Engle 9:04
28
28 - Part II: Chapter I: The Mockingbird Read by Jill Engle 12:14
29
29 - Part II: Chapter I: The Catbird Read by Jill Engle 9:26
30
30 - Part II: Chapter I: The Belted Kingfisher Read by Jill Engle 9:09
31
31 - Part II: Chapter I: The Screech Owl Read by Jill Engle 13:27
32
32 - Part II: Chapter I: The Red Shouldered and Red Tailed Hawks Read by Jill Engle 12:12
33
33 - Part II: Chapter I: The Swallows and the Chimney Swift Read by Jill Engle 18:05
34
34 - Part II: Chapter I: The Hummingbird Read by Jill Engle 5:26
35
35 - Part II: Chapter I: The Red-winged Blackbird Read by Jill Engle 8:41
36
36 - Part II: Chapter I: The Baltimore Oriole Read by Jill Engle 11:19
37
37 - Part II: Chapter I: The Crow Read by Jill Engle 12:18
38
38 - Part II: Chapter I: The Cardinal Grosbeak Read by Jill Engle 11:03
39
39 - Part II: Chapter I: Geese Read by Jill Engle 20:21
40
40 - Part II: Chapter I: The Turkey Read by Jill Engle 14:05
41
41 - Part II: Chapter I: The Study of Birds' Nests in Winter Read by Jill Engle 3:49
From LibriVox, read by volunteers and in the public domain. LibriVox page (opens librivox.org) , the text (opens archive.org) , all files on the Internet Archive (opens archive.org) .
