Notes of Lessons: Geography, Class II

[We have thought that it might be of use to our readers (in their own families) to publish from month to month during the current year, Notes of Lessons prepared by students of the House of Education for the pupils of the Practising School. We should like to say, however, that such a Lesson is never given as a tour de force, but is always an illustration or an expansion of some part of the children’s regular studies (in the Parents’ Review School), some passage in one or other of their school books.—Ed.]

Subject: Geography • Group: Science • Class II • Time: 20 minutes

By G. E. Fellowes
The Parents’ Review, 1909, pp. 711-712

Objects

I. Tointroduce children to India, giving them an idea of its vast size.

II. To encourage children to form an opinion of climate and configuration by deduction from map.

III. Leave the suggestion with them of the animals and trees found in the forests.

IV. Help children to form some idea of the interests attaching to the peoples of India.

Lesson

Step I.—Point out special interest of India, as being part of our Empire.

Compare its size with that of England. Illustrate its vast extent by telling them that a journey across on foot, walking ten miles a day, would last six months.

Step II.—Draw from children reason of hot climate. Notice the natural features, i.e., mountains, long rivers, table-land, plains and general slope of the land.

Let children put in Mountains (Himalaya, Western and Eastern Gauts), and rivers (Ganges and Indus), on sketch map.

Step III.—Show them pictures of Himalaya mountains, and mention the luxuriant growth in the forests.

Step IV.—Amplify reading (page 130) by showing picture of Ayah, “Elephants at work,” the latter in connection with ivory articles mentioned in book.

Step V.—Make allusions to Natives as people with a past history and as people of culture. Show pictures of a “Rajah,” and of “Natives bathing in a sacred river.”

Step VI.—Get children to narrate what they have read and heard about the country.