SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE SCIENCE


 Adequate and suitable storage space should be provided for the
 things brought in by the pupils and for those provided by the
 school. Care should be taken to label them correctly.
 Evaluation of Everyday Living. Continuous growth is the
 chief factor to be measured in evaluating the results of the course
 in Everyday Living. This growth is in the attitudes, under-
 standings, and skills of each student. It will be of value to con-
 sider the proportion of development rather than the "absolute"
 level of achievement. Methods of remedial instruction for those
 who fall too far below the average growth of the class will sug-
 gest themselves to any experienced teacher.
 Th exact type of test to be used is less important than variety
and appropriateness to the topic. Many of the testing techniques
of the lower grades should be continued. Some of the testing de-
vices of the senior high school should be introduced. The teacher
who uses good judgment in selecting test types or even uses orig-
inality in an entirely new type of test that seems suitable is to be
commended.

 SECTION 3. CONVENTIONAL SCIENCE COURSES FOR
 SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADES
 This section is devoted to the discussion of ways in which the
conventional textbook method of teaching science can and
should be enriched. General science in these grades should be
closely related to the immediate environment of the students.
The adopted textbooks are Exploring Science for the seventh
grade and Enjoying Science for the eighth grade. These texts
lend themselves well to the study of the surroundings. The
theme of these books is that through the use of scientific method
man has learned about himself and his environment, and how to
use the environment to his own advantage.
 Teachers are warned not to use the texts as mere readers. The
subject matter should be flexible. There is no good reason for
the teacher to feel hesitant in diverging from the textbook. The
textbook, an important learning aid, gives guidance to the stu-
dent, but other aids should be used. The fundamentals of the
biological and physical sciences are the same regardless of the