Direction

By the time they have got somewhat familiar with the idea of distance, that of direction should be introduced.  The first step is to make children observant of the progress of the sun.  The child who observes the sun for a year and notes down for himself, or dictates, the times of his rising and setting for the greater part of the year, and the points of his rising and setting, will have secured a basis for a good deal of definite knowledge.  Such observation should take in the reflection of the sun’s light, the evening light reflected by east windows, the morning light by west windows; the varying length and intensity of shadow, the cause of shadows, to be learned by the shadow cast by a figure between the blind and a candle.  He should associate, too, the hot hours of the day with the sun high overhead, and the cool hours of the morning and evening with a low sun; and should be reminded, that if he stands straight before the fire, he feels the heat more than if he were in a corner of the room.  When he is prepared by a little observation of the course of the sun, he is ready to take in the idea of direction, which depends entirely upon the sun.

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