Say to the mischief-loving boy, “George, we can not have these animals
loose in the school-room; it disturbs our work entirely too much. But
there is a way that we can have them here, some of them at least, and
everybody enjoy them. How would you like to help me make a fresh water
aquarium for the school?” “You would like it? Very well. We shall need
one more to help us. Tell the boy who brought in the snake to come to me
with you this afternoon and together we will plan how to make the
aquarium. We’ll get it all ready and give the other children a surprise.
I’ll help you until it is ready for the animals. You and he can get the
specimens, and after that I would like to have you two take care of
them. Meanwhile, we’ll get from the library all the books we can find
about the animals you two select, and talk about them in the nature
study period.” The aquarium, referred to above, need not be an expensive
apparatus. In fact, most any kind of a vessel or a very large bottle
would serve the purpose very well. Do not furnish this yourself but let
one of the boys bring it.