This iMovie was made by Edrick and Jody as they explored childrens' thinking about Fall leaf color. Part of learning to teach well involves learning to listen carefully and weigh fully the beliefs of children as teachers plan, instruct, and evaluate. iMovies assisted Jody and Edrick in the process of revisting, reviewing, and reflecting upon their interviews with several children. Edrick and Jody interviewed a variety of 4th graders on their understanding a basic but challenging question of "Why do leaves change color?" Their selection of this question required command of a complex set of concepts including our ability to perceive the color of light, the role of pigments in viewing different objects, light cycles, and photosynthesis. The expert answer is found in the amount of light plants receive and the shortening of the Fall days and subsequent toxification of leaves to degrade chlorophyll and not found in the common explanations of children and adults alike. Such common explanations include coldness of the weather and the relative humidity or rainfall.
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For more information, please contact Randy Yerrick at ryerrick@mail.sdsu.edu