IOWA 4-9 SCIENCE PROJECT

TEACHER GUIDE for: I Spy The Color Gloria Baker
Edited by Reta Lemon
ECOLOGY.46F Grades 4-6

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT:
Through this activity students will develop their awareness of the wide variety of colors, and the hues, shades and patterns of a given color in the natural environment.

SKILLS OBJECTIVE:
The students will develop their observation and recording skills and create an instrument for recording their observations

BACKGROUND HINTS:
Brainstorm with the students the ways in which we record information which is used in our classroom, home, and area. These would include but not be limited to tape recorders and other machines, paper list, drawings, and the object itself. Discuss why some are or are not practical.

Have students think about a method they would like to use to bring information from an outside experience to the classroom to share with their peers.

From the paint department of a local hardware of other merchandiser collect a variety of the 2" x 6" paint sample cards which are given to customers to check paint shades. Have these available for students to use.

Students can work independently or in groups of two or three.

This activity can be planned to take several outside experiences or just one. If you plan to go out only one time reduce the number of color cards the students take with them. If several trips are planned increase the number of cards of one color or the number of color cards to be used.

This activity can be conducted in one place with includes a wide variety of objects including but not limited to flowers, trees, water, shrubs, grasses, and rocks. It can also be done as a walk where students find colors as they move along a designated trail.

Remind the students that in some areas objects cannot be picked and to touch with gentle hands.

MATERIALS:
1 clipboard or hard writing surface
1 set of color cards
1 pencil

EXPLORATION:
Take the students to the area in which they will make their observations. Each student or group of students is to find as many of the colors on their color cards as the time and area allow.

In the fall the students will find a wide variety of browns, yellows, reds, greens, in the leaves and grasses, blues in flowers, birds and sky, as well as shades of black in twigs and dried objects.

In the spring a wide variety of flower colors and shades, hues, and patterns in green will be found.

As the students make their observations remind them to have a plan, a method, an instrument for recording what they observe to share in the classroom on another day.

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT:
Allow time in the classroom for each single student or group of students to prepare their recording instrument.

Bring the group together to share and discuss the colors, shades, hues, and patterns they observed and the method they used to record their observations.

Discuss why some colors are more readily observed at a given time while others are not. The discussion should also focus on the multitude of shades of a given color (browns in grasses, yellows and reds in leaves in fall, and greens in plants and woodlands) which can be observed in many locations.

Methods for recording their observations might include:
1. Pictures drawn of the object with color. Green leaf.
2. A color wheel with the object drawn in the color.
3. The color card pinned down with the object attached beside the color.
4. The color card with the name of the object beside it.
5. A sheet of paper divided into squares, with a color and the object in each
square.
6. A map showing where the object was found with the color beside it.

APPLICATION:
Give each student a 4" x 6" sheet of white construction paper.

Direct each to color their paper the shade, hue, color and pattern which they observed and thought particularly interesting.

Collectively arrange all of the papers on a large sheet of cardboard, wall, or bulletin board in a design similar to a patchwork quilt. Make a border of black, and add a title.

An alternative application could be to give each student a three foot length of shelf paper. On this paper the student would draw one object (leaf) again and again changing its location, and position on the paper, with the object always touching or over-lapping itself.

Outline the object every time with the same color as dark as possible. Then fill in the object with a variety of the patterns found in the outside activity.

Color the object with shades and hues of the same color used in the outline. (Green)

Attach the top of the paper to a clothes hanger. Add two strips of cardboard to the bottom for weight for an interesting wall hanging.

EVALUATION:
Teacher observations during the exploration and concept development activities and the application project are all valid ways of evaluating the student.