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1.
The infrared images are difficult for me to work
on. When I first look, it's like an abstract
painting, which is NOT supposed to be searched
,looking for things to inturpret.The colors used
become difficult to understand at first because
when they talk about the "blue", and I'm going,
"I can't see any blue."
The color red to me, has always meant "warm",
and in the image , the heat of things growing. I
know corn needs long stretches of heat to grow
well. The brown areas seem to reflect cool,
which would come from the use of water in
irrigated fields.The other idea is the knowledge
of how this color scheme also goes with the idea
that dark colors absorb light, the lighter the
color, the more it's reflected. Concept that can
be taught at third grade level. Early ,as school
starts in August, we could pose a problem, and
test this idea, with the use dark and light
colored clothing, with thermometers placed
inside them inside them. Then checking these
temperatures on several days,graphing the
results.
2. The image of the black string ,wandering
through the middle of the area ,is the river. It
does not seem to have been worked on by the Core
Of Engineers, who often will straighten river
bed courses. It is not a very wide river ,since
the width seems narrow. It appears that the
river has been used to pull water for irrigation
in farm land along its banks. The river is
noticeable ,as it is not in the more common
geometric shapes people use when working with
flat land.
3. The problem purposed in using the images
would be a difficult one for third graders, but
could be used with the close-up views. I would
begin with having the children look for a
pattern, searching to find the increase of
center pivot irrigation. I would relate this
with the pictures of the irrigation machines, to
get them to understand a little of what is being
shown. The use of circles is one they could
easily under stand, which may be seen when
flying. I know the simplifying of the problem
would work if we had the pre-knowledge of the
circles as irrigation systems. I would begin
with the KWL Chart, and begin to search for
answers. Since we have these systems produced in
Grand Island, it would be a place to start.
4. QUESTIONS : What do you know about the colors
used in these pictures? How can we find out
about the colors?
This could lead to a Science/Math experience in
colors, using a prism with the light reflected
through it. This would show them that there are
a variety of colors in white light, and what the
color spectrum is. This would be an idea
transfered to the understanding of the inferred
color used on the images.You then could set up a
center with food colors , another with a flash
light and prism, and then let them experiment
with color.
5. Having a person who sells pivit systems come
to class and bring booklets to look through,
giving another way look at pivits. Learning the
costs of not only the system for irrigating, but
the cost of hooking up electricity and the pump,
would be a math and economics lesson.. My
experience tells me this is a huge start up cost
each spring. I think it would also be a good
idea to visit a real farm . I know of one south
of Shelton,NE. , whose owners were our Ag Pen
Pals for two years. Being in the field , running
around an acre and seeing the center pivot up
close, has been a good experience for my
classes. They need concrete experiences, in
order to move to the abstract.
6. To share their findings, I would have them
work in pairs or groups of three, and they would
write up answers to questions by pencil/paper as
the first step.. Then second, on the word
processor, the group would write their
findings.After corrections, I could copy and
paste the answers into a web page for the
project.Last,they would use the computer lab,
and read what they have posted on the site.
7 In xxxxxxx‘s post,I see the use of the
"Know, Want to Know, Learned" process used in
her answer for number three. This is a good
example of using a constructivist learning
model. This is a more familiar use for me at the
third grade level. It is also a good starting
form for introduction level activities for any
grade.
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