Fall Foliage Data

Project #1528 on iSENSEProject.org

Fall Foliage Inquiry Investigation

Bridgewater State University Pre-Service Teacher Program

Overview:

Pre-service teachers use school yard science to explore local trees as they change over the autumn season.

Students seek to answer two inquiry questions in this 5E Inquiry Investigation.

Engage:

Pre-service teachers use their iPads to collect visual data from trees on their New England University campus in Autumn.

Explore:

Students explore their quantified foliage data to answer inquiry questions

1. When is the start of Fall Foliage in Southern New England?

2. When is the peak of Fall Foliage in Southern New England?

Over the course of the semester students continue to take weekly photos of their trees. They then create iMovies on their iPads using their weekly tree images. This enables them to make easy side-by-side visual comparisons of their trees. Students then estimate the values for % summer leaves, % fall leaves and % leaves remaining for each photo in their data set, capturing their data in a data table.

Students work independently seek to answer the inquiry questions based on their individual tree data. Students then aggregate their data in small groups to examine trends in fall foliage and collaborate to answer the inquiry questions. Finally, students combine their data with the class (and other classes) to then revisit their inquiry questions.

Elaborate:

 Students will apply their knowledge of tree identification to explore trends in tree foliage by tree genus/species. Throughout the semester, students learn to identify trees by their leaves and add this data to their data sets. Students then explain when the start of the fall foliage season and HEATHER YOU NEED TO FINISH THIS!!!