Teaching Materials for Air Pollution Investigation with a Hand - Made Color Meter and a Computer -Introducing Quantitative Environmental Survey for Primary School Science-

Abstract

The present Course of Study aims at converting from rote- learning science to hands-on science. It is necessary to introduce this point of view into the science education which includes environmental education within its vision. The subjects (the upper- grade children at a primary school) surveyed their environment quantitatively. We tried to develop a teaching method which enables the subjects to obtain a scientific view through the experience of the survey conducted. Concretely, we developed a teaching system in which the pupils survey an aspect of the local air pollution by using a hand- made color meter combined with a computer and put it into use. Through this study, the following findings were obtained. 1 . It is possible to develop teaching materials which enable upper- grade pupils to carry out a quantitative survey of environment. 2 . The teaching system developed in this study made it possible to widen and deepen environmental education to pupils. 3 . Our teaching system, in which complex calculation is carried out by a computer, enabled pupils to easily obtain the necessary measurements. 4 . Our teaching system enabled pupils to draw more attention o the measurements themselves and reach a deeper understanding of them.