an innovative approach

5.4) Principle IV: Enabling Students to Relate Photosynthesis
Knowledge to Conserve the Environment
5.4.1) Mrs. Amp’s Practices on Principle IV
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Perhaps, the school events might limit teaching time. Mrs. Amp
did not appear to relate photosynthesis knowledge to conserve the environment in the
classroom. Students’ personal stories of their environment had not been discussed to
initiate operating the science project. However, interviews with her and the students
indicated that she assigned operating the science project to the students, outside
teaching periods. The students needed to report on the science project as a part of
taking the biology examination.
5.4.2) Students’ Ability to Relate Photosynthesis Knowledge to
Conserve the Environment
According to the students’ work reports and interviews with the
students, this study found that most of students were not convinced to operate the
science project based on Mrs. Amp’s assignment. S09 noted that he just knew that he
got the assignment on the science project, during the interview. “…really? What’s the
project?” he questioned. Interview with S12 also supported that she just knew that
she used misconceptions to relate photosynthesis to conserve the environment. Her
project involved producing plant-fertilizer. She thought that plants used to produce
fertilizer still photosynthesized. The photosynthesis of the fertilizer was expected to
increase photosynthesis rate of a growing plant. Only two groups of students in Mrs.
Amp’s class operated the project that involved environmental conservation. One
group used waste-water plants to nit the disk matte. Another group developed the
pamphlets. Those informed people in community which plants should be grown to
decrease air pollution.