ERIC Number: EJ961402
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011
Pages: 5
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-9266
EISSN: N/A
Rainforest Depiction in Children's Resources
Dove, Jane
Journal of Biological Education, v45 n4 p208-212 2011
This article analyses how rainforests are portrayed in children's resources. Twenty books and 12 websites on rainforests, designed for pupils aged between 9 and 14 years, were examined to determine the types and range of animals depicted and how plant life in general is portrayed. The most commonly depicted animal was the orang-utan and other endangered animals featured strongly. Mammals and reptiles were over-represented compared with their actual presence in rainforests, while fish and invertebrates were under-represented. Animal size was sometimes misleading and there was an emphasis on colourful and dangerous species. Most resources included diagrams depicting the vertical stratification of the forest, and large, rare and colourful plants were common. The implications of the findings for teaching and learning about rainforests are addressed. (Contains 3 tables.)
Descriptors: Plants (Botany), Animals, Botany, Web Sites, Textbooks, Science Education, Visual Stimuli, Student Attitudes, Feedback (Response), Freehand Drawing, Childrens Art, Interviews, Primary Education, Secondary Education, Science Instruction, Teaching Methods
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Primary Education; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A