Difficulty to teach a five year old.

If you take the seven colors of a rainbow and mix them together as paint you get gray.

It needs proper proportion of colours, which is difficult to achieve. & colourdisc available is best way

Mixing the seven colors of paint together in even proportions will give you gray. That's just how paint works. You're mixing chemicals.

The factor that is in play is the light being reflected back to your eye and blending paint together only changes the composition of the material, it's not really achieving the same results as the spinning wheel.

The spinning wheel achieves the desired result because of the speed you are receiving the different colors of light individually and how your brain interprets it.

Thank you, I will try it for sure.

H.L.

It is good when a child asks questions.

A CD shows some nice colors when held at an angle to the light.

Hi Hendrik,

Can you show me the way to explain a rainbow with a CD?

Regards

H.Lefebvre

I remember(barely) a lab exercise in high school. I think this is similar to it:

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/gen99/gen99887.htm

The colors of Black India ink separate and create a ROY G. BIV spectrum(I think). If this is the case it may be something you can do to show that the ink(and sunlight) is made up of many colors. Either way it was fun and interesting.

I fished for shrimp in the Pacific--We could tell when they were getting ready to swim to the surface, because they become opaque with no color. They are reddish normally, but are invisible as red is the first color filtered out by the sea water.

Sounds like you have a bright young mind, hope this works! CHEERS to both of you.

Kilgore Trout,

I will try it but I have doubts she will understand.

Thank you for taking the time to answer,

Regards,

H. Lefebvre

Sounds like a job for Beakman or Bill Nye the Science Guy.

Hi 3Doug,

I look at the site you suggested, and I will look again until I find a simple way to explain a rainbow to a five years old grandchild.

Thanks for the effort, I did appreciate your answer.

Regards,

H. Lefebvre

You may try this way:

On a sheet of paper put small dots of all 7 colours side by side in proper proportion, without letting them mix in each other, in her presence. Now after drying, go on increasing the distance of the sheet from you. You will see some effective colour. If proportion is perfect, it should look white (though it is difficult to achive).

Now you may explain that when all these different colours look to have some effective colour when seen from far... means that effective colour has many more colours.

Now, when this colour goes through drop of rain water, it gets separated and we see the different colours.

It is difficult to put in simple language, but, I am sure, you can understand what I mean. You may use your skill to simplify for your little nice.

Hi gsuhas,

Thank you for the effort, I would appreciate a simple way. I do understand that the light of the sun can produce the colors of a rainbow trough the raindrops, but I feel it will be difficult to explain it to a five years old.

Best regards,

H.Lefebvre

the sun is not yellow

it's just seen at a lower frequency

...you can start by telling her that Jim Henson was full of it.. there are not "so many songs about rainbows"

I can't name a single one

Pure white light has all the colors in it in just the right amount to make it white. A little extra yellow makes the sunshine look that color. Sometimes the yellow is because of dust in the air.

When the sun shines through millions of raindrops they make the light come apart into colors that show up if you look in exactly the right direction. That place is where you will find the rainbow with each color in a little bit different direction than the others.

Look toward the sun if it shines on a rainy day and turn away from the sun just the right amount and if there is rain falling over there you will see a rainbow.

At very special times with the rain and sun just right you may see two rainbows right next to each other sort of like there is a big mirror up in the sky. One will be bright the other not so bright. Your Mom or Dad won't know why there are two rainbows unless they are science teachers or weatherpersons.

Garden hoses with fine spray nozzles make great rainbows on a sunny day and you won't have to get wet to see them unless the wind is blowing hard or your little brother grabs the hose first.

Ed Weldon

Hi Mr Weldon,

I appreciate the effort to give me a reasonnable answer.

The problem, here in Montreal Qc, we do not use a hose garden at minus 10°C.

But I liked your idea and if she remembers her question in next June, I will certainly

use your example.

AT this time, you have the best solution!

Thank you and best regards,

H. Lefebvre

lots of inquiries from childresn are hardly answer. something like why the sun look like smaller when at noon than its in the morening or in the eening?

how much size is an electron? what color is it? what taste is it? ....

why light can go through glass and ...

all this needs large article to describe. most of them can be found in Scince American. in the last 30 years issues.

Hi cnpower,

A good try but not enough to help me.

Thank you anyway,

H. L.

Tell her she'll just have to trust you when you say, the sun is actually white...but looking directly at it to find out would be very damaging to her eyes. Therefore, you can gently explain, her question is not quite right as it relates to the "rainbow" spectrum of the sun. Since she already intuits () the nature of spectrum, she should be pleased with Papi's (Pappy's? Poppy's) answer. Simple!

UG

Hi guest,

I like your answer. You probably understand the situation I am in!

What I would like to do is show her what the spectrum is with simples instruments that we posesse in a regular household.

Thank you for the three versions of papi. In the french language we use Papy and Papi only 2 P instead of the three of the 3 P used in English.

Thank you very much for your answer.

Best regards

Hubert Lefebvre

Good one andy.

I give GA

In my post also, I tried to convey same thing.

I remember in elementary school seeing the film that showed that seven colors on a pinwheel being spun to show the color white.

The spinning disk trick is an excellent way to explain the prism, good call. As for the Sun having yellow light, that's blackbody radiation.

I'm trying to think of something you could heat up so she could see the color go from red to yellow to blue but I'm blanking. Anyone else have an idea?

oxy-acetylene torch.

hmmm.....too risky......I'm worried the kids might damage my Oxy-Acetylene torch if I let them use it.

Thank you Andy,

I do appreciate your comments.

I will follow your suggestion but still, I do not understand a five years old to comprehend the relation between a rainbow and a spinning disk.

I was around 16 years old when my physic teacher made this test and the spectrum

in a technical lab. at the college.

Thank you and Best regards,

Hubert Lefebvre

The prism will demonstrate the colors first from white light, the disk then mixing.

Best wishes.

A wise man once told me that he does not tell people things they are not prepared to hear.

Satisfying a child's curiosity is at times a difficult balance between what's so and what they can manage. I am delighted that you are nurturing her curiosity and I am certain that she relishes time spent with Papi.

Tell her too little and the question goes unanswered and she'll be disappointed. Tell her too much and she will turn away, perhaps be confused and loose interest.

I am pleased that you should seek support in addressing this important issue. Keep it simple and wait for her to respond. She'll tell you when enough is enough.

Frankly, I am jealous! I miss those moments!

L.J.

Thank you for your answer. At least I know that you agree with me.

H.L.

I recall when I was in the third grade, we put on a school play we had to do it for two days. The lead male in the play got sick after the first showing and I was picked to do it the second night. The opening scene had the female lead talking about the rainbow that she was seeing. Then, enter the commoner. My opening line was a rebuttal of her emotionally biased definition of the rainbow and I said "...it's just the refraction of the sun's rays on the raindrops."

It took me several tries before I could stop myself from saying "...it's just the reflection of the sun's rays on the raindrops." I couldn't comprehend the term refration. I was forced to say refraction, with no idea what I was saying. It was a frustrating experience, so I can understand the five-year-old's dismay not being able to understand it.

It is, of course, just what I was instructed to say, the refraction of the sunlight as it passes through the drops of rain. They act like a prism and break down (refract) the white light into its various component colors. How does that happen? I still don't have an adequate answer for that question, so I will look to this forum as eagerly as the little girl for an answer.

Think of it this way Commoner. The closer to the blue end of the spectrum you get, the higher energy the light has (maybe use a speeding car as an analogy, the faster the car goes, the harder it is to turn). The bluer light penetrates the water droplet/prism farther before it is deflected (refracted) from it's straight line course. As a result the redder light bends first, then the orange, then the yellow then the green then the blue then the violet. since they all bend at different rates, they end up coming out at slightly different places and at slightly different angles, resulting in a rainbow spectrum.

Good day Rorschach,

When I saw your name I tough you would ask me to ask my grandauther to pass the test to know her IQ.

I found your answer to the Commoner very interesting.

Thank you very much,

Hubert Lefebvre

Thank you The Commoner,

I am pleased with your answer and your comment. I think I should keep the answer vague enough for her for the time being.

Best regards,

Hubert Lefebvre

First, tell her to stop looking at the sun to see what color it is. It will hurt her eyes.

Second, encourage her by telling her it is a really good question.

Third, tell her the truth in plain english. Not too technical but not too dumbed down. Kids understand a whole lot more than given credit for. And if she doesn't she will ask. No point in working on some example if she already understands that aspect of it.

She will develop a better understanding of the concepts if you pursue a dialogue about it rather than preparing a lesson on the subject. Guaranteed you will loose her after 15 minutes.

(sorry about the "guest" reply, login not working)

Thank you Guest,

I agree with all you have written.

But I will use a plain french instead of a plain english.

I am a french speaking canadian and I try to do my best in english.

Regards,

Hubert Lefebvre

First try and explain deflection by the water surface. (use some stone hopping)

A round stone may go ploeb and sink while a flat stone will hop hop .... (shape equivalent to frequency or colored photons)

Then show her a bowl of water and a straight drinking straw. and show her that it appears to be bent when in the water. try and explain why.

Now you have to do some improvising but usually I found that all this new knowledge will keep them ocupied for a while and let you off the hook for a few days to prepare for the next inquisision.

Hendrik,

Good sense of humor!

Thank you,

H. Lefebvre

A five year old usually understands visual imagery much better than words. Try taking three flashlights that put out roughly the same amount of light. Get some transparent colored plastic sheets in yellow, red, and blue (someone correct me if I have the colors wrong.) Tape the sheets onto the flashlights. Shine the three lights separately onto a white sheet of paper, then move them together, creating a white light on the paper. Then explain that white light is made of different colors, and that rain drops in the air break the white light apart, like the separate colored flashlights when you move the beams apart.

-Dennis

Thank you Zoomer,

I like your answer and I will try it.

It is a good approach to answering the question.

Regards,

Hubert Lefebvre

Having raised many children, and answered thousands of questions... I have to say I think you are underestimating the child. I recommend speaking in simplistic terms, but the same basic information as you would tell a grade 9 class. and don't forget that these things were taught with diagrams for hundreds of years. get out your pencil. Children are very intuitive, and their ability to cross reference, and store data for the future is amazing.

Also, Nature provides a million examples of ...well nature. lol. if you are looking for the best teaching.. go forth out into the natural world. watch the sun reflect off the sparkling snow, babbling brook or neighbors shiny head... embrace nature. it is brain building to do so.

also, children, when they are out in the bounty of nature, ask fewer questions because there is a fundamental teaching and 'knowing' aspect to being in nature.. and it is fun.. kids learn about gravity sliding down hills, parabolic arcs from throwing things, turbulence and displacement from floating milk cartons in streams, heat and combustion from campfires,to say nothing of living things.

Nature is the best teacher you could possibly find. A child with a head full of nature is one you don't really have to spend your life explaining things to.. You just tell an explanation once, and they will get you. Also, if you have spent enough time in nature, your explanations will be more to the point, and more quickly conveyed.

I think there has also been research done about children who are restrained from natural exploration, and show some limited brain development, so it is more than a good idea. I consider it essential.

chris

Chris,

I liked very much your answer. I understand 100% what you are writing, and I am also a nature lover for a long time. I was in the Scout movement up to 19 years old.

With all the answers I received, including your's, I thing I will be able to find a very good answer. I am thinking that it would be easier in the summer to answer the question.

Thank your very much for your answer.

Best regards,

Hubert Lefebvre

The wonder of it all. Children challenge us to learn all over again and from a different perspective. Mine are 7 and 9.

At lunch on friday, my boss (an engineer) mentioned how much he enjoyed when kids bring home science projects, and ask for help.. I have to agree.. some of my best teaching come from getting to design experimental equipment for a grade 7 student... like an electromagnet with wood, copper wire, batteries, and nails.. (and a switch and a light bulb..

chris

I can relate to that chrisg288.

Word soon spread that there was a guy in the neighborhood building a real airplane. Within a few months, you'd think there was a public school in the back of my house. Soon we had teachers stopping by too.

And all for the same reason. "Mr Wizard is going to teach us something about making metal parts today!"

Not sure where they got the Mr Wizard nickname. While I remember watching him in the early 50's , these youngsters were too young to remember Don Herbert's programs.

Facilitating the growth of a youngster is a special treat. So is facilitating the learning of adults. But the joy and satisfaction I experience working with children and their parents is something really super.

I run sidewalk Star Parties on a regular basis for the reason.

Watching a youngsters excited expression when he or she steps away from a telescope is difficult to describe: "Daddy! It has Rings around it!"

L.J.

Guys, wait until she asks why the sky is blue....

How did you explain this type of question to your child when they were still little?

It's not that complicated. Five year olds pick up on things quite easily.

Just explain it to them. The refracted light is perfect.

It's a good opportunity to google the information online with your grandchildren when they have questions like that so they become accustomed to researching on their own as well.

The truth always works, with a hidden lesson to follow. May I suggest a reply something like this:

"I don't really know the answer, but it would be very interesting to understand how a yellow sun can make different colors. When you get to school, there will be lessons in science. Learn science, and then tell me the answer later on."

You are teaching many more things that the true answer. Humbleness (not pretending that you know everything - hard for most people to say "I don't know"), that you are interested enough to take the time, curiosity, to study and not just get handed the answer, get interested in school (math and science is the future), commitment, and kindness to share the answer when discovered.

I forget the color temperature of the Sun, but it is high 6000K or so. It only "appears" to be sometimes yellow. The following is from a Wikipedia entry (Color_temperature) and agrees with my knowledge:-

The sun

As the sun crosses the sky, it may appear to be red, orange, yellow or white depending on its position. The changing color of the sun over the course of the day is mainly a result of refraction and, to a lesser extent, scattering of light, and is unrelated to black body radiation.

I hope this helps you further in understanding the real facts.

Is it only higher than 6000k? Im afraid you are not really aware of what the color temperature is. why not review the define and then put out the thread? are you going to mislead child or adult?

the color temperature of sun has different value in a day, as welll as different season and different climatic condition. it could be 2000k,... 3000k,... 9000k etc.....

just explain the fact.

Wrong! The color temp of the sun is a more or less fixed number (the small variation comes from solar flares and sunspots int he chromosphere, but the variation is only a couple percentage points at most.) , it is our ATMOSPHERE that changes the apparent value.

I'm afraid YOU are the one that fails to grasp the meaning of the term.

wow, so absolute!

Do you know what the color temperature is? what is black object temperature?

How much temperature is the sun itself?

what is different between color temperature and object remperature?

haha, so many come from Texas,

Dear friends I really dont know how to explain future more. If you would not fear that the unknowledgeable chinese show off and dont think he is bragging, I would like to teach you what the white color and how much kinds of color temperature of white are (TV or printing industry) and How does color reconstruct and what is plus and what is minus method to form a white for TV industry and printing industry

thus you will know why color tempe in the clear day is lower than that in the cloudy day. and etc.and the ct in the noon is lower than in the evening. etc.

and Need I teach how to shot a wonderful color picture? how to compose a picture?

Im afraid someone will be not pleasure.

Yes and thank God very few posters of your ilk from China!!!

CNPower

The colour temperature of Sun is 5800K. This doesn't mean that Sun is at 5800. What others say is correct.

The temperature of the Sun at different altitudes / depths is different ranging from few thousnad to 100 thousands.

Why are you so obtuse?

It just shows your lack of understanding and knowledge.....you could learn a lot on CR4 if you tried to be less abrasive.....

obstuse or obstinate?

You laugh at gsuhas' unknowledgeable. why do you attact him? He was just speaking a matter he thnk about.

But look at your words. Do you have more knowledge than him? I think he is more bettter than you. Im afraid, you even dont know what the color temperature is. but pretent to know all.

You can speak nothing but this excuse, less know English. Im afraid an illiteracy in England can also speak a fluent English.

How is your original idea? type out agin?

nother than you know all? the sun has higher color temperature than 6000k? when? across sky? down earth? or some what?

I thought I did, maybe you did not fully understand what was meant, language problem maybe......

ok Lets assume you know.

I wish you would not say it to your colleagues. in order that they will laugh.

especially not to talk to german children, to mislead them.

It is 5800K, which is Yellow. Thats why the Sun is Scientifically Yellow (though looks white.

I wonder why you still make a mistake just like 42#, 44#, when I pointed out the correct answer?

it appears you all havnt shot pictures with camera?

If there would be a photographer come here, he would laugh at the words and correct you.

besides, to talk with a child of 5 yds color temperature is really unneccessory and stupid action.

Dear friends I really dont know how to explain future more. If you would not fear that the unknowledgeable chinese show off and dont think he is bragging, I would like to teach you what the white color and how much kinds of color temperature of white are (TV or printing industry) and How does color reconstruct and what is plus and what is minus method to form a white for TV industry and printing industry

thus you will know why color tempe in the clear day is lower than that in the cloudy day. and etc.and the ct in the noon is lower than in the evening. etc.

and Need I teach how to shot a wonderful color picture? how to compose a picture?

Im afraid someone will be not pleasure.

sorry I should post this thread in anther place

dont take seriously.

forget it

Hi Andy,

Very good reply.

Thank you,

H. Lefebvre

Hi PetroPower,

The problem is that I know the answer. But when I posted my question I was looking for an easy answer to give to a 5 years old. I received many answer and the best one up to now is the answer #7.

I will do it in the summer because here in the suburb of Montreal, we already are under 35 cm of snow and the temperature is minus 10°C.

I will write you the way I did it. If I succeded or not.

Thank you for taking the time to write, and I found your suggestion very good.

Regards,

Hubert Lefebvre

Try this if you have access to a projection TV, where you can see the 3 colored image sources:

Turn the channel to a blank station (showing Snow) or perhaps display a camera picture which is all white. You should see the 3 projections tubes lit in their colors yet the combination on the TV screen appears white.

(Must confess I haven't tried this …I have a CRT type TV).

wow, so many scienists to put out so many woderful ideas to teach a child who has only 5 years old.

Education is not a simple thing like you imagine. I would like to suggest you should tell her, because there is a fairy who is living in the sky and industrious and kindness. she weave a beautiful colorful tape in her room, When she go out, she will show off it to our human. we also work some beautiful things to show her. I object to teach so much engineering knowledge to her in her ages. Every child is a naive. we should keep their pure heart. they need to fulfil with fantastic and happy.

Im not laugh at your adult naive and unknowledgeble. your words really show you cannt be a good educators. I would liek to put an end to the unuseless discuss and pay children their happy life.

Why sky is blue, because Chrismas old man paint the sky with blue ink so that it looks like a warm peace or like a sea, very beautiful. haha. when you will take space shutter someday to sky you will see him.

CN,

A very perceptive, thoughful, and understanding answer...which I have tried to put in more occidental perspective, below. The west could learn much from the east about child mentoring.

what is Karellian rusalka ? I can only guess its a tale from some country. Im less knowledge.

Can you open a new thread about it so that we can talk many fairy tales from countries in the world.

here seems not welcome this topic.

Just tell her you don't know. Then show her the tricks described above. It is the asking, the not knowing that is what fascinates her. Proper development of such fascination into lifelong pursuit of understanding comes with the realization that some things are mysterious; that they require frequent re-visits over the years as one matures to fully (or almost fully) understand. Therefore it is a pitfall, both for her and for you, for you to expect her to expect you to know that which you do not know, or know only in a vague superficial sense, don't you see? Showing her a spinning pigment wheel is both fascinating and informative, but it will not answer the question you perceive her to be asking...nor does it need to...if in simply "informs" her 5-year-old sensibility that behind the obvious, the visible things of nature, there are unseen things...either to be found and learned about over time...or to remain a mystery. It is the mystery part, not the mastery part, that rests at the heart of what a healthy and happy childhood is all about. Therefore forget about being the answer man; try to be the 'Let's play with this (question) together' man. Knowing of believing she knows the answer to the question....will not make one scintilla of difference...five minutes later...

Dear, guest,

I will write to you after my performance and I will tell you the truth, success or disaster!

I like your answer and I agree with almost all of it.

Best wishes for the coming holidays,

Thank you

Hubert Lefebvre

Thanks, and good luck with it. And the same wishes back to you.

Use a round paper divided in the three elemental colours. Put it in a pencil, and use the pencil and the disk as a spinner. The colors will mix and approach white as you increase the rotation speed.

Hi, Hubert Lefebvre

You are one of the warmest welcome person here as you return everyone reply.

You are wise as you attend college at only 16 years old. When I was that ages, we are obliged to attend the great cultural revolution to study how to struggle. I think you know every threads thought posted here. I still think the best bet is carry her to nature to see , to game, to be aware of , instead of learn more socalled adult science knowldege.

Just like the girl in the left picture.

as she grow up, and touch with nature, to play with her children, she will know all.dont let her stay at home alone.

cnpower --

Your words speak to Hubert better than my than I ever could. Much to think about in what you say.

Thank you to the both of you.

Ed Weldon

What you can do is show her the Television or computer monitor when the screen is white.. then get a magnifying glass, and show here that the white is being transmitted by a blend of 3 colors..

if she understands... then show her that if she takes all the colors of her crayons, that they will all 'blend' theoretically, to make black, in a subtractive system, based upon the absorption of light. then explain that the tv/monitor is additive, based upon the emission of light - and there are 2 color systems.

the spinning disk can show more.. and I'm sure there are many other tools on the net, or teacher stores that have teaching aids.

chris

Thank you chrisq288,

Again I think she will ask me what is the relation between a white screen that is filled with 3 colors and the rainbow that displays more than 3 colors.

I understand what you mean but by problem is to explain the colors of a rainbow to a five years old.

Thank you again for taking the time to help me.

Regards,

H. Lefebvre

The source image for this one is animated..

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/Light_dispersion_conceptual_waves.gif

I think that COMPARISON is the ultimate form of intelligence, and therefore, everything you teach and learn is only learned by comparison. I dare you to prove otherwise... as for sure you will even have to compare my statement to something else to do so...

Chris

Thank you Chris,

This will be very attractive for a five years old. I will keep it on my hard disk for the

next grandchlildren: 2 months, 3 years old.

Thank you again for the time spend in searching for me.

Happy Holydays,

Hubert Lefebvre.