Addressing Student Misconceptions in Science

Where did the tree come from?

• Please complete the Sequoia Tree probe

• Commit to one best response

• Place answer with explanation on the probe sheet provided

• View video from “Private Universe”

Key Point # 1

Just because you taught it doesn’t mean

they learned it

Respiration

• Working with a partner, sort cards into “Organisms that use respiration” or “Organisms that don’t use respiration”.

• Discuss and explain your reasoning within your group

Key Point # 2

Students fail to grasp the ‘big idea’ when

they are limited by the context

The Mirror Problem

A mirror is placed on a wall. You stand 1 foot away and see your face from your chin to the top of your head. If you step back several feet, will you:

A. See more of your face

B. See less of your face

C. See the same amount

Explain your answer

Commit and Toss• Commit and Toss

– After you have completed the probe, crumple the paper into a paper wad

– Toss the paper wads around the room and stop on the signal

– When time is up, pick up ONE paper wad to use as we analyze the data

– Based on the paper in YOUR HAND, go to the corner that corresponds to the answer

• View Clip from Private Universe

Key Points # 3 & 4Misconceptions are tenacious—

when they make sense to students, they’re VERY hard to change.

Experience is NOT always the best teacher.

Is it Melting?

• Answer the probe by yourself

• Discuss your “rule” with a partner. Try to agree on what is melting

• Read the Scientist/Expert explanation

• Modify your rule based on your discussion and what you read

• Complete Frayer Model

Scientific ExplanationMelting is a process in which a solid undergoes

changes in the arrangement and average motion of particles to become a liquid. In order to melt, a substance needs to absorb heat energy. This heat energy increases the average motion of the particles, resulting in a change of state. Dissolving is not a change of state. When solid materials dissolve they involve intermolecular forces that help break down substances into smaller particles. Dissolving requires two materials to be mixed together. This differs from melting, which is the result of one material gaining energy.

Key Point # 5

“Science Talk” helps students to formulate

ideas.

Misconceptions are not bad! They can be a good thing when teachers PURPOSEFULLY use them to bridge students’ ideas with conceptual understanding of science.

Students’

Ideas

Conceptual

Understanding

Use what students know and think to help them get to the other side

Conceptual Development

Children’s intuitive concepts of the natural world can be both resources and barriers to emerging understanding. These concepts can be enriched and transformed by appropriate classroom experiences.

Conceptual development can occur in many different ways. Some kinds of conceptual change occur naturally as a consequence of the child’s everyday experiences, whereas others require intentional effort, often by both a learner and a teacher.

Taking Science To School: Learning and Teaching Science in Grades K-8

Working in groups of 3

• Brainstorm instructional, curricular, and assessment implications based on the practice of uncovering student misconceptions in science.

What ARE the misconceptions?

• Using Benchmarks and Making Sense of Secondary Science, research the topic you are currently teaching.

• What are the misconceptions surrounding this topic?

• How are you going to assess if your students have these misconceptions?

• Why do you need to?

“Ordinary instructional approaches are not effective in altering science [math] content

misconceptions”

Pfundt & Duit, 1987, 1991

What would your students say?

• Administer the Apple in the Dark probe to your students.

• Bring to the next meeting…– A tally of the answers

given by the students– A sampling of student

explanations

Strategies Used Today

• Forced Response with explanation

• Card Sort

• Commit and Toss

• 4-corners

• Scientist Explanation

• Frayer Model