Confronting Discuss how to confront misconceptions in a challenging, yet safe, constructive environment.

Detecting Describe how to best detect misconceptions

in learning.

Reconstructing Examine creative ways to

reconstruct misconceptions to redirect learning.

1. ______________________________________________ 2. ______________________________________________ 3. ______________________________________________ 4. ______________________________________________ 5. ______________________________________________

1. Difficult for both _________________________________ 2. Use ___________________________________ to

challenge students’ ____________________.

3. Ask students to provide ____________________ that

supports their ____________________.

4. Ask students to create _________________ based on

their ____________________ of a _________________.

1. Ensure that students reconstruct the _____________ framework for learning.

2. Use ______________________

to show thought process.

3. _________________ generates

conversation, challenges thinking, and encourages debate.

4. Be ______________, anticipate

5. Build in ___________________

and lab investigations.

6. Revisit _________________

7. __________________ assess

student understanding

8. Help learners be ____________ with _____________________; all results provide something to be _______________.

Misconceptions

Students may provide correct answers based on…

We need to know what and how…

We cannot just teach students the ______________________. We have to teach the _________________________.

For example…

What do you do or say when a student tells you that…

seasons change based on Earth’s proximity to the sun

a balance beam is used to measure weight

plants get their food from the soil

Hanna Roach hroach@esc4.net http://r4hub.esc4.net/science http://www.esc4.net/science

D E T E C T M I S C O N C E I E L E M E S C I E

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Common Misconceptions in Elementary Science

Mass vs. Weight TEKS: K.5A, 1.5A, 2.5A, 3.5A, 4.5A, 5.5A Misconception: Teachers and students use the terms mass and weight interchangeably. Mass measures the amount of matter in an object. Scientists may describe an object’s mass as heavier or lighter. A balance is used to measure mass in grams (g). Weight measures force in newtons (N) using a spring scale. The stronger the force of gravity, the more an object weighs.

M a s s a t t e r

balance grams (g)

W e i g h t r a v spring scale i t Newtons (N) y

Density vs. Buoyancy TEKS: 3.5A, 4.5A, 5.5A *Buoyancy was a concept included in the 1998 science TEKS for fourth grade but was removed in the 2010 science TEKS. Misconception: Density and buoyancy mean the same thing.

Buoyancy is the upward force of a fluid on an object. For an object to float there are many factors that come into play: the density of the object and the fluid it is in, the surface area or the object, and the depth of the fluid. Buoyancy is not addressed in the elementary TEKS.

Density measures how tightly packed matter is in an object. Objects that are less dense than water will float in water. Objects that are more dense than water will sink in water. For example, a rock is more dense than water so it will sink. A beach ball is less dense than water so it will float. Fifth grade students examine relative density in regard to how mass and volume are related to density but do not calculate density. Students will calculate density in sixth grade (density = mass/volume).

Common Misconceptions in Elementary Science

Condensation occurs when the temperature decreases and a gas changes to a liquid such as water vapor turning into water. The air cools around the cup causing water vapor to turn into water droplets. These water droplets collect on the outside of the cup as condensation.

Condensation TEKS: 2.8C, 3.8B, 4.8B, 5.8B Misconception: Water droplets on the outside of a glass or cup come from the liquid inside the glass or cup due to a leak.

Freezing/Melting Points TEKS: 5.5B Misconception: Water freezes and melts at 0 °C, but defining that in context can be challenging. Freezing and Freezing Point Freezing occurs when a liquid changes to a solid. The freezing point of water occurs at 0 °C and the temperature stays the same or decreases.

0 °C

Melting and Melting Point Melting occurs when a solid turns into a liquid. The melting point of water occurs at 0 °C with an increasing temperature.

0 °C

Heating and Cooling TEKS: K.5B, 1.5B, 2.5B, 3.5C, 4.5B, 5.5B Misconception: Temperature change is caused by things getting colder or hotter. *The concept of removing or adding heat may be abstract for students to understand. However, misconceptions in higher grade levels can be avoided if teachers use the correct terminology in elementary school. Temperature change is caused by the addition of heat. For example, if we want to feel warmer, we add heat by putting on a jacket or covering up with a blanket.

Temperature change is caused by the removal of heat. For example, if we want to feel cooler, we remove heat by removing a jacket or taking a blanket off.

Common Misconceptions in Elementary Science

Conductors TEKS: 4.6B, 5.5A Misconception: All metal conductors are magnetic.

Conductors carry electric energy and thermal energy. Metals are conductors, however, not all metals are magnetic. The only metals that are magnetic are iron, nickel, cobalt, and lodestone.

Metal conductors are not always magnetic.

Mixtures vs. Solutions TEKS: 3.5D, 4.5C, 5.5C – D Misconception: Mixtures and solutions are the same thing OR that solutions are not mixtures.

Mixtures are a combination of two or more substances that retain their physical properties when mixed. Mixtures are more easily separated.

marbles and paper clips

Solutions are a combination of two or more substances. Some of the physical properties of the substances change when they are mixed. Solutions are more difficult (and are sometimes impossible) to separate. Solutions are types of mixtures.

saltwater

Simple Machines TEKS: 3.6B *TEKS only specify wheel and axle and pulley. Misconception: All six simple machines must be taught.

The wheel and axle allows wagons and motorized vehicles to roll.

The pulley allows people and machines to more easily lift heavy objects.

Common Misconceptions in Elementary Science

Work TEKS: 3.6B Misconception: Work is a multiple meaning word. It means one thing conversationally and another thing in science. In science, work is accomplished when force is used to move an object to a new location. Pushing a shopping cart across a store and rolling a suitcase from the car to the house are both examples of work. Students will not calculate work until seventh grade.

Mechanical Energy TEKS: 3.6A, 4.6A, 5.6A * Students learn about kinetic and potential energy in sixth grade (TEKS 6.8A). Misconception: Teachers think they must teach kinetic and potential energy as types of mechanical energy. Mechanical energy is the energy of motion. If an object moves or can move, it has mechanical energy. Some teachers prefer to keep the definition concrete. If an object has gears that turn such as a bicycle, it has mechanical energy.

Reflection vs. Refraction TEKS: 5.6C Misconception: Students confuse how light rays behave when reflecting and refracting.

Reflection occurs when light rays bounce off a surface.

Refraction occurs when light rays bend as they move from one medium through another such as air through water.

Common Misconceptions in Elementary Science

Moon Phases TEKS: 4.8C Misconception: Teachers think they need to teach all eight major moon phases including their names. Elementary students need to be able to identify the sequence of the four major moon phases (new, first quarter, full, last quarter). They should also be able to predict the length of each moon phase as well as which phase comes next.

Sun TEKS: 1.8B, 5.8C Misconception: The Sun orbits, or travels around, Earth.

Earth rotates once on its axis every 24 hours giving the appearance of the Sun moving across the sky.

Seasons TEKS: 4.8C Misconception: Students think that Earth is closer to the Sun during summer and farther during winter. Seasons are caused by the tilt of Earth’s axis, not its proximity to the Sun.

winter

fall

spring

summer

Seasons in the

Northern Hemisphere

Common Misconceptions in Elementary Science

Rotation vs. Revolution TEKS: 3.8C, 4.8C, 5.8C – D Misconception: Students confuse whether objects rotate or revolve on axes or orbits.

Objects such as the Sun, Earth, and Moon rotate, or spin in place, on axes.

Objects such as Earth and the Moon revolve, or travel, on orbits.

R e v o l v e r b i t r a v e l

R o t a t e x i s p i n

Weathering, Erosion, and Deposition TEKS: 3.7A, 4.7B, 5.7B Misconception: Students confuse the processes of weathering, erosion, and deposition.

Weathering, weathering breaks up rocks.

Erosion, erosion takes them down the block.

Deposition, deposition drops them in a new spot.

+

wind, water, ice

=

wind, water, ice

+ =

Here There wind, water,

ice

+ =

Common Misconceptions in Elementary Science

Weather vs. Climate TEKS: 5.8A Misconception: Students sometimes think weather and climate are the same thing.

Weather describes what is happening currently or right now. For example, it might be raining, cold, dry, and/or hot.

Climate is weather over time. For example, a certain area might be cold and snowy year round.

Living, Nonliving, and Once-living TEKS: K.9A, 1.9A Misconception: Students and teachers are never sure where to place things like dead leaves or cut flowers and fruit. Living organisms have basic needs to survive. Basic needs for animals include food, water, shelter, and air. Basic needs for plants include soil, water, air, space, and sunlight.

Nonliving organisms do not have basic needs. Examples include rocks, air, and water.

Once-living organisms are organic materials that were living at one time but are no longer living. Examples include cut flowers and leaves that have fallen from trees.

Common Misconceptions in Elementary Science

Arctic ground squirrel

Plant Food TEKS: K.9B, 1.9A, 2.9A Misconception: Plants get their food from the soil.

Plants absorb nutrients and water from the soil. The plant’s leaves absorb carbon dioxide from the air and light from the Sun. All of these things are used to perform the process of photosynthesis in the plant’s leaves. Photosynthesis is not defined chemically until middle and high school.

Dormancy vs. Hibernation TEKS: 2.9B Misconception: Teachers and students are often unsure of how dormancy and hibernation are related. Dormancy is what occurs to some plants when they enter a state of inactivity whereby they lose their leaves and/or stop growing.

Hibernation is a form of dormancy or inactivity experienced by animals in response to their environment. A true hibernator can do two things:

1. Go into a state of deep sleep for a long period of time without eating, drinking, or excreting waste.

2. Lower its body temperature to that of the surrounding environment and then raise it to wake.

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