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Introduction to Alternative Conceptions - A Sample Research Project | EDU 345, Study Guides, Projects, Research of History of Education

Central Michigan University (CMU)History of Education

Material Type: Project; Class: Science Methods in Elem Educ; Subject: Teacher Education; University: Central Michigan University; Term: Fall 2002;

Typology: Study Guides, Projects, Research

Pre 2010

Uploaded on 09/17/2009

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Dr. Ming Zhang EDU 345 Science Methods
1
A Sample Research Project on
Alternative Conceptions
There are some differences in the format of this project and the project you are
going to work on. As far as format and requirements are concerned you need to
strictly follow the assignment requirements.
TOPIC-
• The topic of this investigation is “Earth Science Alternative Conceptions” (a.k.a.
misconceptions).
o There will be a specific focus on two parts within the topic of earth science: rain
and clouds
SOURCES AND REFERENCES USED FOR ALTERNATIVE
CONCEPTIONS-
• Camacho, Michelle. Cloud Facts Michelle Camacho.
http://www.saskschools.ca/~stjohncs/groots/CloudFacts.html (14 Oct.
2002).
• Extremes. BBC Weather Centre. http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/weatherwise/
factfiles/extremes/lightning.shtml (14 Oct. 2002).
• Phillips, William C. (Feb. 1991). Earth Science Misconceptions. Earth
Science Misconceptions.
http://k12s.phast.umass.edu/~nasa/misconceptions.html (9 Sept. 2002).
• Rainy Weather Facts. Weather at Cherry Brook Primary School. http://www.
cantonschools.org/cbps/weather/weather.html (14 Oct. 2002).
• Weather-What are Clouds? KidzWorld.
http://www.kidzworld.com/site/p1352.htm (14 Oct. 2002).
BENCHMARKS FOR ALTERNATIVE CONCEPTIONS-
• MCF Science Benchmark
• Strand V
• Standard 3
• 1. Describe weather conditions
• Key concepts: Cloud cover-cloudy, partly cloudy; foggy. Precipitation-rain,
snow, hail, freezing rain
pf3
pf4
pf5

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Download Introduction to Alternative Conceptions - A Sample Research Project | EDU 345 and more Study Guides, Projects, Research History of Education in PDF only on Docsity!

A Sample Research Project on

Alternative Conceptions

There are some differences in the format of this project and the project you are going to work on. As far as format and requirements are concerned you need to strictly follow the assignment requirements.

TOPIC-

  • The topic of this investigation is “Earth Science Alternative Conceptions” (a.k.a. misconceptions). o There will be a specific focus on two parts within the topic of earth science: rain and clouds

SOURCES AND REFERENCES USED FOR ALTERNATIVE

CONCEPTIONS-

  • Camacho, Michelle. Cloud Facts Michelle Camacho. http://www.saskschools.ca/~stjohncs/groots/CloudFacts.html (14 Oct. 2002).
  • Extremes. BBC Weather Centre. http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/weatherwise/ factfiles/extremes/lightning.shtml (14 Oct. 2002).
  • Phillips, William C. (Feb. 1991). Earth Science Misconceptions. Earth Science Misconceptions. http://k12s.phast.umass.edu/~nasa/misconceptions.html (9 Sept. 2002).
  • Rainy Weather Facts. Weather at Cherry Brook Primary School. http://www. cantonschools.org/cbps/weather/weather.html (14 Oct. 2002).
  • Weather-What are Clouds? KidzWorld. http://www.kidzworld.com/site/p1352.htm (14 Oct. 2002).

BENCHMARKS FOR ALTERNATIVE CONCEPTIONS-

  • MCF Science Benchmark
    • Strand V
    • Standard 3
      1. Describe weather conditions
      • Key concepts: Cloud cover-cloudy, partly cloudy; foggy. Precipitation-rain, snow, hail, freezing rain

ALTERNATIVE CONCEPTIONS-

  • Listed below are the specific alternative conceptions that I will be investigating: o Rain comes from holes in clouds o Rain comes when clouds sweat o Rain falls from funnels in the clouds o Rain occurs when clouds are shaken o Clouds come from somewhere above the sky o Clouds are formed by vapors from kettles o Clouds are made of cotton, wool, or smoke o Clouds are bags of water

APPROPRIATE SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATIONS OF THE CONCEPTS-

  • Clouds are made of billions of tiny water or ice droplets. These droplets bump into each other growing bigger and heavier. When they become too heavy to float in the cloud, they fall to the ground as rain.
  • Warm air rises from the earth into the sky. The higher the warm air rises, the colder the air becomes. As the air cools, the water vapor (moisture) in the warm air condenses (turns) into water droplets.
  • Clouds also form when water evaporates from rivers, lakes, and oceans. The evaporated water is an invisible gas called water vapor. The water vapor cools and turns back into a liquid in the shape of tiny droplets.
  • Rain is a result of clouds becoming too heavy with droplets.

DISCUSSION WITH COOPERATING TEACHER-

  • I just shared the results with the teacher. For the level of the students, we decided that, even though many of their answers were incorrect, they still showed that the students were really thinking about them.
  • There were various misconceptions in their answers. We discussed that it seems as if they have an idea of how rain occurs and why it does, but only to the extent that they have been taught. It doesn’t seem as if they think the wrong things about the questions, rather, they haven’t learned about the specifics that the questions asked.
  • They did seem to have a few misconceptions about the clouds too. The teacher and I also discussed how those misconceptions are possibly occurring as a result of not having learned that yet.
  • Overall, the students seem to be thinking on the right track, however, it appears as if they just haven’t received the correct information yet about the questions I was asking.

DISCUSSION OF STUDENTS’ RESPONSES-

RAIN ALTERNATIVE CONCEPTIONS:

• The students show that they know that the rain comes from either the clouds or the sky.

They didn’t show that they know the specifics of how the particles of a cloud become too

  • pencil
  • water
  • plastic cup
  • eyedropper
  • paper towels

EXPLORATION

Process skills: observing, predicting, recording data What students will do: Divide students into small groups. Fill jar with hot water to cover the bottom. Have students predict what may happen when they cover the jar with the lid turned upside down, holding a few ice cubes. Have students predict and discuss. Next have them begin procedure and watch for 4-5 minutes. What was observed, predicted, and what occurred?

EXPLANATION Students should see that water drops collected on the inside of the lid. More drops occurred the longer they watched. They become too large and start to fall back into jar. Some questions to ask to assist students with conclusions are: What observations did you record? Where do you think the drops of water on the lid came from? What happened to the drops of water as they collected on the lid? At what point did the water drops start to fall from the jar lid? What do you call water drops that fall from the sky? All of these questions should lead the students to figure out the concept that raindrops form as water vapor condenses and falls from the sky.

EXPANSION Process skills: observing, inferring, measuring How the students will expand idea: Hand out plastic lid, eyedropper, cup of water, paper towels to each pair of students. One students holds plastic lid bottom-side-up, while other fills eyedropper with water and squeezes as many separate drops of water on the lid as possible. Then, quickly turn lid over. (Hold it 8-10 in. over tabletop, over paper towels) Other student will use pencil to move tiny drops together. Ask what happens? Next, have students redo with opposite rolls and to compare the two trials. This will show students how water molecules appear to attract one another. As you pull them together, it seems as if they readily jump to one another. When they get too big, they fall. This can result in various forms of precipitation. This could lead into questioning students about other forms. Other ways to expand are to read a book about rain or clouds, discuss meteorology and watch weather forecasts, talk about who rain affects.

EVALUATION

Students will be able to show how they make rain, explain where evaporation and condensation and precipitation occur in the jar, and draw a picture of what they wouldn’t have in their own lives if rain didn’t occur.

QUESTIONS FOR INTERVIEW-

  1. Can you explain to me what rain is?
  2. Is rain just water?
  3. Where does rain come from?
  4. When does it rain?
  5. How is rain made?
  6. Where does it rain?
  7. How does the rain come from the sky?
  8. What are clouds made of?
  9. Where do clouds come from?
  10. Are clouds always there?
  11. What does a cloud do?
  12. Can you feel a cloud?
  13. What does a cloud feel like?
  14. Are there different types of clouds?
  15. Do rain and clouds have anything to do with each other?

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS-(Students are listed as A,B, and C)

  1. Can you explain to me what rain is? A: It is liquid that falls from the sky B: It is a liquid C: It is water
  2. Is rain just water? A: It comes out of the clouds and is just water B: It is just water C: It is a liquid
  3. Where does rain come from? A: It comes from the clouds B: It comes from the sky C: It comes from the clouds
  4. When does it rain? A: It rains when there are dark clouds and lightning B: When it gets really cloudy C: When the clouds are too heavy
  5. How is rain made? A: The clouds are like a big sponge that squeezes the rain out
  1. What is the rain like? A: It is small and round
  2. Why do those things happen? (See answer A in question #4) A: It happens because something went wrong
  3. Does something make it happen or is it like magic? C: It is not magic
  4. Are there any places where it doesn’t rain? A: In Florida or California C: Hawaii Are there any places where it rains less? B: Not sure
  5. What color are they? A: White or black B: Grayish-white C: White
  6. Can you always see them? A: Yes you can
  7. Why not? C: They are too high
  8. How many and how are they different? B: There are three types, but I am not sure what they are called. They are different because of their shapes C: Don’t know
  9. Do rain and clouds work together? C: The rain comes from clouds