In every class and every subject there are plenty of misconceptions, but in the science classroom misconceptions can be very problematic. The misconceptions can also lead to a deeper learning experience.
Misconception is defined as an idea that is wrong because it is based on a failure to understand certain situation.
Video Examples:
Misconception #1
Many teachers believe that science teaching needs to be just notes and a reading the textbook, but that is actually not the case at all. There has been studies to prove that doing science with hands on activity will lead to a deeper and more realistic understanding of certain topics. The hands on activity will allow for students to ditch their misconceptions.
Misconception #2
A science related misconception that I would like to mention is the misconception that blood is actually red. Some students will have the misconception and believe that blood is blue. I believe the main reason for this misconception is how veins are portrayed in most science books. They are always blue in the book diagrams, but there is never a diagram that shows the dark red blood flowing through the veins. This is a very simple misconception that can be easily fixed with a little deeper explanation.
Misconception #3
Another misconception that is very prominent in science classrooms is, that cells that are portrayed in the text book will actually almost never look like they are drawn in text books. As science teachers we need to help students grasp the fact that all cells will not look exactly like the cell model. This misconception can be corrected by showing examples of what cells will actually look like or even let st
List of different Misconceptions:
- Dinosaurs, humans and cavemen lived at the same time.
- Melting/freezing and boiling/condensation are often understood only in terms of water.
- Objects sink in water because they are heavier than water.
- Some human races have not evolved as much as others.
- Human beings did not evolve from earlier species of animals.
- Acquired characteristics can be inherited.
Conclusion:
Overall misconceptions can be anywhere in the classroom, if teachers embrace these misconceptions they will be able to address them while still teaching for a deeper understanding. Students will take away so much more if the misconceptions of science are incorporated into the actual teaching. Students need to know what information they already know is correct and we need to help explain the information that is incorrect.
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Bailey,
I loved how you listed different misconceptions throughout your entire post! It makes the audience know that there truly are a lot of things they don’t FULLY know about the world of science. I also liked how many of your misconceptions of choice are biology-related. Because even in a science that is essential to human existence, there are an abundance of people who need to know what is fact and what is fiction. My question for you is: how would you specifically teach your students that blood is not blue?
Michael
There are many different ways that I could explain that blood is actually red. I could show videos of blood actually being drawn. I believe that would be a really interesting way to show that blood is not blue. Thanks for all of the positive feedback!
Bailey, I really like the variety of misconception examples used in your blog. This gives me, and whoever else may be reading this, a better idea of what a misconception is, as well as how common they are in all topics of science. Your statement about a misconception of science teaching really stuck out to me. It’s true–many people and science teachers believe that Powerpoint notes and textbook questions are the way to go about enlightening students. There is research to show that is not the case, and this ties into the rest of the misconceptions. All science claims are evidence based from lots and lots of research! You said that many hands-on activities could be used to combat the misconceptions you brought up. How would you show students that blood is not blue without simply telling them? As for the cell representation, are there images of what the inside of a cell really looks like, and if so, could you show these in class?
There are a few ways that I could show my students that blood is not blue, but the way that I believe would work the best is actually showing a video of blood being drawn. There are also images that could be shown to students to be a better representation of cells that what are shown in the textbooks. Thanks for all of the positive feedback!
Bailey,
I really enjoyed reading your blog! Why do you believe that misconceptions in science classrooms can be more problematic than any other classroom subject?
You give some great examples of common misconceptions that a lot of students seem to have. I am guilty of once thinking that human blood was blue until it hits oxygen. Did you used to believe any misconceptions before you were educated on them?
I really like how you mentioned that students will learn so much more if teachers are able to embrace the misconceptions and incorporate them into their lessons.
Again, great blog!
I have definitely thought some of the misconceptions were true until I was completely educated on them. I believe that some of the misconceptions in science can lead to bigger real life problems than say a misconception in English. Thanks for all of the positive feedback!