Describe tools used to determine student preconceptions:
- Tool and place in unit: "What I know About Rocks. What I want to Know About Rocks." Lesson 1
This tool is designed to draw out what individuals know and want to know about rocks. Instead of doing this as a full class activity only, first have kids record individual thoughts in their notebooks that they can revisit, revise and add to through out the unit as their thinking changes. - Tool and place in unit: Record Sheet 1-A
This tool is designed to draw out how students are able to record observations based on what they actually observe vs. their opinion about the rock or what they think they should observe. - Tools and Place in unit: Record Sheet 4-A
In Lesson 4 kids are given the chance to compare rock samples to mineral samples. This is a spot where they should come to realize that rocks are made of minerals. Their observation sheet could communicate this. If not, you know further reinforcement of this concept needs to occur. - Tools and Place in unit: Notes in science notebooks for reading selections about the minerals throughout the unit. I ask kids to keep a Mineral Research section in their notebook where they can record three important ideas for each mineral they read about. Asking them to focus on properties as well as uses for each mineral guides them to understanding minerals are useful.
Description of a student preconception: Rocks can't change.
Correct conception by the end of the unit:
After spending some time working with the concept, students will understand the rock cycle.
Description of a student preconception: My observation is wrong if it is different than other students'.
Correct conception by the end of the unit:
Make sure that students know that if they are honestly and accurately reporting what they observe and following the correct procedure, they are following the inquiry process. This is a chance to have a discussion about differences in the rock and mineral samples they are working with.
Description of a student preconception: Rocks and minerals are all the same.
Correct conception by the end of the unit:
There are many opportunities through the unit to clear this thinking up. Lesson 16 research project as well as Lesson 14 Identifying Minerals should allow kids to clearly communicate the difference in minerals as well as difference in rocks.
Description of a student preconception: Rocks and minerals aren't useful.
Correct conception by the end of the unit:
There are many opportunities through the unit to clear this thinking up. The reading selections throughout Lessons 5 – 12 clearly hit on this concept again and again. Through note taking related to the reading in their notebooks the students should clearly communicate this concept.