Lunar Phases 1 STUDENT MISCONCEPTIONS, Slides of Literature

Download Lunar Phases 1 STUDENT MISCONCEPTIONS and more Slides Literature in PDF only on Docsity! Misconceptions: Lunar Phases 1 STUDENT MISCONCEPTIONS: LUNAR PHASES Students’ Misconceptions as to the Cause of the Apparent Phases of the Moon. John C. Olson California State University, Northridge Misconceptions: Lunar Phases 2 Abstract Students come to science classrooms with many misconceptions about how the natural world works. This paper addresses a common misconception in astronomy, the cause of the apparent phases of the moon. Although there are many misconceptions regarding this phenomenon, the research referenced in this paper focuses on the idea that the earth’s shadow moving across the face of the moon causes the apparent phases. Possible sources regarding the origins of this misconception are addressed. The paper also explores some suggested teaching strategies that will help students identify their misconceptions about lunar phases and find acceptable alternative explanations. Misconceptions: Lunar Phases 5 moon, the view of the earth was from above the equator, with the moon revolving from North to South pole,” (Cohen and Lucas, 1999, p.3). It is evident that misconceptions can be perpetuated through children’s literature. “With educators increasingly promoting the use of children’s literature to teach science concepts and primary teachers frequently integrating popular books into science units, caution about content accuracy must be exercised when choosing science books for children,” (Trundle, & Troland, 2005, p. 41). In their research, Trundle and Troland investigated several popular and often used children’s books. They found that the story, Papa Please get the Moon for Me, “…completely misrepresents lunar phases.” One of the worst errors showed the moon as a cut out, “with stars in the area where the unlit part of the moon should be,” (2005, p. 41).” In another example, “if the reader interprets the drawings (of the phases of the moon) from left to right, as is typically done, the proper sequence is reversed from the Northern Hemisphere perspective,” (2005, p. 41). Stahly, Krockover, & Shepardson, (1999, p. 174) point out that “Students’ conceptions of lunar phases are products of their attempts to make sense of their world. The student’s’ ideas are often influenced by their prior observations or experiences.” The authors then list several sources for these conceptions: “Television, trade books, observations of the moon, textbooks, and discussions with others.” They also warn that “the form of instruction could also influence the form that student’s conceptions take,” (p. 174) Teaching techniques that may help address this misconception. The process described in Brunsell and Marcks article (2007, p. 22), suggest that the students need to “become dissatisfied with their initial ideas. The way this is done is by having the students “identify and commit to their initial ideas and discuss each others’ conflicting ideas and evidence,” (p. 22). Only through this process can they be open to letting go of their misconceptions. Misconceptions: Lunar Phases 6 “Conceptual-change teaching can be used to help students understand many topics in space science,” (Brunsell & Marcks, 2007, p. 22). Brunsell and Marcks used as an example, “a very common demonstration of the reason for Moon phases,” (p. 22). Brunsell and Marcks further explained how a bright light at eye level can model the sun and that as you turn with a ball held at arms length you can see all of the phases of the moon. While effective at demonstrating the moon’s phases correctly, they further warn that “introducing a correct model often is not enough for students to change their minds, (p. 23). “ Because one of the most common misconceptions for explaining phases is that the Moon enters Earth’s shadow,” Brunsell and Marcks (2007, p. 22) suggest that teachers “instruct students to recreate the pattern of Moon phases by casting the shadow of a ball onto another ball while using the central bright light,” (Brunsell & Marcks, 2007, p. 22). The authors advised that students need to be aware that it takes a month for the moon to orbit the earth. The article then suggests to “give students enough time to become frustrated with testing,” (p. 23). Students should realize that their model would “mean that all of the phases would occur over a few days,” with a “full moon for the majority of the month,” (p. 23). They point out that many students will realize that “it is impossible to recreate a gibbous moon,” (p. 23). After the students have gone through a process of identifying and investigating the validity of their preconceptions and have found them to be incorrect, Brunsell & Marcks indicate it is time to “introduce the scientific explanation by having the student model the demonstration…” of the ball held at arms length, (Brunsell & Marcks, 2007, p. 22) Some other areas for teaching conceptual change are discusses by Cohen and Lucas. They emphasize that teachers need to “listen to students questions and answers more carefully,” and “…to learn to probe their statements to see what they are really saying or asking,” (Cohen and Lucas, 1999, p.11). Misconceptions: Lunar Phases 7 Activities that might help with the conceptualizing of the earth, sun, and moon system would be another way to reinforce conceptual change. One of the challenges in understanding astronomical events is that “The majority of science concepts in astronomy involve three spatial dimensions,” (Cohen and Lucas, 1999, p.11). Having students making two dimensional drawings of an array of three dimensional objects as seen not only from their own perspective, but from how they imagine it would look from the point of view of other students around the room is one of the suggested activities, (Cohen and Lucas, 1999). Cohen and Lucas conclude that “even a basic science topic, such as phases of the moon, involves a complex set of concepts and that these concepts require a sophisticated understanding on the part of the teacher of both the science and how children learn that science, (Cohen and Lucas, 1999, p. 14). In regards to using children’s literature in science instruction, “teachers can continue to use these popular books, integrating them into inquiry-based instruction on Moon phases,” (Trundle, & Troland, 2005, p. 41). Trundle and Troland suggest that students make scientific observations first in regards to the moon and its phases, and then “follow up with a comparison of their observations to a book’s illustrations,” (2005, p. 41). This approach would allow the students to examine the illustrations critically instead of accepting them at face value because they are in a book. The research has shown that the most common misconception about the cause of the phases of the moon is the earth’s shadow being cast on the surface of the moon, blocking sunlight. Although this misconception does not work with the timing of the moon’s orbit or the shapes of some of the phases, it is still a difficult concept to redirect. Children’s literature seems to be one of the culprits perpetuating this misconception, although textbooks, diagrams and teaching practices that are inaccurate or ineffective can contribute to the ongoing misunderstanding of the student. The misconceptions about the cause of the phases of the moon can be best redirected by giving the students experiences in thinking about space in three