Primary School Childrens' Ideas about Spiders. Learning in Science Project (Primary). Working Paper No. 108.

Autor/in	Biddulph, Fred
Institution	Waikato Univ., Hamilton (New Zealand). Science Education Research Unit.
Titel	Primary School Childrens' Ideas about Spiders. Learning in Science Project (Primary). Working Paper No. 108.
Quelle	(1982), (35 Seiten)Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; Monographie
Schlagwörter	Animals; Comprehension; Concept Formation; Curriculum Development; Elementary Education; Elementary School Science; Entomology; Foreign Countries; Learning Strategies; Science Curriculum; Science Education; Science Instruction; Science Projects; New Zealand + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Animal; Tier; Tiere; Verstehen; Verständnis; Concept learning; Begriffsbildung; Curriculum; Development; Curriculumentwicklung; Lehrplan; Entwicklung; Elementarunterricht; Entomologie; Ausland; Learning methode; Learning techniques; Lernmethode; Lernstrategie; Naturwissenschaftliche Bildung; Teaching of science; Science education; Natural sciences Lessons; Naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht; Science; Project; Wissenschaft; Projekt; Neuseeland
Abstract	The Learning in Science Project (Primary)--LISP(P)--investigated the questions and explanations primary children have about spiders. The data comprise 112 questions and 104 explanations (included in appendices) offered by children after being shown a picture of a spider. Additional data were collected during individual interviews with 18 students. The majority of questions raised by students were grouped into these categories: spider features; silk or web; food or prey; young or reproduction; species; poison; habitat; and origin, life, and death. Selected questions asked and some of the explanations offered in each of these categories are analyzed. They include an analysis of answers to the questions "Why do spiders have so many eyes?" and "Why does a spider's web look invisible to a fly?" Strategies used by children to gain insight to help with their ideas about spiders are also discussed. They include guessing, generalizing from a limited experience, recognizing when they have insufficient knowledge to form or offer an idea, recalling relevant past experiences, reasoning by analogy, and gaining ideas from such sources as books or television. Although these strategies must be regarded as tentative (being drawn entirely from comments children provided during interviews), they offer leads to future research into this aspect of children's thinking. (JN)
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC