A Student's View

Children Have Their Own Ideas

Children develop their own ideas about the physical world, ideas that reflect their special perspectives. Below are some perceptions from some sixth grade students:

• "A blizzard is when it snows sideways."
• "Fossils are bones that animals are through wearing."
• "Some people can tell what time it is by looking at the sun, but I have never been able to make out the numbers."
• "Gravity is stronger on the earth than on the moon because here on earth we have a bigger mess."

Children's experiences help them form their ideas, and these often don't match current scientific interpretations. We need to allow our children to ask questions and make mistakes without feeling "stupid."

We can help our children look at things in new ways. For instance, in regard to the blizzard, we could ask: "Have you ever seen it snow sideways? What do you think causes it to move sideways sometimes?"

Next: Hands On Works Best