ELEMENTARY CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS OF THE WATER CYCLE By MARK ANDREW ,tfCJUNKIN Bachelor of Science in Education Northeastern Oklahoma State University Tahlequah, Oklahoma 1978 Master of Science in Education Northeastern Oklahoma State University Tahlequah, Oklahoma 1981 Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate College of the Oklahoma State University in partial fuHillment of the Degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION May, 1991 Oklahoma State Univ. Library ELEMENTARY CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS OF THE WATER CYCLE Thesis Approved: ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to express sincere thanks to the many people who helped in my work at Oklahoma State University, and especially to my adviser, Dr. Terence J. Mills. His patience, guidance, and understanding were key elements in the success of this research project. I also want to express appreciation to the other members of my commiHee, Dr. Russ Dobson, Dr. Vernon Troxel, and Dr. Dave Robinson, for their encouragement and suggestions. I would also like to thank and acknowledge my parents, Virgil and Gertrude McJunkin, for their support and encouragement through the years. A special thanks is due to my wife Dana who provided constant support, moral encouragement, and understanding. Finally, I wish to thank Dr. Louis White without whose sense of humor, support, and companionship this venture could not have been undertaken and completed. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page I. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................. . The Water Resource .. ... .. .. .......... ... .. ... .. .. ........ .... ..... . .... .. ... ....... .......... .... 1 Water Resource Education...................................................................... 4 Purpose of the Study ..... .. . .. ...... ... . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . . . .. .. .. . .. . . . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. .. . .. .. . . . .. 6 Research Questions/Null Hypothesis..................................................... 7 Research Question 1 and Ho-1................................................... 7 Research Question 2 and Ho-2............................... .................... 7 Research Question 3 and Ho-3................................................... 7 Research Question 4 and Ho-4................................................... 7 Research Question 5 and Ho-5.... ...................... ..... ........... ..... .... 8 Research Question 6 and Ho-6............. ............. ..... ................ .... 8 Research Question 7. .. .. . .... .. . . . .. . .. ... .. .. .. .. . .. .. . . . . . .. ...... .. .. . . . . . . .. .. .. . . 8 Research Question 8............. .. ... ....... .. .. ... .. . .. .. .. . .. .. ....... ..... ..... .... 8 Limitations of the Study.......................................................................... 9 Definitions................................................................................................ 9 II. REVIEW OF SELECTED LITERATURE........................................................... 12 Introduction.............................................................................................. 12 Concept Development and Learning Vocabulary.......................... 12 Children's Schema ... .. .. ... ....... .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . . .. . . . . .. .. .. ... ... .. .. .. . . . 17 Student's Failure to Learn Science............................................... 19 Alternative Conceptual Frameworks.............................................. 21 Importance of Children's Alternative Conceptual Frameworks .. .. . . . .. .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .... .. . . . . .. . . . .. .. . .. . 24 Changing Children's Alternative Conceptual Frameworks in Science............................................................ 25 The Elementary Science Teacher.................................................. 27 Research on Children's Alternative Frameworks..................................... 31 Summary................................................................................................ 39 Ill. DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY....................................................................... 42 Introduction.............................................................................................. 42 Development of the Instrument................................................... 42 Content Validity............................................................................ 43 Subjects................................................................................................... 44 Procedures .. . .. .. . .. .. . . . .. . . . .. .. . .. .. . . .. . .. .. . . . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . . . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. 44 Data Analysis........................................................................................... 47 iv Chapter Page IV. RESULTS........................................................................................................... 49 Presentation of Data................................................................................ 49 Statistical Data........................................................................................ 49 Research Question 1 and Ho-1................................................... 49 Research Question 2 and Ho-2................................................... 51 Research Question 3 and Ho-3................................................... 51 Research Question 4 and Ho-4................................... ................ 52 Research Question 5 and Ho-5................................................... 53 Research Question 6 and Ho-6...... ..... .. ...... ...... ............. ............. 53 Descriptive Data .. .. . .. .. . .. ... .. .. .. . .. .. .. ... .. . .. .. .. . .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. . . .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. 54 Research Question 7................................................................... 54 Research Question 8........ ... ........... ....... ............... ..... ..... ............. 54 Water/Land Ratio ..... .... ... .. ... .. .. ... ..... .......... ...... . ..... ...... .. . ... .. .... ... 55 Groundwater................................................................................ 56 Change of State ........................ ............... .... .......... ..... ............ ..... 58 Clouds.......................................................................................... 71 Water Treatment ... .......... ... ........... .................... .... ..... ................. 76 Rain.............................................................................................. 79 Concepts Which Children had the Greatest/Least Understanding........................................................................ 86 Summary................................................................................................ 89 V. CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS, IMPLICATIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY, AND SUMMARY....................................................... 91 Research Questions: Conclusions, Recommendations, Implications for Further Study................................................................................ 91 Research Question 1............................................... .... ................ 91 Research Question 2. .......... ...... ..... .......... ..... .... . .. ..... .. ... .... ... .. .... 92 Research Question 3................................................................... 93 Research Question 4............... ..... ............... .... ..... .. ..... ... ..... ........ 93 Research Question 5... ........ ...... ...... .... ... ....... ..... .. .. ..... ... .. ..... .. ... . 94 Research Question 6..... ...... .. ..... .. ..... .. .. ...... ........... ..... .. ........ .... .. 95 Research Question 7................................................................... 96 Research Question 8. ....... ... ............................... ............ ....... ...... 96 Conclusions............................................................................................. 97 Water/Land Ratio .. .. ........... ........... .......... ..... ..... ..... ............ ...... ... 97 Groundwater................................................................................ 97 Change of State: Boiling. ............................................................ 97 Change of State: Condensation.................................................. 98 Change of State: Evaporation.................................................... 99 Clouds.......................................................................................... 99 Water Treatment......................................................................... 100 Rain.............................................................................................. 100 Recommendations................................................................................... 10 1 Recommendations for Teacher Education................................... 101 Recommendations for Science Teaching.................................... 101 Implications for Further Study................................................................. 104 Summary .. .. ... .. .. ... .. . .. .. .. .. . .. ... .. .. ...... .. .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. .. .. . ... .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. ... .. .. . .. .. . 10 7 v Chapter Page REFERENCES................................................................................................................ 109 APPENDIXES................................................................................................................. 115 Appendix A- ANSWERS TO VALIDATED QUESTIONS (VALIDATED ANSWERS)........................................................... 116 Appendix B- SOURCES OF INFORMATION IN THE HOME........................... 127 Appendix C- PARENTAL PERMISSION FORM............................................... 135 Appendix D- WATER LEVEL TASK................................................................. 137 Appendix E- INSTRUCTIONAL TIME SPENT ON WATER CYCLE CONCEPTS BY TEACHERS...................................................... 139 Appendix F- VERBAL OPPOSITES WORD LIST............................................ 141 Appendix G- WATER CYCLE INTERVIEW..................................................... 143 vi LIST OF TABLES Table Page I. Mean Values by Grade for Seven Variables..................................................... 50 II. Instructional Time Spent on Water Concepts by Teachers.............................. 52 Ill. Stepwise Regression of Variables Contributing to Water Cycle Score............. 54 IV. Responses by Percentage to Question 16 "Is more of the earth's surface covered by land or water?".................................................. 55 V. Responses by Percentage to Question 20 "What is a well?"............................ 56 VI. Responses by Percentage to Question 21 "Can you drink from any well?"............................................................................................................ 57 VII. Responses by Percentage to Question 28 Concept: Groundwater . .... .. .......... 57 VIII. Average Percent of All Questions Involving the Concept Groundwater........... 58 IX. Responses by Percentage to Question 23 Concept: Condensation .. .. .. .......... 58 X. Responses by Percentage to Question 14 "From where has the water on the outside of the jar come?"....................................................................... 59 XI. Responses by Percentage to Question 15 "What is the difference about water forming on the outside of a cold glass jar, and water disappearing from a puddle into the air on a sunny day?"................................................. 62 XII. Responses by Percentage to Question 25 Concept: Melting.......................... 63 XIII. Responses by Percentage to Question 1 "I am going to light this candle under this pan which has water in it, will anything happen to the water?".......................................................................................................... 64 XIV. Responses by Percentage to Question 26 Concept: Boiling............................ 65 XV. Responses by Percentage to Question 29 (steam).......................................... 66 XVI. Responses by Percentage to Question 27 Concept: Freezing........................ 66 XVII. Responses by Percentage to Question 2 "I am going to put a wet spot on this paper towel, and turn this hair dryer on the wet spot, what will happen to the wet spot?" .. .. . .. .. .. .. . .. .. . .. . . .. . .. . . ... ..... .. .. . .. .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. 67 vii Table Page XVIII. Responses by Percentage to Question 3 "What causes clothes to dry?"............................................................................................................. 68 XIX. Responses by Percentage to Question 4 "Where does water go?" "Can we still call it water?" "Is it the same water?"...................................... 69 XX. Responses by Percentage to Question 22 Concept: Evaporation .......... ........ 69 XXI. Responses by Percentage to Question 30 Concept: Water Vapor................. 70 XXII. Average Percent for all Questions Dealing with Change of State.................... 71 XXIII. Responses by Percentage to Question 6 "How does water get into the clouds?"................................................................................................. 72 XXIV. Responses by Percentage to Question 8 "Where do clouds come from?"...... 73 XXV. Responses by Percentage to Question 9 "How are clouds made?"................ 73 XXVI. Responses by Percentage to Question 10 "What do you think clouds are made of?"..................................................................................................... 74 XXVII. Responses by Percentage to Question 11 "How do clouds get into the sky?"............................................................................................................. 75 XXVIII. Average Percent for Questions involving the Concept of Clouds ........ .......... ... 76 XXIX. Responses by Percentage to Question 17 "Is there so much good clean water that we could never run out?"............................................................ 77 XXX. Responses by Percentage to Question 18 "Where does dirty water go that comes from our bathtubs, sinks, and toilets?"...................................... 77 XXXI. Responses by Percentage to Question 19 "How do we get dirty water clean?".......................................................................................................... 78 XXXII. Average Percent for Questions Involving Water Treatment............................. 79 XXXIII. Responses by Percentage to Question 5 "Where does rain come from?"........ 80 XXXIV. Responses by Percentage to Question 7 "What makes it rain?"...................... 80 XXXV. Responses by Percentage to Question 12 "Does it rain everytime clouds are in the sky?"............................................................................................. 81 XXXVI. Responses by Percentage to Question 13 "What makes rain fall?" .......... ....... 83 XXXVII. Response by Percentage to Question 24 Concept: Gravity............................. 85 XXXVIII. Average Percent for Questions Involving the Concept of Rain ......................... 85 viii LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Concepts as Separate Nodes of Information................................................................ 15 2. Concepts as Formed into a Schema in the Child's Mind............................................... 16 3. How Terminology will be Used in this Study................................................................. 24 ix CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION The general public has a high interest in but low level of understanding of science. Recent studies of the public understanding of and attitudes toward science portray a public deficiency in scientific understanding by even the simplest measures of scientific literacy. The Social Science Research Institute at Northern Illinois University defines scientific literacy for the general public as possessing a "reasonable vocabulary of scientific and technical terms-for example, the ability to define 'molecule,' 'atom,' or 'byte'-together with some knowledge of the processes and methods of scientific thinking" (AAAS, 1990). By these criteria, only the following percentages of the 2,000 Americans interviewed in 1985 qualified as scientifically literate: 3 percent of high school graduates; 12 percent of college graduates; and 18 percent of PhDs (AAAS, 1990). The Water Resource One area of science about which the public is particularly ill informed but which is of vital importance to all of us is that of water resources. It is important that the public be well informed so as to be able to make intelligent decisions about water resource management. Water is probably the natural resource with which all are most familiar. All of us have had firsthand experience with it in many forms-rain, hail, snow, ice, steam, fog, and dew. We drink, cook, bathe, and wash away our waste with water; yet, in spite of our daily use of it, water is probably the natural resource we least understand. How does water get into the clouds, and what happens to it when it reaches the earth? Why is there sometimes too much and other times too little? Most important, is there enough high quality water for all the plants, animals, and people of 1