Day and Night :
Misconceptions and Educational Research
Common misconceptions include:
- Earth orbits around the Sun in a day
- The Sun orbits the Earth
Some research has been conducted on how students understand the seasons, and on most effective ways to teach this subject:
A Private Universe
A powerful collection of video clips of students' astronomical ideas (seasons and moon phases) and how they change (or don ’t) with classroom instruction. ages five and above. While much research needs to be done, the studies reported here offer ideas for how teachers and curriculum developers can help students achieve the goals outlined in the National Science Education Standards.Atwood, V., & Atwood, R. 1995, “Preservice Elementary Teachers’ Conceptions of What Causes Night and Day,” School Science and Mathematics, Volume 95 (6).
