Page Keeley Misconception Probes

Scientific misconceptions are everywhere. Most people believe, for instance, that the mass of a growing tree comes almost entirely from the ground and water. Likewise, many people believe that the increase in temperature and length of the daylight that we have in the summer is due to the relative distance that the Earth is from the Sun. (We are further away from the Sun during the summer than we are in the winter!) These are profound misconceptions that people have regarding common phenomena that they encounter daily.

Science misconceptions are tenacious things. These flawed understandings are common around concepts such as seasons, light and energy, gravity, and chemical reactions. Your students will come to you with many of these misconceptions. Why do students have misconceptions in the first place?

Watch the NSTA video of Page Keeley to gain insight into why students initially develop misconceptions and how to effectively address them in a science lesson.


Page Keeley will be the featured speaker at Mini-CAST in February. GCISD has embedded many of her activities into the curriculum in middle school and elementary school. Consider using these activities to introduce students to new science concepts this year. The activities will provide you with valuable insight into the understanding that each of your students has about specific science concepts. 



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