Students do not arrive in the classroom as blank slates. They’ve been exposed to the world around them and may have created their own explanations for...

Students do not arrive in the classroom as "blank slates". They have diverse experiences of the world around them and often have created their own explanations...

Educational research has shown that students develop intuitive ideas and beliefs about natural phenomena. As students learn more about their physical environment, they tend to interpret...

This article introduces common student alternative conceptions about light based on education research. It is important that teachers are aware of these during a sequence of...

These are some common misunderstandings about the nature of science – held by students and adults alike. Take any opportunity you can to address these misconceptions...

These are some common student misunderstandings about genetics based on education research. Keep them in mind while teaching – and address them as they come up....

Our use of language in everyday life is often quite different to the language of scientists. This can sometimes be confusing because what scientists mean and...

These are some common misunderstandings about fire. They acknowledge that children have made reasonable sense of the ideas based on their experience and should be validated...

In this activity, students answer a short multichoice survey to identify and address common alternative conceptions about fossil fuels. By the end of this activity, students...

Children naturally and instinctively develop their own ideas about how things work. These self-developed concepts make sense to the individual but may be scientifically inaccurate. It...

A significant part of our nightscape, the Moon has been the subject of myths, alternative conceptions and conspiracies for decades. Let’s take a look at some...

In this activity, students participate in an interactive ‘true or false’ activity that highlights common alternative conceptions about light and sight. This activity can be done...

In this activity, students use an interactive or paper-based graphic organiser to explore common alternative conceptions about genetics. This activity can be done individually, in pairs...

The Hub has resources to help educators plan and teach about the Physical World concept of gravity and unpack students’ alternative conceptions. Physics made simple –...

Use this interactive to explore students’ experiences with items that float or sink, to engage with student thinking and discussion and to highlight potential alternative conceptions....

Concept cartoons are an ideal way to explore a range of viewpoints about a science idea. The cartoon includes a scientifically correct idea and a few...

In this activity, students use a simple true or false interactive tool to categorise facts. This activity could be used as a formative activity to gather...

The size and shape of an object’s shadow changes according to: the size of the light source the position of the light source in relation to...

The shadows cast by objects on Earth change in length because the angle at which the Sun’s rays hit the object changes. Large angles – when...

In this recorded professional learning session, Greta Dromgool and Ted Cizadlo will build your confidence to teach the Physical World. The New Zealand Curriculum achievement objectives...