1Third Misconceptions Seminar Proceedings (1993) Paper Title: Helping Middle School Students to learn the Kinetic Particle Model

Abstract: A lot of science teachers think that the kinetic particle model is too difficult and abstract for middle school students. During the last years, a lot of new methods of teaching science, called constructivistic methods, have been introduced. In this paper, we present a way of teaching the particle model by using several of these constructivistic methods combined with more traditional teaching methods. We used the model to explain daily life phenomena and problems in connection with experiments. We have taught the unit to students from grade 6 to 9. The students have answered an extensive written questionnaire concerning the study. The teachers have also answered a written survey and have been interviewed as well. Students ´ knowledge has been tested in two tests one month after the unit was finished; one using everyday language and one using scientific language. The project is still under evaluation, but thus far we can draw some conclusions: Middle school students are in fact mature enough to learn the essence of the kinetic particle model, and the teaching methods applied in the project had a stimulating effect on girls interests in physics