Young children’s ideas about snail internal anatomy

Abstract

Drawings can serve as a useful tool for analyzing children’s understanding of scientific phenomena. This study examined children’s understandings about internal structure of the snail. Children from kindergarten at age 5 and from primary school of age 7 and 10, were asked to draw their concept about the internal structure of the snail. The results demonstrate the alternative conceptions held by the children. Analysis showed some significant differences in interpretation between both age groups and gender. Age related differences were in understanding of nervous, circulatory, muscle and digestive system, and such features as food, bones and mucus. Gender differences were not so significant at present studies. There were only few statistically significant observations concerning gender, that boys more often than girls consider mucus and other organisms (such as bacteria) as a part of snail internal structure. The girls drew more in the category food (7 years old) and bones (10 years old). The results also revealed ideas which made sense to the learner, but are not biologically accurate, such as organs located in the foot.