Children’s ideas about life science concepts

Abstract

This chapter explores young children’s conceptions of life science topics that were identified in the research literature. Topics that were prevalent in the literature were the distinction between living and non-living entities, growth and development of organisms, germs and contagions, and differences between plants and animals. Research was identified through two fields: science education and developmental psychology. Developmental psychology studies identified conceptions and alternative conceptions of life science held by young children between ages 4 and 7. Intervention studies from the field of science education identified life science conceptions and also showed that young children could improve their conceptions of life science topics with appropriate instruction. Through a review of the existing research we make recommendations for future research that explores young children’s ideas about life science, as well as provide implications for classroom instruction. From the research reviewed it is clear that young children can improve their ideas about life science concepts through appropriate instruction. They are not developmentally constrained due to their young age, but everyday experience of life science topics may not lead to scientifically accurate conceptions. If they do receive appropriate instruction in life science concepts they would certainly obtain better understandings.