2020 Volume 44 Issue 3 Pages 168-179
This study aimed at investigating the effectiveness of introducing the particle model into the teaching of the fourth grade material, “the temperature and volume of things” through observation of the movement of a styrene foam ball and the use of a microwave for the students’ accurate understanding of thermal expansion.
The result indicated that students’ misconception in the control group was not corrected after conducting experiments with “water”, “air”, and “metal”. More than 80% of the students in the experimental group, however, who learned the particle model through observation of the movement of a styrene foam ball and the use of a microwave, comprehended thermal expansion correctly after an experiment with “water”. They also applied this way of thinking to the study of “air” and “metal”, resulting in correct answers in a test of the particle concept.
The results of this study show that the particle model is comprehensible for elementary school students. It is thus demonstrated that teaching which introduces the particle model through observation of the movement of a styrene foam ball and the use of a microwave is effective for elementary school students’ understanding of the relationship between temperature and volume.
