Abstract
A “Chirimen Monster” is a captured mixture of boiled and dried whitebait, or “Chirimen Jako”. There has been no case study to verify the teaching effectiveness of using “Chirimen Monster” as a teaching material through previous lesson activities. In this study, classification activities by using a “Chirimen Monster” were added and practiced by the 2nd grade of lower secondary school science at the beginning and end of teaching the unit “Groups of animals”, and then, the teaching effectiveness was measured by changes in the students’ levels of consciousness and understanding. As a result, the following 5 points were clarified.
1. The classification activity at the beginning was effective in increasing students’ interest.
2. The classification activity at the end was effective in increasing students’ consciousness of their knowledge of “vertebrate animal features”.
3. Through the classification activity at the end, the ceiling effect was observed in the consciousness of students’ knowledge of “invertebrate animal features”.
4. Through the whole course unit, the students kept their minds on “taking care of animals”.
5. The classification activity at the end was more effective than at the beginning in terms of students’ understanding regarding classification.
The above points suggest that the classification activity at the beginning is effective in increasing students’ interest, and, on the other hand, the activity at the end is effective in deepening their understanding.
