Abstract:

Natural sciences possess leading disciplines ensuring people to understand, to describe their features and to explain the relationship between them scientifically. Knowledge about many natural facts and daily life experiences, also constructed without consulting natural sciences, lead to generalizations far from any scientific way. Therefore, from preschool education to higher education, it is vitally needed for students to relate the concepts, phenomenon and facts to those they encounter in their daily lives. In this study, it was investigated how eight grade students associate certain concepts from the units of “Cell Division and Heredity” and “Living Beings and Energy Relations” with the ones they have constructed in their own lives. As sampling, the study was carried out with totally thirty eight students with higher marks coming from two schools located in the distinct parts of the city of Adıyaman. The study was conducted in accordance with descriptive model. At the end of the lecture of two units given above, worksheets were given to students and asked where they use the knowledge gained in the lessons as well as what are the benefits of them. Data were viewed by two science teachers and two academicians studying in the field of science education. In conclusion, findings show that the rate of associating the concepts with daily life is relatively low and these concepts that students construct are highly related to textbooks extensively used in public schools

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