Learners' understanding of, and thinking about, chemical change

Some examples from ECLIPSE of what students have said relating to chemical change:

A chemical change is where two things just go together

A compound is just a lot of different elements put together

A reaction is just something that happens

Fuels get used-up when we burn them

The flame reacts to the gunpowder

A chemical reaction is like cola: an example of a student-generated simile from the ASCEND enrichment project.

Chemical reactions are like hell: an example of a student-generated simile from the ASCEND enrichment project.

This is just one of a wide range of science topics that learners have talked about in ECLIPSE projects.


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List of science topics


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Exploring Conceptual Learning, Integration and Progression in Science Education

Dr Keith S Taber kst24@cam.ac.uk

University of Cambridge Faculty of Education

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