Primary School Students’ Conceptions of Precipitation

Abstract

In recent years, various researchers have stated the importance of investigating students’ ideas about everyday and school concept. In this study, the conceptions of precipitation among the fifth grade elementary school students were investigated. Precipitation is widely known as the discharge of water, in different forms, out of the atmosphere upon a land and it is considered one of the complex
concepts. The participants of the study were 300 5th grade students chosen from five different elementary schools in Bursa. The data were collected via a questionnaire consisted of 14 questions. Most of the questions were three chose (yes/no/I don’t know) questions, but there was also 3 open-ended questions. The questions included in the questionnaire are divided into three main categories. These read as general questions about precipitation concept, the questions about formation of precipitation and the questions about seasonal and regional distribution of the precipitation.