Download K4.4_2.0b Subject knowledge The earth and Beyond Download K4.4_2.0b Finding out pupils’ and student teachers’ ideas about the Earth and Beyond This document can be freely copied and amended if used for educational purposes. It must not be used for commercial gain. The author(s) and web source must be acknowledged whether used as it stands or whether adapted in any way. Authored by Keith Ross, University of Gloucestershire. accessed from date created Jan 2006http://

Download K4.4_2.0b Space questions The following questions were put, electronically, to a group of 120 year one trainee primary teachers who all achieved a grade ‘c’ or better at GCSE science two or more years ago. Figures show % who chose each option. Red figures suggest misconceptions Green figures suggest useful understanding Questions available from the ESCalate website:

Download K4.4_2.0b What causes Day and Night? the Earth travelling round the Sun 19% the Moon travelling round the Earth 1% the Sun travelling round the Earth 5% the Earth spinning in its axis 72%

Download K4.4_2.0b Stars Why are stars called element factories, and what evidence do we have that our own star, the sun, with its solar system, was formed from debris of earlier stars?

Download K4.4_2.0b Stars - responses Few trainees in the sample had any understanding of the fusion reactions that fuelled stars, of stellar evolution, nor of the supernovae that allows the formation of new solar systems where life can evolve.

Download K4.4_2.0b Size of star Place these in order of increasing actual size Shooting star, planet, galaxy 65% Shooting star, galaxy, planet 2% Planet, shooting star, galaxy 20% Earth moon star 9% Earth star moon 3% Star moon earth 36% Star earth moon 19% Moon earth star 26% Moon star earth 4% 55% thought a star was smallest

Download K4.4_2.0b The constellation of Orion: it doesn't belong to a galaxy 13% the Milky Way 61% It belongs to a galaxy but I don't know its name 22%

Download K4.4_2.0b Appearance of moon Which of the following is part of the explanation of the changing appearance of the moon during one moonth The moon is always half lit up by the sun 21% The moon orbits the earth so it is sometime visible in the daytime sky 47% We get a half moon when it goes into the shadow of the earth 50% We see only one side of the moon at a time 43%

Download K4.4_2.0b Twice a month, the Moon appears as a thin crescent. This is because: the Moon is mainly lit from behind 16% the Sun comes between the Earth and the Moon 27% the Earth's shadow falls on the Moon 58% one side of the Moon does not give out light 1% We can see the moon: at night only 5% at night, late afternoon and early morning only 37% at any time 55% at night and late afternoon only 3%