Abstract
A great deal of work ha.; been accomplished over the past several years on children's conceptualizations of various scientific phenomena. A problem, however, is determining whether one's collection techniques provide a complete picture. In this study three techniques (the repertory grid, draw and describe, and the interview about events) were used to collect information on children's concepts of the seasons. Twenty-four fourth graders were included in this study. Eight children were interviewed using this technique. The relationship of "life-world knowledge" and "scientific knowledge" was critical in this study since seasons can be approached from the direction of scientific explanations or cultural events and celebrations. The results of this study indicated that the repertory grid technique provided more of a science knowledge view, the draw and describe technique provided more of a cultural view, and the interview about events technique corresponded well with both the cultural and scientific views. The results suggest a relationship between school science and school social studies and may support the current Science-Technology-Society emphasis.
