• Journal of Science Education
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.434-445
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to aid the teaching strategy for the teacher by investigating the preconception of the earthquake for 4th grade students in elementary school before learn the curriculum. For this, 31 grade students who lived in Seongnam in Gyeonggi province were interviewed with the questionnaire. The following is the findings. On the definition of an earthquake, 64.9% of the students had scientific conception. On the question of 'what happens on the ground when there is an earthquake', 59.2% of the students responded shaking or cracking of the earth, ground, things or building. On the question of 'what a person should do when there is an earthquake', most of the students responded by more than two answers. In contrast, on the causes of an earthquake, there were the largest percentage (35.3%) students who answered they didn't know. Except for one student, there were no students had talked about scientific conception. On the question of 'what happens below when there is an earthquake', 26.3% of the students responded they didn't know. On the place where an earthquake occurs rather frequently, 22.2% of the students mentioned an island. On the reason, 39.9% of the students responded they didn't know and there were no students with scientific answers. This study showed 4th grade students had scientific conception on the definition of an earthquake, and they had many experience interaction with external environment on 'what happens on the ground when there is an earthquake', 'the place where an earthquake occur rather frequently'. However the students had relatively small experience on the causes of an earthquake, on 'what happens below the ground when there is an earthquake', and earthquake-prone areas. Based on this study, additional research must be conducted on science in which the students' preconceptions is investigated to connect back to curriculum development. In addition, consideration must be given on how to integrate the thinking processes of students during the curriculum development process.