Common Scientific Misconceptions Among Children and Correcting Them
In the REET Level 2 Science pedagogy section, recognising and correcting children's common scientific misconceptions is an important subject, because a wrong understanding that is simply memorised later becomes an obstacle to learning the correct concept. This page explains common misconceptions with examples, why they form, and proven strategies to correct them in the classroom.
- No direct REET 2024 question, syllabus-based
- Teacher-training level
- 8 min read
How this topic is asked in REET
We have no verified question related to science misconceptions on record from the REET 2024 paper, so we are not showing any fabricated past question here. This note is based on the REET Level 2 Science pedagogy syllabus (principles of child-centred teaching and assessment). This topic is included in the syllabus, so there is a strong chance that questions on identifying common misconceptions or strategies to correct them will appear in future papers.
Why misconceptions form
Even before a child comes to the classroom, they have already built their own understanding of the world from their daily experiences, language, and the events they see around them — this is called a preconception. Many times, this understanding 'works' in everyday experience but is scientifically wrong — this is what is called a misconception.
According to constructivism, a child tries to fit new information into the framework of their existing understanding. If a teacher states the correct fact directly without challenging the old, wrong understanding, the child often ends up simply memorising the new fact for the exam while the old (wrong) understanding remains in their mind — which is why misconceptions keep coming back again and again.
The role of language is also significant — in everyday Hindi/local language, some words carry a meaning different from their scientific meaning. For example, the word 'cold' sounds like a property of an object in everyday speech, whereas in science, temperature is a relative measure (an object is not 'cold' by itself, it simply has a lower temperature than our body). Such linguistic gaps are also at the root of many misconceptions, and understanding this relationship between language and scientific concepts is also expected in REET pedagogy.
Examples of common misconceptions in science
| Common misconception | Scientific truth |
|---|---|
| A heavier object falls faster than a lighter one | In a vacuum, both fall at the same rate (the difference we see is only due to air resistance) |
| Plants make their own food directly by 'eating' from the soil | Plants make their own food through photosynthesis, using sunlight, water and carbon dioxide; they take only water and minerals from the soil |
| A moving object needs a continuous force to keep moving | According to Newton's first law, an object continues to move at a constant velocity on its own without friction/resistance; force is needed only to change motion |
| All micro-organisms (bacteria/fungi) are harmful | Many micro-organisms are also beneficial — such as the bacteria that curdle milk into curd, and the bacteria that carry out nitrogen fixation |
| All arteries in the body carry pure blood and all veins carry impure blood | Generally, arteries carry blood away from the heart and veins carry it towards the heart — this is reversed in pulmonary circulation (the pulmonary artery carries impure blood, the pulmonary vein carries pure blood) |
All of these examples are common student misconceptions repeatedly documented in science education research worldwide.
Strategies for correcting misconceptions
The very first step is diagnostic assessment — finding out, through simple questions or discussion before starting a chapter, what children already think about the topic. This tells the teacher which specific misconceptions need to be addressed.
In the cognitive conflict strategy, the teacher deliberately presents a situation or experiment whose result does not match the child's existing (incorrect) understanding — such as dropping cotton and a stone together (in a vacuum tube) to show they fall together. This 'surprise' pushes the child to reconsider their old understanding — this process is called the Conceptual Change Model.
Along with this, an appropriate analogy should be used carefully, because a wrong or incomplete comparison can create a new misconception — for example, describing electric current as being like the flow of water is correct to some extent, but if its clear limits are not explained further, it can create a new misconception. A teacher should avoid such simplifications, in both the textbook and their own language, that could go on to build a wrong understanding.
Using this in the classroom
Prior assessment
Before starting a new chapter, find out what children already believe about the topic through 2-3 simple oral or written questions — this helps decide the direction of teaching.
Demonstration/experiment
Where possible, conduct a simple demonstration that directly challenges the child's wrong belief — such as dropping a flat sheet of paper and the same paper crumpled into a ball together to show the effect of air resistance.
Open discussion
Let children share their views openly, then respectfully correct their wrong understanding with reasoning and evidence — instead of directly saying 'you are wrong', ask questions to encourage them to think.
Assessment
Instead of only asking for a definition, ask 'why' and 'how' questions (such as 'where and how does a plant make its food') — this shows whether the misconception was truly removed or just the correct term was memorised.
Re-checking
A few weeks later, ask about the same concept again, framed differently, without any advance notice — if the old misconception shows up again, it means the concept was only memorised for the exam, not permanently understood.
Exam tip
Whenever a question uses words like 'challenging a child's prior belief' or 'showing a surprising experiment', lean towards the Conceptual Change Model or Cognitive Conflict as the answer — this is a frequently asked idea in REET pedagogy. Also remember: the weakest way to remove a misconception is 'just making them memorise the correct answer', and the strongest way is showing the child a contradiction through their own experiment or reasoning.
Practice questions
Question 1
'A heavier object falls faster than a lighter object' — this is an example of what kind of understanding?
- Aसही वैज्ञानिक तथ्य
- Bगणितीय सूत्र
- Cसामान्य ग़लतफ़हमी (misconception)
- Dप्रयोगशाला नियम
Explanation
In a vacuum, all objects fall at the same rate; 'a heavier object falls faster' is a common scientific misconception built from everyday experience (due to air resistance).
Question 2
On how plants make their food, a child says, 'Plants directly eat food from the soil.' What would be the most suitable step for the teacher to remove this misconception?
- Aबच्चे को चुपचाप सही उत्तर याद करा देना
- Bविषय को आगे न पढ़ाना
- Cबच्चे को डाँटना
- Dप्रकाश-संश्लेषण का सरल प्रयोग (जैसे आयोडीन परीक्षण) कराकर दिखाना
Explanation
Directly demonstrating through a simple experiment (such as the iodine test) that a plant only makes starch in the presence of light is an effective way to challenge the child's existing wrong understanding and lead them to the correct concept.
Question 3
What is the core objective of the Conceptual Change Model?
- Aबच्चे की मौजूदा ग़लत समझ को चुनौती देकर सही समझ की ओर ले जाना
- Bबच्चे को नया तथ्य रटा देना
- Cपरीक्षा का पैटर्न बदलना
- Dपाठ्यपुस्तक बदलना
Explanation
This model challenges a child's prior (incorrect) idea with reasoning, experiment, or a contradictory result, so the child thinks it through and moves towards the correct understanding themselves, rather than just memorising a new fact.
Question 4
'A continuous force is needed to keep a moving object in motion' — this belief goes against which scientific law?
- Aओम का नियम
- Bन्यूटन का प्रथम नियम (जड़त्व का नियम)
- Cआर्किमिडीज़ का सिद्धांत
- Dबॉयल का नियम
Explanation
According to Newton's first law (the law of inertia), an object continues moving at a constant velocity without friction/resistance — force is needed only to change motion, not to keep it going.
Question 5
What is the assessment done before starting a chapter, to gauge children's existing understanding, called?
- Aयोगात्मक मूल्यांकन (summative)
- Bवार्षिक परीक्षा
- Cनिदानात्मक आकलन (diagnostic assessment)
- Dगृहकार्य
Explanation
The purpose of diagnostic assessment is to find out children's prior understanding and likely misconceptions before starting a chapter, so that teaching can be targeted accordingly.
Question 6
Which example would be most suitable to remove the misconception that all microorganisms are harmful?
- Aमलेरिया फैलाने वाला परजीवी
- Bफफूंद से खराब हुई रोटी
- Cजुकाम फैलाने वाला विषाणु
- Dदही जमाने वाले लाभदायक जीवाणु
Explanation
Bacteria that curdle milk (such as Lactobacillus) are a clear example showing that not all micro-organisms are harmful — many are beneficial too.
Question 7
When explaining electric current using the analogy of water flow, what should the teacher take special care of?
- Aउपमा की सीमाएँ भी स्पष्ट रूप से बताना ताकि नई ग़लतफ़हमी न बने
- Bउपमा की सीमाएँ स्पष्ट न बताना
- Cउपमा का प्रयोग बिल्कुल न करना
- Dकेवल सूत्र याद कराना
Explanation
An incomplete or unbounded analogy can create a new misconception, so the teacher should also clearly state where the analogy holds and where it does not.
Question 8
Dropping cotton and a stone together in a vacuum tube to show the result is an example of which teaching strategy?
- Aयोगात्मक मूल्यांकन
- Bसंज्ञानात्मक द्वंद्व (cognitive conflict)
- Cगृहकार्य
- Dरटना
Explanation
This demonstration shows a result opposite to the child's existing belief that 'a heavier object falls faster', creating surprise/conflict that pushes them to reconsider — this is the cognitive conflict strategy.
Question 9
One teacher asks only 'Write the definition of photosynthesis' in the exam, while another teacher asks 'Explain where and how a plant makes its food, with examples.' Which question better checks whether the misconception has been removed?
- Aपहला प्रश्न (परिभाषा)
- Bदोनों समान रूप से उपयुक्त हैं
- Cदूसरा प्रश्न (कैसे और कहाँ से, उदाहरण सहित)
- Dदोनों ही अनुपयुक्त हैं
Explanation
Questions like 'how and where from' check a child's real understanding, while a definition alone can be memorised and written without showing whether the misconception was actually removed.
Question 10
What is the main cause of children's scientific misconceptions?
- Aकेवल शिक्षक की गलती से
- Bकेवल पाठ्यपुस्तक की छपाई की गलती से
- Cबच्चों की बुद्धि कम होने से
- Dदैनिक अनुभव, भाषा और आस-पास देखी घटनाओं से बनी पूर्व-समझ से
Explanation
A child has already built an understanding of the world from their everyday experiences, language, and the events around them before coming to class, and this is often scientifically wrong — this is the main source of misconceptions.
Frequently asked questions
What is a scientific misconception?+
It is an understanding formed in a child's mind through everyday experience or language, which feels correct in daily life but is scientifically wrong, such as 'a heavier object falls faster'.
What is the Conceptual Change Model?+
It is a teaching strategy in which a child's existing wrong understanding is challenged through experiment or reasoning, gradually leading them towards the correct scientific understanding.
Why do misconceptions keep coming back again and again?+
Because a child often memorises the new fact just for the exam, but if the old wrong understanding is not properly challenged, it stays in their mind and resurfaces later.
Why is diagnostic assessment important?+
Finding out children's existing understanding before starting a chapter tells the teacher which specific misconceptions need to be addressed in class, making teaching more targeted and effective.
How many questions come from this topic in REET?+
This topic is part of the REET Level 2 Science pedagogy syllabus, but no verified direct question came from it in REET 2024 — since it is in the syllabus, a question may appear in the future.
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Official Sources
Change Log
- 17 September 2026 — English page published — mirrors the fact-checked Hindi page, independently bilingual-accuracy checked