Misconceptions

Summer months are warmer because Earth is closer to the Sun

Knowledge:

Earth's orbit is elliptical

P-prim:

The closer to a heat source the warmer it feels

Cause of misconception:

The wrong encyclopedic knowledge (A) and p-prim (B) were selected because the student is missing contextualization

Solution:

Increase context by (A) pointing out that the northern and southern hemisphere experience opposite seasons at all times and (B) activating prior knowledge of the p-prim 'spread out is less intense' (e.g. a dollop of jam on a small toast vs on a large toast)

Phases of the Moon are caused by Earth's shadow

Context:

The Moon orbits the earth and can pass through the Earth's shadow

P-prim:

Objects that block light from a source cast a shadow

Cause of misconception:

The wrong p-prim (A) and the wrong context (B) were selected by the student because they are missing encyclopedic knowledge

Solution:

Increase student knowledge by teaching them about how (A) objects suspended in light are illuminated (light side and dark side of the object) and (B) teaching about lunar eclipses first (i.e. if students know about eclipses and phases are a different context then Earth's shadow cannot explain this phenomenon.)

Burning steel wool on a digital scale will show the mass decrease

Context:

The combustion reaction of steel wool is a an example of an open system

Knowledge:

Combustions is a synthesis reaction

Cause of misconception:

Students understand the context (A) and know about synthesis reactions (B) but their flawed choice of p-prim (i.e. burning tissue paper makes it disappear) overrides their thinking

Solution:

For students lacking the necessary p-prims, increase their phenomenological awareness by showing them many varied examples. For those who have a sense of what is going on but are using the wrong p-prim, help them choose a different p-prim (e.g. ask "why is this this like standing on a scale while someone throws tennis balls for you to catch?")