CHILDRENS GEOLOGY. 6, 7 AND 8 YEAR-OLD CHILDRENS UNDERSTANDING OF THE PHENOMENA OF VOLCANIC EXPLOSION, MOUNTAINS FORMATION AND ACCUMULATION OF SNOW ON MOUNTAIN PEAKS

At the early stages of schooling, existing misconceptions may cause that children find difficulties in accepting scientific explanations. The article presents childrens beliefs related to the phenomena of volcanic eruption, mountain formation and the accumulation of snow on mountain peaks. The research was conducted in the form of individual interviews with 50 children aged from 6 to 8 years old. The research results present childrens beliefs, which have been arranged from those consisting of personal experiences, through those including information obtained from adults, to those being close to scientific explanations. The knowledge of these beliefs allows teachers to organize educational situations in a better way.