Stages of children’s views about evaporation

This paper presents research results which reveal a well‐defined hierarchy of views children employ about evaporation and relative science curriculum topics in elementary school in Israel. The sequential change of these views was studied, described and scaled on the age span of five to 14. Factors influencing this evolution and its testing were evaluated. The extent to which the method of research and context environment might influence the research results were also studied. The conceptual change of views regarding evaporation, taking place in children's minds, shows a clear correlation with their cognitive development, their progress in operative knowledge‐namely, the usage of the conservation principle, and the adoption of an abstract model for air.