What are some common misconceptions in Earth and space sciences and how can they be addressed through teaching?
When faced with new ideas and information about a particular topic, students tend to hold on to misinformation from the past (Schoon, 1995). As students learn about Earth and space sciences, they must be provided up-to-date and accurate information. Students build upon knowledge learned throughout K-12, so the foundation developed at the elementary level must be strong. This emphasizes the importance of teacher training in the area of Earth and space sciences. Data collected in the National Survey of Science and Mathematics Education (2000) illustrates the gap that exists in the content knowledge preparation of those teaching Earth and space sciences. Only 39% of secondary level Earth and space sciences classes are taught by teachers with six or more semesters of Earth and space sciences college-level coursework. Without adequate content knowledge, teachers may contribute to the misconceptions that students bring to their classrooms. As Cohen (1999) notes, the most common Earth science
