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First Graders Draw a Scientist

12/4/2011

4 Comments

 

First Graders Draw a Scientist
At the beginning of the school year, I was curious to find out my students' perception of a scientist.   Do children know that scientists.... are people?    ...that common stereotypes exist (ex, a mad scientist, Frankenstein, a genius)?  Do children know what scientists do today?  
A main goal of my outreach program is to help students understand the important role of a 21st century scientist.  So, I needed a starting point...

Picture
Draw a Scientist Test 

All first graders participated in the Draw-a-Scientist Test (DAST).  Based on the work of David Wade Chambers (1982), this simple test helps to measure a child's perception of a scientist.  


First, the students were asked to draw a person on a blank sheet of paper.  

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Drawing 1a                       By:  Crestwood First Grader
Then students were asked to draw a scientist, without any prior discussion of the word "scientist."
Picture

The scientist pictures were then analyzed for common stereotypical features...


Percentage of First Graders



26% of students drew a   Lab coat

20% of  students drew  Eyeglasses

27% of students drew untamed hair

44% of students drew scientific tools (desk, table, test tubes)

51% drew a male scientist

27% drew a female scientist


22% drew no gender preference


To get a deeper understanding of a child's perception of a scientist, my students were interviewed based on their drawings.  The following movies were created at the start of the school year.   

4 Comments
aubree
1/6/2012 10:36:47 pm

this is aubree from miss.harrs class and i love the video!!!

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mckayla
1/13/2012 11:00:48 pm

i like the dolphin pictures. thank you miss harr.

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aubree
1/15/2012 09:43:17 am

Are you havening fun? To missharr i miss you soso much

Reply
Miss Harr (a.k.a. Nature Nat)
1/15/2012 09:27:27 pm

Hi Aubree!

I am having an incredible time here in Antarctica. Today is a beautiful sunny day and all the crab eater seals are basking on the ice. I miss you and your classmates. We will be skyping soon!

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    Miss Natalie Harr is a first grade teacher at Crestwood Primary School in northeastern Ohio.

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