The effect of narrative technique on learning the concepts of digestive system of fifth grade students

One of the biggest steps taken by Republic of Turkey Ministry of National Education is to educate students as science literate using scientific knowledge in their daily life and having scientific thinking skills. Therefore educators must educate students researching, exploring, questioning, criticizing and capable of analysis and synthesis. For this purpose opportunities are provided to look over texts types used in learning scientific concepts and benefit from the exemplifications from these types by emphasizing "Narrative Technique" with the aim of educating individuals. In addition, it is aimed that educators, academicians and/or teachers correct the misconception and raise the awareness of people by showing the difference of "Narrative Technique" from the ones described as traditional stories, narratives and/or tales used in pre-school education. The aim of this thesis is to find out to what extent the effects of narrative technique on 5th grade students' learning concepts of digestive system are. In accordance with this purpose, 5th grade students' attitudes towards science related to the concepts of digestive system and the effect of these attitudes on their academic success is the other purpose of the thesis. In this study, an experimental research model with a pre-test and a post-test control group is used. While the control group was taught without any narrative technique, "Narrative Technique" was used with the experimental group. The participants of the study are the 5th grade students (60 female, 80 male) from six different sections in a private primary school in Aegean Region. During a five week experimental period, "Digestive System" subject in "Let's Solve Our Bodies' Puzzle" unit was taught in Science lessons. Before the experimental treatment, academic success test and attitude scale, the validity and reliability of which were checked, were conducted as a pre-test. During this study, scientific concepts were thought to the experimental group with the narrative technique in the exploration step of learning cycle model while they were taught to the control group only with learning cycle. After the experimental treatment, academic success test and attitude scale were conducted as a post-test. Academic success test, attitude towards science scale and also "Experimental Group Questions" were conducted on the experimental group taught with "Narrative Technique" to take their opinions while "Control Group Questions" were conducted on the control group taught without "Narrative Technique" to take their opinions. The data acquired in the study was evaluated with frequency analysis. The results of academic success test have shown that the narrative technique has an effect on success. According to the attitude towards science scale, there is no significant difference between the experimental group taught with narrative technique and the control group taught without narrative. Frequency analysis of the data acquired with the data collection tools has indicated that the lesson taught with the narrative technique has favorable view. Keywords: Narrative Technique, Scientific Texts, Learning Cycle