Investigation of 5th grade students' state curiosity and state anxiety on the subject of "destructive natural events"

ABSTRACT Investigation of 5th Grade Students' State Curiosity and State Anxiety on the Subject of "Destructive Natural Events" Nurdal SATICI NAMLI Master's Thesis FIRAT UNIVERSITY Institute of Educational Sciences Mathematics and Science Education Department Science Education Department 2025, xv +98 In this thesis study, the effect of the subject of 'Destructive Natural Events', which is covered in the 5th Grade Science course, on student success was examined in terms of students' state curiosity and state anxiety levels. While curiosity is known as a strong source of motivation that affects individuals' learning processes, contribution is an emotion that makes learning difficult and is usually associated with failure. In science courses, especially subjects closely related to the real world, such as 'Destructive Natural Events', can both trigger students' curiosity and increase their anxiety levels. This situation can affect students' perceptions of the course, their learning motivation and ultimately their academic success. Within the scope of the research, students' achievement in this subject was correlated with their curiosity and anxiety levels within the course. Various analyses were conducted throughout the study using an achievement test and a state curiosity and anxiety scale. The analyses revealed that curiosity contributes to students' understanding of the subject and retention of knowledge, while high anxiety levels negatively impact students' learning and reduce their achievement. In this context, the research emphasizes the importance of teachers developing strategies to maintain students' curiosity and reduce anxiety. The results aim to shed light on recommendations for improving student achievement in science education. Keywords: Curiosity, Anxiety, Science Curiosity, Science Anxiety, State Science Curiosity, State Science Anxiety