Fifth grade students' informal reasoning and arguments in argumentation-based applications of concept caricatures on "mining": The case of Soma district

Socioscientific issues (SSI) represent real-world science problems that are often associated with social, political, ethical and economic concerns, such as environmental issues, genetic studies and animal rights. Bringing socioscientific issues into science classrooms through argumentation is thought to make a significant contribution to the development of students' reasoning and decision making skills. SSIs can be universal or they can be a problem that needs to be evaluated and sol-ved within the framework of local contexts. One of the elements that makes this research valuable is that students living in the same region about mining, which is an important source of livelihood in Soma district, participated in the argumentation applied in the classroom, participated in discussions on the subject, reasoned and made decisions. The aim of this study is to investigate how argumentation-based applications of concept cartoons about mining affect fifth grade students' informal reasoning and argument levels. The study was conducted with fifth grade students in a public school in Soma district of Manisa province in the 2023-2024 academic year. In the study in which phenomenology research design was adopted, an interview form consisting of two stages was used as a data collection tool. The interview form included a scenario about mining and open-ended questions about this scenario.The data obtained in the study were analyzed using descriptive analysis. In order to improve students' informal reasoning modes and argument levels in science lessons, argumentation applications of concept cartoons related to the mining topic were designed and implemented. At the end of the application, it was determined that students' informal reasoning modes and argument levels increased. This may indicate that argumentation activities develop different perspectives in students and contribute positively to the development of students' argument levels. In order to increase students' socioscientific knowledge, awareness, reasoning modes and argument levels, it is recommended to conduct argumentation practices in different subjects and to provide inservice trainings for teachers to gain the knowled-ge and skills they need in this process.