The effect of the usage of worksheets for resolving misconceptions in teaching social studies

This study have been done in order to determine the misunderstandings of the 6th grade students in the unit called `Life on Earth? and to detect effectiveness of worksheets in removing these misconceptions.In this study, quasi-experimental design model was used with pretest-posttest control group. In the study the concept achievement test consisting of 28 questions was used as a data collection tool. In the analysis of the sub-problems of the research, frequency, percent, arithmetic mean, standart deviation values, t-test and analysis of covariance were used. 6th grade students continuing their education in 2010-2011 education year in state schools constitue the target population of the study. 6th grade students continuing their education in 30 Ağustos Primary School, a state school of Ministry of Education, constitue the sample of the study. Test and the appointment of the control group were vdone by matching method. The study was commited test group with 29 and control group with 28 students, in total 57. The classes commited with test and control groups longed for five weeks. While the classes were being given with worksheets prepared for removing misconceptions in test group, the classes in control group were being given without worksheets as stated in the curriculum.At the end of the study, it was found that the classes being given with worksheets were more meaningful at removing misconceptions when compared with the ones being given without worksheets as stated in the curriculum. In addition to the misconceptions reached during literatüre scanning, it was found out for the first time that students have misconceptions with the words of `ithalat and ihracat?.Key Words: Social Studies Education; Geography Education; Concept; Misconceptions; Worksheets