Constructivist Approach to Learning Activity: The Case of Junior Secondary Students’ Misconception on the Three States of Matter in Basic Science, Nigeria

Abstract

The paper focuses on the misconceptions of students on the states of matter and suggests the need for science
teachers to adopt the 7E model in order to reduce these misconceptions and promote students’ learning. The paper
develops and proposes a learning activity based on a systematic review of scholarly articles, thesis, and curriculum
that investigated the subject matter. The 7E model consists of phases such as elicit, engage, explore, explain,
elaborate, evaluate, and extend. The researchers prepared a specific lesson plan on identifying the properties and
structures of states of matter using the 7Es learning cycle specifying the teacher’s activities and the corresponding
students’ activities. The 7E model is recommended for teaching states of matter based on studies that found the
approach to be effective in helping students eliminate scientific misconception and improve understanding.