and the theory of CONSERVATION

and the theory of CONSERVATION

Piaget s Stage Theory * Sensori-motor Stage (Birth to two years) the first signs of intelligence appear in infants sensory perceptions and physical actions, as the baby deals with the immediate world Preoperational Stage Concrete Operational Stage Formal Operational Stage OBJECT PERMANENCE (2 to 7 years) children develop the ability to use representations and symbols in thought, but thinking is still illogical compared to adult thought CONSERVATION (7 to 11 years) children are able to think systematically, but only when they can refer to concrete objects and activities (11 years to adulthood) children become able to think systematically on a purely abstract and hypothetical plane * Definitions and quotations come from Crain 113 and Pulaski 19.

What is CONSERVATION? the awareness that a quantity remains the same despite a change in its appearance * = (*Evans, xxxi)

Why is mastery of conservation the TRANSITION between the preoperational and operational stages? OPERATIONAL STAGE: Identity Compensation Inversion Nothing has been added or subtracted The differences cancel each other out The act can be undone PREOPERATIONAL STAGE: Focuses on one dimension = One has more because it s taller, or the other has more because it s wider

QUESTIONS WHY CAN T CHILDREN IN PIAGET S PREOPERATIONAL STAGE CONSERVE? CAN CHILDREN IN THIS STAGE BE TAUGHT TO CONSERVE?

St. Therese s Afternoon Kindergarten Class CHILDREN Joseph Chanoine Cintya Orozco G. P. Cole T.J. Gulledge Cecilia Weigel Ali Killian Christopher Capezzuto Thomas Levonius AGES 6;11 6;7 5;9 5;9 5;7 5;7 5;6 5;2

Setting: * A table and two chairs in a small empty office * 2:00 to 3:00 PM every afternoon for about two and a half weeks Limitations: * Time restraints * Only 8 children * Varying ages Assumptions: * Communication skills * Honesty * Cooperation

PART 1: THE PRE-ASSESSMENT * To make sure none of the children can conserve 100% STAGE 0% BLUE PINK WHITE DATA FORM, Pre-assessment stage Child s Name: Child s Age: 1. Sit next to the child. Make sure child s name is recorded on the data form. 2. Place two identical clear plastic cups on the table or desk in the workspace. 3. Ask, Do you see these two cups? YES NO Are they the same size? YES NO 4. Show the child two identical small bottles of water. Ask Do you see these two bottles of water? YES NO Are they the same size? YES NO Do they have the same amount of water in them? YES NO 5. Pour the water from one bottle of water into the blue cup. Ask, Do you see me pouring the water from this bottle into the blue cup? YES NO Show the child the empty water bottle. Ask, Did I pour all the water from the bottle into the cup? YES NO 6. Pour the water from the other bottle of water into the pink cup. Again ask, Do you see me pouring the water from this bottle into the pink cup? YES NO Show the child the empty water bottle. Ask, Did I pour all the water from the bottle into the cup? YES NO 7. Ask the child, Does the blue cup have more water than the pink one or does the blue cup have less water than the pink one, or does the blue cup have the same amount of water as the pink one? 8. Show the child the different cup. Ask, Do you see this white cup? YES NO Ask Is this white cup bigger or smaller than these other cups or is this white cup the same size as the other cups? 9. Take the pink cup of water and pour the water into the white cup. Ask, Do you see me pouring the water from the pink cup into the white cup? YES NO Show the child the empty cup. Ask, Did I pour all of the water from the pink cup into the white cup? YES NO 10. Show the child the two cups containing water. Ask, Does this white cup contain more water than the blue cup, or does the white cup contain less water than the blue cup, or does the white cup contain the same amount of water as the blue cup? Ask How do you know that? 11. Thank the child. One of the children initially said that the amounts were equal, but when asked why, he changed his mind and said that the white cup had more water.

PART 2: ASSESSING CHILD S UNDERSTANDING OF MORE, LESS and SAME * To make sure that the children do not fail to conserve because they do not understand the terms used in the questions Do you have more blocks or do I have more blocks or do we have the same amount of blocks?

PART 2, CONTINUED 4 5 6 Which pile of blue Which blocks pile has of blue the blocks same has less more amount blocks blocks of than than blocks you you have? as have? you have?

PART 2, CONTINUED Can you make a pile of blue blocks? Can you make a pile of green blocks that has less the more same blocks amount than the of pile blocks of blue as blocks? the pile of blue blocks?

Understanding Terms More, Less and Conclusion: The children understood the terms more, less, and same when used to compare two quantities. 1 9 of 9 8 of 9 7

Methods for comparing blocks How do you know it s less? Because seven to thirteen. 3 Stacked 1 4 Counted I ll make a straight line of them with the green blocks and blue blocks. counted I m going to see by lined piling up them up the same way stacked the green are piled up. Lined up You mean the same height? I mean the same amount.

PART 3: BASIC CONSERVATION To assess the child s ability to do the basic conservation task with solid objects that will not change shape when moved from container to container To determine at what particular step in the conservation task the child gets confused To determine whether conservation can be taught if it is broken up into a series of small steps

How many blue blocks are there? PART 3, CONT. How many green blocks are there? Are there more blue blocks or more green blocks or are there the same amount of green blocks and blue blocks? Are there more blocks in the blue cup or more blocks in the pink cup or are there the same amount of blocks in the blue cup and in the pink cup? Are there more blocks in the blue cup or more blocks in the pink cup or in the white cup or are there the same amount of blocks in the blue cup and in the white cup?

PART 3, CONT. Procedure was repeated with... Three blue 12 red blocks and 12 and yellow three green candies blocks Six red candies and six yellow candies 2 piles of 20 beans each

Results for Beans and Rice Child Joseph Cintya G.P. T.J. Cecilia Ali Chris Thomas Age 6;11 6;7 5;9 5;9 5;7 5;7 5;6 5;2 Cup of beans white cup; less in blue cup white cup Reason Cause I just measured with my eyes and I m smart and super silly too White is to here and this one is to here We did the pink cup so it s the same; it s higher because it s smaller so they all get piled up and this other one is wider B/c I knew that all the time all my life I just know Looks like more I don t know I still remember I remember they re the same size Cup of Rice It looks taller but the same amount white cup white cup Reason cause when it came out it was the same it looks the same this one s taller; this one s smaller B/c they re the same rice and this white cup is skinnier so it s bigger but this one is more wider B/c I knew that all the time I just know Looks like it B/c you have the same amount of rice I remember

Repeat the Basic Conservation Task with Water Will children be able to conserve water now that they have conserved the other things? Hypothesis: Children who were able to conserve the beans and rice will be able to conserve water. = =

PART 3, CONT. Are there the same amount of beans in both of these cups? = Are there more beans in the pink cup or more beans in the blue cup or are there the same amount of beans in the blue cup and the pink cup?

BEANS/RICE vs. WATER Child Joseph Cintya G.P. T.J. Cecilia Ali Chris Thomas Age 6;11 6;7 5;9 5;9 5;7 5;7 5;6 5;2 Beans/ Rice / It looks taller but the same amount white cup/ white cup / / / white cup/ white cup / / Reason Water Reason Cause I just measured with my eyes/ when it came out it was the same B/c the white cup white cup B/c the white cup is smaller and there s more water in it White is to here and this one is to here / this one s taller; this one s smaller white is smaller and there s This one s all the way to here, this one s to here more water in it it s higher because it s smaller and this other one is wider/ this white cup is skinnier so it s bigger but this one is more wider white It s skinnier It s skinnier and it s almost full and it s I knew that all the time/ I knew that all the time White has more B/c I knew that all my life almost full I just know/i just know white It s overflowed Looks like more/ Looks like it white cup It looks like it I don t know/ you have the same amount of rice ; no, white has more Look at it it s huger I remember they re the same size/ I remember ; no, white has more I still remember I remember it has more

PART 4: Final Stage * To assess at what step during the conservation of water the children fail to conserve Are So, these are all two three bottles of these bottles same size? the 21 1 23 3 Do same they size? have Do the they same all amount have the of water same in amount them? of water in them? BLUE PINK 100% blue cup = bottle 100% pink cup = bottle 100% pink cup = blue cup 100% pink cup = bottle = blue cup

1 PART 4, CONT. 3 1 BLUE 2 3 PINK 50% blue pink cup = bottle pink blue cup = bottle blue pink cup = pink blue cup blue cup = bottle = pink cup 50% less water in blue cup pink less in cup pink = bottle cup less blue in cup blue = pink cup cup

PART 4, CONT. BLUE = PINK Is there still the same amount of water in the blue cup and in the pink cup? BLUE PINK WHITE * Did I pour all of the water from the pink cup into the white cup? * Did I add any water to the white cup that wasn t in the pink cup? * Did I take any water away from the white cup?

Child Joseph Cintya G.P. T.J. Cecilia Ali Chris Thomas Age 6;11 6;7 5;9 5;9 5;7 5;7 5;6 5;2 1 block same Reason 3 blocks Reason 6 candies Reason 12 candies Reason 20 beans 20 Reason B/c 1 and one, but different looking 2 standing up and a flat one and one standing up and two flat ones B/c I counted them earlier B/c I counted them earlier again B/c I counted them earlier the third time you hear me? This one has 1, this one has 1 This one has 3; this one has 3 This one has 6; this one has 6 This one is 12, this one is 12 This one has 10, this one has 10 This one has 6; this one */ ** See notes at end of presentation has 6. B/c look one and one B/c look three and three I knew that B/c look B/c I counted them 6 and 6 6 in blue when I began with and 6 in the candies white cup B/c there s B/c I already knew Both are 12 in here that in my whole 12 the and 12 in life same I knew about here candies amount when B/c we already did pink so it s the same B/c I counted them one each amount of blocks in each cup pour you have * I knew that every time you pour you have the same amount when you begin and when you end 1 in each Both have 3 Both have 21** B/c there s both 1 B/c both 3 B/c they re both 6 every time you Don t know why you begin and when you end. B/c both 12* B/c it s one and one B/c 3 and 3 it s pretty obvious B/c 6 and 6 B/c it s 12 red and 12 yellow B/c 21 beans and 21 beans** I can see same I just see same I still remember they re the same as each other same I still remember same I still remember

1 5 2 White Bottle blue Bottle 4 3 3 5 blue White

Water with divider vs. Water without divider Child Joseph Cintya G.P. T.J. Cecilia Ali Chris Thomas Age 6;11 6;7 5;9 5;9 5;7 5;7 5;6 5;2 Water with Divider White has more white cup More in white cup White cup has more white; less in blue Reason B/c it had the same amount in the bottles White taller, blue smaller B/c this is smaller and skinnier and this is fatter and larger I still don t know how I don t know B/c it looks like it I don t know I can see it Final water answer white cup no, more in white cup More in white cup White has more than blue white; less in blue Reason White looks taller but it s the same It s taller (level) B/c this is smaller and this is larger I still don t know I don t know B/c it looks like it No reason I can see it

FIRST AND FINAL ANSWERS COMPARED Child Joseph Cintya G.P. T.J. Cecilia Ali Chris Thomas Age 6;11 6;7 5;9 5;9 5;7 5;7 5;6 5;2 First water answer Less in the blue cup Blue is less; white is more white; less in blue white* white Blue has less Blue cup has less white Reason B/c I was just watching it s a smaller cup but it has bigger water in it Level on white is higher The white one is smaller [level]; the blue one is bigger [level] B/c the white cup is higher than the blue cup I just know No reason Because it s smaller I don t know B/c, um, the water in the blue cup is down to here and the water in the white cup is up to here Final water answer white cup no, more in white cup More in white cup White has more than blue white; less in blue Reason White looks taller but it s the same It s taller (level) B/c this is smaller and this is larger I still don t know I don t know B/c it looks like it No reason I can see it First said same because I know stuff about water then changed his mind and said Oh, the white cup is higher than the blue cup so there s more water in white.

CONCLUSION: WHAT A SMART GUY!

Karen Thomas and Julia Arrambidez For their chauffeur services Special Thanks To: St. Therese Academy Especially Mrs. Thomas, Head of School Mrs. Limon, Kindergarten Teacher The Afternoon Kindergarten Class: Christopher Capezzuto Joseph Chanoine G. P. Cole T.J. Gulledge Ali Killian Thomas Levonius Cintya Orozco Cecilia Weigel

Works Cited: Crain, William. Piaget s Cognitive-Developmental Theory. Theories of Development. Upper Saddle River: Prentice, 2000. 110-146. http://www.piaget.org/ http://www.unige.ch/piaget/ Pulaski, Mary Ann Spencer. Understanding Piaget: An Introduction to Children s Cognitive Development. New York: Harper, 1980. Evans, Richard. Jean Piaget: The Man and His Ideas. New York: Dutton, 1973.

Notes on data in chart on Slide 20: * She had trouble with 12 candies she said the pink cup had more than the blue cup so we backtracked and asked, How many candies are in the pink cup? How many candies are in the blue cup? Are there more candies in the pink cup or in the blue cup? After re-asking the question, she answered that the amounts were the same. Also, she did only 12 instead of 20 beans because she had trouble counting only 12 candies. ** s/he thought each pile had 21 beans