CONCEPT MAPS: AN INNOVATIVE APPROACHE FOR TEACHING SCIENCES

Teaching of science at upper primary level of education is most crucial. Middle school education is a decisive stage of individual's entire academic tenure ; at this level any ambiguity regarding concepts may deprive an individual intellectually and potentially. The objective of this study were to analyze the current methods of content presentation of science , commonly used to teach in upper primary level classroom. The another purpose of this study is to evaluate the traditional methods of teaching science as well as concept maps method. Basically teaching must include two major components sending and receiving information. Ultimately, a science teacher tries his best to impart knowledge as the way he understood it. So, any communication methods that serve this purpose without destroying the objective could be considered as innovative methods of teaching. Concept maps is one of those innovative method that is used for Teaching science .In teaching science , concept mapping has been widely recommended and used in variety of ways . It has been used to help teachers and students to build an organized knowledge base in a given discipline (Pankratius,1990) or on a given topic (Kopic,Wood& Brody,1990). It has been used to facilitate middle level students' (sixth, seventh, & eighth grade) learning of science content (Gaustello etc. all..2000, Hawk, 1986; Ritchie & Volki; 2000, Simmons et. all, 1988; Willerman & Mac Harg, 1991 ; Sungur et.al.2001; Duru & Gurdal.2000)