Effects of Prediction-Explanation-Observation-Explanation Method on Conceptual Understanding Level of Eight Grade Students' on Acid Rain Issue

Within the context of environmental education, development of students' skills, attitudes and thoughts towards the environment; and processes including investigation and development of relationships among people, society and nature should be designed. In this context, it is thought that the relationship between science and environmental education will help individuals learn about environmental problems and gain awareness about these problems. The current study aimed to examine the effect of prediction-explanation-observation-explanation (PEOE) method on the eighth grade students’ conceptual understanding level about acid rain. This study is carried out with case study research design and is conducted with 17 eighth grade students in a village secondary school in the district of Yeni？ehir, Bursa. In this study, four open-ended questions and a PEOE worksheet about acid rain have been developed as a data collection tool. After the intervention, the themes and codes are determined by content analysis of the developed open-ended questions and worksheets. Taking into account that the PEOE teaching intervention positively influences the students' conceptual understanding level, it is recommended that future studies should employ this method for other socio-scientific subjects, varied grades and courses