Chapter 5

5L. Stages and conditions for the formation of concepts

One of the objectives of the course The world» in elementary school is the formation of scientific knowledge about the world. In the process of learning, children not only get acquainted with natural and social objects and phenomena, but also comprehend and learn the connections between them.

In the methodology of teaching the surrounding world, one of the most difficult is the problem of the formation of concepts. There are currently two approaches to this problem. The first (classical) is based on the empirical theory of knowledge and implies the need for "living contemplation". This approach is substantiated in the works of K.D. Ushinsky, K.P. Yagodovsky, M, N. Skatkina, II.A. Zavitaev and other teachers and methodologists. The second approach was developed in the technology of developmental education by D.B. Elkonin -

V.V. Davydov. Here, the leading ones are theoretical knowledge that goes beyond sensory perceptions, is based on mental transformations of abstractions, and reflects internal relationships and connections. Most educators-scientists adhere to the classical approach in the formation of concepts.

How is the learning process going?

The first stage of cognition of the surrounding world is the perception of individual facts or phenomena. Perception goes through formation sensations through the child's senses. The sense organs are affected by various stimuli (sound, light, mechanical, odor, taste). In the brain there is a reflection of the individual properties of objects and phenomena that act on the senses. For example, a child gets acquainted with such an object of nature as a watermelon. At the same time, a set of sensations is formed in him: shape, color, size, smell, etc. On the basis of individual sensations in the mind of the child, perception, reflecting the object as a whole. That is, perception arises from sensations.

There are the following perception conditions. 1) observation of an object or phenomenon; 2) the exact, figurative word of the teacher; 3) exercises that refine perception; 4) increasing the activity of children; 5) reliance on existing life experience.

Let's consider the conditions of perception in more detail.

The first condition for perception is observation of objects or phenomena. It can be phenological observations, excursions, experiments, etc. As a result of observations, children accumulate facts that are systematized, concretized and generalized in the lessons. For example, in order to form knowledge about herbaceous plants, the teacher should give a lesson to consider herbariums. In addition to vision, if possible, other analyzers should be used: auditory, tactile, olfactory, gustatory. If the observation of a natural object is impossible, then the teacher should use illustrative aids.

An important condition for children's perception of an object is teacher's ability to master the word. Although the main source of knowledge in the process of forming sensations is the object itself, the word of the teacher directs the process of observation, organizes it in a certain sequence, clarifies, concretizes the features of the observed object, etc. The teacher must express his thoughts accurately and logically so that the verbal description of the object coincides with what the children are watching.

Observation of objects of the surrounding world should be accompanied by tasks and questions aimed at clarifying perception. Observing the same object, different people see it differently due to individual characteristics. Therefore, it is very important that all children see the main thing that characterizes the object. For this, tasks and questions that clarify perception are needed. For example, on an excursion on the topic “Changes in plant life in autumn,” the teacher asks the following questions: how does the sun shine, is it warmer or colder compared to summer, how have the trees changed, what happened to the leaves. Only a child who correctly answered such questions had a correct perception of the studied natural phenomenon.

Another condition for the formation of perception - high activity of children. Activity increases in the course of setting up experiments, conducting observations, using technical training aids (TUT), and organizing an independent educational search.

Based on life experience. The better the student is familiar with the object being studied, the more fully and accurately he perceives it. For example, if one child is familiar with a thermometer, and the second sees it for the first time, then they will perceive this device in different ways. The perception of the first will be richer. He will more clearly see the individual details of this measuring instrument, since they are already familiar to him, perhaps he knows the purpose of the thermometer, etc. Thus, his knowledge will be combined with past experience.

An object or phenomenon can be restored in memory, recalled. In this case, we can talk about the formation representation.

Representation is an image of an object or phenomenon, stored in the mind and without a direct impact of the object or phenomenon itself on the senses. Representations are formed gradually, they change in the course of new acts of perception. A child's ideas can be formed not only on the basis of direct observation, but also as a result of imagination, as a result of working with a textbook and visual aids.

All ideas about the world around can be divided into two groups:

a) objects and phenomena accessible to direct perception. These include all natural and social objects and phenomena that surround the child - plants, some animals that he can see, weather phenomena, the sun, stars, events taking place at school and at home that he is a witness to. The formation of such representations should proceed through direct observations with the help of verbal methods. For example, on an excursion on the topic “Nature of our region”, schoolchildren get an idea about a ravine, a hill, soil, some plants and animals;

b) objects and phenomena inaccessible to direct perception. These include ideas that cannot be formed by direct observation. The reason may be that the object or phenomenon is absent in the area and in given time. In such cases, it is necessary to use visual aids (tables, pictures, slides, films, etc.).

Forming ideas about the nature and life of people in different parts light, about natural areas, seas, oceans, mountains, etc., it is necessary to create associations with existing ideas about your region. Thus, children compare the nature and life of people in their region and in a remote place. This contributes to the successful formation of the necessary ideas.

This group of ideas also includes historical ideas: about the tools of the past, about historical figures, about the life and culture of the people in the past, etc. In addition, you need to create an idea of ​​\u200b\u200bhistorical time. The process of knowledge in history begins with the assimilation of a fact. But the historical fact is unique, it cannot be reproduced in order to observe (as an experiment in chemistry, physics). Therefore, in order to form an idea about some historical fact, it is necessary to create an association with modern objects and phenomena. For example, when meeting with the Moscow Kremlin of the XII century. it is useful to compare the pictures of the Kremlin of that time with those of children modern ideas about the Kremlin (they could see it in the movies or on TV).

There are the following conditions for the formation of representations at junior schoolchildren: 1) the ability of the teacher to formulate questions and tasks,

requiring reproduction of sensations; 2) organizing exercises to recognize and distinguish objects and phenomena of the surrounding world; 3) sketching from memory.

Let's consider these conditions in more detail.

The ability of the teacher to formulate questions and tasks that require the reproduction of sensations. It is important that the wording of questions and tasks is simple, specific, but does not suggest an answer. Question or task

can be considered specific if only one correct answer can be given to it. For example, after an autumn excursion to the forest, the teacher asks questions, answering which the children remember, reproduce what they saw and felt. These can be such questions: where did we go on an excursion, what was the weather like, was there any precipitation, what did the deciduous trees look like, what was the ground in the forest covered with, what sounds did you hear when you walked through the forest, etc.

Organization of exercises to recognize and distinguish objects of the surrounding world. To perform these exercises, children must be able to perform such mental operations as dividing the general into parts, highlight the signs and properties of objects and natural phenomena. For example, students are given the task to compare a tree with a shrub and find similarities and differences. By completing this task, students should learn to find common features of compared objects. That is, in this case, the children must come to the conclusion that similar signs in a tree and a shrub are the presence of a root, stems (the trunk is a developed perennial stem), branches and leaves. Comparing the common signs, the children see that the trees have one stem, and the shrubs have more than one. Having taught children to compare, you need to teach them to highlight the main and secondary features. In this case, the main feature of a tree is one stem, while shrubs have several stems.

Drawing from memory. It is very important that the child can recreate a sensual image. In other words, the child must be able to remember, recreate the received idea and draw, depict it. The ability to draw something from memory also forms the ability to schematically depict something. For example, after studying coniferous and deciduous trees, you can give students the task to remember how the branches of deciduous and coniferous trees differ, and to depict them schematically.

So, representations arise on the basis of sensations and perceptions. Representations are necessary for the formation of concepts.

concept is generalized knowledge about an object or phenomenon. Of course, representations are already generalizations to a certain extent, but they may contain insignificant features of the subject, and some of the important properties may be absent. For example, a student may only remember limestone of a certain shape and size and not recognize this rock in the mountains. To make memory representations more complete, it is necessary to organize a purposeful perception of various samples of a given mineral and images of mountains made of limestone. It should also highlight the non-essential properties of limestone (in this case, size and shape).

All concepts that are present in the content of programs around the world have following characteristics: 1) content;

volume; 3) dynamism; 4) the connection of this concept with others.

To the definition content concepts in the methodology of teaching the world around there are two approaches:

a) according to the first, the content of a concept is a set of essential features of an object or phenomenon. According to the content, concepts are divided into simple and complex. Simple concepts include one element of knowledge about an object or phenomenon. Simple concepts combined with each other

other, form complex concepts. For example, concepts such as "root", "stem", "leaf", "flower", "fruit" are simple concepts. Together, these concepts form the complex concept of “plant organs”. But this division is conditional. For example, the concept of "flower" can be complex, but in relation to it such concepts as "pistil", "stamen", "receptacle", "perianth" will be simple;

b) according to the second approach, the content means the division of concepts into groups depending on the science in which these concepts are studied. Here are some groups of concepts present in the course:

astronomical: stars, planet, satellite, moon, sun, solar system, etc.;

geological: rocks, minerals, mining, mineral deposits, etc.;

physical: matter, phenomenon, water properties, the water cycle in nature, the properties of air, etc.;

geographic: weather, surface, territory, plain, mountain, hill, river, horizon, terrain orientation, scale, plan, map, etc.;

biological: plants, root, stem, leaf, flower, nutrition, respiration and reproduction of plants; animals, domestic animals, wild animals, insects, fish, birds, beasts, etc.;

agricultural: vegetables, fruits, soil, humus, minerals, mineral and organic fertilizers, etc.;

ecological: natural community, living conditions, interconnections of living organisms in nature, nature protection, etc.;

social: country, state, nationality, rights, obligations, law, etc.;

historical: century, Ancient Russia, revolution, etc.

Volume concept is characterized by the number of elements of knowledge included in it. Among the authors who study the problem of concepts, there is no common opinion on the names of the groups distinguished depending on the volume. Some researchers divide concepts into single and general, others - into simple and complex. The division of concepts into simple and complex is carried out by a number of researchers depending on the content of the concept (see above), and not on the volume, which introduces additional confusion. In essence, there is no big difference between these terms (simple - singular, complex - general). S.A. Pavlovich, in addition, singles out an intermediate group of concepts - collective. Single (or simple) concepts include a small (most often one) number of knowledge elements. General (or complex) concepts include several, sometimes a lot of elements of knowledge and are formed from single (simple) ones. Collective concepts in terms of the number of elements of knowledge occupy an intermediate position. For example, the concept of "Volga River" is singular, and the concept of "river" is general. Between these concepts, intermediate ones can be distinguished - “rivers of the Tver region” or “rivers of Russia”. General concepts are most often expressed in terms, and singular ones - in proper names, but not always: for example, the concept of "birch leaf" -

singular, "leaves of deciduous plants" - collective, and "leaves of plants" - general.

The next characteristic of the concept is dynamism. Concepts are in constant change and development. This change can go both "horizontally" and "vertically".

The change in concepts "horizontally" lies in the fact that one and the same concept can be either singular, or collective, or general in relation to another. Therefore, when defining these groups of concepts, one should clarify them by using the phrase “in relation to”. For example, the concept of "low mountains" is singular in relation to the concept of "mountains". In this case, the concept of "mountains" acts as a general one. But, if we compare the concepts of "mountains" and "surface of the Earth", the first of them acts as a single one, the second - as a general one. Between them, a collective concept can be defined - “the surface of Russia”. Such changes in concepts are widely used in training, in ordinary communication and do not require the use of a special technique. There are enough simple questions, often requiring only a brief reproduction of information.

Changing the concepts "vertically" characterizes their qualitative improvement. This movement of the concept is called development. It requires a special methodology from the teacher, is a lengthy process and can practically be endless. This is due to the fact that for any concept, some characteristic can always appear that will complement and expand its already existing volume.

The fourth characteristic of the concept is its connection with other concepts. The study of connections is necessary for the formation of most of the concepts of the course "The World Around". When studying relationships, a comparative method is used. By comparing, schoolchildren understand that, for example, nature is not a random collection of elements, here another is usually associated with one element, a third with another, etc. First, connections are established between the two elements. For example, the question is posed: "Where are there more insects in autumn - in the sun or in the shade?". As a result, a connection is established between solar heat and the behavior of insects.

So, in the human mind, concepts are able to deepen their content and expand their scope. They are in constant development and are connected with each other. But before the concept begins to develop, it must be formed, formed. The formation and development of concepts can take place spontaneously or under influence from outside. The spontaneous process of concept formation proceeds much more slowly than under control. A spontaneous process can lead to the fact that a person will have incorrect knowledge, and they can be little connected with each other. Therefore, the methodology for the formation of concepts is central in the entire learning process, because the level of erudition of the student, the quality of his mental activity, and also depends on it. general level personality development.

For the successful formation of concepts, a number of methodological conditions must be met.

There are the following conditions for the formation of concepts. 1) organization of problem-based learning; 2) logical sequence in the presentation of new material; 3) conducting a repetition; 4) terminological work;

translation of knowledge into skills and abilities. Let's consider these conditions in more detail.

The basis of the formation of concepts is mental activity. A person begins to think when he has a need to understand something. Thinking begins with a problem or a question, with surprise or bewilderment, with a contradiction. Therefore, the first condition for the formation of concepts is organization of problem-based learning the surrounding world. Creating problem situations in the classroom creates a state of intellectual difficulty for students. The students solve the problem either on their own or with the help of the teacher.

To form a concept great importance It has logical sequence of presentation of new material. The teacher may use the inductive or deductive method of presentation, or both methods together - a mixed path. With the inductive path, children, based on experiments and observations, get acquainted with facts, properties, and then draw conclusions and generalizations. That is, the formation of concepts goes from the particular, the specific to the general, the whole. With the deductive way of forming concepts, work proceeds, on the contrary, from the general to the particular. That is, at first it is given definition of a concept, and then that notion is populated with views. To form concepts along this path, an experiment is usually carried out, practical work in combination with the teacher's story. The choice of the way of concept formation depends on the complexity of the concept. When knowledge is theoretical, the deductive path is more often used.

Formation of concepts but inductive way. In the course "The World Around" there are concepts that are formed mainly on the basis of ideas received directly in the environment. For example, this is the concept of "seasons". The formation of this concept goes on in children from preschool age as the relevant representations are accumulated. At school, this concept is formed at a new level, when the reasons for the change of seasons associated with the movement of the Earth around the Sun and with the tilt of its axis are studied. The formation of the concept goes like this: the child receives singular representations about seasonal changes in inanimate and living nature - about changes in air and water temperature in reservoirs, about the length of day and night, about the state of the earth and water surface, about the life of plants, animals and humans. On the one hand, these ideas are formed involuntarily (the child simply notices all these changes around), on the other hand, through purposeful observations in the process of learning. In the lessons, representations are supplemented by looking at illustrations and verbal descriptions. As a result, the most important features of the concept of "seasons" are selected and links are established between them.

There are such concepts in the course "The World Around" that cannot be formed by observation due to the fact that the objects under study are far from the school (for example, the concepts of "Far North", "desert", "mountains", "lake", etc. ) or belong to history (for example, the concept of "Ancient

Russia"). The formation of such concepts is carried out with the help of visual aids and verbal descriptions. At the same time, associative links are formed between these formed representations and the representations already obtained on the basis of local lore. Consider how the concept of "Far North" will be formed. First, you can show the children the polar desert depicted in the picture. Children, looking at the picture, look for similarities and differences between the area in the picture and their own region. Then a spatial representation of this area is formed using a map. Then, with the help of tellurium, you can show the relationship between the slope of the sun's rays and air temperature. Further, specific components of this landscape are studied: ideas are formed about the climate of the Far North, about the surface, about reservoirs, about plants and animals, about human life in these conditions. Links between these components are established, and a generalization is made.

Formation of concepts along the deductive path. As already noted, the formation of a concept along this path begins with the definition of a concept. This definition is then populated with representations that are generalized again. As a result, the previously learned definition acquires a more precise meaning. For example, let's follow how the concept of "ecosystem" is being formed along the deductive path in the course "The World Around" by A.A. Vakhrusheva and others. At the beginning, when the concept of “ecosystem” is introduced in grade II, the following definition of an ecosystem is given: “An ecosystem is living organisms living together and that part of the Earth on which they feel at home.” This definition is then filled with views. Considering the components of the ecosystem, the terms “breadwinners”, “eaters” and “scavengers” are introduced (analogues of the scientific terms producers, consumers and decomposers). That is, the question “How does an ecosystem live?” is being studied. Further, the concept is supplemented by ideas about the ecosystems of natural zones. In the third grade, schoolchildren are again returned to the concept of "ecosystem", but at a new content level. Here, too, the definition of an ecosystem is first given, but more precise: “An ecosystem is a unity of living and inanimate nature, in which living organisms of different “professions” are able to jointly support the circulation of substances.” Then this concept is filled with ideas about the cycle of substances and food chains in the ecosystem. After that, the concept of "ecosystem" is concretized on the examples of ecosystems of a lake, swamp, forest, aquarium.

Predominantly deductively, concepts are formed in the system of developmental education by D.B. Elkonina-V.V. Davydov.

The considered examples of the ways of formation of concepts relate mainly to the so-called explanatory-illustrative model of education. Formation of concepts in search learning goes by setting and solving a problematic issue (task). Let us give an example of the formation of the concept of "tundra natural zone" by means of problem-based learning. First, the teacher invites the children to consider a branch of a dwarf birch from a herbarium and a branch of a birch growing in central Russia. The question is raised why these two birches are so different from each other. To

answer this problematic issue, you need to consider the various components of the nature of the tundra: climate, illumination, soils. In this case, these components are considered as environmental factors affecting tundra plants. And during the lesson, a number of questions are solved:

why is the root system of a tundra plant poorly developed and shallow?

Why are tundra plants so short?

Why do dwarf birches have such small leaves?

Thus, considering the dwarf birch and other tundra plants, students at the same time get acquainted with the natural conditions of this natural zone. In the same way it is possible to study the natural conditions of other zones.

repetition system. New knowledge builds on existing concepts. The existing concepts could be obtained either by studying the course "The World around" or by studying other subjects. elementary school or from other sources. As a result of the formation of connections between old and new concepts, the child develops thinking, and knowledge becomes more solid.

terminological work. This means work on mastering the language of science. A term is a word or phrase denoting a concept used in science. According to the term, you can determine some features of the concept if you find out the origin of the term (etymology) and its semantic meaning (semantics). The course "The World Around" uses various terms from the sciences that make up the content of the course.

In the early years of schooling, children accumulate terms, often without knowing what they mean. Terminological work should include a number of techniques: pronouncing the terms aloud, mastering the spelling of a new term, finding out the origin and meaning of the term. For example, when getting acquainted with the term "natural history", the teacher must show that this word is complex and consists of two parts, two words: "nature" and "know". Children learn the meaning of the word "nature" in the process of getting to know the world around them, and now the teacher tells the meaning of the word "know" - to know, to study. T.

f. Children should understand that natural science means the study of nature. Terms of foreign origin should be translated into Russian and their semantic meaning should be explained. For example, having named the term “horizon” to schoolchildren, the teacher must inform that this word is of Greek origin and is translated into Russian as “limiting”, that is, the term means the part of the earth's surface that a person sees in an open area.

Translation of knowledge into practical skills. In order for the concept to be fully formed, knowledge must be put into practice, which means that children must master the skills. In particular, when studying the course, children should be able to make observations in nature and record them in observation diaries, be able to use simple instruments (thermometer, compass, weather vane) and simple laboratory equipment (test tubes,

flasks, etc.), must observe the daily routine and hygiene rules, be able to care for plants, plant flowers and trees. To acquire the necessary skills, children are given various tasks defined by the course program. Systematic work is needed to translate skills into skills.

Levels of Formed Concepts, Development of Thinking and Methods for Their Determination in Primary School Students

The resulting concept does not remain unchanged, it constantly develops, i.e., it passes from one qualitative state to another, more perfect one.

Allocate four level of formation of concepts:

1) factual; 2) operational and activity; 3) theoretical;

4) creative.

Factual (or empirical) level. The level is characterized by the accumulation of individual specific facts. The student is aware of the existence ai certain objects, recognizes and names objects and phenomena. Knowledge is reproductive. At this level, children perform tasks where they need to choose something, name it, show it, sign it, give a definition. This level corresponds to the mark "3" (satisfactory).

Operational-activity level. At this level, the student is able to identify the constituent parts of objects, the main stages of processes (i.e., can analyze), can identify similarities and differences (i.e., can compare), can draw analogies; can apply the necessary facts for proof, support his story with examples; can establish simple causal relationships. Knowledge is descriptive. At this level, children answer such questions and perform tasks such as “What does it consist of ...?”, “How does it happen ...?”, “Describe ...”, “Give an example ...”. This level corresponds to the mark "4" (good).

theoretical level. At this level, the student easily identifies cause-and-effect relationships between objects and phenomena, identifies essential features, predicts the further development of processes when their conditions change, and gives their own definitions of concepts. At this level, children easily cope with questions and tasks such as “Why ...?”, “Prove that ...”, “Because of what ...?”, “How do you understand ...?”. This level corresponds to the mark "5" (excellent).

creative level. At this level, students are able to independently apply existing knowledge in new conditions, make discoveries, and solve non-standard tasks. At this level, children cope with questions and tasks "What do you think ...?", "Suggest a new situation ...", etc. This level corresponds to the mark "5+".

In elementary school, children master the initial ideas and concepts. Their further development takes place in the process of studying biology, geography, chemistry, physics, history and other courses in the middle and senior levels of the school.

The level of development of the worldview of a junior schoolchild is determined by the formation of ideas and concepts about the world around him. Therefore, in the study of abstract-logical thinking, knowledge of objects and phenomena of the surrounding world is checked, as well as the degree of mastery of basic logical operations (analysis, synthesis, comparison, etc.).

There are three level of development of thinking: low, medium and high.

At low the level of development of thinking, the child is not oriented in the question, the answers are often off topic, the image of the world is pre-scientific, everyday life, the child finds it difficult to establish elementary connections between objects and phenomena of the surrounding world.

At average the level of development of thinking, the answers of the child are incomplete, there are few mistakes, the image of the world is scientific, everyday or scientific, the child can establish some connections between objects and phenomena of the surrounding world.

At high the level of development of thinking, the child gives complete correct answers, has a scientific image of the world, understands cause-and-effect relationships in the world around him.

There are various methods for studying the levels of logical thinking and revealing knowledge about the world around.

Here is one of methods for studying the levels of logical thinking(it is designed for third grade students).

Students are given two tests. The first is as follows: the student is offered a series of 5 words denoting natural objects and phenomena. Four of them are united by a common feature, and the fifth word is superfluous. The child must find an extra word that belongs to another group of concepts, and underline it. For example: cockroach, fly, sparrow, mosquito, ladybug. All words denote insects, and the extra word "sparrow" is a bird. There are 10 questions in this test. For each correct answer, the child receives 1 point, i.e. he can score a maximum of 10 points.

In the second test, the child is given examples of three words. You need to determine what they have in common, and write an answer. For example, a variant of the following words is given: spruce, pine, larch. The correct answer in this case is coniferous trees. There are also 10 tasks here; for each complete, correct answer, 2 points are given, for a correct, but not complete - 1 point. That is, a student in this test can score a maximum of 20 points.

Thus, the maximum number of points for both tests is 30. Students who score 26-30 points have a high level of logical thinking, 22-25 points - average level, less than 22 points - low.

A technique for identifying basic knowledge about the surrounding world. Children are given four test tasks. In the first task, the children must distribute the plants from the proposed list into three groups - trees, shrubs and herbs. In the second task, children must name at least three plants in their area that need protection. In the third task, you need to assign animals from the list presented to one of four groups: insects, fish, birds, animals. In the fourth task, you need to sign the food that they use in winter to the proposed types of animals.

The maximum number of points for completing each test task- 2. Thus, the maximum student can score is 8 points. The level of basic knowledge is determined as follows: a high level of knowledge, if 7-8 points are scored, an average level - 5-6 points and a low level - less than 5 points.

The formation of concepts is a very long and laborious process. In elementary school, mainly initial propaedeutic concepts about the world around are formed. They develop in subsequent systematic courses - in the study of geography, botany, zoology, anatomy, history, physics and other subjects.

Control questions and tasks

What are the stages in the concept formation process?

What is perception, and what conditions must be observed in order for it to be effective?

What is the difference between sensation and perception?

What are the features of the formation of ideas about objects and phenomena that are accessible and inaccessible to direct perception? What conditions are necessary for the effective formation of representations?

What is a concept and what characteristics does it have? What conditions should be met for the effective formation of concepts about the world around us?

What content groups can be divided into concepts in the course "World around"?

What are inductive and deductive approaches to familiarizing primary school students with the outside world? In which courses are they most clearly implemented? Give examples of inductive and deductive ways of forming concepts.

What levels of formation of concepts and development of thinking are singled out in the methodology of the surrounding world, and what are the features of each level? What knowledge is characteristic for each level? How is the knowledge of students assessed in accordance with these levels?

Give an example of a methodology for studying the levels of logical thinking and identifying basic knowledge about the world around.

Formation and development of initial natural-science ideas and concepts in the lessons "The world around"

Social science

Concepts reflect the essential properties of the connection and relationship of objects and phenomena. Both concepts and ideas that children will master in the study of natural science are divided into general and individual. General concepts cover homogeneous objects and phenomena. Single concepts are concepts about specific objects and phenomena, for example, the Volga River, the Caucasus Mountains, Lake Baikal, rain, thunderstorms, etc.

4. Formation and development of initial natural science ideas and concepts in the lessons "The world around"

Representation - these are mental visual images of objects and phenomena of the surrounding reality. The formation of ideas about nature is the most important task of natural science, because human thinking always has images at its core.

Representations are necessary in the formation of concepts.

Concepts reflect the essential properties, connections and relationships of objects and phenomena.

Both concepts and ideas that children will master in the study of natural science are divided into general and individual.

General concepts cover homogeneous objects and phenomena. These are, for example, rivers, mountains, plains, deserts,fish or the concept of orienteering, precipitation. When characterizing any general concept, children should name its essential features or stages (sequence) of actions.

Singular concepts- these are concepts about specific objects and phenomena, for example, the Volga River, the Caucasus Mountains, Lake Baikal, rain, thunderstorms, etc. The content of individual concepts is revealed in their description or characteristics.

An important role in the process of forming ideas and concepts is played by the skills of students. These are the ability to read, perform various types of observations, practical work, and experiment.

Natural science ideas, concepts, patterns, facts, ideas and skills constitute the main content of the natural science course in elementary school.

The formation of natural history ideas and concepts, as well as skills, is interconnected and is carried out simultaneously in the learning process.

Any concept is characterized by the following evaluation criteria:

1. content concepts - a set of essential features that define an object or phenomenon.
2. volume concept, characterized by the number of generalized elements of knowledge included in it.

By volume, concepts are divided into simple (single), collective and complex (general), which are in constant change and development, i.e. in dynamics. At the same time, the division into “simple” (species) - “complex” (generic) concepts is most often associated with biological objects (a hare is an animal, an oak is a deciduous plant), and into single ones (naming specific objects and phenomena, whose content is disclosed in the description , characterization of the latter - Moskva River, Chomolungma) and general (covering homogeneous objects and phenomena and requiring the disclosure of essential features or stages of actions - river, mountain, orientation) - with geographical ones. Simple and single concepts include some one element of knowledge, complex and general - several, for example: "river" - a single concept in relation to the concept of "reservoir", "hill" - to the "surface of the earth". Therefore, general concepts are most often expressed in terms, individual ones - in names or proper names.

1. dynamics development of concepts, carried out in the following directions:

a) “horizontally”: the same concept can be either singular, or collective, or general in relation to another, which is determined by the phrase “in relation to” (the concept of “low mountains” is singular in relation to the general concept of “mountains”; "mountains" (singular) - "surface of the Earth" (general));

b) “vertically”: there is a qualitative improvement of concepts associated with their transition to a new stage (“qualitative”), requiring a special methodology that is long (infinitely) carried out in practice, i.e. each concept is in constant motion;

4. forms (methods) of expression, various on elementary school training and gradually complicated to the IV class. There are the following forms:

Verbal (verbal) - "Earth", "Sun";

symbolic

schematic: "Mark with crosses at what level the water will stop."

graphic, necessarily meeting the requirements of brightness, imagery, content, degree of specification (depending on the age of students) and corresponding to the stage of education (see page 65 Kozin)

In its development, the concept goes through three stages:

1. elementary: the essential features of the concept are still based on sensory experience and are accessible to living contemplation. They are abstracted from direct perception objects, phenomena or their images and contain a fairly small number of elements of knowledge, a low degree of generalization. Most often, such concepts are introduced for the first time and are also called initial;

concepts are characterized by a higher degree of abstraction: their essential features are hidden from living contemplation and are a generalization of the characteristics of elementary concepts; the latter can be concretized indirectly, through a series of simple concepts;

the highest degree of generalization, when the concept acquires the status of a law or theory. The degree of its remoteness from sensory experience is great (often considered as the result of pure abstraction).

Formation of ideas and concepts in the process of studying natural science among younger students

Characteristics of natural science ideas and concepts.

Methodology for the formation of natural science ideas and concepts.

One of the tasks of the natural history course is the formation of scientific knowledge about nature, therefore, it directly contributes to the development of scientific view to the surrounding reality. In the process of studying the material, students not only get acquainted with natural objects and phenomena, but also learn the connections between them. The acquired knowledge forms views on the unity and integrity of the material world.

Cognition of the world occurs in accordance with the following cognitive steps: sensation, perception, representation and concept. Consequently, for a more successful reflection of the world, a child needs to master such units as presentation and concept. It should be noted that the program for the development and formation of ideas and concepts is still one of the urgent problems of the teaching methodology of any subject, since it decides the relationship between the content of education and the method of managing education.

Performance - reflection of the image of the object in the absence of the latter, i.e. a set of signs of an object or phenomenon, fixed in the mind in various forms (verbally, graphically, symbolically). At the same time, according to the degree of their correlation with science, representations are everyday (pre-scientific) and scientific, for example: grass is green, because it was painted with brilliant green, or contains a special pigment - chlorophyll, respectively. They are also subdivided into representations by memory when the name of an object actualizes in the child’s memory an image or experience gained once seen (for example, the phrase “you bit off a piece of lemon” evokes taste sensations), and imagination - creation (construction) of an image of an object based on existing ideas about other objects or phenomena (“palm tree - a pillar with fern leaves at the top ) . In elementary school, due to the age characteristics of students, they most often work with representations.

Concept- category of philosophy, logic, psychology, pedagogy. In pedagogy, this term is defined as a set of essential features of a defined object or phenomenon, expressed in various ways (verbal, graphic, symbolic).

Any concept characterized by the following evaluation criteria:

1) philosophical (categories of space, time);

2) physical and chemical (body, substance, molecules, atoms, properties of air, water, soil);

3) Geographical and geological (rocks, minerals, mountains, plains, reservoirs, natural areas, continents, oceans);

4) Phenological (weather, climate, cloudiness);

5) Astronomical and ufological (information about the Earth as a planet of the solar system, about other celestial bodies, life in the universe);

6) Biological and paleontological (names of objects and phenomena of animate and inanimate nature, plants and their organs, basic processes, taxonomy, features of structure and life, fossils, dinosaurs);

7) Agricultural (vegetables, fruits, minerals, fertilizers)

8) Ecological (information about ecological connections and dependencies of natural objects, environmental factors, nature protection);

9) Anthropological (human, human organ systems, healthy lifestyle, disease prevention);

10) Social (country, city, nationality, rights, law)

2) scope of the concept. By volume, concepts are divided into simple (single), collective and complex (general). Simple and single concepts include a small one (more often some one element of knowledge), complex and general - several. Collective concepts in terms of the number of elements of knowledge occupy an intermediate position. For example, the concept of "Myshanka River" is simple, and the concept of "river" is general. Between these concepts, intermediate ones can be distinguished - “rivers of Belarus” or “rivers of the Baranovichi region”. Another example: the concept of "birch leaf" is singular, "leaves of deciduous plants" is collective, and "leaves of plants" is general.

3) The dynamics of the development of concepts. The concepts of simple, collective and complex are dynamic. They are in constant change and development. This change can go both horizontally and vertically. The change in concepts "horizontally" lies in the fact that one and the same concept can be either singular or collective in relation to another. Or general. Therefore, when defining these groups of concepts, one should clarify them by using the phrase “in relation to”. For example, the concept of "low mountains" is singular in relation to the concept of "mountains". In this combination, the concept of "mountains" acts as a general one. But if we compare the concepts of "mountains" and "surface of the Earth", the first of them acts as a single one, the second - as a general one. Between them, the collective “surface of Europe” can also be defined. Such changes in concepts are widely used in teaching and do not require the use of a special methodology, special methods of activity of the teacher and students. The change in concepts “vertically” characterizes their qualitative improvement, i.e. such a change when the concept moves to a new qualitative level. This movement is called development. It requires a special methodology from the teacher, is a rather lengthy process and can practically be endless. In fact, for any concept, some characteristic can always appear that will complement and expand its already known scope.

4) Forms (ways) of expression, varied at the initial stage of education and gradually complicated by the 4th grade. There are the following forms:

Verbal (verbal) - Earth, Sun;

Symbolic (symbols of the Earth, Moon)

Graphic (symbols for watering, weather)

in the form of formulas.

Every science and subject are a system of concepts that develop in a logical sequence. The task of teaching children about natural history is to carry out daily, systematic work to create their ideas and develop concepts, practical skills and abilities that students will need when studying in high school biology and geography and for understanding many phenomena and processes occurring in nature.

The first stage in the process of assimilation of knowledge is the perception of natural phenomena or facts. Perception is always holistic and objective. The result of perception is the image of the object. Perception is impossible without sensations and arises only on their basis. The quality of assimilation increases if children are prepared to perceive the new by setting certain tasks for them.

The activity of students during perception increases if it is possible to create a problem situation by putting specific questions before them: why does such a natural phenomenon occur? How can it be explained?

A problematic situation is most often created by correctly posed questions and tasks that the teacher gives during observations in nature, conducting experiments or practical work. Important point activation of perception - the teacher's use of knowledge acquired by children earlier.

When studying new material, the teacher must determine what the children already know about this phenomenon or natural object. Often, younger students notice only external signs that are not essential for characterizing the phenomenon, so the role of the teacher is very large in organizing observations. We must teach children to see the most important, essential features that characterize an object or phenomenon. To do this, first of all, it is necessary to organize observations of schoolchildren for a certain specific natural phenomenon or object. Children with systematic and directed observations begin to notice individual details, and not just the general and most striking features of an object or natural phenomenon. Observations become versatile and purposeful. Gradually, children learn to compare objects, draw conclusions based on observations. The natural, innate desire of the child to consider a new object or phenomenon, to observe it, constitutes the initial basis of perception.

Having received tasks for observations from the teacher, the children conduct them. As a result, they create in their minds a primary idea of ​​the appearance of an object or natural phenomenon. Representations arise in children's minds in the form of visual images and are of a specific nature, but these images are somewhat more generalized than with simple perception.

To deepen and expand the idea, the teacher poses questions to the children that reveal the main properties of an object or phenomenon. For example, in grade II, children observe leaf fall in autumn and answer the questions: what happens during leaf fall? (Leaves fall from trees.) What trees do leaves fall from? (From deciduous trees.) The teacher explains that moisture evaporates through JIISTYA, which comes to them from the roots along the trunk. If in winter the leaves are on the trees, then they will die, as the water in the leaves will freeze. Why do trees need leaf fall? (So ​​that deciduous trees do not die.) Why don't spruce and pine shed their needles? (Because little water evaporates through the needles.) In conclusion, students conclude: leaf fall occurs in autumn . This is the preparation of deciduous trees for the winter cold. In grade III, children first get specific ideas about the hill during the excursion, identify the main properties of this form of the earth's surface, get acquainted with its sole, steep and gentle slopes, and the top. Then, in the classroom, at the direction of the teacher, third-graders examine various types of hills in the pictures, find on them those parts that they observed in nature, read an article in a textbook, and they develop an idea in general about the hill and its signs.

Thus, the teacher needs to teach children to distinguish in objects or phenomena their signs and properties, then, to expand the representation, compare the features and properties of several objects and l and phenomena, identifying their most significant features. Even K. D. Ushinsky said that "comparison is the basis of all understanding and all thinking." For example, when comparing coniferous and deciduous trees, students should first of all note their common features: the presence of roots, trunk, branches, leaves. Then, comparing these common features, schoolchildren come to the conclusion that the main difference is in the leaves: on coniferous trees, the leaves look like needles.

An important step in the formation of ideas is the selection by children of the most essential features of the subject. So, for example, they should emphasize that all deciduous trees have leaves, and conifers have needles, or that all hills have a top, a sole and slopes, but each hill is different in its height and shape. The child needs to be explained that a change in non-essential features or properties of an object does not affect the belonging of this object to a certain concept. A deciduous tree can be tall or short, thick or thin, have a large or small crown, but it is still a deciduous tree, not a conifer.

Next, the teacher should teach children to recognize objects by their essential features. So, for example, naming one or more essential features of an object, the teacher invites students to name the object itself: a low plant, has several thin trunks, there may be needles or ordinary leaves on the branches. (Shrub.) Or the teacher suggests answering what kind of surface shape it is, on which a flat horizon line is clearly visible and there are no noticeable increases or decreases. (Plain.) Thus, the essential features of the subject helped students to correctly identify the subject itself.

Systematic work to identify essential features and properties leads to the fact that children develop conscious ideas about individual natural objects.

The presence of representations gives a person the opportunity to operate with images in the absence of the objects themselves. Children talk about hills, draw a diagram of a hill without seeing it in front of them in the classroom, or talk about an animal using observations of it at home, in nature, in a living corner, although neither the animal nor its image is in front of them.

An exceptionally important role in the mental activity of children is played by visual, auditory, motor (motor), tactile, olfactory, gustatory and other representations, which are images of objects.

The next stage of work is the formation of certain concepts in children. The presence of clear and precise ideas among students makes it possible to form these concepts. Concepts have a certain content and scope. The content of the concept includes essential features of an object or natural phenomenon that distinguish it from others. Consider the process of concept formation on a specific example. Giving children ideas and forming concepts about objects and natural phenomena, the teacher, based on observations in nature, uses various visual aids that reveal the basic properties of objects. When forming concepts about mountains, the teacher relies on the children's observations of hills (on the plain) or mountains (in the mountains) and finds out what ideas the students have about mountains. Then the teacher demonstrates the film "Plains and Mountains". In a further discussion on the content of the film, he uses wall paintings. The work can be built on the following questions: what parts does the hill have? What are the parts of the mountain? What do hills and mountains have in common? Which is higher: hill or mountain? How is a mountain different from a hill? Finding out the main difference between a hill and a mountain, the teacher contributes to the formation of the general concept of “mountains” in children. The teacher invites students to find mountains on the map and this, as it were, reinforces the general concept of "mountains". Then, moving on to showing on the map specific mountains - the Caucasus, the Urals and talking about them, the teacher creates in schoolchildren ideas about distinctive features some mountains from others, that is, it reveals the individual features of single concepts (their differences in height, appearance and other features).

The exact disclosure of the content of the concept is called definition. Any concept can be expressed in words. Work on concepts and should always be accompanied by an increase in the vocabulary of children.

In order for the concept to expand and deepen in the minds of students, the teacher in the classroom repeatedly returns to the same concept, enriching it with new content, deepening and expanding it.

For example, after introducing the new concept of “ocean” to children, the teacher suggests first finding each ocean on a globe, then on a map of the hemispheres and answering the following questions: why is the Arctic Ocean called that? Why did Magellan give the name to one of the Pacific Oceans? Why is he also called the Great? Which continents are washed by the Pacific or Great Ocean? Similar work in different versions continues in subsequent lessons.

In grade II, talking about how different animals spend the winter in the forest, the teacher suggests remembering: how did the animals prepare for winter? Why didn't the bear and badger store food for the winter? Why didn't the fox and the hare stock up in the fall either? Which animal stocked food? Answers to these and similar questions make it possible for schoolchildren to form concepts about the adaptation of various animals to living conditions.

An important role in the formation of natural science concepts is played by the consolidation of the acquired knowledge and their application in practice: in experiments and practical work, in general lessons.

So, the path from sensation and perception to representation, and then to the concept, is the path to the most complete reflection in the minds of students of reality in its essential, regular connections and relationships.

The use of a variety of techniques and methods of work in the classroom, the use of the ideas that children have, the use of various visual aids help the teacher form general natural history concepts. An important role in the formation of concepts is played by a certain system in the presentation of the teacher, which is achieved if all parts of the educational process are connected by a leading idea and serve to reveal and confirm it.

In a teacher's systematic story, visualization is of great importance: starting from visual, visual perception, children more easily approach generalization, i.e., the formation of a concept.

Visual aids are used not only to create representations and images of individual specific objects, but also as source material for the formation of a concept.

A conversation based on the observations of children, a watched film, disassembled pictures or filmstrips helps students consciously master the program material. And on the basis of its conscious assimilation in children, correct natural science concepts are formed.

The teacher must take seriously the preparation of conversations that reveal the main features and properties of objects and phenomena. Questions should not be posed that require children only to work with memory and show only mechanical, and not conscious, assimilation of program material. It is necessary to formulate questions in such a way that the answers to them show students' understanding of the given definitions. So, for example, one cannot pose questions: what is the source? What is called the ocean? And so on. You must first invite the child to show the source of the river in the picture, diagram, plan of the area, map, and then ask what is called the source of the river or stream. It is impossible to interrogate students with prompting questions and verbose questions, since they do not reveal the children's understanding of the content of a natural phenomenon, but push them towards rote memorization. Working on education general concepts The teacher should pay attention to the ability of children to apply their knowledge.

So, for example, in the second grade, children learn how to care for indoor plants. They create the concept that each plant needs favorable conditions for development: good soil, a sufficient amount of moisture, light, heat. Caring for indoor plants, children learn to loosen the soil, water the plants, wipe large leaves with a damp cloth, and spray the plants. The teacher must first of all check whether all the children are able to do this correctly, and ensure that the general concepts are reinforced by practical activities in the classroom and outside of them. Carrying out consistent work on the creation of ideas and concepts, it is necessary to achieve full awareness of the content of concepts, since only such knowledge turns into beliefs. An important condition for organizing a purposeful perception of a natural object by children is the combination of its display with the teacher's explanation. Such a technique provides in the minds of schoolchildren a connection between a word and a specific image of a natural phenomenon or object. So, for the development of concepts, the following methodological techniques are used:

General educational, giving the opportunity to penetrate into the essence of the studied objects and phenomena;

Comparisons, identification of common and hallmarks objects being studied (it must be remembered that younger students, due to age characteristics, find differences more easily than similarities; the latter can be taught through leading questions). At the same time, only correlated phenomena are offered to children, a constant focus on this kind of work is required (identification of external signs, characteristic - benefit - conclusion);

Systematic observations;

Establishing associations, active connections with knowledge from personal experience obtained from books and other sources, including in the process of regular use of the repetition system, i.e. establishing a connection between theory and practice;

Classification exercise (“Find the excess”, “What has changed?”), Definition exercises (“on what grounds can a toad be classified as an amphibian?”);

Development of the ability to competently ask questions about the studied natural phenomena, draw conclusions; for this, they use questions and tasks that require elementary generalizations (why are crows and woodpeckers birds?) and organize a system of regular repetitions in a variety of forms;

Problem questions and tasks aimed at developing thinking, translating existing knowledge into practical skills.

It should be taken into account that the formed concept does not remain unchanged. It can undergo both progressive (expansion and clarification) and regressive (substitution, forgetting) changes, which requires control by the teacher. In pedagogy, the following levels of development of concepts are distinguished, which can find a response in the system of monitoring and evaluating the natural science knowledge of younger students. (see table)

For a complete intellectual development the child and the formation of a holistic picture of the world in him are necessary: ​​1) constant work to search for something new in known natural relationships, new connections and dependencies; 2) constant stimulation of children's interest in nature; 3) providing students with the opportunity to explore, reason and make mistakes, i.e. organization by the teacher of children's search; 4) encouragement of sincere interest in the performance of educational tasks; 5) introduction of the basics research work: do not impose ready-made material - the children themselves should feel the need to find an answer.

T: Thinking is the basis of cognition. In the process of reflecting the surrounding reality, sensual and logical cognition are distinguished, and the first stage in the assimilation of knowledge is the perception of individual facts or phenomena. As applied to the knowledge of nature by younger schoolchildren, the process of perceiving objects or natural phenomena is carried out through the formation of sensations in them based on the activity of the child's sense organs. In the brain there is a reflection of individual properties, the external aspects of objects, phenomena that directly affect the senses. So, during the initial acquaintance with such an object of nature as the fruit of a watermelon, schoolchildren form a set of sensations: shape, size, etc. In the process of forming these sensations, the child perceives the object. But there are no separate, isolated properties from objects, phenomena of the material world. Therefore, reflection in sensations of individual properties of an object inevitably leads to reflection in the consciousness of the object as a whole, in this case, the fruit of a watermelon as a carrier of these properties. Thus, perception arises from sensations, in which the student already reflects the totality of properties characteristic of this object, "builds" a sensually visual image. Perceptions already reflect the object as a whole, in the interconnection of its features. An object that is released during perception causes the greatest excitation in the cerebral cortex, in the cerebral hemispheres, while in other departments, inhibition occurs at this time; therefore, other objects that surround the one we have selected are perceived as a background, indistinctly. From this follows the need to guide the formation of sensory images already during perception, so that they have a reliable degree of reflection of the surrounding world.

An object or phenomenon can be restored in memory, recalled. Then representations are formed. Representations in science are defined as a sensually visual image of objects and phenomena of reality, preserved in the mind and without a direct impact of the objects and phenomena themselves on the senses. They do not arise instantly and not in a finished form, but are formed, gradually improved, changed under the influence of new, purposeful acts of perception. Representations arise in children's minds in the form of visual images, are of a specific nature, however, these images may reflect insignificant signs, since some of the sensations are missed. They can be formed not only on the basis of direct observation, but also as a result of the child's imagination, work with a textbook and visual aids. For example, a student who has never seen the sea, who does not have sensual images of a large expanse of water, its movement under the influence of wind, color, noise of splashing water, etc., under the guidance of a teacher with the help of an artistic word, visual means of visual arts, can “create” for himself sensual image of the sea, although not bright and correct enough.

Arising on the basis of sensations and perceptions, being a form of a more generalized, but at the same time visual, sensual reflection of the surrounding nature, representations serve as a transitional step to the highest form of knowledge - abstract thinking, which is based on a system of interrelated concepts.

In pedagogy, a concept is “a form of scientific knowledge that reflects the objectively essential in things and phenomena and is fixed by special terms or designations. Unlike sensory images (sensations and perceptions) the concept is not something immediate, taken in all the diversity of its qualitative features. Out of all this diversity, the concept abstracts the essential and thereby acquires meaning; universality, which is its main distinguishing feature ”(Pedagogical Encyclopedia. - M, 1968. - T. 3.- P. 455).

In the system of knowledge about objects and phenomena of the surrounding world, concepts play an important role, since they serve as a reference point in the cognition of reality and are a kind of result of its cognition.

In the school course of elementary natural history, mainly initial concepts are formed, which for the first time introduce children to the understanding of the laws of the world around them, rely on the sensory experience of a younger student and ensure the transition from the concept of a phenomenon to its essence. Primary observations of the various states of water, for example, do not yet make it possible to establish consciously the causes of water changes.

Schoolchildren cannot explain the characteristic features of water, snow, fog, ice, since they have only generalized ideas. In the course of further practical work and observations, knowledge is accumulated that these objects consist of one substance and have a different state depending on the different temperature of the environment. After that, on the basis of ideas, initial scientific concepts about the properties of water are formed.

The main feature of the initial concepts is that, regardless of the age of the students, the initial assimilation of the laws, the essence of the object or the phenomenon of the surrounding reality is carried out on the sensory basis available to the students. For example, before grade II, students already have certain ideas about nature, about the diversity of its representatives. But only in the second grade do they study the initial scientific concepts“non-living nature”, “living nature”, that is, for the first time they begin to realize that the whole variety of natural objects can be clearly divided into two categories: inanimate and living. Thus, the assimilation of initial scientific concepts determines the transition of younger students to the scientific knowledge of objects and phenomena of reality.

The initial scientific concepts of nature and its use by man in elementary school include the following: “inanimate nature”, “wildlife”, “seasonal changes in nature”, “parts of a plant”, “map”, “minerals”, “soil ”, “change of day and night”, “change of seasons”, “surface shapes”, etc.

Natural science concepts, depending on the different number of objects and phenomena reflected in them, the relationship with other concepts, have their own characteristics: they are characterized content, scope, connections and relationships with other concepts.

The content of a concept means the totality of the essential properties of a class of objects and phenomena reflected in the mind with the help of this concept. By content concepts in science are divided into simple and complex. In application to the initial natural history simple concepts include one element of knowledge about an object or natural phenomenon. Thus, the concept of "horizon line" is characterized as an imaginary line of the apparent connection of the sky with the earth. Each concept gradually develops, becomes more complicated. A simple, initial concept, including one element of knowledge, when combined with other simple elements (concepts), forms a complex one. For example, when forming the concept of “horizon” in grade IV, students first learn that the horizon is the area that a person sees around him (a simple concept). Next, they are introduced to the concept of the "horizon line" (another simple concept). In the Subsequent Study of the Concept of the Rizon, younger students will learn that the horizon has four main sides and can change as it moves (two more Simple Concepts). Thus, as the concept of “horizon” is studied, its content is replenished with new data, and by the end of its study, a complex concept of “horizon” is formed in the minds of students - this is the area that a person always sees around him. The horizon is limited by the horizon line* The horizon has four main sides: north, west, south, . East. The horizon and skyline change as you move.

Volume concepts characterizes the number of objects, reflecting? perceived in consciousness with the help of a given concept or covered by this concept. Based on the number of objects displayed in knowledge, single concepts and general. So, in the course of natural history of the IV class, such concepts as sand, clay, granite, peat, oil, etc., are single concepts, each of which includes a certain content. However, these single concepts are characterized by certain common properties, therefore, are components of the general concept of "minerals", which in the course of primary natural science is explained as natural wealth, which drive mined from the depths of the earth or from its surface and used in the economy.

Single and general concepts are in an inseparable dialectical unity: general concepts cannot be comprehended without relying on single ones, and single concepts can be formed only if there are corresponding general concepts. In our example, individual concepts of peat, oil, coal, etc. must be formed in the presence of knowledge about the properties of minerals, their significance in human practical activity, i.e., taking into account the content of the general concept of "minerals". The allocation of single and general concepts is to a certain extent relative, since in specific educational situations concepts can move from one category to another. So, the concept of "peat" is a single one, but if we consider it in parallel with the concept of "peat of a neighboring swamp", then it will act as a general concept.

At the same time, the content of the school course in natural history
includes the basics of knowledge of different sciences: biology, bot
sciences, zoology, anatomy, physiology and human hygiene, geo
graphs; therefore, in the system of concepts of primary natural science
biological concepts should be distinguished (plants: cornflower
field, rice, wheat, reeds, etc.; animals: ground squirrel; nase
clods: Colorado potato beetle, etc.; human skeleton, muscles
zha, etc.) and geographical (horizon, forms of the earth on top
resources, minerals, etc.). . ,

Thus, natural history concepts are represented by biological and geographical ones, among which, depending on the content, the concepts are simple and complex, and depending on the volume, single and general. .., : Une.bno-educational process in grades I-II contributes to the preparation of schoolchildren for the perception and assimilation of the initial scientific natural history concepts. .An analysis of the latter shows that they are associated with certain concepts of school courses in mathematics, reading, fine arts, agricultural labor, familiarization with the outside world (see the table "Intersubject, connections of leading natural history concepts").

The table contains the initial scientific concepts included in the system of natural science concepts of the primary classes, among which there are not only biological, geographical, but also mathematical concepts(circle, circumference). In the course, mathematical natural history, concepts perform not only an auxiliary function. They are supplemented, developed^ Consequently, the study of nature is not only based on a system of formed knowledge of a number of subjects primary school, but also contributes to the assimilation and development of the concepts of some of them § 2. METHODS OF FORMATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONCEPT

The purpose of education is to give students conscious, systematic and solid knowledge. Knowledge consists of concepts established by science about the essential features and properties of things and phenomena, processes and relationships between them. The main methodological regularity of the assimilation of knowledge lies in the systematic education and development of concepts in students in the learning process. Concepts help a person in the knowledge of the external world. The starting point here is the sensation of an object or phenomenon. Perception arises from sensations, reflecting the thing as a whole. On the basis of perception, representations arise, consisting in internal images stored in a person’s memory. Generalized representations form concepts. V.I. Lenin wrote: “... already the simplest generalization, first and simplest education concepts(judgments, conclusions, etc.) means knowing a person more and more deeply objective communications of the world ”(Lenin V.I. Poli. collected works. - T. 29. - P. 161).

Logical knowledge is inextricably linked with the sensory, therefore, in the process of perception of the studied objects and phenomena, observation becomes of exceptional importance, which allows forming sensations. In this regard, in the educational process, it is necessary to organize direct observations of students in nature. The teacher organizes daily phenological observations of the phenomena of inanimate and animate nature, keeping a "Diary of Observations", conducts excursions. Thus, students accumulate a large amount of factual material, which is systematized, concretized and generalized in the lessons.

So, in the third grade, while forming knowledge about herbaceous plants, the teacher should give students the opportunity to consider plants such as red clover, bluebell, bluegrass, mouse peas, etc., using herbarium specimens.

AT educational process situations are often created when it is impossible to organize the observation of a natural object in the classroom due to its absence or small size, etc. In such cases, the teacher needs to use visual visual aids: tables, pictures, screen aids, and provide for the possibility of familiarizing children with a natural object in nature itself in during an excursion or at an exhibition, in a museum, etc. For example, when forming the concept of the forms of the earth's surface in the fourth grade, the teacher uses the appropriate tables in the class, but he always conducts an excursion into nature to observe the flat and hilly plain, ravine and mountainous surface. With such a combination of visual and natural visual means, the main thing is achieved - sensations are formed.

A necessary condition for the perception of an object by children is the ability of the teacher to master the word. Despite the fact that the main source of knowledge in the process of forming sensations is the object itself, the exact and figurative word of the teacher directs the process of observation, organizes it in a certain sequence, clarifies, concretizes the signs of the observed object, etc. Therefore, the teacher needs to express his thoughts briefly, accurately , it is logical that the verbal description of the object coincide with what the children observe.

Observation of objects of nature by schoolchildren should be accompanied by special tasks aimed at clarifying perception. As you know, observing the same object, people see it differently due to their individual features. In the educational process, it is important that in the object being studied, all children see the main thing that is connected with its characteristics. Therefore, the next condition for the formation of sensations is the organization of exercises that clarify perceptions. For example, on an excursion to nature in grade III on the topic “Changes in plant life in autumn,” the teacher needs to think over tasks that clarify the perception of what is happening, approximately as follows: look at the sky today. How does the sun shine? Is it warmer or colder today compared to summer? How have the trees changed since summer? Watch what happens to the leaves. Find birch, poplar, etc. leaves on the ground.

In the process of formation and development of perception, the teacher should increase the activity of children. This can be achieved in various ways: setting up experiments, conducting observations, organizing an independent educational search, using technical visual aids.

The activity of schoolchildren in the perception of natural history material can also be caused by the use of knowledge acquired by students earlier, and the practical experience of children. The better the student is familiar with the objects being studied, the more complete, accurate and meaningful their perception is. For example, a younger student who is familiar with a compass and who is unfamiliar perceives this subject differently: the perception of the first will be much richer than the second. He will see more clearly - the individual parts of the compass, as he knows the purpose of each of them. In this case, the knowledge of the subject in the process of perception will be combined with past experience. . Thus, the following conditions for the formation of -perceptions- can be distinguished: observation in nature, observation of natural objects, accurate and. a figurative word of the teacher, exercises that clarify perception, increasing the activity of children, relying on their existing knowledge and life experience. ^""Grodes of representation formation is also controlled by the teacher, and here the observance of certain conditions plays an important role. First of all, the teacher needs to be able to formulate questions and tasks that require the reproduction of sensations. Their wording should be short, specific, simple, but not suggestive of the answer. A question or task can be considered specific if only one correct answer can be given to it. For example, after an autumn excursion to the forest, when studying material about plants in summer and autumn, the teacher can ask the children the following questions: where did we go on the excursion? What was the weather like? What was the sky like? Was there any precipitation? If yes, what are they? What did the leafy plants look like? etc.

An important role in the process of forming ideas is played by the organization of exercises for recognizing and distinguishing objects of nature. To fulfill them, children must be taught such methods of mental activity as dividing the whole into parts, highlighting the signs of objects or properties of natural phenomena. For example, students can be given a task: compare a tree and a shrub, find similarities and differences. Completing the task, students must learn to find common features of the compared objects. So, when comparing trees with shrubs, a common feature will be the presence of a root, branches, stems, leaves. Comparison common features leads children to the conclusion that trees have one lignified stem, while shrubs can have two, three or more.

Having taught students to compare, it is necessary to teach them to distinguish the main and secondary from the totality of signs. So, in our example, the main feature will be the presence of one (in trees) or several (in shrubs) lignified stems.

An important place in the formation of representations is occupied by such a technique as sketching from memory. It is extremely important for a child to have the ability to activate, "revive past experience", to recreate a sensual image. The technique of sketching from memory not only helps to recreate a sensual image, but also forms the skills of a schematic spatial image. For example, after observing various forms of the earth's surface during the excursion, students are given the task: to schematically depict in notebooks a flat plain, a hilly plain, mountains, and sign them. Or in grade III, you can give the following task: remember how the branches of a deciduous and coniferous plant differ and schematically depict them.

Thus, the formation of schoolchildren's ideas is closely related to the observance of the following pedagogical conditions: the teacher must skillfully formulate questions and tasks that require the reproduction of sensations; exercise children in sketching objects from memory; organize exercises to recognize and distinguish between objects and natural phenomena.

The process of logical cognition is based on the formation of concepts, the formation of which is impossible without the development of the mental activity of younger students. need something understand. Thinking usually begins with a problem or a question, with surprise or bewilderment, with a contradiction. This problematic situation determines the involvement of the individual in the thought process: it is always aimed at solving some problem ”(Rubinshtein S. L. Fundamentals of General Psychology. - M., 1946. - P. 347). One of the main conditions for the formation of concepts is the organization of problem-based learning in natural history. The creation of problem situations in lessons, excursions creates a state of intellectual difficulty for students, which requires a way out, that is, a solution to the problem posed, and can be carried out by the students themselves (by direct observation of objects or setting up simple experiments) or with the help of a teacher (shows ways to solve the problem ). Here, a certain system of presentation of the material, a certain logical sequence in its presentation plays an important role in the formation of concepts. In the sequence of presentation of the material, the teacher can use both the inductive (from particular, specific to general) and deductive (from general to particular) method, or both. For example, when forming the concept of “minerals E2”, the teacher can pose such a problematic question: why are minerals so called? To solve this issue, he can use the inductive way of thinking, giving students material in the following sequence: how building material is used to build houses, factories, factories - brick, concrete, granite, etc .; b) granite is mined in nature; for the manufacture of other building materials (concrete, brick) sand, clay, lime, water are required. Sand, clay, like granite, are mined in nature, lime is obtained from limestone; c) fuel is needed for the operation of factories, plants, and heating of premises. Fuel is oil, gas, coal, peat; d) for the manufacture of various machines, metal is needed: steel, cast iron, aluminum. Steel and cast iron are obtained from iron ore, aluminum from aluminum, which are also mined in nature; v) sand, clay, limestone, granite, coal, oil, gas, peat, iron and aluminum ores are very necessary for man, they are useful to him, and they are extracted from the earth with the help of machines. Hence they got the name - minerals.

In the process of formation of concepts, the system of repetition is of no small importance, which contributes to the development of concepts and allows you to establish links between simple, complex, singular and general concepts. Children received elements of knowledge about nature in grades I-II when they got acquainted with the outside world, in mathematics and reading lessons. Broad reliance in the process of forming new concepts on the knowledge already available to students, obtained in the study of natural history (intra-subject communications) and other subjects of elementary school (inter-subject communications), contributes to the formation of broad associative connections in the child in the cerebral cortex of the brain, which positively affects the development thinking, and knowledge becomes stronger and longer stored in memory.

When forming the basic concepts of natural history among schoolchildren, it is necessary to establish connections with mathematics, reading,
agricultural labor, fine arts,
acquaintance with the surrounding world. The task of the teacher is
in order to systematically, from lesson to lesson, organize the repetition of precisely those concepts that can serve as a reference in the formation of new ones. In this regard, in terms of work
it is desirable to highlight a special column "Thematic repetition", which should reflect intra-subject
and interdisciplinary connections.

An essential role in the formation of concepts is played by terminological work, i.e., work on mastering the language of science. When talking about science and its language, one must keep in mind not a simple combination of words, but a system of interconnected terms. Therefore, it is important to clearly define what a word and a term are, in what proportions they are. "The word is complex unity sound sign and meaning ... The word is the name of the subject, historically assigned to it by the given people ”(Great Soviet Encyclopedia.-M., 1956. -T. 39.-S. 356).

A term is “a word or phrase designed to accurately designate a concept and its relationship with other concepts within special area"(Great Soviet Encyclopedia. - M., 1976. - T. 25. - S. 474). Consequently, a feature of the term, which distinguishes it from the word, is its inseparable connection with a specific concept. | The term has two functions: it names the subject and reflects the essential features of the content of the concept. Word and term are correlative, but not identical. The term can be used to determine some features of the concept, finding out its etymology (origin) and semantics (semantic meaning of the term).

Natural science as an academic subject includes the foundations of such sciences as biology and geography, therefore its content is revealed through a system of biological and geographical terms. The majority are of Russian origin.

The process of mastering terms by schoolchildren has its own characteristics and difficulties. In the early stages of schooling, children accumulate terms, often without knowing exactly what they mean. ^Many terms include several concepts at once. For example, the term "leaf". It can be a sheet of paper, a leaf of a plant, a sheet of cardboard, etc. But the more a student knows a particular subject, the more specific the content of each term becomes. So, when studying nature, a student learns that a leaf is a part of a plant that has a certain structure and performs a certain function. ^__ Terminological work should be carried out according to a certain system, including the following techniques; * pronouncing terms aloud (- / work on mastering the spelling of new terms, clarifying the etymology of the term and its semantics, writing the term on the board, training exercises in correlating the term with the concept, morphological and phonetic analysis of terms in various educational situations, etc. For example, in the first lesson of natural history in grade III, it is very important to work with the term "natural history". The teacher must show students that this word is complex and consists of two parts. This can be done with help of the diagram drawn on the board:

natural history

nature to know

What the word "nature" means, children learn in the process of getting to know the world around them; now the teacher tells the meaning of the word "to know" - to know, to study. Consequently, children will study nature in the lessons of natural history. And then he announces two new terms "inanimate nature" and "animal nature". The teacher invites the students to remember the objects of nature and, having thought about the meaning of the two new terms, name the objects of inanimate and living nature.

Or when studying the topic “Reservoirs, types of reservoirs” in grade IV, having named some of the rivers, seas, oceans to students, giving them a brief description, the teacher can ask the students the following questions: why is the Arctic Ocean called so? Why is one of the oceans called the Pacific? Etc.

Terms of foreign origin used in
teaching natural history, require a mandatory translation into
Russian language and clarifying their semantic meaning. For example,
forming the concept of "horizon" and informing schoolchildren of the term
"horizon", the teacher should note that this word is Greek
origin, translated into Russian as "ogre
I don't give a damn"; thus, the term denotes a part of the earth's
the surface that a person sees in an open area. Ta
some correlation of the semantic content of the term with the corresponding
not only contributes to the good assimilation
knowledge of the material, but also develops mental activity
students. In the course of the formation of natural science concepts, it is necessary to practice schoolchildren in the implementation of such methods of mental activity as analysis (dividing the whole into parts), determining the main and secondary features of natural objects, phenomena, synthesis (combining parts into a whole, highlighting relationships in parts), generalization, conclusions , definition, classification. So, forming the concept of "soil", the teacher organizes a demonstration observation by students of its composition and properties (dividing the whole into parts, identifying signs). To this end, he conducts a number of experiments showing that the soil contains sand, clay, water, air, there are small roots, plant stems, remains of leaves, and small animals. Next, the teacher demonstrates the properties of the soil. Students are convinced that the soil can burn: the remains of plants and animals burn, it passes water better than clay, but worse than sand. After analyzing the composition, properties, and significance of soil with schoolchildren, the teacher leads them to the conclusion: soil is the top layer of the earth, it consists of sand, clay, plant remains, animals, water and air, it passes water, plants grow on it. The main property of the soil is fertility. Having made a conclusion, students can be led to a definition, i.e., an accurate disclosure of the content of the concept: soil is the upper fertile layer of the earth on which wild or cultivated plants grow. Further development of the concept of soil is associated with the use of a logical method - classification. Students learn that the soil is not the same everywhere, its color and fertility depend on the amount of humus (external feature). Depending on the origin and amount of humus, soils are divided into chernozem, podzolic, marsh (classification, i.e., the selection of groups of objects from their totality on the basis of the main and external signs). And then the formation of the concept of "soil" ends with a story about the significance of soil in economic activity person.

The formation of natural history concepts is inextricably linked with the translation of knowledge into practical skills and abilities. The formation of skills is associated with the application of theoretical knowledge in practice. In connection with the formation of concepts, students must master a whole system of special skills: to conduct observations in nature according to the tasks of the "Diary of Observations" and record them; use the simplest instruments (thermometer, compass, weather vane), the simplest laboratory and excursion equipment; correctly build a daily routine; observe the rules of personal hygiene; take care of indoor plants; plant flowers and trees, etc. To this end, the teacher must develop a system of tasks aimed at developing the necessary skills. First of all, this is the implementation of those mandatory practical works that are determined by the course program. For example, in the fourth grade, in the process of forming the concepts of “plan”, “map”, “orientation on the ground”, the program provides for several practical activities in which children must learn to use a compass and use it to determine the sides of the horizon, draw up a plan of the area. For the formation of skills and their transfer into skills, one-time practical work is not enough, the development of the skills being formed should be carried out systematically. ,; ... .

The process of formation of natural history days requires the following pedagogical conditions; organizing a problem-based approach in teaching, a certain "logical sequence in the presentation of new material, conducting a systematic, thematic repetition and terminological work, implementing interdisciplinary connections, applying tasks aimed at developing certain skills and abilities. The main essence of this process: from a variety of ideas obtained or already received by schoolchildren by concentrating the main and separating the secondary, to form a single one, including the essence of an object or phenomenon (concept).

In the educational process in natural history, the observance of pedagogical conditions for the formation of sensations, ideas and concepts contributes to the implementation of one of the main tasks modern school- improving the quality of students' knowledge.