Example Of Essay On Science Misconception In The Memoirs Of A Goldfish

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“Memoirs of a Goldfish” is a children’s visual story book written by David Scillian that revolved around a story a diary of a gold fish. It is a humorous children’s book about the gold fish whose privacy was invaded by several sea creatures. The invasion suffocated the gold fish and it chose to be put in a small bowl of which served as its small private world. As day went by, the gold fish realized that it’s lonely swimming alone in a small bowl. It started to worry about the other creatures it left. At the end of the story, the gold fish was reunited with its peers in a large tank where everybody has a room.
The Science Misconception in this children’s book is that it generalized that all kinds of fish do not sleep. In the book Scillian wrote: “I swam around my bowl. I thought of taking a nap but fish don’t sleep. So I swam around my bowl.” In order to refute this notion, Australian Museum in their website wrote an article entitled, “Do Fishes Sleep?” They explained in this article that fish do sleep. It is not true it stated that fish do not sleep because they don’t have eyelids. Fishes it further said have different ways of sleeping. It explained that fish do sleep because they reduce their physical activity. It mentioned that the greatest fish sleeper is the parrotfishes. This kind of fish finds a suitable spot in the seafloor for it to sleep comfortably and away from the predators. In this article, it belies the misconception in the children’s book that says fishes do not sleep.
Scientific American on the other hand explained how dolphins and whales sleep. It clarified a notion that fish do not sleep because if they do, they will drown. It explained that fishes sleep not similar to that of human beings. They can sleep by resting quietly in the water horizontally or vertically. Dolphins and whales it added can sleep even while swimming slowly. It further explained that dolphins have the capability to sleep soundly and it is called logging as they sleep literally by floating like a log in water surface. Moreover, fish also take a nap unlike what the children’s book mentioned of the incapability of the golden fish to take a nap and sleep. Scientific American explained that dolphins can sleep with half of their minds alert in order to avoid drowning. Their blowhole is positioned in the water surface for the need of air while sleeping.
Meanwhile, Ed Yong in his article entitled “Parrotfish Sleep in a Mosquito Net Made of Mucus” supported the statement from the Australian Museum website that indeed, parrotfish are sleepers inside a web of mucus. They weave a web of mucus and sleep for an hour. They do this in order to avoid their predators when they are asleep.
Teaching this kind of misconception to innocent school children will lead them to question the right information when they are older. Scientifically, all the resources cited stated that fishes have their own ways of sleeping. Because they are still children and innocent, the information that they should be receiving should be accurate as these information will forever indelibly painted in their heads. Childhood memories especially in school where they learn almost everything is difficult to erase. What teachers teach will stick to their minds and when they are taught of the right information, they tend to be confused.
When I will have a chance to read this book to my pupils I will first instil the truth in their minds. I will ask them a draw what to them is a fish. After that, I would ask them to apply colors in their drawings to gauge their knowledge on fish. After coloring, I will ask them whether or not fish sleeps. After hearing all their answers, I will proceed on telling them of how fish sleeps. After the explanation, I will introduce them the book and point out the misconceptions. We will read the book together and only explain to them the message of the story which is the importance of a friend or companion. We will not dwell more on the misconceptions as not to confuse the kids.

References

Yong, E. (2010). “Parrotfish Sleep in a Mosquito Net made of Mucus.” National Geographic Website. Retrieved fromhttp://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2010/11/17/parrotfish-sleep-in-a-mosquito-net-made-of-mucus/
Scientific American. (2010). “How Do Whales and Dolphins Sleep Without Drowning?” Scientificamerican.com. Retrieved fromhttp://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-do-whales-and-dolphin/
McGrouther. (2012). “Do Fishes Sleep?” Australian Museum. Retrieved fromhttp://australianmuseum.net.au/do-fishes-sleep