The purpose of this research is to survey an understanding of chemical materials among
sixth grade students. This research involved a total of 278 students from six classes in six
elementary schools in the metropolitan city of Ulsan.
The results of the research are as follows. The students were generally able to recognize the
outer appearance of salt, starch, vinegar, alcohol and acetone, while a recognition of copper
sulfate and sodium hydroxide appeared to be low. Regarding physical and chemical properties,
an understanding of the salt and starch was high, but an understanding of the vinegar, alcohol,
copper sulfate, acetone, sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid was relatively low.
With the exception of the starch and the hydrochloric acid, the students displayed a high
level of understanding of chemical materials usage. In terms of the degree of danger, the
students thought that the salt was safe, but in the case of the starch and the vinegar, they were
not well aware of the degree of danger for either one. Most students indicated that alcohol,
copper sulfate, acetone, sodium hydroxide, and hydrochloric acid solution were dangerous.
Treatment of the chemical waste was conducted according to the teacher\'s instructions, and
most students claimed that they had collected eight different kinds of chemical materials. The
students also indicated that they knew how to treat salt, starch, vinegar, and acetone from daily
experience, while treatment of alcohol, copper sulfate, sodium hydroxide, and hydrochloric acid
had been learned in the classroom.
Findings of the current study indicate that the teacher\'s directions during the experimentation
and the study of chemical materials in the laboratory were the most important factors. This
may be due to the fact that the students always followed the instructions and guidance of their
teachers. It is highly recommended that teachers properly understand the methods of
controlling the chemical materials and guide students properly.