A third of children believe Earth is not an official planet

And they say science education hasn't been dumbed down! Well read this!

A recent survey done on elementary school students revealed that about one-third of the population thought that Sir Winston Churchill was the first man on the moon, instead of NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong.

The survey, gathering a number of 1,400 students aged 4 to 10, was commissioned by the Royal Astronomical Society, in conjunction with Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.

"It's a bit of a worry to find that children don't know who the first man on the moon is, let alone that they don't know who led the country to victory in the Second World War," UPI quoted Gavin Quirk, the brand manager for Walt Disney.

Other surprising revelations included four out of ten children thinking that Mars was in fact nothing more than a chocolate bar brand. And three out of ten children thought that the Earth was not officially a planet...

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[edit on 24-6-2008 by Marsrising]

????
Why 4 year olds should know who was Neil Armstrong or Churchill?
And "third of population" of the survey (ages 4 to 10) is exactly ages 4 to 6. So Mars and stomach connection is very understood.
I expect a 10 year old to know it, but not 4 year old.
What a weird survey! They should start with 1 year olds and results will be even more shocking.

This is exactly the same as the results from a poll of ATS trolls.
Seriously, isn't this why there are schools to send our children to?
I expect nothing more from kiddies. I also don't care for the alarmist reaction of the Disney clone.

reply to post by ZeroKnowledge


Haha, indeed! My 4-year old daughter insists that France is on another planet (or any country for that matter) and when you get on a plane you fly through space! She wouldn't even be able to comprehend the reality of it, but that's part of childhood innocence and naivety, isn't it?

She is also firm in the belief that I can make myself invisible at will, although that's my own doing as I am so darn good at "hide and seek"

You're missing the point.

Children of that age SHOULD know the basics of our place in our solar system. And a ten year old should know a hell of a lot more!

Geez, why are you proud that your kids are mis-informed and dumb?

No other animal on Earth would be proud that their offspring is stupid and ill-equipped in their place in the world.

reply to post by Marsrising


Really? Why they should know what is Mars at 4/5? How it will help them in dealing with adults or especially other kids?
Why their should know who is Churchill/Armstrong at 4/5/6/7/8? Kids 100+- years ago did not know about those two, and couple grew up to become Winston Churchill and Neil Armstrong - so it is not "a must".
These are kids, not little grownups. Imagination is evolving at those ages - if it will be killed by outside pressure at this age - kid will never get it back.
Children have to know about outside world of course, but there is a lot to know and if we push Solar system down their throat they might lose something they really need -like how to play football/basketball/whatever , how to interact with other kids and how - with boring adults who talk of some Armstrong mice who is eating the moon or Churchill who singlehandedly killed all the bad Germans and won in war long ago, in time of Egyptian mummies when my grandpa was only a little boy.
What will little kid make of these extremely boring stuff?

Originally posted by Marsrising
You're missing the point.

Children of that age SHOULD know the basics of our place in our solar system. And a ten year old should know a hell of a lot more!

Geez, why are you proud that your kids are mis-informed and dumb?

No other animal on Earth would be proud that their offspring is stupid and ill-equipped in their place in the world.

At four, no they shouldn't.

If they did, then they would be in School at four doing Physics, Maths and History. As it stands, they don't start that stuff until they are 7 (in the UK) and even then, it is basic and is more orientated on giving the kids something to think about rather then ramming facts down their throats.

I take great offence that you would imply my daughter is dumb merely because she doesn't know the planets of the solar system or 20th Century history at 4 years old.

Lets ignore the fact she can count up to 1000, is learning a second language (French) do basic arithmetic and can read at 4 years old, lets just concentrate on the fact she doesn't know who Winston Churchill is and call her and her peers stupid.

Got kids yourself?

[edit on 25/6/08 by stumason]

You're nit picking out of context and you know it. The only reason you won't stick to the facts is because you know you are wrong.

If you are happy for your children to be ignorant that is your personal choice, and your children's loss.

You normally find that parents and other adults that underestimate their children's intelligence and want them dumbed down, are those who fear their children will out perform them. If that is your choice that is a shame.

maybe they do not know these facts yet but i bet most of them can operate cell phones, ipods and computers, im sure i could think up simple trivia questions that most adults would get wrong or put them in a way as to confuse and generate wrong answers IMO this is not particularly important.
Also just read this was reported by the sun newspaper, take it from and English person this is a not paper you would read for an expert opinion on anything beyond football and topless women.

[edit on 29-6-2008 by Gandi]

reply to post by Marsrising


Perhaps these parents were "wasting their time" teaching their kids manners, and the importance of showing others respect. Both of which are becoming a lost art.

Knowledge of space, and other sciences will come later. Once a child has a handle on his/her own local reality.

Attacks on member's children stops RIGHT NOW!