One area explored in the second (in-depth) phase of the Learning in Science Project was "children's science," defined as views of the world and the meanings for words that children have and bring with them to science lessons. The investigation reported focuses on students' (N=37) views of chemical change. Data were obtained using the "interview-about-events" method in which students were asked to describe and then explain what happened during each of five events. Student responses are presented, discussed, and analyzed for each event according to categories of the most prevalent views. Events utilized include: (1) placing a vitamin C tablet in water (generating bubbles); (2) lighting gas from a butane burner; (3) heating sugar crystals; (4) showing shiny and rusty nails; and (5) mixing plastic filler/hardener. Prevalent views for the first event (selected as an example) include: bubbles result from chemical reaction; bubbles are caused by physical change in the tablet; or, no knowledge of how bubbles formed. The views discussed under these headings (as well as those discussed for the other four events) indicate that although students have strong ideas about what they saw, their explanations for events, in particular the meaning of "chemical reaction," are quite different from the scientific viewpoint. (JN)