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Engaging Students with Phenomena-Based Science Teaching Strategies

Updated: Apr 25, 2023



Objective: This professional learning activity aims to introduce Phenomena-Based Science Teaching Strategies to science teachers, helping them to develop and implement a curriculum that fosters curiosity and inquiry. By the end of this activity, participants should be able to identify phenomena-based activities, design phenomena-based lessons, and plan for student learning that is driven by scientific inquiry.


Estimated time to complete: 1 hour, and 40 minutes

 

Introduction:


Phenomena-Based Science Teaching is a teaching approach that is centered around the observation of natural events or phenomena. Rather than starting with abstract concepts, this approach begins with a real-world phenomenon and guides students through an inquiry-based process of investigating it. In this professional learning activity, we will explore Phenomena-Based Science Teaching Strategies that can be used in any science classroom.


Phenomena-Based Science Teaching Strategies are a powerful way to engage students and promote scientific inquiry in the classroom. By starting with real-world phenomena and

guiding students through the inquiry-based process of investigating them, teachers can create a learning environment that fosters curiosity, critical thinking, and scientific reasoning. We hope this professional learning activity provides you with the tools and resources needed to implement these strategies in your classroom.

 

Activity:

  1. Watch the TEDx Talk "Transforming Classrooms with Phenomenon-Based Learning" by Liz Marsland (15 minutes): https://youtu.be/fxRSRNyI-aE

  2. Read the document "Using Phenomena in NGSS-Designed Lessons and Units" (20 minutes) https://www.nextgenscience.org/sites/default/files/Using%20Phenomena%20in%20NGSS.pdf

  3. Explore the resource "Phenomena-based Learning Modules" from NOAA (30 minutes): https://sos.noaa.gov/education/phenomenon-based-learning/

  4. Watch the video "Phenomena and Sensemaking" (15 minutes): https://youtu.be/3ps3Js-psgo

  5. Reflect on what you have learned about Phenomena-Based Science Teaching Strategies and write a short paragraph on how you plan to implement these strategies in your classroom (20 minutes).

 

Extensions:

  1. Collaborate with a colleague to design a phenomena-based lesson plan that can be implemented in your classrooms.

  2. Attend a workshop or conference focused on Phenomena-Based Science Teaching Strategies.

  3. Share your experiences and lesson plans on social media using the hashtag #PhenomenaBasedScience.

Feedback:

Please click the link below to help us improve this activity!





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