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a ready-to-run workshopTeaching Science Through Phenomena
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Teaching Science Through Phenomena & Inquiry (Workshop)

Science learned as facts to memorize misses what science actually is: figuring out how the world works. Anchoring science in real phenomena and having students investigate, like scientists do, builds understanding, curiosity, and the practices of science.

Key takeaway

Science taught as facts to memorize misses its nature; anchoring learning in real phenomena and student investigation builds understanding, curiosity, and the actual practices of science.

Format
PLC / team meeting
Length
45 minutes
Group size
Any (works 4-40)
Who can run it
Any teacher-leader
You will need
Slides (5)Printed handoutA science topic in mindA timer
Aligned to
Learning Forward: Rigorous ContentInTASC 4: Content KnowledgeNGSS; research on science education
Share / assign

Why it works

Modern science education (reflected in the NGSS and three-dimensional learning) emphasizes anchoring learning in real phenomena that students work to explain, engaging them in science practices (asking questions, modeling, analyzing data, arguing from evidence), and building understanding of core ideas, rather than memorizing facts. Research supports phenomenon-based, inquiry-oriented science as building deeper understanding and the ability to reason scientifically.

The research: NGSS; research on phenomenon-based and inquiry science.

The run-of-show

Choose your slot. The agenda, timings, and length update to match.

    The core activity: anchor a unit in a phenomenon

    Teachers leave with a science topic anchored in a phenomenon and a guided investigation.

    Anchor in a phenomenon, investigate like scientistsScience is explaining how the world works. Anchor learning in a real phenomenon and have students investigate it, with guidance, to build understanding and scientific reasoning.

    Facilitator notes

    Facts without phenomena miss the pointMemorizing science facts without explaining phenomena misses what science is. Anchor in a phenomenon and have students investigate, with guidance.

    Adapt it

    Participant handout

    One page for every teacher. Print it, or save it as a PDF.

    K12 Academics · Professional Learning

    Teaching Science: anchor in phenomena

    <b>Explain the world:</b> anchor in a real phenomenon, investigate with science practices, build core ideas with guidance.

    1. The science topic:
    2. The real phenomenon students would want to explain:
    3. How students investigate it with science practices:
    4. How I build core ideas through the investigation:
    5. How I guide the inquiry:

    Make it stick

    Phenomena and inquiry:

    Common questions

    Isn't science mostly facts students need to know?
    Facts matter, but science is fundamentally about explaining how the world works. Anchoring in phenomena and investigation builds understanding of the facts and the ability to reason scientifically.
    What's a phenomenon?
    An observable event or puzzle in the real world that students work to explain (why the sky is red at sunset, why ice floats). It drives the learning by giving it a purpose.
    Isn't inquiry just unstructured discovery?
    No. Good inquiry is guided, students investigate real questions with support and structure, engaging in science practices, not left to flounder. Structure and guidance matter.

    Go deeper

    Build it into a bigger day

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