True inquiry often starts with an anomaly or at least an engaging hook to elicit curiosity. Phenomena for NGSS is an ever-growing collection of engaging phenomena, in the form of images and animated GIFs; it’s a must-have resource for any science teacher.
Throughout Next Generation Science Standards resources, you’ll notice a clear shift from teaching general content without application to driving deeper learning by providing opportunities for students to explain and predict phenomena. The creators of Phenomena for NGSS do a great job placing the emphasis on using phenomena to drive learning, or as they say “figure out rather than learn about.” Doing this effectively requires thoughtful planning to make direct connections to your content, and to select phenomena that are substantial enough that students can explore them on a deeper level.
“PHENOMENA DO NOT NEED TO BE PHENOMENAL TO BE ACADEMICALLY PRODUCTIVE!!”
Everything You Need for Phenomena-Driven Instruction
Don’t worry if planning effective phenomena-driven instruction sounds complicated; Phenomena for NGSS has some great resources to help you get started. Be sure to also check out their example of using phenomena to drive learning in a middle school classroom. Perhaps my favorite feature of the site is the ability to search for phenomena by topic.
Learn More About Teaching with Phenomena
Phenomena | Next Generation Science Standards
An introduction to using phenomena in NGSS classrooms to drive teaching and learning. https://www.nextgenscience.org/resources/phenomena
Using Phenomena in NGSS-Designed Lessons and Units
A concise resource that “explores the significance and nuances of using phenomena in instruction.” http://stemteachingtools.org/brief/42
How Do You Use Phenomena in the Classroom?
Share your ideas, thoughts, and questions in the comments below, or on Twitter.
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