Science: Designing lessons – TeachingWorks Resource Library

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Cycle 1

To focus on practicing adapting curriculum materials, this learning cycle provides activities to support novice teachers in choosing, analyzing, and modifying curriculum based on their students’ specific needs, while prioritizing the integrity of science content.

Select a quadrant below to view related activities:

Adapted from:
McDonald, Kazemi, and Kavanagh, 2013; Lampert et al., 2013;
Teacher Education by Design

Introduce

Novice teachers learn about the practice of adapting curriculum by being immersed in key resources and frameworks (e.g. EEE+A framework, NGSS, etc.) used to plan investigation-based science lessons.

Prepare

Novice teachers learn the processes of planning an investigation-based lesson by experiencing, designing, and critiquing existing lesson plans. Novices receive feedback from their peers and teacher educator.

Enact

In their field placements, novice teachers plan and enact a science lesson, focusing on how their plans attend to diverse learners, lesson planning frameworks, and the science practices and content.

Analyze

Novice teachers analyze students’ interpretations, reflect on their own experience teaching a science lesson in the field, and analyze a video of their own teaching practice.

Activity 1

What is an investigation?

Activity 1

Novices are provided with a definition and key features of a scientific investigation. They are encouraged to use that definition to identify whether or not lesson scenarios are investigation-based.

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Activity 2

Decomposing the Engage element

Activity 2

Novice teachers learn the purpose of the Engage element of the EEE+A Framework, how it connects to eliciting students’ ideas, and its importance for designing and teaching lessons that prioritize student sensemaking through investigations.

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Activity 3

Decomposing the Experience element

Activity 3

Novice teachers learn the purpose of the Experience element of the EEE+A Framework, how it connects to small group work, and its importance for designing and teaching lessons that prioritize student sensemaking through investigations.

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Activity 4

Decomposing the Explain+Argue element

Activity 4

Novice teachers learn the purpose of the Explain+Argue element of the EEE+A Framework, how it connects to leading a discussion, and its importance for designing and teaching lessons that prioritize student sensemaking through investigations.

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Activity 5

Introducing and identifying big ideas

Activity 5

Novices are supported in the initial process of planning investigation-based science lessons, which includes the use of Next Generation Science Standards and constructing lesson learning goals for students (big ideas).

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Activity 6

Equity lesson analysis

Activity 6

Using the Equity Leverage Points Tool and NGSS Appendix D to analyze a lesson plan, novices identify practical ways to attend to the diverse learners in their classrooms.

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Tools

Teaching Designing Lessons in Science

Tool

Alternative ideas

Tool

The tool provides a list of research-based common alternative (non-normative) ideas that students are likely to have about scientific phenomena and a tool for designing instruction in response to those ideas.

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Tool

CER scaffolding

Tool

A template is provided for novices to use in their own classrooms to support the scaffolding of constructing evidence-based explanations and arguments with their students.

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Tool

Consideration cards for science lesson planning

Tool

This set of cards prompts novices to think about and plan for important elements of a lesson including quality of learning goals, assessments, instruction, and attention toward learners.

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Tool

EEE+A Framework

Tool

Similar to the 5E instructional model, the framework supports novices to organize science lessons into a coherent sequence that enables sensemaking for children, and to analyze their own and others’ teaching.

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Tool

Equity leverage points

Tool

A list of suggestions and a lesson planning template are provided to help novices attend to issues of equity and possible inequity in their planning and instruction.

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Tool

General rubric for scientific explanations

Tool

This rubric is used to assess the quality of student explanations and also serves as a model for novices as they build their own rubrics for future lesson plans.

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Tool

Identifying big ideas in science lessons

Tool

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Tool

Instructional planning template

Tool

A template used to guide novices' planning of the key aspects of science teaching, which include anticipating students’ ideas about scientific phenomena, considering the lesson learning goals, management considerations, etc.

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Tool

Interpreting what students say or do

Tool

This tool is designed to support novices in recognizing common types of thinking or reasoning that students might have. It also provides a template for evaluating student reasoning.

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Tool

Monitoring

Tool

This tool is used to keep track of the ideas students have during an investigation and also provides space for novices to anticipate and record notes about anticipated student struggles.

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Tool

Observation rubric

Tool

Novice teachers can use this rubric to assess student data collection using the key features of high quality observations. A basic version of the rubric is included for future use.

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Tool

Reading and learning from curriculum materials

Tool

This tool provides guidance for how to read and learn from curriculum materials, by providing ideas about what sections a lesson or unit might include, and what kinds of information might be gleaned from each.

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Tool

Scientific Practices Scaffolding Continuum

Tool

The norms and routines for science (described in the Next Generation Science Standards) are made explicit in this tool. The continuum provides various scaffolded ways that novices can engage students in the science practices.

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Tool

Talk moves & teacher talk

Tool

These tools outline possible talk moves to support productive dialogue, and provide three methods to help novices analyze their instruction and reflect on the frequency and quality of engagement with students.

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Activity 7

Before you plan

Activity 7

Novices experience a science investigation as a student would to identify areas where their students may struggle and the type of data their students may possibly collect.

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Activity 8

Using weather data to design a lesson

Activity 8

Using NGSS, novices determine a plan to support their students in making sense of year-long weather data. They craft an investigation question and an evidence-based explanation relevant to the data.

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Activity 9

Lesson plan analysis

Activity 9

Novices take an existing lesson plan and apply two frameworks to identify strengths and weakness as well as changes that they propose to address the weaknesses.

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Activity 10

Peer teaching

Activity 10

Novices are given a science lesson plan to modify. They are supported in simulating instruction of that lesson plan to a small group of their peers and a teacher educator.

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Tools

Teaching Designing Lessons in Science

Tool

Alternative ideas

Tool

View Resources

Tool

CER scaffolding

Tool

A template is provided for novices to use in their own classrooms to support the scaffolding of constructing evidence-based explanations and arguments with their students.

View Resources

Tool

Consideration cards for science lesson planning

Tool

This set of cards prompts novices to think about and plan for important elements of a lesson including quality of learning goals, assessments, instruction, and attention toward learners.

View Resource

Tool

EEE+A Framework

Tool

View Resources

Tool

Equity leverage points

Tool

A list of suggestions and a lesson planning template are provided to help novices attend to issues of equity and possible inequity in their planning and instruction.

View Resource

Tool

General rubric for scientific explanations

Tool

This rubric is used to assess the quality of student explanations and also serves as a model for novices as they build their own rubrics for future lesson plans.

View Resource

Tool

Identifying big ideas in science lessons

Tool

View Resource

Tool

Instructional planning template

Tool

View Resources

Tool

Interpreting what students say or do

Tool

This tool is designed to support novices in recognizing common types of thinking or reasoning that students might have. It also provides a template for evaluating student reasoning.

View Resource

Tool

Monitoring

Tool

This tool is used to keep track of the ideas students have during an investigation and also provides space for novices to anticipate and record notes about anticipated student struggles.

View Resources

Tool

Observation rubric

Tool

Novice teachers can use this rubric to assess student data collection using the key features of high quality observations. A basic version of the rubric is included for future use.

View Resource

Tool

Reading and learning from curriculum materials

Tool

View Resource

Tool

Scientific Practices Scaffolding Continuum

Tool

View Resource

Tool

Talk moves & teacher talk

Tool

View Resources

Activity 11

Science lesson in the field

Activity 11

Novices practice teaching a complete science lesson in a classroom with actual students. This often serves as a culminating assignment allowing novices to apply previously learned teaching strategies.

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Tools

Teaching Designing Lessons in Science

Tool

Alternative ideas

Tool

View Resources

Tool

CER scaffolding

Tool

A template is provided for novices to use in their own classrooms to support the scaffolding of constructing evidence-based explanations and arguments with their students.

View Resources

Tool

Consideration cards for science lesson planning

Tool

This set of cards prompts novices to think about and plan for important elements of a lesson including quality of learning goals, assessments, instruction, and attention toward learners.

View Resource

Tool

EEE+A Framework

Tool

View Resources

Tool

Equity leverage points

Tool

A list of suggestions and a lesson planning template are provided to help novices attend to issues of equity and possible inequity in their planning and instruction.

View Resource

Tool

General rubric for scientific explanations

Tool

This rubric is used to assess the quality of student explanations and also serves as a model for novices as they build their own rubrics for future lesson plans.

View Resource

Tool

Identifying big ideas in science lessons

Tool

View Resource

Tool

Instructional planning template

Tool

View Resources

Tool

Interpreting what students say or do

Tool

This tool is designed to support novices in recognizing common types of thinking or reasoning that students might have. It also provides a template for evaluating student reasoning.

View Resource

Tool

Monitoring

Tool

This tool is used to keep track of the ideas students have during an investigation and also provides space for novices to anticipate and record notes about anticipated student struggles.

View Resources

Tool

Observation rubric

Tool

Novice teachers can use this rubric to assess student data collection using the key features of high quality observations. A basic version of the rubric is included for future use.

View Resource

Tool

Reading and learning from curriculum materials

Tool

View Resource

Tool

Scientific Practices Scaffolding Continuum

Tool

View Resource

Tool

Talk moves & teacher talk

Tool

View Resources

Activity 12

Science lesson reflection

Activity 12

Novice teachers reflect on their experience teaching their science lesson in the field and analyze the video of their enactment focusing on their engagement in several high-leverage practices.

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Tools

Teaching Designing Lessons Science

Tool

Alternative ideas

Tool

View Resources

Tool

CER scaffolding

Tool

A template is provided for novices to use in their own classrooms to support the scaffolding of constructing evidence-based explanations and arguments with their students.

View Resources

Tool

Consideration cards for science lesson planning

Tool

This set of cards prompts novices to think about and plan for important elements of a lesson including quality of learning goals, assessments, instruction, and attention toward learners.

View Resource

Tool

EEE+A Framework

Tool

View Resources

Tool

Equity leverage points

Tool

A list of suggestions and a lesson planning template are provided to help novices attend to issues of equity and possible inequity in their planning and instruction.

View Resource

Tool

General rubric for scientific explanations

Tool

This rubric is used to assess the quality of student explanations and also serves as a model for novices as they build their own rubrics for future lesson plans.

View Resource

Tool

Identifying big ideas in science lessons

Tool

View Resource

Tool

Instructional planning template

Tool

View Resources

Tool

Interpreting what students say or do

Tool

This tool is designed to support novices in recognizing common types of thinking or reasoning that students might have. It also provides a template for evaluating student reasoning.

View Resource

Tool

Monitoring

Tool

This tool is used to keep track of the ideas students have during an investigation and also provides space for novices to anticipate and record notes about anticipated student struggles.

View Resources

Tool

Observation rubric

Tool

Novice teachers can use this rubric to assess student data collection using the key features of high quality observations. A basic version of the rubric is included for future use.

View Resource

Tool

Reading and learning from curriculum materials

Tool

View Resource

Tool

Scientific Practices Scaffolding Continuum

Tool

View Resource

Tool

Talk moves & teacher talk

Tool

View Resources