Science: Implementing norms and routines for discourse

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Using NGSS to frame the discipline of science
Is Science Objective?

To focus on practicing developing norms and routines for discourse and work, this learning cycle supports novice teachers in understanding and using the disciplinary practices described in NGSS to frame how the discipline of science is reinforced in their classrooms.

This four class-session unit, designed for a secondary science methods course, focuses on supporting novice teachers to question the common notion that the sciences are objective, value-free, culture-less, neutral, full of indisputable facts, and immune to human subjectivity.

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 developing norms and routines for discourse and work by experiencing activities that facilitate the decomposition of a variety of disciplinary practices.

Prepare

Novice teachers simulate planning and teaching a science lesson where they support students in enacting in a disciplinary practice. Novices receive feedback from their peers and teacher educator.

Enact

In their field placements, novice teachers plan and enact a science lesson, paying attention to how they introduce, justify, and engage the norms and routines in science with actual students.

Analyze

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

Activity 1

What is science

Activity 1

This activity seeks to enhance novices’ knowledge of the science practices and provides opportunities to select and adapt representations of the practices that are accessible to students and aligned with the work scientists do.

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Activity 2

Asking scientific questions

Activity 2

Novices practice identifying and constructing relevant investigation questions that are aligned with lesson learning goals and those that provide the foundation students need to craft evidence-based explanations.

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Activity 3

Observation versus inference

Activity 3

The terms observation and inference are defined for novices and then, using various images, novices are supported in making and distinguishing between quantitative and qualitative observations and inferences.

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Activity 4

Assessing students' observations

Activity 4

Novices are supported in assessing students’ recorded observations using the five key features of high-quality observations specified in the Observations Rubric Tool.

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Activity 5

Introducing claim-evidence-reasoning

Activity 5

Novices develop their understanding of the Claim-Evidence-Reasoning framework. They construct their own definitions of claim, evidence, and reasoning using a video of teacher practice to support their sensemaking.

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Activity 6

What is an investigation?

Activity 6

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 7

Talk moves video

Activity 7

Novices are introduced to the use of “talk moves” to elicit students’ ideas and watch a video of a discussion monitoring an experienced teacher’s use of talk moves.

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Activity 8

Facilitating argumentation

Activity 8

Novices watch a video exemplar of an experienced teacher facilitating an investigation-based discussion and use the Facilitating Argumentation Observation Guide to decompose the practice of facilitating argumentation.

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Tools

Teaching Implementing Norms and Routines for Discourse 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

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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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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Tool

Video gallery from Ambitious Science Teaching

Tool

A collection of science teaching videos searchable by grade and subject

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Activity 9

Using weather data to design a lesson

Activity 9

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 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 Implementing Norms and Routines for Discourse 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

Introducing, justifying, and engaging

Activity 11

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 12

Science lesson in the field

Activity 12

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 Implementing Norms and Routines for Discourse 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 13

Introducing, justifying, and engaging reflection

Activity 13

Novice teachers reflect on their experience teaching their IJE lesson and analyze the video of their enactment focusing on implementing norms and routines.

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Activity 14

Science lesson reflection

Activity 14

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 Implementing Norms and Routines for Discourse 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

Unit overview

Is science objective?

Unit overview

The overview offers background and rationale as well as learning goals and a condensed outline of the unit. Also included are content-related reference materials for teacher educators.

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Day 1

Whose science is it anyway?

Day 1

Novice teachers draw a scientist, surfacing their preconceived notions about who scientists are, what science looks like, and where it takes place. Novice teachers unpack Lederman’s (2007) and ideas about the nature of science, Harding’s (2015) ideas about the objectivity of science, and Bang & Medin’s (2010) ideas about multiple epistemologies through a gallery walk and small and whole group discussions.

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Day 2

Diversifying the histories of science

Day 2

Novice teachers consider how they might open the school year as science teachers. First, they experience three different activities for introducing science to K-12 students in a just way. (In the following class periods, novice teachers will practice enacting those activities.) Novice teachers analyze a transcript of a teacher introducing a chemistry course, considering ways of introducing science that are just and inclusive.

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Day 3

Introducing science to children (peer run-throughs)

Day 3

Novice teachers revisit the representations of scientists they created on day 1. Novice teachers plan an activity that they can use to introduce science to children in a just and inclusive way, and then practice enacting it with a small group in a peer run through.

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Day 4

Introducing science to children (rehearsals)

Day 4

Novice teachers engage in whole group rehearsals of the activity they developed the previous class periods to introduce science to children. The class analyzes Appendix D of the Next Generation Science Standards, “All Standards, All Students” and concludes with a reflection.

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