Science Teachers in Action
  • Home
  • Resources
  • Professional Learning
  • Reaching All Learners
  • Connect With Us

How Do I Support Students in Engaging in the Science and Engineering Practices?




The Science and Engineering Practices are strategies that teachers have used to engage students in hands-on, inquiry lessons for a long time. One of the pedagogical shifts of the NGSS is that students should develop and use these practices to make sense of phenomena. 

Below you will find resources to learn about each of the Science and Engineering Practices, and to support their integration into science instruction. This page is updated as new resources are developed or discovered, so check back frequently. 

Asking Questions and Defining Problems
Right Question Institute
The Question Formulation Technique from Right Question Institute is an effective strategy to use support students in formulating questions about phenomena. 
Notice and Wonder Protocol
Driving QUestion Boards

Developing and Using Models
"​Engaging Students in Scientific Practices: What does constructing and revising models look like in the science classroom?"
This NSTA article takes a in-depth look at the scientific practices of developing, evaluating, and revising scientific models to explain and predict phenomena—and what it means for classroom teaching.
American Modeling teachers association
AMTA is a professional organization of teachers, by teachers and for teachers who utilize Modeling Instruction(TM) in their Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) teaching practice. Our mission is to provide professional development for teachers in the Modeling Method of Instruction, to provide resources that support the use of Modeling Instruction(TM) in physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics and middle school science classrooms, and to support and enable collaboration among Modelers. AMTA strives to foster brilliant teaching and deep learning.
"What is meant by engaging youth in scientific modeling?"
STEM Teaching Tools Practice Brief 8

Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
"Why should students learn to plan and carry out investigations in science and engineering?"
STEM Teaching Tools Practice Brief 19
"designing 'productive uncertainty' into investigations to support meaningful engagement in science practices"
STEM Teaching Tools Practice Brief 60
Design an Experiment template
A template that can be edited to aid students in designing investigations to make sense of any phenomena.

Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Data nuggets
Data Nuggets are free classroom activities, co-designed by scientists and teachers, designed to bring contemporary research and authentic data into the classroom. Data Nuggets include a connection to the scientist behind the data and the true story of their research. Each activity gives students practice working with “messy data” and interpreting quantitative information. Students are guided through the entire process of science, including identifying hypotheses and predictions, visualizing and interpreting data, making evidence based claims, and asking their own questions for future research. Because of their simplicity and flexibility, Data Nuggets can be used throughout the school year and across grades K-16, as students grow in their quantitative abilities and gain confidence. Data Nuggets have the potential to improve the understanding of science in society while engaging and motivating the next generation of scientists and engineers.
What's Going on in this Graph
What's Going on in the Graph provides graphs, maps and charts from The New York Times -- and an invitation to students to discuss them live.

Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking
"Engaging students in computational thinking during science investigations"
STEM Teaching Tools Practice Brief 56
PhEt simulations
PHET Simulations are s variety of computer simulations for to explore many different topics.

​Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions

"WRITING A SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATION USING THE EXPLANATION TOOL"
This resource from the American Museum of Natural History to scaffold writing explanations. ​​​
​“IS IT IMPORTANT TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE EXPLANATION AND ARGUMENTATION PRACTICES IN THE CLASSROOM?”
Practice Brief 1 from STEM Teaching Tools that explores the difference between arguments and explanations.
"Pressing for Explanations - The primer"
This resource from Ambitious Science Teaching describes how to structure ways for students to use the evidence they have collected to construct explanations. 

​Engaging in Argument from Evidence
Argumentation Toolkit
The Argumentation Toolkit supports teachers and students in engaging in arguments from evidence.
Argument-Driven Inquiry
Argument Driving Inquiry provides free and paid resources for engaging in arguments from evidence
A discourse primer for science teachers
This resource from Ambitious Science Teaching  supports teachers in providing ways for students to engage in argument from evidence through talk. 
Talk science Primer
This resource from TERC that includes "talk moves" encourages students to argue using evidence. 
#ILScicom: Making thinking visible

​Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information
"Instructional Strategies - Obtaining, Evaluating, and communicating information"
This resource from Instructional Leadership for Science Practices provides strategies for students to engage in this practice to make sense of phenomena. 
Picture
Picture

About Us

A collaborative project of Classrooms in Action,  Illinois State University, and the Illinois State Board of Education, this site is maintained by the ISBE Science Content Specialists at the Center for Educational Initiatives at ISU. 
© COPYRIGHT 2015. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • Resources
  • Professional Learning
  • Reaching All Learners
  • Connect With Us