Several groups of fifth-graders share their thinking about a 1000-year-old artifact depicting the night sky, and which constellations may be represented. The teacher intentionally invites groups with divergent perspectives to share.
Elevating divergent perspectives helps to communicate that science involves more than “right” answers – it can include multiple ways of seeing and making sense of the world. Notice how the teacher encourages multiple ideas and presses students to share “how they know.”
For more on structuring share-outs, the 5 practices framework can support teachers in selecting and sequencing student work: Cartier, J., Smith, M. S. S., Stein, M. K., & Ross, D. (2013). 5 practices for orchestrating task-based discussions in science. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
Long term partnerships with local school districts afford opportunities for embedded teacher learning. Watch this NSTA TV video to learn more!
How teachers can engage their students in collaborative storytelling as a way to enact reciprocal teaching.
In this reflective writing, teacher Andrew...
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