Here, a teacher and coach invite 6th graders to represent their thinking about sound and how a singer shatters a glass. Watch a student, Keonie, describe their model and respond to questions, and see how the teacher records and links ways of representing sound.
Honoring students’ intuitive ways of representing ideas can expand what counts as science and who participates. By making different representations available to the class, sense-making becomes a more collective and inclusive process.
Check out a research article that describes how representation is an integral part of modeling: Schwarz, C. V., Reiser, B. J., Davis, E. A., Kenyon, L., Acher, A., Fortus, D., Shwartz, Y., Hug, B., & Krajcik, J. (2009). Developing a learning progression for scientific modeling: Making scientific modeling accessible and meaningful for learners. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 46(6), 632-654.
Teacher Ruby shares her experience developing a unit that draws on the wealth of knowledge and cultural resources her students bring from their homes
Using Science Theater as a format for student explanations.
Book club on centering student identities and productive science discussions, resulting in increased teacher buy-in and more effective classroom practices.
This site is primarily funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) through Award #1907471 and #1315995