Asking students to observe a phenomenon and then create a model is a pretty daunting task. Students simply don’t know where to start. Proper scaffolds that encourage collaboration, reflection, and revision were exactly what my students needed to be successful. To help my students, I created a step-by-step approach to understanding and explaining phenomena.

With Phenomodeling™, your students will engage in many Science and Engineering Practices and Crosscutting Concepts to make sense of a phenomenon. Then, while using evidence and reasoning, your students will construct a model to explain a chemical reaction. Engaging your students in the three-dimensional learning of the Next Generation Science Standards has never been easier!

Instead of staring blankly at their modeling task, my students are now ready to tackle any phenomena and create an explanatory model with ease!

Suggestions for using this product:

To build curiosity and engagement during a unit, I begin each new topic with a phenomena for the students to ponder. This is usually used as a “hook” even before the students have had exposure to any of the content. The phenomena that I have chosen represent experiences your students can directly relate to.

Ideas for implementation:

• Introducing anchoring phenomenon during a unit of study
• Pre-assessment of prior knowledge
• As formative assessments while the unit is taking place
• Revision of models as new content emerges
• Student-paced station activity
• Alternate assessment strategy - Great for student-choice classrooms!
• Summative assessment after a unit is complete

Equipment suggestions: Access to Power Point and an overhead projector, Whiteboards, Dry erase markers, Wipes or Erasers, Display blocks

Don’t have access to whiteboards or stands? My start up guide includes helpful suggestions and substitutions. Want to make your own set of whiteboards? Watch my Vlog for a how-to guide to making your own set pretty quickly and inexpensively.

Each Phenomodeling™ activity includes:

• Warm up – What is an explanatory model?
• Start up guide
• Activity presentation (Includes timers, teacher notes, guiding questions, and implementation suggestions) - Not editable
• Teacher guide (Includes suggestions for set up, pre-discussion, lesson time, + more)
• Exit tickets with multiple question formats (including blanks and an editable template if you wish to make your own questions)
• NGSS alignment including standards, science practices, and crosscutting concepts
• Answer keys to exit tickets

Are you struggling to implement the NGSS? Take the guesswork out of 3-dimensional lesson planning with Phenomodeling™. Your students will be making sense of phenomena from the very beginning of your unit!