This three-day unit engages students in the exploration of light behavior and makes connections to the advanced idea of the wave-particle duality of light. Students begin by exploring the behaviors of marbles (particles) as they interact with different materials through reflection (Bouncing off), absorption (getting stuck), and transmission (rolling through them). Then students investigate slinkys (waves) and how they go through similar interactions. Students draw connections between slinky (waves) and marble (particle) movement to build an understanding of reflection, absorption, and transmission. Finally, students observe light interacting with a variety of materials and draw connections between the way the light interacts with various materials and the interactions of the marble and slinky. By building on concrete experiences we help students consider the abstract idea that light behaves both like a particle (marble) and a wave (slinky) while at the same time drawing their attention to how their learning relates to the work of scientists studying these fields.

This phenomenon-driven unit focuses on students making sense of the mutually beneficial species interactions between legumes and rhizobia. Many science classes spend less time studying the nitrogen cycle due to time constraints and more focus on other cycles, such as the carbon cycle. However, the nitrogen cycle plays a vital role in the air we breathe, the creation of our DNA, and the ability of plants to grow. This phenomenon-driven, sensemaking approach enhances student curiosity and makes the learning experience more relevant, leading to deeper student buy-in. Throughout the unit, students have the chance to explore and explain what plants need to grow inside and/or outside, depending on your school’s resources and space.

Scope on the Skies November/December 2024

The flipped classroom is a relatively new innovation in teaching middle school science; however, students often struggle with taking notes that provide metacognitive cues and reinforce understanding. This paper describes the structure of a flipped middle school life science class and how the Cornell note-taking method has been adapted to provide structure and routinization to note-taking tasks. Lecture Note sheets were designed for students to record keywords, associated notes or models, summary questions, and muddy points/clear points. The note-taking method was guided by the 5 Rs: record, reduce, recite, review, and reflect. Sections were color coded to allow students to identify keywords and functional definitions on the instructional videos while facilitating efficiency. The use of the Lecture Note sheet is illustrated with examples from an instructional unit on modeling photosynthesis and energy transformation, which incorporated disciplinary core ideas, science and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts. Anecdotal evidence indicated students improved science understanding and were less likely to communicate misconceptions. This model has promise for middle school learners as they take greater ownership of their science learning with an innovative instructional method that promotes critical thinking skills that are transferable to other academic disciplines.

One of the most cost-effective ways to engage students in real-world STEM is by turning to local issues of emerging relevance through current events. In this middle school lesson, local current STEM events are used to encourage students to explore the real-world context of NGSS MS-ESS3 Earth and Human Activity. Rooted in a 5E model, this lesson on local current STEM issues takes learners on a STEM journey in their own backyard by applying a real-world context of NGSS as well as connects to the ELA Common Core. A three-step approach to lesson dissemination is presented to include: (1) identifying a local environmental issue, (2) engaging students in research focus groups surrounding the issue, and (3) making connections by encouraging students to present findings to local legislators and policymakers. Through asking questions and defining local problems, students are directly applying NGSS Science and Engineering Principles (MS-ESS-5, MS-ESS-3) in their community of learning. I like to call this the shift from Not in My Backyard (NIMBY) to In My Backyard (IMBY).

Citizen Science November/December 2024

Many young people learn about scientific topics online, yet middle school students have trouble identifying where scientific information comes from and what characterizes good sources of scientific information online. In this article, we discuss five lessons we embedded into an NGSS-aligned, sixth-grade comprehensive science course to increase students’ scientific information literacy. Drawing on SEP-8, “obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information,” these lessons gave students an opportunity to search for scientific information, critically evaluate the sources of scientific information, and generate science texts using the information they found. We focused on two concepts—scientific consensus and multiple perspectives—to help students recognize who engages in scientific research, how scientific findings are communicated to the general public, and who else may have important perspectives on socio-scientific issues.