All Sensemaking resources

Journal Article

Listening as Children Lead: Engaging Emergent Multilingual Children in Science Sensemaking by Transforming Roles

This article shares the experiences of three elementary teachers who took steps to transform their roles from speakers to listeners. After participating in a professional learning (PL) project that uses science to support English language practices, ...

By Michelle Brown, Teila Hildebrand, Taylor Tarone-Sefchik, Allyson Trella, May Lee, Carla Zembal-Saul, Jennifer Cody

Multilingual Learners Sensemaking

NSTA Press Book

Wild Wonderings: Scientists and Their Questions

Click here to view video of Wild Wonderings Let your curiosity run wild! This lively book will inspire you to ask questions like scientists do. Why? Because questions can lead you to amazing discoveries. Like what? Like when theoretical physicist ...

By Jessica Fries-Gaither

Postsecondary Early Childhood Elementary High School Informal Education Middle School Pre-service Teachers Preschool Technical and Vocational Education General Science STEM 5E Multilingual Learners Instructional Materials Inquiry NGSS Pedagogy Phenomena Science and Engineering Practices Teaching Strategies Three-Dimensional Learning Equity Inclusion Interdisciplinary Literacy Multicultural New Science Teachers Preservice Science Education Professional Learning old Teacher Preparation Sensemaking

NSTA Kids

Wild Wonderings: Scientists and Their Questions

Click here to view video of Wild Wonderings Let your curiosity run wild! This lively book will inspire you to ask questions like scientists do. Why? Because questions can lead you to amazing discoveries. Like what? Like when theoretical physicist ...

Postsecondary Early Childhood Elementary Informal Education Pre-service Teachers Preschool Technical and Vocational Education General Science STEM 5E Crosscutting Concepts Multilingual Learners Instructional Materials Inquiry NGSS Pedagogy Phenomena Science and Engineering Practices Teaching Strategies Three-Dimensional Learning Equity Inclusion Interdisciplinary Literacy Multicultural New Science Teachers Preservice Science Education Professional Learning old Teacher Preparation Sensemaking

Journal Article

Exploring Beneficial Species Interactions: A Phenomenon-Driven Approach to Understanding Legumes and Rhizobia Mutualism

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 othe...

By Kerrie Rovito, Lara Smetana, Michael Grillo, Alyssa Hoffman, Sydney DelGhingaro

Biology Phenomena Sensemaking

NSTA Kids

Next Time You See a Snowflake

Click here to view video of Next Time You See a Snowflake This book will have you seeing snowflakes in a whole new way. You’ll learn about the science of snowflakes – how they form, why they are six-sided, what conditions are necessary for the...

Postsecondary Early Childhood Elementary Informal Education Middle School Pre-service Teachers Preschool General Science Mathematics STEM 5E Crosscutting Concepts Disciplinary Core Ideas Multilingual Learners Instructional Materials Inquiry NGSS Phenomena Teaching Strategies Three-Dimensional Learning Interdisciplinary Literacy New Science Teachers Sensemaking

Journal Article

Beyond Definitions: Using Hexagonal Thinking for Sensemaking

This article was written for the purpose of introducing the hexagonal thinking strategy to upper elementary teachers. The strategy, in which students make connections across the vocabulary and concepts to develop a map, has become more popular in the...

By Simone Nance

Elementary Learning Progression Sensemaking Teaching Strategies

Journal Article

Engaging elementary students in science practice: Strategies for helping children plan investigations

This article presents a tool that teachers can use to support children in planning science investigations. Using an extended example from a second-grade investigation into seed dispersal, we describe strategies for structuring conversations that anch...

By Annabel Stoler, Eve Manz

Elementary NGSS Sensemaking Teaching Strategies

Journal Article

Explanation and Argumentation: How Middle School Students Make Sense of the Phenomenon of Niagara Falls

The Framework and NGSS emphasize using lines of evidence to construct explanations and develop arguments that demonstrate understanding about scientific phenomena. For this vision to be actualized in science classrooms, students must engage in invest...

By Kenneth Huff

Middle School 5E Phenomena Sensemaking

Journal Article

Helping Students Use Crosscutting Concepts to Guide Sensemaking of Anchoring Phenomena

Crosscutting concepts (CCCs) are designed to help students make sense of phenomena across multiple scientific disciplines (National Research Council 2012). Since they are applicable to explaining so many different phenomena, they have the potential t...

By Nicole Vick, Michael Novak, Dan Voss, Brian Reiser, Joseph Kremer, Whitney Mills, Jamie Noll, Dawn Novak, Ann Rivet

Crosscutting Concepts Phenomena Sensemaking

Class Pack

Mirror, Mirror ClassPack

Now Available for Grade K-2 Picture Perfect STEM Lessons - Ready-to-TeachTM Picture-Perfect ClassPacks!         • We are excited to announce our new kitting partner: ECA Science Kit Services! Now offering ...

Elementary Informal Education General Science Physical Science STEM Instructional Materials Inquiry Lesson Plans NGSS Phenomena Science and Engineering Practices Teaching Strategies Three-Dimensional Learning Interdisciplinary Labs Literacy New Science Teachers Preservice Science Education Professional Learning old Teacher Preparation Sensemaking

Class Pack

Feel the Heat ClassPack

Now Available for Grade K-2 Picture Perfect STEM Lessons - Ready-to-TeachTM Picture-Perfect ClassPacks!         • We are excited to announce our new kitting partner: ECA Science Kit Services! Now offering ...

Elementary Informal Education Pre-service Teachers Preschool General Science Physical Science STEM Instructional Materials Inquiry Lesson Plans NGSS Phenomena Science and Engineering Practices Teaching Strategies Three-Dimensional Learning Interdisciplinary Labs Literacy New Science Teachers Preservice Science Education Professional Learning old Teacher Preparation Sensemaking

Class Pack

The Handiest Things ClassPack: Grade K

Now Available for Grade K-2 Picture Perfect STEM Lessons - Ready-to-TeachTM Picture-Perfect ClassPacks!         • We are excited to announce our new kitting partner: ECA Science Kit Services! Now offering ...

Elementary Informal Education Pre-service Teachers Preschool General Science STEM Technology Instructional Materials Inquiry Lesson Plans NGSS Phenomena Science and Engineering Practices Teaching Strategies Three-Dimensional Learning Interdisciplinary Labs Literacy New Science Teachers Preservice Science Education Professional Learning old Teacher Preparation Sensemaking

Journal Article

Group Learning Routines as a tool to build equitable learning experiences in a Biology classroom

The vision behind the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) is that all students engage in explaining phenomena and designing solutions with three-dimensional learning. Authentic sensemaking involves opportunities for learners to share, analyze, a...

By Elizabeth Chatham, Joy Otibu, and Andrea Sau

High School Biology Environmental Science Equity NGSS Sensemaking Social Justice

Journal Article

Early Retirement: Making Sense of Patterns in Historical Data of Retired Hurricanes

Long after a hurricane passes over and through any region or coastal area, the memories of it often linger. There may be visual reminders of the storm and the day lives may have been changed, or lost, forever. Hurricanes can be long-lived storms. The...

By Christopher Roemmele, Joby Hilliker, and Victoria Clayton

High School Crosscutting Concepts Earth & Space Science Environmental Science Sensemaking Teaching Strategies

Journal Article

Local Ecosystem Observation Cycle: Supporting Preservice Elementary Teachers Engagement in Sensemaking

Equitable sensemaking enables students to draw on personal resources to investigate and explain phenomena and problems within their communities. Although equitable sensemaking allows for meaningful understanding of big ideas of science and deeper eng...

By Jessica Stephenson Reaves and Anna Arias

Postsecondary Environmental Science Inquiry Preservice Science Education Sensemaking