Instructional Planning in Science

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Sensemaking

Science lessons involve students making sense of relevant phenomena or solving problems as opposed to traditional instruction focusing solely on science concepts. Students should engage with science ideas and concepts in the context of figuring out the world around them or solving an engineering problem.

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Unit Planning & Bundling

Unit Planning

Planning science units around active student sensemaking of relevant phenomena engages students by connecting learning to real-world events and experiences they care about. When students investigate and explain phenomena, they take ownership of the learning process, ask their own questions, and build explanations through evidence and reasoning. This approach not only deepens understanding but also fosters student agency, as learners see themselves as capable of figuring out how the world works.

Instructional Models

High Quality Instructional Materials

High-Quality instructional materials (HQIM) in science ensure that lessons are grounded in accurate, grade-appropriate content and aligned to standards, while also engaging students in meaningful inquiry. These materials provide rich resources, clear learning progressions, and hands-on experiences that help students build deep, connected understanding of scientific concepts. When thoughtfully implemented, they support equitable access to rigorous science learning for all students, empowering them to think, talk, and act like scientists. There is a move away from thinking of adopting HQIM and toward adapting materials for use with students. To do this however, educators must be intentional about choices they make in changing materials so as to not break the coherence inherent in the materials. 

Choosing HQIM

Examples of HQIM in Science

Adapting HQIM

Using curriculum adaptation as a strategy to help teachers learn about NGSS and developing aligned instructional materials

Bundling

Bundling science standards into units centered on a relevant phenomenon allows multiple concepts and skills to be learned in a connected, meaningful context. By reorganizing the three dimensions of the standards (disciplinary core ideas, science and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts) teachers can create coherent storylines that align with how students naturally make sense of the world. This integrated approach helps students see the relationships between ideas, apply practices authentically, and build deeper, more transferable understanding.

Bundling Science Standards

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Lesson Planning

Adapting science lessons to reflect students’ interests makes learning more relevant, engaging, and memorable. When lessons are designed to connect with what students already wonder about or care about, the content feels coherent and purposeful from their perspective. This alignment not only sustains curiosity but also supports deeper sensemaking, as students see how new ideas fit into their own questions about the world.

Use of Phenomena

Coherence from a Student’s Perspective

Integrating Science With Other Disciplines

Reaching All Student Demographics

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