Two Labels for Instruction Information Frame Teacher is focused on disseminating information. Students are focused on knowing information. Science is portrayed as a body of established facts. Assessments are focused on “right” answers. Knowing about.. Sense-making Frame Teacher is focused on developing conceptual understanding. Students are focused on understanding something. Science is portrayed as a way to make sense of something. Assessments are focused on use of evidence to support conclusions/generalizations. Figuring out… From: Cynthia Passmore, NSTA Virtual PD, Nov. 15, 2014

Information vs. Sense-making Both an information frame for instruction and a sense-making frame for instruction represent an aspect of science and are important. To be clear: – We want students to know some stuff. – But we also want students to make sense of stuff. You need to know some stuff in order to make sense of other stuff. But the converse is not true, because you can know stuff without making sense of it.

I can memorize and “know” all the words here, without having any understanding of what this is:

I can memorize and “know” all the words here, without having any understanding of what this is:

On any given day in a science class… Every student in the room should be able to tell an observer what it is they are trying to figure out.

Consider the difference between students generating this: Being given this: vs.

Shifting along the Information/Sense- Making Continuum While both frames for instruction are important, research and personal experience show us that most teachers are very good at the information frame for instruction. What most teachers need help with is the sense-making frame for instruction. Sense-making is the core of the NGSS focus on practices.

So, how do we begin to make the shift towards more sense- making?

Storyline for Unit What experiences/questi ons? Learning Targets Gather-Reason- Communicate

Gathering Reasoning Communicating Obtain Information Ask Questions/Define Problems Plan & Carry Out Investigations Use Models to Gather Data Use Mathematics/Computational Thinking Evaluate Information Analyze Data Use Mathematics/Computational Thinking Developing Evidence Construct Explanations/Solve Problems Use Models to Predict & Develop Evidence Communicate Information Argue from Evidence (written & oral) Use Models to Communicate