Finding Your Anchor: Selecting Phenomena for NGSS-Aligned Lessons

Presenters: Justin Ingram, Josh Smith, and Matt Christiansen (NSELA Professional Learning Committee)

This workshop is for K-12 science leaders who want to make sure their teachers and students are starting with the right questions. We'll focus on the critical first step of building a high-quality, NGSS-aligned instructional unit: selecting a powerful phenomenon.

Finding the perfect phenomenon can be time-consuming, but AI can help. We will explore how to identify phenomena that are not only engaging but also rich enough to serve as the driving force for meaningful science instruction. Learn how to vet potential phenomena to ensure they have the depth to connect to all three dimensions of science learning and teaching. We'll demonstrate how to use AI tools to find compelling local and global examples and to generate questions that connect the phenomenon to specific standards.

Join us to learn how to guide your teachers toward selecting phenomena that will anchor their units in real-world relevance, drive student thinking, and lead to deeper understanding.