Baxter Symposium Session

Presenter: Natasha Singh, Chicago Public Schools

Room: Global Hub 2130

Session Materials: Natasha's Materials

Anchoring learning in compelling phenomena has the capacity to engage all students in coherent, 3-dimensional, NGSS-aligned, collective learning. However, as students work together to make sense of phenomena, some students disengage or experience phenomenon fatigue, as student interest in the phenomenon can vary or wane. Integrating student choice with phenomenon based learning is one approach to re-engage students and enhance the sensemaking that takes place during phenomenon based learning.

Focusing on two chemistry units of study (Designing Personal Care Products, Investigating Climate Change), participants will have the opportunity to experience an anchoring phenomenon lesson where they will choose the phenomenon that will anchor their unit learning. We will then discuss planning structures that can allow teachers to sustainably design and facilitate units, lessons, and assessments that allow students to explore the phenomena that are most relevant to them.