A teacher asked me this question after a recent workshop, and it is one I get a lot. Whenever she tries to start a discussion, the same two or three students answer everything, the rest of the class checks out, and even when students do talk, they end up off topic in about thirty seconds. The pattern is familiar, and it is not a personality issue or a classroom-management issue. It is a design and facilitation issue, which means it is something we can actually solve. Below ar

A pre-service teacher I was observing asked me this question after one of her lessons did not go the way she had hoped, and it is one I get a lot. Whenever she sets out the materials and tells students to start working, the same thing happens. A few minutes in, hands go up. A line forms by her desk. Students who do start working are uncertain about what they should be measuring or how to use the equipment in front of them. The pattern is familiar, and it is not a student-mot

A question I hear from teachers all the time is this: “My district is requiring us to devote more time to reading and writing in all subject areas. I already have too much content to cover. Is there a way to teach literacy skills without sacrificing time for science?” It’s a fair concern and an important one. The short answer is: you don’t have to choose . But making that possible requires rethinking what we mean by “literacy” and how it develops in a science classroom. The P

Open educational resources like OpenSciEd offer powerful storylines, but many teachers struggle with pacing and student engagement. Argument-Driven Inquiry (ADI) provides a practical jumping-off point—ready-to-use, hands-on investigations that fit naturally into OER units. Learn how ADI can serve as a benchmark or mid-unit checkpoint, giving students a complete cycle of questioning, data collection, and argumentation while keeping your NGSS instruction on track.

Critical thinking in inquiry encourages students to question, analyze, and evaluate information. It pushes them beyond passive learning to active discovery.