Session 3:
5E - Engaging students with questions, collecting and analyzing data
Introduction
21st century science education expects students to be proficient in core science ideas
and to apply knowledge to practice. To facilitate students’ learning, teachers are tasked
with providing authentic, challenging science experiences to all students. Inquiry-based
instruction enables students to learn science content and practices in engaging ways. The
5E lesson planning format promotes “experiencing science as inquiry, understanding the
interrelationships of science and technology, using personal and social perspectives to
understand science, an comprehending the nature of science throughout its history” (Martin,
Sexton, & Franklin, 2009, p.115). In this session, you will use the 5E lesson-planning framework
to guide the design of your SSI lesson.
Objectives
 Identify strategies for inquiry-based instruction
 Brainstorm ways to incorporate these strategies into your SSI lesson plan
 Begin designing your SSI lesson in a 5E format.
Tasks
(1) Identify the purpose(s) of each 5E phase.
a. Engage
b. Explore
c. Explain
d. Elaborate
e. Evaluate
(2) Critique. Use the SSI Lesson Plan Analysis Instrument (SSI-LPAI) to guide the design
of your inquiry-based SSI lesson.
a. Consider the expectations in each “Performance” category of the SSI Lesson
Plan Analysis Instrument (SSI-LPAI) categories and determine which level
you’d like to feature in your SSI lesson.
i. For example, under the criteria “Pre-assessment”, do you plan to
actively solicit students’ prior knowledge and use that information to
modify the lesson as you are teaching it (Exemplary) or do you plan to
use a pre-assessment but not let it influence the lesson as you teach it
(Satisfactory)?
b. Write each of these categories and their performance level in the space
below (e.g., “Nature of Science - Exemplary”)
i.
ii.
iii.
c. What are you reasons for selecting these features and their Performance
level (Exemplary, Satisfactory, Needs Improvement)? Please record these
answers in your Design Decisions artifact.
(3) Collaborate & Speculate. Brainstorm ways to connect inquiry practices (through the
SSI-LPAI) to the 5E phases of your SSI lesson. Use the table below to organize your
thoughts. Briefly indicate how you plan to scaffold student learning through each of
the 5E phases. Include ideas for activities/tasks and probing questions.
a. In which 5E phase(s) might you feature the SSI-LPAI inquiry elements
identified in (2a) above?
i. For example, if you plan to require students to reflect on and
summarize their understanding during the lesson (“Student Reflection”
SSI-LPAI criteria), during which 5E phase(s) do you plan to include
this activity? What might the task look like?
b. Based on the potential activities and/or questions you suggested (column 2),
indicate the purpose that each 5E phase will have in your SSI lesson.
i. For example, if you plan to impact students’ attitudes about science
during your lesson and evaluate this impact (“Student Attitudes about
Science” SSI-LPAI criteria), you might create a brief attitude
questionnaire to be used in the Evaluate phase (column 2). The
purpose for this questionnaire would be to assess any changes in
students’ attitudes (column 3).
(4) Design. Continue the Design Decisions artifact for your SSI lesson.
a. As you learn more about your SSI topic and consider additional ideas for
your lesson, refine the following:
i. Your 5E table below
ii. Your rationale for each of the lesson plan decisions you made today
iii. A diagram that represents how your SSI 5E lesson will be
implemented (see example provided during today’s session).
(5) Reflect. Complete today’s Reflection Prompts in the Moodle.
Phase
Engage
Explore
Explain
Potential Facilitating
Activities/Questions
Purpose in your SSI lesson
Elaborate
Evaluate
Reference:
Martin, R., Sexton, C., & Franklin, T. (2009). Teaching science for all children: an inquiry
approach 5th Ed. Boston: Pearson.