Professional Learning
Do you want your lessons to use real-world scenarios?
Do you want students to make sense of those scenarios using real science practices and ways of thinking?
Our standards and phenomena workshops are for you!
The use of phenomena with Framework-based standards reflects a nationwide shift in K-12 science education that our facilitators have spent years helping to implement in states across the country. We will help you make this change in your district or classroom.
We support all grades and content areas.
Browse offerings below.
INTRODUCTION TO PHENOMENA
In this first-touch workshop, we explore using phenomena in classroom activities aligned to three-dimensional (3D) performance expectations derived from A Framework for K-12 Science Education.
- We place you in a student role to review the structure and intent of 3D standards.
- We dig into phenomena, discussing criteria, characteristics, and pitfalls.
- You evaluate stand-alone phenomena and phenomena associated with published lessons, considering the merits and alignments of each.
- You evaluate activities in published lessons, focusing on the phenomenon, student use of the core dimensions, and student-centered learning.
- In the end, you can determine if a lesson aligns to your state’s standards or can be easily modified for them. And you know if it includes a phenomenon that will work for you.
Introduction to Phenomena involves eight contact hours, plus time on assignments.
- For individuals, we regularly schedule online sessions.
- For groups, we offer it online in blocks of time that you can schedule (pricing).
- For groups, we also offer it in-person over two days, allowing for coaching during assignments (pricing). We can also discuss hybrid sessions.
Contact us to plan. We welcome participants from multiple schools/districts and we customize (e.g., for Indiana, we focus on the 2023 Indiana Academic Standards for Science; for Pennsylvania, we focus on the STEELS).
Standards & Phenomena I: Evaluating Activities
In this workshop, you evaluate and adjust lessons to ensure they are phenomenon-based and aligned to three-dimensional (3D) performance expectations derived from A Framework for K-12 Science Education.
- We discuss how 3D standards change the concept of student proficiency and explore proficiency in terms of Science and Engineering Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Idea Science Content.
- We review the structure, progressions, and student-centered intent of 3D standards.
- We introduce proficiency goals as tools for understanding connections among the dimensions of 3D standards and for showing how students achieve proficiency for those standards.
- We review phenomenon characteristics and criteria.
- You map phenomena to 3D standards and then use the skill to select workable phenomena.
- You evaluate published lessons, looking for phenomenon-based, student-centered activities.
- You explore modifying lessons to ensure alignment to 3D standards and agreement among the dimensions, the phenomenon, and the student tasks.
- You select, evaluate, and adjust a lesson and then map it to a common learning model (e.g., 5E).
- In the end, you have a process to evaluate and adjust lessons so that they work better for you. And you will take home an adjusted lesson that lets your students address a real-world example using actual science practices and ways of thinking.
Standards and Phenomena I involves sixteen contact hours, plus assignments.
- For individuals, we schedule online sessions on request.
- For groups, we offer it online in blocks of time that you can schedule (pricing).
- For groups, we also offer it in-person over two or three days, which allows for more personalized interaction and coaching during assignments (pricing).
Standards and Phenomena I works best if it follows Introduction to Phenomena or if participants are well versed in 3D standards and the use of phenomena in student-centered classrooms.
Contact us to plan. We welcome participants from multiple schools/districts and we customize (e.g., for Indiana, we focus on the 2023 Indiana Academic Standards for Science; for Pennsylvania, we focus on the STEELS).
Flyer with Objectives and Goals
Standards & Phenomena II: Classroom Assessments
In this advanced workshop, you will study phenomenon-based questions and prompts that assess components of K-12 Framework-based three-dimensional (3D) performance expectations.
- We will review phenomenon criteria/characteristics and the structure and student-centered intent of 3D standards.
- We will review how student proficiency for 3D standards differs from previous concepts.
- We will discuss best practices in measuring student progress in the classroom.
- You will evaluate phenomena and review classroom assessments where students use combinations of the three dimensions to address those phenomena.
- You will examine phenomenon-based classroom activities and consider logical assessment points within them, and you will study the associated rubrics.
- You will draft assessment questions and prompts for 3D-aligned, phenomenon-based activities.
- In the end, you will have experience drafting questions and prompts for various phenomena.
S&P II should follow S&P I.
S&P II involves sixteen contact hours. We offer it over two in-person days or via online sessions that you can schedule as you like. In addition to customizing for your specific content needs, we can negotiate a version with additional contact hours or follow up meetings.
Contact us to set up a custom session for your group.
Download a flyer with objectives and goals.
Download a handy list of all our workshops.
Workshop Bundle
We will bundle Introduction to Phenomena and Standards and Phenomena I into a three-day in-person session. Doing so eliminates the need to review Intro material in Standards and Phenomena I and allows us to cover some additional topics.
We offer this bundle for groups of up to 25 participants for $17500, which includes PSE facilitator travel.
Contact us to plan. We welcome participants from multiple schools/districts.
Dig into Your Science Content
For alumni of Introduction to Phenomena, we offer discussions of a relevant science topic of your choice.
You decide how much time you want ($25/hour for online groups of 1-5).
Contact us to schedule.
Dig into Your Standards
For alumni of Standards and Phenomena I, we offer online discussions of student proficiency and possible phenomena for a three-dimensional performance expectation of your choice.
You decide how much discussion time you want ($25/hour for groups of 1-5).
Contact us to schedule.
Writing 3D Activities
This workshop provides instruction and practice in crafting phenomenon-based activities aligned to 3D performance expectations derived from A Framework for K-12 Science Education.
- The first part consists of Introduction to Phenomena, Standards and Phenomena I, and some aspects of Standards and Phenomena II (including deeper explorations of what student proficiency means in terms of 3D standards and the concept of linking related phenomena together under coherent anchors).
- Then we brainstorm phenomena and draft activities where students use logical combinations of the three dimensions to address those phenomena.
Writing Activities in Three Dimensions involves 40 in-person contact hours. This is an intensive five-day experience. We work with you to schedule sessions.
Contact us to plan. We welcome participants from multiple schools/districts.
Writing 3D Assessments
This advanced workshop provides instruction and practice in crafting phenomenon-based performance task assessments aligned to 3D performance expectations derived from A Framework for K-12 Science Education, at the classroom formative and summative levels.
- The first part consists of Standards and Phenomena II, with the addition of deeper training on best practices in evaluating student performance and discussions of bias and sensitivity in test writing.
- From there, participants examine classroom activity sets for possible assessment points and begin writing and peer-reviewing questions and prompts for selected standards (these are focused on phenomena that are presented to participants and on phenomena that they brainstorm themselves).
This workshop should follow Standards and Phenomena I.
Writing Assessments in Three Dimensions involves 40 in-person contact hours. This is an intensive five-day experience. We work with you to schedule sessions.
Contact us to plan. We welcome participants from multiple schools/districts.
Phenomena in Non-NGSS States
In this first-touch workshop, we explore using science phenomena within classroom activities and lessons.
- We begin with a sample classroom activity to review the structure of your state's standards.
- Then we dig into phenomena, exploring criteria, characteristics, and pitfalls.
- You will evaluate examples of stand-alone phenomena and phenomena associated with published resources, discussing the merits of each.
- You will explore the differences between phenomena and anchors.
- In the end, you will have a process for determining if a given curricular resource is aligned with your state’s standards and if it is built around an appropriate phenomenon.
Using Phenomena in Non-NGSS States involves eight contact hours, plus time spent on assignments. We offer it in online blocks that you can schedule as you like. We can also come to you and run it in-person over two days so there is time to complete assignments during the session. Additionally, we offer a "light" in-person version, which is run over a single day and has no assignments.
Contact us to set up a custom session for your group.