Student Sensemaking: A Path to Owning Understanding
Sensemaking in science isn’t just about learning facts—it’s about figuring things out. When students actively engage in making sense of phenomena, they build deeper understanding, connect ideas, and develop lasting science skills. More than a play on words; it's a shift in mindset and practice.
Explore Before Explain
Start by activating students’ prior knowledge by engaging them with real world phenomena. Let them explore their questions and ideas using the Science & Engineering Practices - before you jump in with an explanation. Hands-on and minds-on experiences give students a chance to observe, ask questions, and test ideas—helping them make their own connections instead of just memorizing information. As Paul Anderson says, “Don’t kill their wonder!”
Why It Matters
Who owns the understanding in your classroom?
"When students are always told what the relationships are, they are ‘borrowing’ the sense that someone else had made, and consequently their learning is both fragile and temporary.”
(Ambitious Science Teaching, p. 174)
When students make their own sense of science, their learning sticks. They think critically, solve problems, and see themselves as capable learners. It also makes science more engaging, relevant, and empowering!
The beauty of phenomena-driven instruction is that it mirrors real science. Scientists don't open textbooks to find answers – they observe, question, test ideas, and revise their thinking. When we create space for students to do the same, we're not just teaching science; we're developing scientific thinkers.
How to Support Sensemaking
Create a safe space for ideas: Encourage all student ideas—even the uncertain ones. A culture of respect and risk-taking helps students feel confident in sharing and revising their thinking.
Use models to deepen understanding: Have students create, test, and revise models (drawings, diagrams, or physical representations). This helps them visualize concepts, organize and refine their ideas, and connect learning to real-world phenomena.
Ask better questions: Use science and engineering practices (SEPs) and crosscutting concepts (CCCs) to frame questions that push thinking. For example, “What patterns do you notice?” or “How do these parts of the system affect each other?” These prompts can help students analyze, justify, and apply their learning.
When students feel ownership of their learning, they not only understand science better—they see its relevance in their lives. Your role isn’t to provide all the answers but to create the conditions for curiosity and discovery. Keep inspiring your students to be sensemakers of the world around them!
3 Resources to Dig Deeper...
Visible Thinking and Thinking Routines (Project Zero - Harvard Graduate School of Education)
SEP and CCC Assessment Question Stems (The Wonder of Science)
2 Questions to Ponder and Discuss...
How do I currently balance explaining concepts vs. allowing students to construct their own understanding? Are my philosophy and practice aligned?
How can I establish a collaborative classroom culture that allows students to build on each other’s ideas and see connections in their thinking?
1 Action to Take...
Reflect on a previous lesson to identify places where students were developing their understanding on their own or with peers. Compare that to the places in the instruction where you were providing explanations. In an upcoming lesson, try to intentionally build in opportunities for student exploration of their ideas. Give them space to get their thinking out and shape it with the thinking of their classmates.