Designing a Coherence- & Concept-Based Modular Course to Facilitate Students’ Understanding of Crosscutting Concepts

Crosscutting concepts (CCCs) are superordinate in the scientific concept system, common across disciplines, and very abstract. These characteristics, with the addition of incoherence in their curricular presentation, can challenge instructors. We designed a modular course based on coherence and conceptual understanding. The course structure was arranged in accordance with intra- and inter-unit coherence of CCCs, and each lesson was prepared according to “concept-based instruction” and the “5E instructional model.” The results of the pretest and posttest and the semi-structured interviews consistently showed that the participating high school students significantly improved their understanding of CCCs, thus supporting the effectiveness of the modular course.

 Using a Science Literary Lens to Conceptualize Anxiety Around COVID-19: Strategies for Human Services Professionals

Amid the COVID-19 global pandemic, Human Services Professionals (HSPs) are faced with clients experiencing increased anxiety. HSPs again must broaden their scope of competency to approach this novel, natural phenomenon. Science literacy is the understanding and application of scientific knowledge toward decisions and sensemaking. Although science literacy has many facets, one area, Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs), prioritizes individuals’ funds of knowledge to engage with new phenomena such as COVID-19. This paper describes the role of HSPs responding to COVID-19; provides a conceptual framework through the Ecological Systems Theory, which centers on clients and science literacy; and proposes an integration of science concepts with HSPs’ work. Finally, this paper ends with a vignette collection offering CCCs and resource pathways HSPs can utilize with their clients.

How Might the Next Generation Science Standards Support Styles of Scientific Reasoning in Biology?

In this article, we put forward a new approach to the teaching of scientific reasoning in biology with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). We argue that a framework based on the idea of six styles of scientific reasoning provides the best guide for biology teachers to the nature of scientific reasoning in biology and how it might be taught. The current framework of the crosscutting concepts fails to provide a narrative for what makes biology distinctive and how biological scientists reason. By contrast, a framework of styles of scientific reasoning does offer a coherent argument for the biology curriculum in grades K–12, a justification for each performance expectation, and a vision of how each standard might support the development of scientific reasoning in biology. Examples and implications for curriculum designers and educators are discussed.

Using the FRAMER Scaffold Design Framework to Support Students in Learning & Understanding Biology

Students need support to learn the core ideas, practices, and crosscutting concepts that make up the field of biology so that they can both be successful as biologists and make informed decisions that require biological understanding. One way instructors can support students in these endeavors is to provide students with specific scaffolds the instructors design to structure students' performance on a task or engagement in a behavior. With the focus on both scientific concepts and practices, instructors may also need support to be able to develop scaffolds that align with suggested best practices. I offer a framework, referred to as FRAMER, and suggestions for instructors interested in developing scaffolds for biology courses, and provide an example of a successful scaffold implementation in an undergraduate biology course.

Crosscutting Concepts in Science Support Literacy and Writing

The purpose of the chapter is to guide teachers in development of authentic and engaging lessons through multidisciplinary integration. As cross-curricular lessons are implemented, collaborative support between science, math, ELA, social studies, and related arts classes builds excitement for teachers and students. Students are challenged to take ownership of learning using higher-level thinking skills, creativity in design, and practicing 21st century skills such as collaboration, research, problem solving, and innovation. The chapter provides examples of integrative ideas and suggestions on how to begin developing multidisciplinary lessons. Although the primary focus relates to the crosscutting concepts in science with ELA expectations, the resources provided also include integrations for other content areas as well. The goal of the chapter is to provide models for the development of inquiry-based, authentic, and engaging opportunities for students to develop higher conceptual understanding and offer methods for applying their learning to real-world concepts.