Archive: Book Beat Live! Instructional Sequence Matters: Using Explore-before-Explain in the Classroom, July 20, 2021

Explore-before-Explain teaching is all about creating conceptual coherence for learners to better prepare students for the reality of their world. 

All students bring experiences, curiosities, interests, and cultures to our classes. Teachers can leverage students' assets and foster shared classroom experiences that serve as the foundation for students' sensemaking. This creates a sequence of instruction that will promote deeper conceptual understanding.

In this session you will meet Dr. Patrick L. Brown, author of the NSTA’s book series Instructional Sequence Matters, who will discuss the book and provide approaches to sequence of instruction in science/STEM teaching, including:

  • How to do it. Model lessons encourage you to teach in ways that allow for active meaning-making, precisely called for in three-dimensional instruction. You will learn to engage student's prior knowledge ideas that seamlessly transfer into firsthand experiences with data that serves as evidence for sense-making.
  • What you need to do. An overview of essential planning considerations covers becoming an "explore-before-explain" teacher and designing 5E instructional models that support student sensemaking.
  • Why sequence matters. A concise review of cognitive science and science education research explains why the order in which you structure your lessons is critical and how an explore-before-explain sequence naturally translates into the three dimensions advocated by contemporary science standards.

We invite you to consider registering to more upcoming web seminars at NSTA.

View the Archive Video

To view the presentation slides from the web seminar and related resources, visit the resource collection. Continue discussing this topic in the community forums.

Below are comments from individuals who attended the seminar:

  • "I like the sequencing probes and how the seminar tasked me to rethink sequencing of how science lessons are presented."
  • "Phenomenal PD!"
  • "The explore before explain is the method I am trying to transition to for my classroom and this was a great encouragement. Dr Brown's comment that he started with one or two units with this method before growing his curriculum was also very helpful."

A certificate of attendance was deposited into participants' account page for completing the evaluation form at the end of the program.

For more information contact: [email protected]

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