1. Visible Thinking, Inquiry, and
Discourse in the Science
Classroom
Gary G. Abud, Jr.
@mr_abud
sagaeducators.org

2. Our Targets For Today
• Know the framework of the modeling cycle for
inquiry-based learning
• Understand the goals of visible thinking and
productive discussion
• Be able to identify action steps for implementing
more inquiry-based learning, visible thinking,
and productive student discussion in the
classroom

3. The Plan
• Introductions & Pre-assessment (5min)
• Modeling Cycle: The Spring Lab (30min)
• Whiteboarding & Visible Thinking (30min)
• Passing Time – Biggest takeaway
• Talk Moves For Productive Discussion (30min)
• Energy Bar & Pie Charts (30min)
• Passing Time – Biggest takeaway
• Practice – What Would Your Kids Say? (20min)
• Classroom Action Plan (20min)
• Q & A (10min)
• Post-assessment & Closure (5min)

4. Resources
• Goals & Talk Moves
• Whiteboarding and Questioning Techniques
• Energy Storage and Transfer Questions
• The Modeling Cycle
• Paint Swatch

5. Spring Lab
Focus: The
Modeling Cycle and
inquiry-based
learning
Whiteboarding Energy
Focus: Making
Thinking Visible &
Talk Moves For
Discussion
Practice | Debrief
Focus: Putting your
learning to work in
your own classroom

6. Introductions & Pre-assessment
ABOUT THE PRESENTER
• Dad & Husband
• High School Science Teacher
• PreK-12 Instructional Coach
• State Coordinator MI Modeling Instruction Project
• 2014 MI Teacher of the Year
CONTACT
– Email: gary@sagaeducators.org
– Blog: abud.me/blog
– Twitter: @mr_abud

7. Laina Josephine
11 Months Old

8. NGSS Disclaimer!
There is no NGSS…in Michigan…at least for now…
But we can still incorporate the student practices!

9. Pre-Assessment:
inquiry, visible thinking, and discourse
I know of it I have tried it
I use it regularly
I could teach it
to someone
Current
Level

10. HOW MIGHT WE TAKE IT TO THE
NEXT LEVEL?
Turn & Talk

11. Modeling Cycle: The Spring Lab
What would be the sequence of a typical unit on
the topic of FORCES???

12. Typical Unit Sequence
1st
• Introductory Demonstration or Reading
• Given Notes: Vocab, Formulas, laws, etc.
2nd
• Reading
• Guided Practice | Independent Practice
3rd
• Experiment or Activity
• Review and Test

13. Experiment – Content Connection
• Experiments verify content
• Kids follow steps, much like a recipe
– Struggle to explain unexpected conclusions
• “Lab” and “lecture” connection isn’t always
explicit to kids

14. Modeling Cycle
• Now entering “student mode”
– Play the role of the typical student in your class
• Note: this is not a behavior management workshop 

15. Whiteboard Presentations
Board Meeting
&
Volunteer Poster Talks

16. Let’s Debrief…With Our Neighbors
• What did you notice about:
–the lab?
–the whiteboarding process?

17. Modeling Cycle
• Research-based | Arizona State University (25yr)
• Follows the 5E philosophy
• Experiment comes first, everything follows
• Development and then deployment of a “model”
• Models explain or predict
• Models can be modified with new evidence
• Continuous and contiguous content structure
• Student-centered, teacher-facilitated learning
• Ongoing unobtrusive formative assessment

18. Relevant Resources
• Modeling Cycle Handout
• Whiteboarding / Questioning Handout

19. BREAK TIME!
Break Homework:
Discuss with a friend one takeaway
up to this point for you

20. TERC Talk Science Project
• Technical Education Research Centers (TERC)
• Talk Moves For Productive Discussion
• Actionable steps for developing student discourse

21. Goals of the Talk Moves
Share, expand, and clarify individual thinking
Listen carefully to one another
Deepen reasoning
Think with others

22. Let’s TALK About En…er…gy!
List things your students know about it…

23. Check out this stretchy spring!
• 4 Essential Energy Questions:
–Where is the energy stored in a spring?
–How does it get there?
–How does it get out?
–Where can it go?

24. How do we represent the energy?

25. Pie Charts
Qualitatively represent energy transfer

26. Quantitatively represent energy transfer
Bar Graphs

27. On a whiteboard, answer your
Question from the handout
Be prepared to explain your board,
and REMEMBER…you’re in “student
mode” now!

28. Relevant Resources
• Talk Moves Handout
• Physical Science Energy Situations

29. BREAK TIME!
Break Homework:
Discuss with a friend one takeaway
up to this point for you

30. Perfect Practice Makes Perfect
• Pair up your group with another group
– Group A: students
– Group B: teachers
• Practice “interrogating” about the whiteboard
– Use the Talk Moves handout to guide your practice
• Switch roles and practice some more
• Debrief the process

31. Questions and…Answers?

32. Action Planning Time: Job-Alike Groups
• DISCUSS THESE QUESTIONS:
– What upcoming content might lend itself most readily to
these methods?
– How could we restructure an existing unit to fit a
‘model-based’ design?
– Where could we use whiteboarding?
– Where could we use the Talk Moves?
• WRITE OUT YOUR PLAN:
– My next steps will be…
– Where I will need resources going forward is…
– My “keep me honest” partner will be…

33. Paint Swatch Post Assessment:
What got you thinking today?
•That was interesting!Oooh!
•This makes sense now!Aaah!
•An idea to think over…Hmmm…
•A question about…Huh?

34. THANK YOU!