Cultural Relevance

• anchoring phenomena creating equity

• has local context and meaning to students

• place-based, local, state, national, global

• focused on student learning and academic success, for all learners

• includes student owned learning - voice and choice

• invites family experiences and perspectives as a part of learning

Culturally Responsive Pedagogy

Instructional practice are culturally responsive when they meet the following set of criteria:

• Builds cognitive capacity in students from diverse backgrounds

• Actively engages cultural learning styles and tools

• Includes instructional approaches that mirror the cultural norms of underrepresented groups 

• Approaches difficult content with sensitivity and awareness 

• Scaffolds students toward independence, increasing the freedom they have to choose the course of their own learning

InquireED. (June 2020). InquirEd  Culturally Responsive Teaching Through Inquiry 

Science Learning Starts with Phenomenon- Based Exploration

• Phenomena are events in the natural world that happen consistently and predictably under similar conditions.

• Curiosity drives phenomena-based learning, which stresses investigation, collaboration and discovery

• Doesn’t have to be “phenomenal”

• Should be place-based and local natural world observations

• Sparks interest and excitement.

• Invites wondering and curiosity establishing the context for an overarching question.

• Creates the need to “FIGURE IT OUT” among learners.

• Requires sustained investigation.

• Phenomenon should be the anchor for learning

• Integrated with similar Similar Student Performance Expectations (PEs or SPEs)

• Integrated Science with Technology and Engineering Standards

• Integrated with PA contexts as often as possible

• Integrated with ELA and Math