Middle school students are naturally curious about the world around them. From asking, “Why?” to wondering, “How?” they’re often driven to make sense of the mysterious or unexplainable. But having all the answers doesn’t make for great science learning. It’s what students discover along the way that helps make the experience meaningful.
Together, Brock and Amber have spent years teaching middle school science students the power of figuring things out. And they’ve seen firsthand what can happen when science learning moves beyond a simple presentation of facts into a deeper effort to understand the big picture. Here’s what they’ve learned and why they believe phenomenon-based learning can work for all science students.
What is phenomenon-based learning?
Phenomenon-based learning helps transform students’ everyday curiosity about something observable into active engagement with concepts and facts. A phenomenon might be an unusual animal adaptation, a surprising weather event, an unexpected chemical reaction, or a visible change in an ecosystem. While a phenomenon can start with an interesting image, video, or demonstration, its value lies in what students do next.
Brock: “When we talk about phenomenon-based learning, we aren’t talking about students memorizing vocabulary or facts. We want them to use evidence to explain why something is happening. It creates a reason to learn. The phenomenon gives purpose to the content students are learning about. They aren’t just reading or listening—they’re observing, experimenting, collecting evidence, and testing ideas. It’s also important to remember that there isn’t always an immediate answer, and students must piece together evidence and revise their thinking throughout the learning process.”
A good phenomenon moves students from “wow” to “how?”
Brock: “For middle school students, curiosity often begins when something feels surprising, relevant, mysterious, or personally connected to their world. A scientific question becomes much more engaging when students can look at something and think, ‘Wait … how did that happen?’”
In their experience, a strong science phenomenon can be identified through three important questions:
1. Is it observable? It should give students something concrete to notice, describe, compare, or question.
2. Is it initially unexplainable? Students shouldn’t immediately understand the phenomenon. It should prompt them to dig beyond the initial observation.
3. Is there enough for students to investigate? A quick explanation doesn’t solve the mystery. Students must gather evidence and develop their understanding over time.
Amber: "In a weather unit, we watched a video about waterspouts, as that's often a type of weather students aren't familiar with. They wanted to discuss what caused it, what it was made of, and, of course, being middle schoolers, what kind of damage it would do."
A phenomenon hooks students in, but what keeps them engaged?
A phenomenon does more than capture students’ attention for a moment or two. It gives them something to return to throughout the learning process. New discoveries turn into evidence they can use as they investigate and try to make sense of what they’re learning. Educators understand that science instruction should include phenomena, but the real question is what students should be asked to do with them.
Brock: “Instead of starting with a list of facts or vocabulary students need to learn, start with something students can see, experience, and wonder about. A phenomenon gives students a reason to ask questions, investigate, gather evidence, and develop their own understanding. It changes the classroom from a place where students are simply receiving information to a place where they are actively figuring things out. When we change how we teach science, we move beyond simply giving students activities and instead create a culture of curiosity, investigation, and discovery, helping students see science as something they do, not just something they learn.”
What does it mean to think like an Explorer?
Once students encounter something worth figuring out, the phenomenon becomes the starting point for a larger process of scientific sensemaking. Brock and Amber describe that process through four interconnected behaviors.
1. Ask questions
Students ask questions about the phenomenon they’ve observed to help propel them into deeper research.
Brock: “I loved when students asked questions I wasn’t ready for or didn’t know the answers to. That means they’re thinking about it in a different way and from a different perspective. I never looked at it [phenomenon] as a problem for us to solve, but an opportunity for us to investigate.”
2. Investigate
Once students identify their questions, how do they arrive at their answers? They observe, model, experiment, analyze information, and seek evidence that can help them understand what they’re seeing.
3. Collect evidence
As students gather evidence, they’re actively learning how to evaluate facts, question ideas, and piece together concepts that support the bigger idea at stake.
4. Revise thinking
Sometimes the evidence leads students to a conclusion they hadn’t originally anticipated. That can be surprisingly challenging for students.
Brock: “My students couldn’t believe they could change their answers. But this eventually became a part of the classroom discussion itself. When students know they can go back, edit, and even change their original thinking, they become more willing to take risks, share ideas, and ask questions without fear of being wrong. The goal isn’t to be right the first time. It’s to use evidence and new information to make your thinking better.”
Amber: “When students know that they can edit answers as new information comes in, it really opens them up to creative thinking and risk-taking. The threat of having a ‘wrong answer’ attached to yourself is intimidating to students. Take away that intimidation, and students will feel more comfortable sharing and engaging.”
An approach, not another activity
Phenomenon-based learning is more than an activity; it’s an instructional approach that helps engage students and deepen learning through hands-on science.
Brock: “Teachers are always looking for engaging activities that will capture their students’ attention and bring science to life. A great activity can create excitement in the classroom, but the real opportunity goes beyond finding the next activity. It’s about changing the way we think about teaching science. One hands-on activity can engage students for a class period, but shifting an instructional approach can impact how students learn throughout the entire year.”
What does this mean for district leaders?
For district leaders, it’s about facilitating consistent opportunities for students to participate in this kind of learning across classrooms and grade levels.
Brock: “A classroom can be busy and still not promote deep learning. Look for students who are explaining, questioning, predicting, analyzing, and defending their ideas.”
They encourage leaders to consider three questions:
When leaders visit classrooms, they also suggest listening carefully to students and not simply checking whether they’re on task.
Amber: “Science can be twisty, so allowing students to think through their own thread of thoughts is an excellent way to get to a result. Highly impactful teachers know when to let students go on scientific tangents to support their main idea.”
Give students something to figure out
Every time middle schoolers encounter something they can’t immediately explain, ask a question, investigate a possibility, use evidence to construct an explanation, or change their thinking because they’ve learned something new, they’re exploring their world and practicing the habits science demands. And that’s what makes phenomenon-based learning so meaningful.
Ready to explore?
See how National Geographic Learning Science Expeditions gives middle school students something worth figuring out. Explore Science Expeditions.
About the Authors
Brock O’Shell has been in the field of education for 25 years. He began his career as a teacher and spent 13 years in the classroom, where he loved using technology with his students. Wanting to have a bigger impact on teaching, he transitioned to the district office where he was the Instructional Technology Specialist for seven years. There, he used his experience in the classroom to help teachers incorporate technology into their classroom. For the last five years, he has worked at National Geographic Learning/Cengage, where he gets to help teachers learn to use our platforms and our materials with their students.
Amber Winters started her career in education ten years ago as a Middle School and High School science teacher. Outside of the classroom, she has held both Training and Customer Success roles within Cengage, ensuring teachers and students across the country can successfully implement and thrive with their print and digital educational resources.
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