All books/Designing AI-Assisted Concept-Based Inquiry Classrooms

Chapter 1519 min read

CBI in Science

Name: Designing AI-Assisted Concept-Based Inquiry Classrooms
Author: Vivek M Agarwal

Introduction

Science and inquiry are natural partners. The discipline itself is built on asking questions, gathering evidence, and constructing explanations. The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) explicitly organize science around crosscutting concepts that span disciplines. In many ways, science education has been moving toward CBI for decades.

Yet even in science, instruction often devolves into vocabulary memorization, cookbook labs, and coverage of disconnected topics. This chapter explores how CBI fulfills the promise of inquiry-based science, using concepts and phenomena to create coherent, transferable understanding of the natural world.

13.1 The Conceptual Architecture of Science

Three Dimensions of Science Learning

NGSS organizes science learning around three interconnected dimensions:

Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs) The content of science—the ideas that explain phenomena:

Physical Science (matter, energy, forces, waves)
Life Science (organisms, ecosystems, heredity, evolution)
Earth and Space Science (Earth systems, history, space)
Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science

Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs) Concepts that bridge disciplines and enable transfer:

Patterns
Cause and Effect
Scale, Proportion, and Quantity
Systems and System Models
Energy and Matter
Structure and Function
Stability and Change

Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs) How scientists and engineers do their work:

Asking Questions and Defining Problems
Developing and Using Models
Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
Engaging in Argument from Evidence
Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

CBI and Three-Dimensional Learning

CBI naturally integrates these three dimensions:

Concepts (both DCIs and CCCs) provide the enduring ideas Inquiry engages students in authentic science practices Generalizations express relationships between concepts that transfer across phenomena

The power of CBI in science is its focus on crosscutting concepts as the primary organizing structure. When students understand cause and effect as a concept, they can apply this lens across biology, chemistry, physics, and earth science.

Science Generalizations

Strong science generalizations express relationships between concepts:

About Energy:

"Energy transfers within systems drive all physical, chemical, and biological processes."
"Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another."

About Systems:

"System behavior emerges from the interactions of components, not from individual parts alone."
"Changes in one part of a system affect other parts, sometimes in unpredictable ways."

About Patterns:

"Patterns in nature often indicate underlying causes or processes."
"Similar patterns across different phenomena suggest similar underlying mechanisms."

About Cause and Effect:

"Effects can have multiple causes; causes can have multiple effects."
"Correlation does not establish causation; evidence of mechanism is required."

13.2 Phenomenon-Based Learning

What Is Phenomenon-Based Learning?

CBI in science centers on phenomena—observable events or patterns that require explanation:

Characteristics of Good Phenomena:

Observable (students can see, hear, or otherwise experience them)
Puzzling (they create questions and wonder)
Connected to disciplinary core ideas
Rich enough to sustain investigation
Relevant to students' lives or interests

Examples of Anchoring Phenomena:

Why does the mass of a closed container stay the same when something inside burns?
Why do some diseases spread through populations while others don't?
Why does the Moon appear to change shape?
Why can some animals survive in environments that would kill others?

The Phenomenon-First Approach

Traditional science instruction often follows: concept → examples → application

CBI flips this: phenomenon → investigation → concept development → application

Why Phenomenon-First Works:

Creates authentic need to know
Grounds abstract concepts in observable reality
Mirrors how science actually works
Increases engagement and motivation
Reveals the purpose of learning

Selecting and Sequencing Phenomena

Anchoring Phenomenon: The central phenomenon that drives an entire unit

Investigative Phenomena: Smaller phenomena explored along the way that build toward explaining the anchor

Example Sequence: Ecosystems Unit

Anchoring Phenomenon: A lake experienced a massive fish die-off. Why?

Investigative Phenomena:

Aquarium with limited vs. abundant plants (oxygen production)
Decomposing organic matter in closed containers (decomposition and oxygen)
Algae growth with different nutrient levels (nutrient cycling)
Data on the lake before and after development (human impact)

Each investigative phenomenon builds understanding needed to explain the anchor.

13.3 Science Practices in CBI

Authentic Scientific Practices

CBI engages students in doing science, not just learning about science:

Asking Questions

Students generate questions about phenomena
Questions drive investigation
Questions evolve as understanding develops

Developing and Using Models

Students create models to explain phenomena
Models are revised based on evidence
Models are tools for thinking, not just products

Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

Students design investigations to answer their questions
Variables are identified and controlled
Data collection is purposeful

Analyzing and Interpreting Data

Students look for patterns in data
Data is used to support or refute claims
Uncertainty is acknowledged

Constructing Explanations

Students develop explanations grounded in evidence
Explanations use scientific concepts and principles
Explanations are revised as understanding grows

Engaging in Argument from Evidence

Students defend their explanations
Claims require evidence and reasoning
Alternative explanations are considered

The CER Framework

Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) structures scientific thinking:

Claim: What do you think is happening? (Answer to the question) Evidence: What data supports your claim? (Specific observations or data) Reasoning: Why does the evidence support the claim? (Scientific principles that connect evidence to claim)

Example: Question: Why do plants grow toward light? Claim: Plants grow toward light because light-exposed cells grow more slowly than shaded cells, causing the stem to bend. Evidence: In our experiment, the shaded side of the stem grew 3mm while the lit side grew 1mm. The stem curved toward the light source. Reasoning: A hormone called auxin concentrates on the shaded side, stimulating cell elongation there. This differential growth causes the plant to bend toward the light (phototropism).

Scientific Discourse

Science is inherently social—ideas are shared, debated, and refined:

Talk Moves for Science:

"What evidence supports that?"
"How does that connect to what we observed?"
"What alternative explanation could there be?"
"How would we test that idea?"
"What are we still uncertain about?"

Structures for Science Discourse:

Gallery walks of student models
Peer feedback on explanations
Whole-class consensus-building
Argumentation sessions
Science talks (like number talks, but for science concepts)

13.4 Crosscutting Concepts as Lenses

The Power of CCCs

The seven crosscutting concepts provide lenses for examining any phenomenon:

Patterns

What patterns do we observe?
What might these patterns indicate?
Are similar patterns found elsewhere?

Cause and Effect

What causes this phenomenon?
What effects does it have?
How do we know it's causal and not just correlation?

Scale, Proportion, and Quantity

At what scale does this operate?
How do quantities relate?
What changes at different scales?

Systems and System Models

What system is this part of?
What are the components and boundaries?
How do components interact?

Energy and Matter

What energy transfers are involved?
How does matter cycle or transform?
How are energy and matter conserved?

Structure and Function

How does structure relate to function?
Why is this shaped this way?
What does the form tell us about purpose?

Stability and Change

What maintains stability?
What causes change?
What feedback mechanisms are at work?

Teaching CCCs Explicitly

Make crosscutting concepts explicit teaching targets:

CCC Focus Units Design units that emphasize particular CCCs while teaching disciplinary content:

A chemistry unit focusing on "patterns" through the periodic table
A biology unit focusing on "structure and function" through anatomy
A physics unit focusing on "cause and effect" through forces and motion

CCC Transfer Activities Help students see CCCs across disciplines:

"Where else have we seen this pattern?"
"How is cause and effect operating in this situation?"
"What system is this part of?"

CCC Vocabulary Development Build students' facility with CCC language:

"Today we're using our 'systems thinking' lens."
"What's the cause and effect relationship here?"
"Let's think about scale..."

13.5 Assessment in Science

Three-Dimensional Assessment

Assess all three dimensions integrated:

Phenomenon-Based Tasks Give students a new phenomenon and ask them to:

Identify relevant patterns
Propose explanations using scientific concepts
Design an investigation to test their explanation
Use CCCs to analyze the phenomenon

Model-Based Assessment Students create, explain, and revise models:

Initial models (before instruction)
Revised models (during instruction)
Final models (showing development)

Explanation and Argument Students construct explanations using CER:

Clear claim answering the question
Specific evidence from investigation or data
Reasoning connecting evidence to claim using scientific principles

Formative Assessment in Science

Scientist Notebooks Ongoing documentation of thinking:

Questions and predictions
Data and observations
Developing explanations
Reflections and questions

Checkpoint Tasks Brief assessments throughout the unit:

Explain this mini-phenomenon using what you've learned
What evidence supports or challenges your current thinking?
How has your model changed?

Discourse Observation Listen for understanding during discussions:

Are students using scientific concepts accurately?
Are they connecting evidence to claims?
Are they using CCC language?

Classroom Snapshot: 5th Grade Science

Unit: Properties of Matter Duration: 5 weeks Concepts: Matter, Property, Change, Conservation Crosscutting Concept Focus: Patterns, Cause and Effect, Scale Generalization: "Matter has properties that can be observed, measured, and used to identify substances; when matter changes, its total amount is conserved even when properties change."

Week 1: Anchoring Phenomenon

Day 1: Introduction

Present the anchoring phenomenon: A video of a candle burning in a closed container on a scale.

Notice and Wonder:

Students observe and record questions
Key observations: The candle burns, goes out eventually, mass appears unchanged

Driving Question: What happens to the matter in a burning candle?

Initial Models: Students draw and explain their initial ideas about what happens during burning.

Day 2-3: Exploring Properties

Investigation: Students observe and measure properties of various substances:

Wax (solid)
Water
Steel wool
Various other materials

Properties explored: Mass, volume, state, color, odor, texture, magnetism

Discussion: What properties are useful for identifying substances? What patterns do you notice?

Days 4-5: Property Patterns

Students classify substances by properties, looking for patterns:

Which properties are most useful for identification?
Do some substances share properties?
What makes each substance unique?

Emerging Generalization: Matter has properties that can be observed and measured; different substances have different properties.

Week 2: Physical Changes

Day 1: Investigation Setup

New phenomenon: Ice melting → water → evaporating

Question: When ice melts, what happens to the matter?

Days 2-3: Physical Change Investigation

Students investigate:

Measure mass of ice before melting
Measure mass of water after melting
Compare properties before and after

Data Collection: Mass stays the same; state changes; some properties change, others don't.

Days 4-5: Developing Explanations

Discussion:

What changed? What stayed the same?
Is the melted water the same matter as the ice?
What evidence supports your claim?

CER Development: Students write explanations for what happens during melting.

Generalization Building: During physical changes, the substance remains the same and total mass is conserved.

Week 3: Chemical Changes

Day 1: New Phenomenon

Present: Video of steel wool burning, showing mass change on a scale (if open) vs. closed container.

Question: Is burning different from melting? How?

Days 2-3: Chemical Change Investigations

Station investigations:

Baking soda and vinegar reaction (in closed/open systems)
Burning steel wool (observing changes)
Mixing substances that change color

Students measure mass and observe property changes.

Days 4-5: Comparing Physical and Chemical Changes

Discussion:

How is burning different from melting?
What properties change during chemical changes?
What happens to mass in a closed system?

Emerging Understanding: Chemical changes produce new substances with new properties, but total matter is conserved.

Week 4: Return to Anchoring Phenomenon

Day 1-2: Model Revision

Students revisit their initial models of the burning candle:

What do you now understand that you didn't before?
How would you revise your model?
What concepts explain what's happening?

Revised Models: Students create new models showing:

Matter before burning
What happens during burning
Matter after burning
Where all the matter goes

Days 3-4: Investigation Design

Students design and conduct investigations to test their models:

What evidence would support your model?
How can you measure whether mass is conserved?
What would you expect to observe?

Day 5: Evidence and Claims

Students present findings:

What did your investigation show?
How does this support or challenge your model?
What questions remain?

Week 5: Synthesis and Transfer

Days 1-2: Generalization Development

Class discussion building toward generalizations:

What's always true about matter during changes?
How are physical and chemical changes similar and different?
What patterns did we observe across investigations?

Class Generalizations:

"Matter has properties that can be observed, measured, and used to identify substances."
"When matter changes, its total amount is conserved even when properties change."
"Chemical changes produce new substances; physical changes do not."

Days 3-4: Transfer Application

New phenomena for students to explain using their understanding:

A log burning in a fireplace
Sugar dissolving in water
A car rusting over time
Bread baking in an oven

Students apply generalizations and CCCs to explain new situations.

Day 5: Reflection and Connection

Final reflections:

How has your understanding of matter changed?
Where do you see these concepts in everyday life?
What questions do you still have?

Connection: Preview how this understanding will help in future study (atoms, molecules, conservation laws).

Templates

Template 13.1: Phenomenon-Based Science Unit Planner

Grade Level: _____ Unit Topic: _________________ Duration: _________

ANCHORING PHENOMENON

Description:

Why this phenomenon?

Observable: __________________________________________________
Puzzling: ___________________________________________________
Connected to DCIs: ___________________________________________
Relevant to students: _________________________________________

DISCIPLINARY CORE IDEAS (DCIs)

DCI	How it connects to phenomenon

CROSSCUTTING CONCEPTS (CCCs)

Primary CCC focus: ___________________________________________ How students will use this lens: ________________________________

Secondary CCCs:

TARGET GENERALIZATION

INVESTIGATIVE PHENOMENA SEQUENCE

Week	Investigative Phenomenon	What It Builds
1
2
3
4	Return to anchor

SCIENCE PRACTICES EMPHASIS

Which practices will students engage in most deeply?

ASSESSMENT

Initial Model: ______________________________________________ Revised Model: _____________________________________________ CER Task: _________________________________________________ Transfer Task: _____________________________________________

Template 13.2: Investigation Design Guide

Phenomenon/Question: _________________________________________ Target Concept: _____________________________________________

PRE-INVESTIGATION

What students already know:

Predictions and hypotheses:

INVESTIGATION DESIGN

Question we're investigating: __________________________________

Variables:

Independent (what we're changing): _____________________________
Dependent (what we're measuring): _____________________________
Controlled (what we're keeping constant): _______________________

Materials needed: ___________________________________________

Procedure (what we'll do):

Data collection plan:

What we'll measure	How we'll measure	How we'll record

POST-INVESTIGATION

Data analysis:

What patterns do we see?
What do the results suggest?
What's our uncertainty?

CER Response:

Claim: ______________________________________________________
Evidence: ___________________________________________________
Reasoning: __________________________________________________

Questions raised: ___________________________________________

Template 13.3: Crosscutting Concept Analysis Guide

Phenomenon: ________________________________________________ Primary DCI: _______________________________________________

CROSSCUTTING CONCEPT ANALYSIS

Patterns

What patterns do we observe? _________________________________
What might these patterns indicate? ___________________________
Where else have we seen similar patterns? ______________________

Cause and Effect

What causes this phenomenon? ________________________________
What effects does it have? ___________________________________
How do we know it's causal, not just correlation? ________________

Scale, Proportion, and Quantity

At what scale does this operate? ______________________________
What quantities are important? _______________________________
How do quantities relate? ___________________________________

Systems and System Models

What system is this part of? _________________________________
What are the components and boundaries? ______________________
How do components interact? _________________________________

Energy and Matter

What energy transfers are involved? ___________________________
How does matter cycle or transform? __________________________
How are energy and matter conserved? _________________________

Structure and Function

How does structure relate to function? _________________________
Why is it shaped/organized this way? _________________________

Stability and Change

What maintains stability? ____________________________________
What causes change? ________________________________________
What feedback mechanisms exist? _____________________________

SYNTHESIS

Which CCC is most useful for understanding this phenomenon? Why?

How do multiple CCCs work together to explain this?

AI Prompts for Science CBI

Prompt 13.1: Designing Anchoring Phenomena

I'm planning a [grade level] science unit on [topic]. The disciplinary core ideas are [list DCIs] and I want to emphasize the crosscutting concept of [CCC].

Design an anchoring phenomenon that:
1. Is observable and creates genuine wonder
2. Requires understanding of the target DCIs to explain
3. Can be analyzed using the target CCC
4. Is relevant to students' lives or interests
5. Is rich enough to sustain 4-6 weeks of investigation

Also suggest 3-4 investigative phenomena that build toward explaining the anchor.

For each phenomenon, explain:
- What students will observe
- What questions it will raise
- What concepts students will need to explain it
- How it connects to the anchor

Prompt 13.2: Three-Dimensional Assessment Design

I'm concluding a unit on [topic] with [grade level] students.

DCIs addressed: [list]
CCC focus: [crosscutting concept]
Target generalization: [generalization]

Design a three-dimensional assessment that:
1. Presents a new phenomenon students haven't seen
2. Requires them to use their DCI understanding to explain it
3. Asks them to analyze it through the CCC lens
4. Includes a modeling component
5. Uses CER format for explanation

Include:
- The phenomenon and how to present it
- Questions that assess each dimension
- A rubric for evaluating three-dimensional understanding
- How to distinguish surface-level from deep understanding

Prompt 13.3: Crosscutting Concept Development

I want to explicitly develop my [grade level] students' understanding and use of the crosscutting concept: [specific CCC].

Design a sequence that:
1. Introduces the CCC explicitly with accessible examples
2. Applies the CCC across multiple phenomena in my [subject area] unit on [topic]
3. Shows how the CCC connects to other CCCs
4. Helps students transfer the CCC to new situations
5. Builds toward this generalization about the CCC: [generalization]

Include:
- An introductory activity that makes the CCC visible
- Discussion questions that develop CCC thinking
- A transfer task where students apply the CCC to something new
- Assessment items that evaluate CCC understanding

Prompt 13.4: Investigation Design Support

My [grade level] students are investigating [phenomenon/question] to develop understanding of [concepts].

Help me design the investigation so it:
1. Allows students to make genuine discoveries
2. Develops target conceptual understanding
3. Engages students in authentic science practices
4. Produces data that enables meaningful analysis
5. Leads to evidence-based explanations

Include:
- How to launch the investigation (without giving away conclusions)
- Materials and procedures
- Data collection tools
- Discussion questions for analysis
- How to facilitate the move from data to explanation

Prompt 13.5: Model-Based Instruction

I want to use models as central tools for learning in my [grade level] unit on [topic].

Design a model-based sequence where students:
1. Create initial models showing their current thinking
2. Revise models throughout the unit based on new evidence
3. Use models as thinking tools, not just products
4. Develop understanding that models are useful but limited

Include:
- What the initial model task should look like
- How to facilitate productive revision
- Questions that push students to evaluate and improve models
- How to assess modeling ability alongside content understanding

My target concepts are [list] and generalization is [generalization].

Key Takeaways

Science is naturally conceptual: NGSS's crosscutting concepts provide ready-made conceptual framework for science CBI
Phenomena drive inquiry: Observable, puzzling events create authentic need to learn and sustain investigation
Three dimensions integrate: CBI connects disciplinary ideas, crosscutting concepts, and science practices naturally
CCCs enable transfer: Crosscutting concepts are the key to transfer across science disciplines and into life
Science practices are essential: Students should do science, not just learn about science; CBI makes this possible
Models are thinking tools: Models represent understanding and evolve as understanding develops
Evidence grounds explanation: CER framework structures scientific thinking; students must support claims with evidence and reasoning

Reflection Questions

How phenomenon-centered is your current science instruction? What would it take to start with puzzling events rather than vocabulary?
Which crosscutting concepts do you currently emphasize? Which are you underutilizing? How might you make CCCs more explicit?
How often do your students engage in authentic science practices? What practices deserve more attention?
How do you use models in your instruction? How might models become more central to student thinking?
What does your current assessment measure? How could you better assess three-dimensional understanding?

In the next chapter, we explore CBI in Social Studies, where concepts like power, change, and perspective help students make sense of human experience across time and place.