Justice-oriented Science Teaching and Learning : Anchoring Phenomena in Secondary Classrooms

This textbook provides K-12 science teachers and educators innovative uses of anchoring phenomenon-based teaching approaches from a justice-oriented lens (Morales-Doyle, 2017). It discusses topics such as the use of anchoring phenomenon-based pedagogies, qualities of productive anchoring phenomena and includes examples of unit plans that use anchoring phenomena and social justice science issues to create storylines to foster students’ multiple pathways to knowing and learning in the science classrooms. The book is beneficial to K-12 science teachers and science educators who are interested in facilitating students’ sense-making of a real-world phenomenon and engaging in three-dimensional science instruction (NGSS Lead States, 2013). By providing examples of unit plans based on theoretical groundings of anchoring phenomenon-based instruction and justice-oriented science teaching, this book provides a great resource to students, professionals, teachers, and academics in science education.   

David Steele is a Science Education faculty member at Alder Graduate School of Education, California, USA. His research examines the impacts of societal barriers such as heterosexism and heteronormativity on gay men in STEM. As a science teacher educator, Steele is passionate about preparing science teachers to enact a justice-oriented science education that promotes social justice and equity.

Alison Mercier is an Assistant Professor of Elementary Science Education at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, WY, USA. Her research focuses on co-creating responsive STEM learning environments for pre-service and in-service teachers by focusing on justice-centered pedagogy, identity affirming spaces, and teachers' agency.