ABSTRACT
One tried-and-true way to hook students' attention and promote long-lasting understanding is to sequence science instruction in an explore-before-explain instructional sequence. In these lessons, students investigate the interaction between "cold" and "hot" substances and density to understand how fluids interact in air and water. The student-based activities are suited to a research-based strategy called the PSOE (predict, share, observe, and explain) sequence of instruction. The PSOE instructional sequence is a useful tool for designing science lessons because it helps teachers to focus on important concepts and highlights that students learn best when they are actively engaged in thinking and doing and have the chance to build new ideas before teacher explanations. The use of the Predict Observe, and Explain (POE) helped us prompt sixth grade students enrolled in Earth and Space science class to think about the mechanism behind weather patterns.
