The Who What When Why How of it all

Why

For the past eight years, I have had the privilege of teaching astronomy to high school students. Sharing my passion for the universe has always been exciting, but each year I faced challenges with student engagement and motivation. By the end of many semesters, I often felt the urge to scrap what I had created and start over, searching for ways to design a learning experience that truly connected with every student. My classes are primarily made up of 11th- and 12th-grade students, each bringing unique backgrounds, interests, and needs into the classroom.

Over time, I began to think of my students as coming in different “flavors,” each with distinct characteristics:

  • Honey-flavored students are the ones who come in with genuine excitement about space and science. They don’t necessarily need the science credit, but they choose the class because of their interest and curiosity.

  • Sour apple students are those who have never enjoyed science and often feel defeated before they even begin. They tend to see science as confusing or impossible and usually take the class only because they need the graduation credit.

  • Rock candy students represent the slow-and-steady learners. Many have individualized learning plans and need additional time and support to process new material. Some lean toward the honey-flavored group, but most often they identify more with sour apple.

  • Pop rocks students are unpredictable. They may be present and engaged one day and absent the next, often without making up missed work. Despite irregular attendance, they still hope to earn credit for the class.

  • Candy cane students are those who come from the special education or autism support classrooms. They bring passion and joy to being part of the class, often engaging best in one-on-one settings. Their academic levels usually range from first to fifth grade, and they typically attend with an aide. Almost without exception, they are “honey-flavored” in spirit—enthusiastic and eager to participate in their own way.

This diverse blend of learners has shaped not only the challenges I face in teaching astronomy, but also the opportunities I have to rethink, redesign, and continually improve how I bring the cosmos to life for my students. For this reason, most the the lessons I make are aimed at about the 8th grade level, but hopefully built so that a student can either choose to go deeper and challenge themselves or stay at a more basic level.

What and Who

With the state’s adoption of the Utah SEEd standards, the astronomy standards were revised and released in 2021—right in the midst of the challenges brought on by Covid-19 health precautions. At that time, many of the typical supports and resources that usually accompany the rollout of new standards were delayed or never developed.

I have long been a proponent of the three-dimensional learning methods introduced through the NGSS framework, and I was excited to see these approaches reflected in Utah’s updated SEEd standards. However, figuring out how to fully implement them in my own classroom quickly became one of my greatest challenges. I believe that by teaching through this lens, I can more effectively reach all of my learners at their own levels, providing a truly personalized learning experience.

My master’s research project grew out of this need. I focused on investigating the resources already available, identifying gaps, and considering how I might contribute to and expand upon what exists. My work has been heavily influenced by the research and practices of Brett Moulding and his team at Phenomenal GRC Lessons, as well as by the frameworks outlined in The Art and Science of Teaching and the proficiency strand models developed by Robert J. Marzano, David C. Yanoski, and Diane E. Paynter.

In addition, much of the curriculum and activities I have developed stem directly from my own classroom experiences—experimenting, observing, and responding to the varied interest levels of my students. Their engagement (or lack thereof) has been one of the strongest guiding forces in shaping the lessons, strategies, and resources I have built for this project.

How and When

Through my involvement with the Utah STEM Action Center’s Secondary Educator Innovators program, I have been given the opportunity and support to create this site and continue building it over the next several years. My projected completion date for the full project is Spring 2027. However, this site will not be static! I will continue hosting, updating, and refining the lessons so they remain relevant, engaging, and useful for both teachers and students.

Most importantly, I want this to be a collaborative effort. Your experiences, perspectives, and ideas are invaluable in making this site the best it can be. I invite you to contribute by sharing lesson resources, providing feedback on activities you’ve tried, or offering suggestions for improvement. With your permission, I will highlight and share your contributions here so that other educators can benefit from our collective work.

Together, we can create a resource that not only reflects strong educational values but also adapts and grows to meet the diverse needs of our students.