Group Learning Routines as a Tool to Build Equitable Learning Experiences in a Biology Classroom.

The vision behind the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) is that all students engage in explaining phenomena and designing solutions with three-dimensional learning. Authentic sensemaking involves opportunities for learners to share, analyze, and critique ideas in collaborative groups. However, it can be challenging to structure classroom discourse so that all students actively participate. This article outlines the success of two teachers using Group Learning Routines (GLR), or peer-to-peer discussion protocols, to support diverse learners. The routines are embedded in the New Visions for Public Schools Biology Curriculum which is open source and storyline-based. The unit described here engages students in an exploration of the mismatch between how our bodies and our environments function. Embedded routines structure student talk throughout a learning sequence culminating in class consensus discussion, in which students collaboratively decide on a class-wide explanation of the phenomenon. Resources, such as rubrics, descriptions of the routines, and example student work are provided to support classroom implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]