Teaching Through Wonder: A Science Teacher's Guide to Phenomenon-Based Learning
Every student is born curious. The challenge isn't getting students to learn science-it's helping them see science in the world around them.
Teaching Through Wonder is a practical, classroom-tested guide designed to help educators transform traditional science instruction into engaging, inquiry-driven learning experiences through Phenomenon-Based Learning (PhBL). Instead of teaching isolated facts and vocabulary, educators learn how to anchor instruction around real-world phenomena that spark curiosity, encourage investigation, and build deeper conceptual understanding.
Written by an experienced science educator and doctoral student specializing in science curriculum design, this book provides a clear roadmap for implementing Phenomenon-Based Learning in K-12 classrooms. Readers will discover how to select powerful phenomena, develop meaningful driving questions, connect standards to authentic events, and create lessons that encourage students to think and act like scientists.
Inside you'll learn how to:
• Understand the core principles of Phenomenon-Based Learning
• Choose phenomena that sustain inquiry and engagement
• Design lessons and units around authentic scientific questions
• Avoid common implementation pitfalls
• Align inquiry-based instruction with state standards and testing expectations
• Create coherent learning experiences that build lasting understanding
• Use planning tools, templates, and implementation resources
• Adapt phenomenon-based instruction across grade levels K-12
The book also includes ready-to-use planning templates, reflection tools, phenomenon selection checklists, and sample lesson sequences spanning kindergarten through high school science.
Whether you're new to inquiry-based teaching or looking to strengthen your current practice, Teaching Through Wonder provides the tools, strategies, and inspiration needed to cultivate curiosity, deepen learning, and bring science to life.
Because science isn't just something students learn-it's something they experience.
