SEP in Action: Helping Students Think with Models

Welcome to Our SEP Series: Exploring Science PracticesOver the next few weeks, we’ll be diving into the Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs), exploring how each one plays a crucial role in developing critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills in science education. These practices are central to how we learn and apply scientific concepts in the classroom.

What Are SEPs?

The Science and Engineering Practices are intentionally scaffolded across grade levels. This progression ensures students continuously deepen their understanding and application of modeling as their cognitive skills grow.

​The eight SEPs are:

• Asking questions and defining problems
• Developing and using models
• Planning and carrying out investigations
• Analyzing and interpreting data
• Using mathematics and computational thinking
• Constructing explanations and designing solutions
• Engaging in argument from evidence
• ​Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

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Why SEPs Matter in Middle School Science

Middle school is a pivotal time for students to develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills. SEPs provide a framework for students to experience science firsthand—engaging in activities that challenge them to think like scientists and engineers. Whether they are building models, conducting investigations, or analyzing data, students are practicing real-world skills that will benefit them in every aspect of their lives.
By emphasizing the SEPs in middle school, students not only gain knowledge but also develop the tools to think critically, ask meaningful questions, and solve problems in innovative ways. These skills are essential not only for science but for life in general.
This week, we’re focusing on Developing and Using Models—a cornerstone practice that helps students visualize, test, and refine ideas. Whether they're building a prototype, drawing a diagram, or using a simulation, modeling allows students to explore complex scientific phenomena in tangible and meaningful ways.

What Does Developing and Using Models Mean?

Models are simplified representations of complex objects, systems, or phenomena. These might include physical replicas, diagrams, graphs, simulations, or conceptual explanations. At the middle school level, students are expected to:

• Develop or revise models based on evidence
• Use models to test cause-and-effect relationships
• Predict outcomes of changes to a system
• Represent unobservable mechanisms, like molecular motion or energy transfer

Importantly, students are also expected to evaluate limitations of their models, reflecting a growing understanding that all models are simplifications.

Common Challenges for Middle School Students ​

While modeling is a powerful tool, students often face predictable hurdles:

• Overcomplicating the model: Students may try to include too many details, which can confuse the viewer. A strong model is focused, clear, and communicates the essential elements.
• Lack of labeling: Unlabeled models hinder communication. Using clear labels tied to scientific vocabulary strengthens both understanding and accuracy.
• Inconsistent use of scientific language: Using terms like evaporation, plate boundary, or mitochondria helps students internalize content and communicate their thinking effectively.
  
  

Difficulty revising models: Students may see models as static. Encouraging them to revise based on evidence teaches the iterative nature of science.

Models in Action: Investigating Human Leg Anatomy

In our Grade 6 Cells and Systems unit, students explore how the human body functions through a dissection of a chicken wing a stand-in for the human arm and leg. This hands-on investigation allows them to observe real structures and develop models of how muscles, joints, and bones work together to create movement.
Students then draw and label anatomical models based on evidence from their dissection and from reference materials such as X-rays and MRIs. This activity challenges them to represent both observable structures and unobservable functions, such as muscle contraction or joint stability.

Empowering Students Through Models

 Developing and Using Models isn’t just a checkbox on a science standard it’s a powerful lens through which students make sense of the world. Through modeling, students deepen their understanding, apply critical thinking, and engage in authentic scientific practices.
From the chicken wing dissection to weather system models and energy diagrams, students in our classroom learn by doing. They’re not just memorizing facts, they're building explanations, testing predictions, and revising their thinking as they uncover new evidence.
By teaching students to think with models, we equip them with skills that will serve them in high school, in future STEM careers, and as scientifically literate citizens of the world.

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