5E Instructional Model Online

The 5Es model provides a constructivist framework for a guided-inquiry approach where students are guided to think and work scientifically by collecting and analysing their own evidence, and communicate their ideas with others.

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The 5Es model is fantastic to plan a well structure inquiry-based lesson that provides a solid guide for sequence reasoning and thinking.

It also has a growing base of research to support its effectiveness, and has had a significant impact on science education.

The five stages of the 5Es Instructional Model are designed to facilitate the process of conceptual change and making meaning from their learning experience.

Stage 1: Engage

The purpose of the Engage stage is to evoke students’ prior knowledge, stimulate interest and gather diagnostic data to drive the teaching and learning. The lesson begins with an activity or question that mentally engages students. It captures student interest, provides an opportunity for them to communicate what they know about the subject or skill being developed, and helps them to begin to make connections between what they know and new ideas.

Stage 2: Exploration

Students conduct a collaborative investigation in which they can explore the subject. They engage with the problem or subject and describe it in their own words. It is important that students are allowed to share their experience so they are able to acquire different perspectives and to help each other make sense of the new subject. The Explore phase is typified by multiple opportunities for students to experience hands-on learning and communicate their thinking.

Stage 3: Explain

The main meaning of the Explain stage is to support students to develop scientific explanations, drawing from experiences and observations and using representations. Students continue to develop knowledge of the subject and are able to articulate their developing understanding.

Stage 4: Elaborate

This stage provides opportunities for students to apply what they have learned in the previous stages to new situations and develop a deeper understanding of the subject or greater use of their science inquiry skills. During this stage, it is imperative that students discuss and compare their ideas with each other.

Stage 5: Evaluate

In this final stage, students are meant to review and reflect on their own learning process and on their new acquired understanding. Students should be able to articulate the changes to their understanding and/or skills.

How to do 5E Instructional Model Lessons in LAMS

For the 5E Instructional Model we will use a NASA’s Lunar Habitats — Home on the Moon lesson.

This is the learning design:

Lunar Habitats — 5E Instructional Model Learning Design

Outline of Activities:

1. Introduction & Q&A
2. Grouping based on Interior and Exterior Structure design
3. Branching splits the calls in two groups and send each group to Brainstorm on Interior and Exterior Structure design respectively
4. After they go back to whole class and share their brainstorm with the rest of the class
5. NASA video on factors to consider for Lunar Habitats (linear measurement, Area and Volume)
6. Compare brainstorming factors vs NASA consideration factors (as teams)
7. New Groups (3 students per group)
8. Students explore the relations of linear measurement, area and volume applied to Lunar Habitats
9. Now that the exploration of these context is clear, students use these to calculate the volume of a Lunar Habitat’s main chamber. Students within each group work together in a response.
10. Students get presented with the exact calculation of the Chamber and are asked to compare their own calculations with NASA’s and determine if the scale proposed can work in the Moon or not (based on the previous deciding factors).
11. Students get to view other groups responses, provide feedback and rate them accordingly.
12. Each student reflect on their own personal learning points for the lesson.

Preview this learning design as a student:

Begin lesson

For a step by step run of the learning design or to download it and adapt it to your own teaching, take a look at this card:

Lunar Habitats - 5E Instructional Model

Blended alternative

This lesson works great in a blended or fully online environment.