Domain II

Content Knowledge

The Rose Knows

by Dishelesh Josey

The Rose Knows

Unhooked from the branch,

the rose knows—

water is limited,

sitting beside a woman,

lying on the ground,

without a cup.

Both understand: The sunny skies produce warmth—

Yet, they need water.

What is the alternative

To quench their need?

She cries in her cup to grow.

Before entering this program, I understood science primarily as a collection of scientists and their explanations to be learned, such as Sir Isaac Newton and his three laws of motion. While I could name some scientific ideas, I had not yet learned to see concepts like energy, heat, and systems as tools for making sense of the world through patterns, constraints, and relationships. Over time, my understanding shifted from viewing science as information to viewing it as a process of sense‑making grounded in observable phenomena. Early on, I did not understand that not everything interesting is scientifically investigable, nor how phenomena must become questions that can be observed, measured, patterned, and explained. This understanding is further reflected in my “Is It a Phenomenon?” probe, which required differentiating between observable events that can be investigated and abstract concepts that explain those events, reinforcing my understanding of what makes a phenomenon scientifically meaningful. As Nordine and Lee (2021) explain, “phenomena and problems are central to science and engineering” (p. 5). Making sense of this idea required me to examine how scientific questions are generated, which is reflected in my phenomena concept map. Creating the concept map helped me make visible the distinction between what is merely interesting and what is scientifically investigable by connecting observable events to variables, patterns, and explanatory ideas. Mapping these relationships deepened my understanding of science as a sense‑making process that moves from observation to explanation. This shift is reflected in my poem “The Rose Knows,” which introduces how I now understand science as both a natural and human process. In the poem, growth depends on more than sunlight alone; water becomes the limiting resource. The rose represents a phenomenon governed by energy flow, resource limitation, and environmental conditions—ideas that now anchor my understanding of middle school earth and physical science content (Artifact 1: Phenomenon‑Based Conceptual Framing — “The Rose Knows” and Phenomena Concept Map Reflection).

Understanding what makes a phenomenon scientifically investigable prepared me to engage more deeply with core science ideas, particularly how energy moves through systems and produces observable patterns. As Andersen explains, patterns are everywhere in the universe, and in science, recognized patterns often initiate questions that lead to deeper investigation and explanation (Andersen, 2013). This helped me learn to organize science around big ideas rather than isolated facts. One of the most significant ideas I now understand is that solar energy drives many processes on Earth, including heating, weather, climate, and energy flows. Concepts such as radiation, conduction, and convection provide a conceptual framework for explaining why different materials warm at different rates and why enclosed systems, such as greenhouses, behave differently from their surroundings. I also came to understand that Crosscutting Concepts function as conceptual tools that help organize and connect scientific thinking across disciplines. When used alongside Science and Engineering Practices and Disciplinary Core Ideas, CCCs support explanation and prediction rather than memorization. As Nordine and Lee (2021) note, CCCs, together with SEPs and DCIs, help learners explain and predict phenomena. Recognizing this relationship clarified how patterns, systems, and cause‑and‑effect reasoning allow scientific explanations to transfer across contexts; the same scientific principles apply to both natural phenomena and engineered solutions (Artifact 2: Solar Energy & Heat Transfer Unit Plan). During my coursework, I also came to understand that science knowledge is built through investigation, evidence, and modeling rather than memorization. Analyzing how heat transfers through soil, water, and air requires collecting data, identifying patterns, and revising explanations based on evidence. This process deepened my understanding of the Nature of Science as iterative and self‑correcting. Misconceptions—such as confusing radiation with conduction—are not failures but opportunities for conceptual change when claims are connected to data and underlying mechanisms (Artifact 3: Patterns & EPE Reflection — Week 8 CCC Graphic Organizer for Matter & Energy). Feedback from my TKES Observation #4 (March 30, 2026), conducted during a 7th‑grade aviation weather lesson, noted that students were prompted to move beyond surface‑level observations and analyze forecast data using disciplinary concepts rather than assumptions. This observation reinforced my focus on engaging students in scientific explanation and prediction rather than recall. My understanding of science further expanded through explicit engagement with the Crosscutting Concept of Systems and System Models. I learned that scientific systems are defined by boundaries, components, inputs, interactions, and outputs, and that understanding how energy or information moves within a system is essential for scientific explanation. Through analyzing biological, mechanical, and aviation systems—such as neurons, bristlebots, and aircraft—I recognized that while systems differ in purpose, they share common structural principles. Tracing how inputs move through internal components to produce outputs clarified how changes in one part of a system can alter the behavior of the whole. This system‑based perspective strengthened my ability to explain phenomena across contexts and reinforced science as a discipline concerned with relationships, interactions, and the flow of energy and matter rather than isolated facts.

Applying science content to real places further deepened my understanding of why phenomena‑based learning matters. An empty lot near the Martin Luther King Jr. burial crypt prompted me to consider how energy, systems, and environmental conditions shape what is possible in each space. Considering the development of a greenhouse in this location required analyzing how sunlight, heat transfer, surrounding structures, and materials interact to create conditions for plant growth. The greenhouse emerged as a bounded system, with clearly defined boundaries through which energy flows could be observed, measured, and explained using scientific ideas. Framing this place through science content clarified how concepts such as radiation, insulation, and system boundaries support explanation and prediction, reinforcing science as a tool for understanding and responding to real‑world conditions rather than as abstract knowledge.

My understanding of science further expanded through explicit engagement with crosscutting concepts, particularly patterns, systems, and cause‑and‑effect. I learned that patterns do not appear automatically; they must be surfaced through careful observation, data organization, and representation. Tracing matter and energy through inputs and outputs helped me see how systems can be analyzed across scales and how regularities emerge through investigation. I also came to understand that patterns function differently in science and engineering. In science, patterns support explanation and prediction by revealing why phenomena occur, while in engineering they support design and optimization through repeated testing and refinement. Recognizing this distinction clarified how scientific knowledge functions beyond the classroom as a way of making sense of the natural world.

Connecting science content to lived experiences has become central to how I understand its relevance. Concepts such as heat transfer are visible in everyday experiences, including cooking, heating and cooling homes, car interiors, and agricultural practices. When science is grounded in familiar contexts, learners are better positioned to reason why phenomena occur and how scientific knowledge informs decisions related to sustainability, energy efficiency, and environmental stewardship.

References

Andersen, P. (2013, October 23). Bozeman science: Patterns [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSb3tSKhCr0

NGSS Lead States. (2013). Next Generation Science Standards: For states, by states. National Academies Press. https://www.nextgenscience.org/

Nordine, J., & Lee, O. (2021). Crosscutting concepts: Strengthening science and engineering learning. NSTA Press.