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Graduation Term

Summer 2026

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

School of Teaching and Learning

Committee Chair

Ryan Brown

Committee Member

Allison Antink-Meyer

Committee Member

Erin Quast

Abstract

This qualitative case study examined how teacher questioning during classroom discourse supported fifth-grade students’ scientific sensemaking in an elementary science classroom. Grounded in sociocultural theory and the Noticing and Responding framework, the study explored how questioning practices functioned within inquiry-based science instruction focused on matter concepts, including physical and chemical properties, physical and chemical changes, and mixtures. Data sources included eight classroom observations, field notes, teacher interviews, and student artifacts. Data analysis involved identifying question types using Chin’s (2007) questioning framework and examining how the teacher attended to, interpreted, and responded to students’ thinking using an adapted Attend–Interpret–Respond framework. Findings indicated that classroom discourse was dominated by basic information and procedural questions, which primarily supported participation, vocabulary development, and task completion. Guiding questions functioned as a bridge between students’ observations and conceptual understanding by prompting learners to connect evidence with scientific ideas. Although elaborating, reflective, and challenging questions occurred less frequently, they were associated with richer opportunities for explanation-building, evidence-based reasoning, and collaborative sensemaking. Analysis further revealed that scientific sensemaking was most evident when questioning practices extended beyond recall and were coupled with responsive instructional moves that built upon students’ ideas. The findings suggest that teacher questioning plays an important role in shaping opportunities for scientific sensemaking and highlight the value of responsive questioning practices that promote deeper reasoning, explanation, and student engagement in scientific discourse. The findings have implications for elementary science instruction, teacher preparation, and professional learning.

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