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Scaffolding for Success in the Science Classroom: Building Rigor and Productive Struggle
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm EDT
Presented by Kelley Turner, Ed.D., K–12 Science Supervisor for Winchester Public Schools (VA), Assessment Coordinator for the Virginia School Consortium for Learning, and Lead Curriculum Developer for School Specialty; and Erik Benton, Director of OpenSciEd Development, School Specialty
Sponsored by School Specialty
Learn more about viewing the live presentation and the recording, earning your CE certificate, and using our new accessibility features.
Rigorous science instruction should challenge students while still providing the support they need to succeed. This edWebinar explores how to design scaffolds that maintain high expectations, create equitable access, and promote productive struggle in the classroom.
Viewers learn practical strategies—such as sentence frames, data analysis supports, and visual organizers—that help students engage in complex science ideas and practices without lowering the cognitive demand. We also examine how scaffolds can be adjusted or removed over time to build independence and confidence.
Educators leave with tools to:
- Anticipate and plan for student needs during investigations
- Design scaffolds that support sensemaking while preserving rigor
- Create opportunities for all learners, including multilingual students and struggling readers, to fully participate
By the end of this session, teachers are ready to begin designing science instruction that balances support with challenge and builds toward deeper student learning. This recorded edWebinar is of interest to K-12 teachers and school leaders.
About the Presenters
Kelley Turner, Ed.D., is the K–12 Science Supervisor for Winchester Public Schools and Assessment Coordinator for the Virginia School Consortium for Learning. With over 25 years in science education, she has led projects to create statewide science assessment resources and promote instructionally relevant assessment practices. She has presented at state and national conferences and served as a consultant for the State Performance Assessment Learning Collaborative (SPA-LC) with the Learning Policy Institute.
In her work, Dr. Turner supports schools in designing curricula and instruction that emphasize real-world science applications, integrate AI to enhance learning, and use inclusive strategies that make science accessible for all students. As Lead Curriculum Developer with School Specialty, she focuses on embedding effective assessment practices and differentiated supports into the OpenSciEd curriculum to ensure equitable access and engagement for students, including those with disabilities and emerging multilingual learners.
Erik Benton is the Director of OpenSciEd Development at School Specialty, LLC. Erik is a seasoned science education professional with over 24 years of experience spanning classroom teaching, curriculum and product development, team leadership, and program redesign. His work has focused on aligning instructional materials with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and modernizing them for today’s digital landscape. He also brings deep expertise in designing and leading professional development and professional learning programs for educators. In his role as Director for the OSE Development project, Erik is responsible for building and guiding the development team as they design high-quality instructional resources for science education.
Learn more about viewing the live presentation and the recording, earning your CE certificate, and using our new accessibility features.
Join the Teaching Next Generation Scientists community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming edWebinars, and view recordings of previous programs to earn CE certificates.
School Specialty has been a trusted school supply store for over 60 years, providing the tools and resources that students, administrators, and teachers need to reach their educational goals. From expertly curated product collections and professional development opportunities to our podcast series tackling current topics in education, we’re committed to transforming more than classrooms. Whether you need essential teacher supplies for the new year or you’re an administrator designing a new learning space, we have you covered.
