Planning for the Unexpected: How Uncertainty Drives Scientific Practice

Uncertainty is often seen as a barrier to student learning in science, yet it is central to the work of scientists and can be a powerful catalyst for engagement and sensemaking in the classroom. This article explores how uncertainty shows up across the science practices described in the Next Generation Science Standards, from asking questions to constructing explanations and arguing from evidence. Drawing from our experiences as teacher educators and researchers across K–12 contexts, we illustrate how teachers can plan for and support productive uncertainty to deepen students’ science thinking. We share classroom vignettes, practical strategies, and a framework for anticipating and responding to moments of uncertainty. Rather than removing ambiguity, we argue that teachers can learn to recognize, scaffold, and strategically focus uncertainty in ways that position students as capable investigators. When embraced thoughtfully, uncertainty becomes a resource for students to engage more deeply with science practices and for teachers to treat students’ ideas as meaningful contributions to classroom inquiry.