Just-in-Time Teaching

When using the Ambitious Science Teaching framework, one of the big takeaways is this:

Give students instruction at the right moment.

That’s the heart of what’s called just-in-time instruction—offering direct teaching only when it’s truly needed, not just because the lesson plan says “insert notes here.” It’s about being responsive and intentional.

Think of it like a first aid kit. You don’t get one out at any old time —you pull it out when it’s needed, because it’s needed. The same goes for direct instruction: it's most effective when it responds to student thinking in real time, not when it's scheduled for Tuesday at 10:15.

Let’s Talk About Mountains... and Moments

Here’s an example.

Let’s say you’ve launched a unit with the phenomenon: “Where did the Appalachian Mountains go?”

Your students might have some general ideas—maybe they’ve heard of erosion or know mountains can “get smaller,” but they probably don’t have a solid understanding of the processes involved. They’re curious. They’re wondering. And this is where you come in—not with a full lecture, but with a purposeful pivot.

You might say something like: “You’ve come up with some really great ideas. To explore these further, I need to give you a few key concepts to help us go deeper.”

Why This Small Shift Matters

That change in timing and tone is everything. Instead of front-loading the entire unit with notes and lectures (what I call “box units,” where everything fits into tidy compartments), you’re doing something more powerful:

• Supporting student inquiry

• Providing key concepts when students are ready for them

• Building on prior knowledge

• Helping them make sense of new and complex ideas in context

It’s a shift from compliance-based learning to curiosity-driven exploration. And yes, there’s a time for direct instruction—this is that time. But it’s no longer the first step; it’s a meaningful, strategic move.

So How Do You Actually Do It?

When it’s time to provide support, don’t teach the “answer” to the phenomenon. Teach the general concepts around it. Give students the tools they need to think more deeply and draw their own conclusions.

This is where interactive notes come in. Not as something to copy passively, but as a structure to explore and annotate. Think of them as a concept-building tool, not a content dump.

A Real-Life Example

Back to the Appalachian Mountains.

My students already suspected that some form of physical weathering had taken place. They didn’t yet know the types or details. That’s when I introduced my Learning A.L.O.T - Physical Weathering Notes (which you can grab for free if you’re curious).

We used these notes after curiosity had already been sparked. Students read, annotated, and interacted with the content. Then, I asked:

“Based on what we know about the Appalachian region, the climate, and what we’ve observed in photos—Which of these physical weathering processes most likely occurred?”

Now they weren’t just writing down facts. They were using what they learned to explain a real-world phenomenon.

If you're feeling done with the box-unit mindset (you know, the kind where everything fits neatly into Monday–Friday with color-coded tabs), you’re not alone. It’s time to let go of the “Day 2 = notes” routine and start thinking of notes as tools, not checklists. They don’t have to come first. They just have to come at the right time.

Interested in bringing A.L.O.T. of Learning into your classroom and staying aligned with NGSS? Check out my growing collection of interactive notes on TPT, all titled Learning A.L.O.T. These aren’t just notes—they include color-coding, class activities, space to annotate, and a final one-pager to help students organize and remember what they’ve learned.