Science Modeling Talks is a podcast series that introduces you to top science Modeling teachers and thought leaders in a relaxed and conversational interview format.
In our episodes, you'll hear stories and ideas that help the science education community learn and grow as effective classroom teachers. Visit our website for show note, links and more info about our guests: sciencemodelingtalks.com
Episode 85 - Christy Jo Geraci - College, High School and Middle School Modeler
In this month's podcast, Mark talks with CJ, who has taught a wide variety of sciences using modeling methods with students from third grade through high school. They talk about the differences between a middle school and a high school modeling classroom and about the similarities. They talk about making connections and how valuable the support from the modeling community has been when trying to get a lab set up correctly, or trying to figure out any number of issues.
Guest
Christy Jo Geraci
CJ came across modeling instruction while taking graduate courses in education as part of a career pivot to teaching K-12 science after spending the first part of her career in academia, including some research work in a variety of countries around the world. She has taught biology, physics, chemistry, and has used modeling methods with high school, middle school, and even third grade classes.
Email (mailto:Cgeraci@modelinginstruction.org) | LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/christyjogeraci/)
Highlights
[18:28] CJ: "because we start with the lab in modeling instruction versus doing the lab at the end to confirm what we learned in the textbook, if a student misses a lab or if something in the lab doesn't go right, then they can feel left out throughout the rest of the process. So having a video of the lab or having an interactive lab or a virtual lab for them to go to if they were absent or if their group's data didn't work, that's really helpful."
Resources
Download Transcript
Ep 85 Transcript (https://sciencemodelingtalks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/SMT-Ep85-ChristyJoGeraci-Transcript.pdf)
1 Sept 2026
Episode 84 – Levi Torrison – Seasoned Workshop Leader – Why Modeling is so Important
In this episode, Mark talks with Levi Torrison about his background in modeling instruction, the years he has spent facilitating modeling workshops, and the work he has been a part of building out the second semester of modeling chemistry materials. Levi talks about the methods of modeling instruction as a way to get students thinking like scientists, asking questions for themselves, and learning how to discover the answers through investigation.
Guest
Levi Torrison
Levi graduated with his phd in chemistry from ASU in 2003. He has been teaching at Estrella Mountain Community College for 20 years. He took his first modeling workshop with Russ Shaffer in the summer of 2008 and began leading workshops the following summer of 2009. I have taught chemistry I and II workshops as well as the thermodynamics course. This summer I finished my 22 workshop in Utah.
Highlights
[28:58] Levi: "most science teachers will tell you that they would rather teach critical thinking than content."
[29:11] Levi: "most teachers will tell you, "Man, I really wish these students would learn how to think." And this is the way to do that, is having them sit down with data, having them perform the experiment and collect the data and do the graphing and do all the thinking."
[31:02] Levi: "teaching this way with a modeling curriculum, you have instantaneous assessment. When you have students that build a whiteboard together as a group and ask each other questions and sit there and go through, you can immediately tell what they actually understand for real."
Resources
Download Transcript
Ep 84 Transcript (https://sciencemodelingtalks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/SMT-Ep84-LeviTorrison-Transcript.pdf)
In this episode, Mark talks with Aaron Mueller about his experiences with modeling instruction. They talk about getting students to think like scientists, questioning one another, and using both inductive and deductive reasoning. They talk about the connection between NGSS and modeling instruction and about some of Aaron's tips for new teachers and book recommendations.
Guest
Aaron Mueller
Aaron Mueller is a 7th grade Science Teacher in Naperville, Illinois. He has been teaching for 26 years and began Modeling in 2012-13. Through his career, he has taught middle and high school science. Aaron has experience with modeling workshops in Biology, Mechanics, and Middle School.
Highlights
[5:19] Aaron: "So students that are, ELL to having a 504 IEP, gifted even, their sets of languages are so different. However, modeling can bring them together really easily through observation, inferencing, gathering evidence, explaining the evidence, drawing."
[17:10] Aaron: "I feel like a way to describe NGSS is like that framework or backbone and modeling to me is that key to turn it on and let it go."
Resources
Download Transcript
Ep 83 Transcript (https://sciencemodelingtalks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/SMT-Ep83-AaronMueller-Transcript.pdf)
Links
[Book] Science Blind by Andrew Shtulman (https://www.amazon.com/Scienceblind-Intuitive-Theories-About-World/dp/0465053947)
[Book] Science in the City by Bryan A. Brown (https://www.amazon.com/Science-City-Culturally-Relevant-Education/dp/1682533743)
[Book] Ambitious Science Teaching by Jessica Jane Thompson, Mark Windschitl, and Melissa Braaten (https://www.amazon.com/Ambitious-Science-Teaching-Mark-Windschitl/dp/1682531627)
[Book] Questions, Claims, and Evidence: The Important Place of Argument in Children's Science Writing (https://www.amazon.com/Questions-Claims-Evidence-Important-Childrens/dp/0325017271)
[Video] Dr. Brian Hand - Science Writing Heuristic (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vaA-Nt_Ahc)
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
18 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 28 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
21
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
85
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