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One thing I guess I didn't realize before is that concepts are not phenomena. When we create lessons, in order to get students interested and engaged, I think it's helpful to start with a phenomena, not a concept. A concept is something like the example teacher at the beginning of the article had. She had a video that pretty much told students what white blood cells do. I think a phenomena differs because it gives students something to investigate and explore. Especially in science, we want to create an opportunity for students to explore and investigate and dig further. Students learn best when they are able to come upon the conclusions themselves.

Excellent point.  Another way to say this is that there observations and inferences.  Observations are what we experience and inferences are what we think about what we experience.  It is very important to clearly distinguish these as you say.  It is possible to agree on what we experience, and if we do we have a common basis for discussing our inferences.

As you say it is very important to focus on a phenomenon, and our observations of it before we begin to develop inferences.  And as you say, students will only learn, change their minds, based on their own conclusions from their own experiences.  Telling them just doesn't do it.

Good for you!!