Next Generation Science Standards encourage science instruction that offers not only opportunities for inquiry but also the diverse social and cognitive processes involved in scientific thinking and communication. This article gives an introduction to Lave and Wenger's (1991) communities of practice framework as a potential way of viewing students' role in science learning communities. It then discusses potential benefits of communities of practice for middle level learners in terms of motivation, identity, and academic outcomes and explains how technology and appropriate support can be used to build communities of practice at the middle school level.