Some educators use what we call a "hook" as a key element in their lessons. We use "hooks" to get our students interested in what it is we are teaching. Many teachers have adopted the Next Generation Science Standards and establish the phenomena as the engine that drives scientific investigation and learning in the classroom. We use phenomena to illustrate the melding of real-world scientific investigation, research, and practices with science teaching found in middle and high school settings. Interested students are more motivated, curious, and attentive. This increases the likelihood that they will not only learn the material to a greater degree, but also retain the information longer. A wider variety and volume of phenomena provides more hooks, which in turn increases the instructor's ability to deliver an engaging lesson that immerses students in the core ideas of the scientific process.