Direct, purposeful experiences involve firsthand interactions that form the foundation of learning through our senses. Contrived experiences are substitutes used when direct experiences are not practical, and include models, simulations, and specimens. Both types of experiences are important for learning if purposefully designed and facilitated to stimulate questioning and draw meaning from interactions. The document discusses examples and rationales for using direct experiences like cooking or presentations, and contrived experiences like atom models or preserved specimens in biology classrooms.