Next Generation Science Standards

A Focus on Scientific and Engineering Practices Summary created by: Fred Ende Regional Science Coordinator Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES

“Likely” New Standard Structure

• The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) will most likely be built around three pillars: – Scientific and Engineering Practices – Crosscutting Concepts – Disciplinary Core Ideas

Scientific and Engineering Practices

• Why focus on practices?

– Helps students and teachers see science practices as more than just those of experimentation – Removes the misconception that there is one “scientific method” while focusing on crucial nature of scientific inquiry – Supports the move towards common science vocabulary – Encourages collaboration and constant building upon of ideas.

Scientific and Engineering Practices

• Practices Included by Framework Designers: – Asking Questions and Defining Problems – Developing and Using Models – Planning and Carrying Out Investigations – Analyzing and Interpreting Data – Using Math, IT, Computer Tech, and Computation – Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions – Engaging in Argument Using Evidence – Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Info

Why Include Practices in Standards?

• Our current science standards focus primarily on content (or skills in which content is the “main priority”) – Skills take a “backseat” in the process of learning • Goal is for new standards to treat practices as an equal partner with core ideas.

– Students can see that science is not only just knowledge, but also how the knowledge is developed, shared, and reflected upon

What Would This Look Like?

• Possible standard or benchmark: “By the end of fifth grade, students will know that matter is neither created nor destroyed, but simply transferred from one object to another.” – Assessment “method” based on current standards: students explain the Law of Conservation of Matter and/or identify the various forms of energy and state two examples of energy transformations.

– Assessment method based on NGSS: students design an experiment to test the Law of Conservation of Matter and/or students develop a Rube Goldberg device that exhibits the transmission of energy from object to object.

What Would This Look Like?

• By building practices into the standards documentation itself, it allows teachers to more effectively engage in higher order thinking experiences and more clearly see connections between content and practices.

• By combining a given practice with a core idea, standard writers should be able to design strong performance expectations.

Arguing with evidence (Practice) Chemical Reactions (Core Idea) Students develop conceptions of, explain, and defend factors leading to chemical reactions (Performance Expectation)

How Will This Change Our Teaching?

• To afford students with adequate opportunities to build on practices, curricula will need to focus on fewer ideas in greater depth • Teaching of content and practices will need to be further entwined to help students see that they are not, in fact, separate entities (no more teaching “The Scientific Method”) • Assessments should focus on the “how” as much as the “what” and “why” – Measures should have students using practices to exhibit core idea knowledge

How Will This Change Our Teaching?

• “Simple” steps to begin integrating practices: – Read Framework – Take a “comfortable” activity and add explanation/argumentation aspects into it (using knowledge and evidence gained to “prove a point”) – Rebuild a lesson to allow for student planning and design – Do a “Practice Survey:” What practices are exhibited often in your curriculum? Which are not? What about in the grade below/above yours?

• Build one new practice into each unit or area of study

Current NGSS Timeline

References

• • • • Achieve, Inc. (2011). Achieve Inc. Retrieved from: http://www.nextgenscience.org/ National Research Council. (2011). A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas. Retrieved from: http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13165 NSTA Learning Center. (2011). A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Retrieved from: http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/NLC/web seminarXI.aspx

NSTA Learning Center. (2011). Making the Transition to Scientific and Engineering Practices: Retrieved from: http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/nsta/webs eminar4.aspx