Science

Since Rhode Island's adoption of The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in 2013, Rhode Island public schools have been working toward full implementation by aligning their curriculum and instruction to the three-dimensional model of science teaching and learning reflected in the NGSS. 

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) were released on April 9, 2013 thus completing a two-step process for their development through the partnership of the National Research Council (NRC), the National Science Teachers Association, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and Achieve. The first step of the process was been led by The National Academies of Science, a non-governmental organization commissioned in 1863 to advise the nation on scientific and engineering issues. The National Research Council (NRC), the functional staffing arm of the National Academies of Science, developed the Framework for K-12 Science Education. The Framework is grounded in the most current research on science and science learning and has identified the science all K–12 students should know.

In step two, managed by Achieve, Rhode Island and 26 other states led the development of the NGSS which are designed to actively engage students in scientific and engineering practices by applying crosscutting concepts to deepen their understanding of the core ideas in science. The Rhode Island Department of Education is proud to have been a Lead State Partner in the development of NGSS. Working as a Lead State, Rhode Island, which was the first state to adopt the NGSS in the spring of 2013, provided leadership and input to the writers of the NGSS as the standards moved through the development process.

Foundations of NGSS

• Next Generation Science Standards Web Site
• NGSS Organized by topic or by disciplinary core ideas
• Rhode Island as an NGSS Lead State
• Next Generation Science Standards downloadable textbook
• A Framework for K-12 Science Education
• Commonly Used Abbreviations [PDF, 165KB]
• The NSTA Readers’ Guide to A Framework for K-12 Science Education
• NGSS Introduction and Overview
• NGSS Evidence Statements
• Nature of Science Connections in the NGSS (NSTA)

NGSS Appendices

• A. Conceptual Shifts
• B. Responses to Public Feedback
• C. College and Career Readiness
• D. All Standards, All Students Case Studies
• E. Disciplinary Core Idea Progression in the NGSS
• F. Science and Engineering Practices – Practices Matrix
• G. Crosscutting Concepts in the NGSS –Crosscutting Concepts Matrix
• H. Nature of Science in the NGSS – Nature of Science Matrix
• I. Engineering Design in the NGSS
• J. Science, Technology, Society, and the Environment
• L. Connections to Common Core State Standards – Mathematics
• M. Connections to Common Core State Standards – Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects

Supporting Publications/Articles

• Ready, Set, Science summarizes findings from the learning sciences and builds detailed cases of science educators at work to make the implications of research clear, accessible, and stimulating for a broad range of science educators
• Taking Science to School provides a comprehensive picture of what we know about teaching and learning science from kindergarten through eighth grade
• The Second Dimension Crosscutting Concepts
• Understanding the Three Dimensions of the NGSS
• Three-Dimensional Instruction
• Three Common Myths About NGSS (NSTA)

Websites

• NGSS@NSTA
• STEM Teaching Tools
• National Association for Research in Science Teaching NGSS Papers
• National Academies Press
• Next Gen Navigator Newsletters -- a monthly e-newsletter delivering information, insights, resources, and professional learning opportunities for science educators by science educators on the Next Generation Science Standards and three-dimensional instruction. 

Videos

• Bozeman Science videos on NGSS
• Teaching Channel NGSS Videos
• Video:  An Introduction to the NGSS (animated drawing)
• Video:  Importance of the Next Generation Science Standards
• Video:  A Vision for K-12 Science Education
• NGSS Vision
• Crosscutting Concepts
• Science and Engineering Practices
• Disciplinary Core Ideas
• Science in Action Videos (Cal Academy of Sciences)

Charts/Posters

• Three Dimensions Summary Chart
• NGSS All Grade DCI Matrix
• Learning Progressions Matrix of DCIs
• Learning Progressions Matrix of SEPs
• Learning Progressions Matrix of CCCs
• Crosscutting Concepts Posters
• Set of Posters for Three Dimensions
• Detailed Science and Engineering Practices Poster
• Matrix of Learning Progressions for Engineering
• Matrix of Learning Progressions Nature of Science

• Guide to Implementing the Next Generation Science Standards
• How to Engage with Next Generation Science Standards & Implement A New Vision for K-12 Science Education
• NGSS Overview for Principals
• Hallmarks of an NGSS School and District
• District Implementation Workbook

Observation and Classroom Walkthrough Tools

• Instructional Leadership for Science Practices

• Bozeman Science Videos on NGSS
• Ambitious Science Teaching
• NGSS Demystified
• Science Teachers’ Learning
• What Professional Development Strategies are Needed for Successful Implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards

Phenomena

• Qualities of a Good Anchor Phenomenon (Research and Practice)
• Using Phenomena in NGSS-Designed Lessons and Units
• Heuristic for Coming up with Academically Productive Phenomena (TJ McKenna)
• Criteria for Evaluating Phenomena (NSTA)
• Using Phenomena in NGSS-Designed Instruction (Video)
• Phenomena for NGSS (TJ McKenna)
• National Geographic Phenomena A Science Salon
• Science News for Students

Course Mapping

• Accelerated Model Course Pathways
• Appendix K: Model Course Mapping
• NSTA video for Course mapping: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwvxmsOv8-M
• Accelerated Model Course Pathways document and video

NGSS Alignment Tools and High Quality Instructional Materials

• Curriculum Alignment Tools: Achieve has developed a range of tools that can be used to evaluate science instructional materials for their alignment to the Next Generation Science Standards. The NGSS Lesson Screener is primarily to evaluate lesson-level materials while the Educators Evaluating the Quality of Instructional Products (EQuIP) Rubric 3.0 can be applied to units of instruction or assessment tasks. The Primary Evaluation of Essential Criteria for NGSS Instructional Materials Design (PEEC) is a tool that was designed to evaluate comprehensive science instructional materials programs (kits, textbooks, modules).
• High Quality Instructional Materials: Achieve also has posted examples of high quality instructional materials that have been evaluated by the EQuIP Peer Review Panel for Science. Science units that have earned the highest rating on the EQuIP Rubric are designated with the NGSS Design Badge.
• To access these Achieve tools and resources, including facilitator guides, please go to the Achieve web page on Evaluating Instructional Materials.

Engineering

• Appendix I. Engineering Design in the NGSS
• Taking Design to School
• Teach Engineering Website
• Engineering is Elementary

Integration of Technology

• Appendix J. Science, Technology, Society, and the Environment

Reports and Articles

• Stanford NGSS Assessment Project (SNAP) – Research articles, sample tasks
• How to Assess Three-Dimensional Learning in the Classroom:  Building Assessment Tasks that Work – These are also on the OER and focus on designing and interpreting assessment tasks for three-dimensional learning.
• Introduction to Formative Assessment to Support Equitable 3D Instruction – a series of modules with tools that could be used by educators to facilitate workshops in their district.  These module were created by top experts in the area of NGSS-aligned assessments are freely accessible through the OER Commons Platform.
• Formative Assessment for NGSS A Proposed Model – Review of literature on formative assessment and proposed conceptual model for design and implementation of assessments for NGSS

Sample NGSS Assessments

• Crosscutting Concepts Flip Charts – a set of charts that can be used as formative assessments for the crosscutting concepts; an elementary set and a secondary set of cards are available
• Classroom Sample Assessment Tasks (Achieve, on NGSS website)
• Next Generation Science Assessment – Free online formative assessments for middle school physical and life sciences; high quality technology-enhanced items. Teacher resources such as guidance documents and rubrics will be added. Developed by leaders in NGSS-designed assessments.
• Stanford NGSS Assessment Project – Resources from leading NGSS assessment experts.  Website includes sample assessments, professional development, and research articles and reports.
• ACESSE Project – Open ed resources consisting of PD modules on 3D formative assessment.  All resources for PD facilitators including slides, speaker notes, guide and embedded resources are available.  Links to individual modules:
  • Session A: Introduction to Formative Assessment to Support Equitable 3D Instruction (60-70 minutes)
  • Session B: How to Assess Three-Dimensional Learning in Your Classroom: Building Assessment Tasks that Work (60-70 minutes)
  • Session C: Making Science Instruction Compelling for All Students: Using Cultural Formative Assessment to Build on Learner Interest and Experience
  • Session D: How to Craft 3D Classroom Science Assessments
• PhET Interactive Simulations – (UC Boulder) Open resource with excellent interactive simulations for all levels and domains in science.
• The Concord Consortium – this is a great site with sample interactive tasks searchable by combinations of DCI, practice and CCC; including Molecular Workbench, an open source site with interactive simulations
• National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Questions Tool – NAEP Science questions from the 2011 or later assessments are somewhat three-dimensional in nature; computer simulations representative of likely format of NGSS assessment tasks

STEM Teaching Tools on Assessment

• #16 The Informal Formative Assessment Cycle as a Model for Teacher Practice
• #18 How teachers can develop formative assessments that fit a three-dimensional view of science learning
• #25 How can formative assessment support culturally responsive argumentation in a classroom community?
• #26 How can assessments be designed to engage students in the range of science and engineering practices?
• #29 Steps to Designing a Three Dimensional Assessment
• #30 Integrating Science Practices Into Assessment Tasks
• #33 How to design assessments for emerging bilingual students
• #34 Designing an assessment System that Measures Three-Dimensional Science Leaning
• #37 Beyond “misconceptions”: How to recognize and build on Facets of student thinking
• #41 Prompts for Integrating Crosscutting Concepts Into Assessment and Instruction

• Appendix L. Connections to Common Core State Standards – Mathematics
• Appendix M. Connections to Common Core State Standards – Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects
• Venn Diagram of SEPs, ELA and Mathematical Practices (NSTA)
• Explanation of Venn Diagram (NSTA)
• Newsela – Free site that presents texts on current science topics with the ability to change the lexile level and provide a variety of versions of the same article.
• Literacy for Science – Downloadable publication on National Academies Press that addresses the integration of Common Core ELA standards in science.
• Relationships and Convergences of CCSS and NGSS – (Understanding Language at Stanford University)
• Exploring the Science Framework: Making connections in math with the CCSS
• Literacy for Science: Exploring the Intersection of the Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core for ELA Standards – A Workshop Summary – The report summarizes presentations and discussions at a workshop by the Board on Science to discuss possible areas of synergy between the NGSS and the CCSS-ELA and CCSS-Math.

• STEM Teaching Tools See #15,27, and 31
• Appendix D. All Standards, All Students (Diversity and Equity) – Case Studies
• Language Demands and Opportunities in Relation to NGSS
• http://ngcproject.org/engaging-girls-stem
• Language Demands and Opportunities in Relation to Next Generation Science Standards for English Language Learners: What Teachers Need to Know – H. Quinn, O. Lee, G. Valdez [PDF, 196KB]
• Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards for Diversity and Equity – Ohkee Lee [PPT, 846KB]
• Supporting the Implementation of Equity – A. Gallard, F. Mensag, W. Pitts [PDF, 199KB]
• Blueprint for Multilingual Learners Success

• Next Gen Navigator Newsletters – A monthly e-newsletter delivering information, insights, resources, and professional learning-opportunities for science educators by science educators on the Next Generation Science Standards and three-dimensional instruction.
• Smithsonian Science How – Excellent resource that connects your students via video webcasts and online text chats to Smithsonian research and experts.  Free media-rich instructional resources are also available through the site.
• Science Friday Educator Collaborative – An educator collaborative comprised of experienced educators who were selected from hundreds of applicants based on their exceptional approaches to STEM teaching and enthusiasm. Five of the seven teachers are from states that have adopted the NGSS. Check out the resources on their website, and the SciFri monthly education newsletter (you can sign up to receive Science Friday experiments and lesson idea each month)
• PhET Interactive Simulations (UC Boulder) – Open resource with excellent interactive simulations for all levels and domains in science.
• The Concord Consortium – This is a great site with sample interactive tasks searchable by combinations of DCI, practice and CCC; including Molecular Workbench, an open source site with interactive simulations
• HHMI Biointeractive – Free science multimedia resources, including apps, animations, videos, interactives, and virtual labs with associated teacher guides and classroom activities.
• MIT Blossoms – Free video lessons for high school available as streaming video, internet downloads and DVDs. 50-minute lessons include video segments, teacher’s guide, downloadable handouts and list of online resources.
• Ecology Disrupted – High quality NGSS-aligned case study units developed by American Museum of Natural History for middle or high school students. Ecology Disrupted uses videos about scientific research to introduce students to environmental impacts that arise from familiar everyday human behaviors.  As students work with the researchers' data and analyses, they see how these impacts disrupt normal ecological functions even as they make everyday life more convenient.  Students are asked to consider how changing everyday activity might mitigate the human impact on the ecology of the natural world.
• San Francisco Unified School District Middle School Science Core Curriculum – Instructional units for 6^th grade are currently available with 7^th and 8^th grade ones in development.  These are NGSS-designed project-based lessons utilizing the 5E Instructional Model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate). Evidence-based reasoning for scientific explanations and engineering solutions to address real world problems is emphasized.
• Achieve Website: Quality Examples of Science Lessons and Units – These are lessons and units that have been evaluated by the EQuIP Peer Review Panel for Science and found to be Examples of High Quality NGSS Design, Examples of High Quality NGSS Design if Improved, or Quality Works in Progress. Check the site regularly for added lessons/units.
  • Grade 1: How Does Light Help Me See Things And Communicate With Others? (v1.1)
  • Grade 2: Why is Our Corn Changing? (v1.0)
  • Middle School: An Ocean of Plastics
  • Middle School: Disruptions in Ecosystems
  • Middle School: How Can We Hear So Many Different Sounds From Across the Room?
  • Middle School: MySci Module 5 Waves
  • High School: Interactions Unit 1 - Why do some clothes stick together when they come out of the dryer?
  • High School: Why Don't Antibiotics Work Like They Used To? (v1.0)