Reading the Next Generation Science Standards

A little background….

• Next Generation Science Standards - based on the Framework for K-12 Science Education

• Every NGCC standard has three dimensions• Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCI)• Science and Engineering Practice (SEP)• Cross-cutting Concepts (CCC)

*** Please refer to the List of Acronyms Sheet

The Three Dimensions• These three

dimensions intertwine together like a rope all feeding into the overall Performance Expectations (PE)

Performance Expectation

Science & Engineering

Disciplinary Core Ideas

Cross-cutting Concepts

Let’s look at this example…..

We will start with the box at the top, which are the Performance Expectations

This box at the very top of the Next Generation Science Standard contains what are called “Performance Expectations” or “PE “

• This box contains Performance Expectations. They are highlighted in yellow.

• The red text under each PE is a clarification statement, along with assessment boundaries

MS stands for Middle School – LS stands for Life Science

More on PE’s• They are statements of what a student

should be able to do AFTER or at the END of instruction

• These PE’s contain what will be assessed

• They are not instructional strategies OR lesson objectives.

• Many lessons will be needed to satisfy a PE

Now let’s look at the three colored boxes under the PE’s.

These are called Foundation Boxes (FB)

They are color coded for a reason. Blue is for Science & Engineering, Orange for Disciplinary Core Ideas, and Green for Cross-cutting Concepts.

• The yellow highlighted sections in each foundation box shows which PE it connects with.

• Example – Look at Science and Engineering. The second down under “Constructing Explanation…” goes with PE MS-LS1-5

Science and Engineering Piece

• Let’s use Appendix F

• This appendix will help you really understand what the Science and Engineering piece looks like when applying it to a performance expectation

Let’s look at “Constructing Explanations…” again. This SEP practice goes with PE MS-LS1-5

Find “Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions” in Appendix F. It should be Practice #6

Read through it….it will clarify for you what is needed to satisfy the SEP for PE MS-LS1-5

MS stands for Middle School – LS stands for Life Science

Disciplinary Core Ideas

• DIC’s are derived from the Framework for K-12 Science Education

• These are essential science ideas that all students should know

• Appendix E is helpful to look at because it shows the progression within the NGSS

These work similar to the SEP’s.

Let’s look at LS3.A – Inheritance of Traits.

The first DCI goes with PE MS-LS3-1 and the second DCI goes with MS-LS3-2

MS stands for Middle School – LS stands for Life Science

Cross-cutting Concepts• Appendix G contains 7 cross-cutting

concepts with an explanation of each

• These remind me of the Universal Science Concepts or “Big Ideas” of science

Let’s look at “Structure and Function”. This CCC goes with PE MS-LS3-1

Find “Structure and Function” in Appendix G. It should be #6

Read through it….it will clarify for you what is needed to satisfy the CCC for PE MS-LS3-1

MS stands for Middle School – LS stands for Life Science

The Bottom Portion

• Bottom portion of document shows connections to other DCI’s

• It also shows connections to ELA and Math Common Core Standards

Let’s put it together…

• Step 1 - Select one PE and read it. Make sure to read the clarification statement and the assessment boundary in red.

• Step 2 - Read only the DCI that applies to that PE located in the Foundation Box (orange section)

• Step 3 - Look in Appendix E to read about the DCI progression within NGSS

• Step 4 – Look at the SEP box (blue) and read the one that goes with the PE you selected in Step 1

• Step 5 – Look in Appendix F for clarification

• Step 6 – Look at the CCC box (green) and the read the one that goes with the PE you selected in Step 1.

• Step 7 – Look in Appendix G for clarification

What’s coming down the road….

• Now that you know how to read the NGSS, you will learn how to plan a lesson that incorporates all three dimensions.