# data[].attributes.headline
Science Across the Elem Curriculum Thesis

# data[].attributes.subject
Science Across the Elem Curriculum Thesis

# data[].attributes.headline
Scientific Modeling - Consensus Model Video

# data[].attributes.subject
Scientific Modeling - Consensus Model Video

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Developing and Using Models of Electrical Interactions: What NGSS Looks Like in the Classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A wide variety of creative projects that can be done with 20 planks or less. The activities touch learning areas such as design, spatial thinking, problem solving, physics, art, math, and engineering. Students will experience screen-free learning with endless possibilities. *See below for Spanish version Download PDF

# data[].attributes.headline
How People Spend Their Free Time Over the Years

# data[].attributes.subject
How People Spend Their Free Time Over the Years

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How people spend their time past to present

# data[].attributes.headline
What's going on in this graph?  Biomass and Technomass

# data[].attributes.subject
What's going on in this graph?  Biomass and Technomass

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Learning Network: Challenging political questions for students to analyze

# data[].attributes.headline
Open-Educational Resources (OER) by Discipline

# data[].attributes.subject
Open-Educational Resources (OER) by Discipline

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
ASCCC Open Educational Resources Initiative

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Open Educational Resources by Discipline - ASCCC Open Educational Resources Initiative

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Supporting Student Motivation and Engagement in Science Classrooms

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Explore how teachers can spark and sustain motivation and engagement in ways that make students feel included, empowered, and interested in science.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As Nicole Dravillas Fravel's 3-to-5-year-old students work together to build an elaborate rock collection and a library made of moss, sticks, and shells, they chat together, negotiate roles, and create intricately detailed scenarios.

They're also learning foundational math-what looks like everyday, messy child's play is in fact an important stepping stone toward kindergarten preparedness. "When children are dividing sticks amongst their friends, they're laying the foundation for math skills and concepts that they'll use later, even if they can't write an equation yet," says Dravillas Fravel, the founder and director of Wildwood Nature School in Oregon. "Young children can use a math lens to understand the nature around them, providing a real-world application for concepts that might otherwise be abstract." When they're counting and dividing shells equally among themselves, for example, they're applying "hands-on numeracy skills to create a fair outcome," she notes.

Unlike play with traditional classroom toys like puzzles that have clearly defined outcomes, or Montessori materials like beverage pitchers designed to engage children in specific real-world skills, letting kids tinker with seemingly random objects-known as loose parts play-is open-ended. Kids are free to infuse their imagination into seemingly simple castoffs: A pile of old corks might become ingredients for soup, egg cartons might become race cars or monster traps. This open-endedness invites young learners to discover possibilities for everyday items that are often freely available from nature, recycling bins, and junk drawer donations, in the process building problem-solving skills and spatial reasoning.

more Hummingbird, less helicopter

For young students to reap the benefits of loose parts play, they need a degree of elbow room and autonomy, says Kristen Day, the retired founder of Butterfly Hill Nature Preschool in Minnesota. The teacher's role in this scenario is more hummingbird, she explains, than helicopter, an instructional mindset that tends to result in deeper learning, research shows. "A hummingbird teacher floats in quietly when needed and floats out just as quickly, being sure not to interrupt or change a child's play," Day writes. "The hummingbird teacher notices when voices become elevated and flutters in closer to see if they are needed. If so, they gently help with problem‐solving and then flutter out." When students wonder or ask questions, the hummingbird teacher provides answers and keeps a watchful eye on what kids are curious about so she can "find opportunities to extend this inquiry." A hummingbird teacher is "sneaky and plans out the environment in ways that make children want to find out more or solve problems they happen upon," Day explains.

When loose parts play is part of recess, it's important to start with clear safety guidelines, says elementary school principal Dan Fisher, whose students get to play with an assortment of milk crates, tires, and pieces of wood. "All children are drawn to opportunities to take developmentally appropriate risks when they play," Fisher says. After that, teachers' main job is to step back, gently guide, and observe.

Tackling STEAM with sticks and stones

Out in the woods with her students, Dravillas Fravel uses a white bedsheet as a sorting mat to organize the objects her students find by size, color, or texture. This exploration lays the groundwork for foundational concepts like pattern recognition, measurement, and addition.

A forest in the Pacific Northwest isn't a requirement for loose parts play, of course. A walk around school grounds or a nearby park can be a great opportunity to collect materials like sticks, feathers, and leaves. "Almost any small object you gather outside can be repurposed as a math manipulative," says Dravillas Fravel, who encourages students to compare quantities, estimate amounts, or create sequences using their collected materials.

In the classroom, recycled yogurt cups, baskets, or old pie plates can function as sorting trays to further investigate the objects, simultaneously building math skills while showing students that learning is an ongoing experience that isn't limited to any particular location or room.

"Nature provokes children into action to formulate their own ideas and self-guided investigations," says Julie Hunter, lead teacher at the National Child Research Center, highlighting how playing with natural materials encourages preschoolers to observe, classify, and experiment-all key scientific thinking skills. As students examine natural items they've collected, ask open-ended questions, Hunter suggests, such as, "What do you notice about these rocks?" Or, "How do you think this feather got here?"

Once the exploration is completed, consider creating a simple Nature Documentation Station, Hunter suggests, by having children hang their favorite nature discoveries on a tree branch with fishing line. Or designate a shelf at child level where students can place their outdoor treasures when they return to the classroom.

The magic of junk drawer storytelling

Junk drawer storytelling is a favorite activity at the Rise School of Houston, where preschool teachers pair books like The Robot Book with a bin of loose parts such as nuts and bolts, napkin rings, cardboard, and plastic tubing. After reading the book to the class, teachers invite students to play and create with the objects, guiding with prompts and open-ended questions to encourage basic understanding and curious connections.

In a variation of loose parts play, junk drawer storytelling turns everyday odds and ends into building blocks for creative storytelling, fostering children's understanding that objects can stand in as symbols for real things both in play and literacy. Preschool is a critical time for kids' emerging understanding of symbolic thinking, which is strongly correlated to language development.

Interactive storytelling opportunities with loose parts offer more entry points into stories for young learners, especially those whose communication skills are still emerging. Education researchers Heather Lavigne and Marisa Wolsky recommend encouraging preschoolers to use toys during dramatic play time and physically act out stories to clarify what characters and actions mean. By using junk drawer items in these scenes, children have the opportunity to experiment with symbolism through turning an old spoon into a magic wand or a pile of pipe cleaners into a bowl of spaghetti. "This is particularly helpful for dual-language learners and children with learning and thinking differences," they note.

Put loose parts play front and center

Documenting preschoolers' discoveries and making their learning visible throughout the school community is a great way to deepen the impact of loose parts play. "Show genuine enthusiasm for kids and their endless creativity. Document the amazing things that you see and share them in newsletters," recommends Fisher. "Have a bulletin board display in the lobby that shows all of the incredible things that your students do with loose parts. Make the quality of students' play as important as test scores and other adult metrics of school health."

For students, those bulletin board displays can spark reflection and storytelling and convey the important message that their discoveries are valued and fascinating. For families and school faculty and staff, newsletter blurbs offer a glimpse into the transformative learning happening inside and outside of the classroom.

Responses are generated by artificial intelligence. AI can make mistakes.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Make the Most of Loose Parts Play in Preschool

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
From counting and classifying to literacy lessons, teacher-tested learning opportunities that encourage autonomy and creativity.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
From an award-winning project comes an inspiring, collaborative book that makes data artistic, personal - and open to all.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Paper Projects for Engineering Activities

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Explore paper projects for engineering anytime. Turn a simple sheet of paper into an exciting STEM challenge!

# data[].attributes.headline
Little Bins Little Hands STEM Challenges

# data[].attributes.subject
Little Bins Little Hands STEM Challenges

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Paper Tower STEM Challenge is a fantastic way to introduce structural stability, civil engineering, and the engineering design process.

# data[].attributes.headline
Project Zero (PZ) Visible Thinking Resources

# data[].attributes.subject
Project Zero (PZ) Visible Thinking Resources

# data[].attributes.headline
Project Zero (PZ) Thinking Routines Toolbox

# data[].attributes.subject
Project Zero (PZ) Thinking Routines Toolbox

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It seems JavaScript is either disabled or not supported by your browser. To view this site, enable JavaScript by changing your browser options and try again.

Jump to main content

Where did the NGSS come from, anyway? And how the heck do you read those colorful tables? Unlock the big ideas of the NGSS and give your educators a strong foundation to build on as they explore these new standards.

About these activities

These materials are designed to help you facilitate successful NGSS training for a team of educators.

On each activity page, you will find a short video overview of the activity and a fully detailed lesson plan.

These two activities will give your participants an overview of the big picture of the NGSS, and a solid introduction that they can build on with future learning.

Each activity can stand alone, and you can mix and match with your own materials.

We recommend the Introduction to the NGSS as a starting place to orient your educators to the big picture of the new standards. The Performance Expectations and Reading the NGSS Tables activity works best as a final experience building on participants' understanding of the three dimensions.

Activity: Introduction to the NGSS

When educators step into a training about the NGSS, they often arrive with a number of burning questions they hope to have addressed. To put their minds at ease, start your very first training by addressing some of the more straightforward questions about the NGSS. Once this basic introduction is out of the way, your participants will be able to focus on diving more deeply into exploring the three dimensions.

Professional learning for: K-12 educators
Estimated time: 30-35 minutes
Learning modes: presentation, group discussion, group questions

Activity: Performance Expectations and Reading the NGSS Tables

Performance Expectations (PEs) are the culmination of everything that participants have presumably seen so far in their introduction to the NGSS. Using a fictitious PE, participants will be able to see the main structures and parts of the NGSS tables that are consistent across grades, and how they display information that has by now become familiar. The final part of this activity is taking a long-awaited look at some real NGSS tables at various levels.

Professional learning for: K-12 educators
Estimated time: 25-30 minutes
Learning modes: presentation, group discussion, grade-level groups (optional)

Close

Ever wonder what nearly 40,000 animals are up to at night?

See what's revealed-every Thursday at NightLife. Sign up for event updates and exciting announcements.

(Because night owls know best.)

Please try submitting your email again.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Unlock the big ideas of the new standards, providing a strong foundation to build on as you learn with peers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Slow Reveal Graph is an instructional routine that promotes sensemaking about data. This highly engaging routine uses scaffolded visuals and discourse to help students (in K-12 and beyond) make sense of data. As more and more of the graph is revealed, students refine their interpretation and construct meaning, often in surprising ways.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
People shared examples of sticky notes used in a variety of ways in response to the November challenge. They are small, which forces concision, lend themselves to being easily rearranged and remove the constraints of our tools. Pick up a pack of post its the next time you find yourself needing to co

# data[].attributes.headline
Jeff Zwiers Tools - Academic Conversations

# data[].attributes.subject
Jeff Zwiers Tools - Academic Conversations

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Winter 2023 California Classroom Science - Vol. 36 Issue 2

President's Message

Celebrating Achievements and Successes at the California Science Education Conference

Give yourself a high-five, pat yourself on the back, smile that awesome smile, you've made it to December! The first half of this school year has flown by, with some bumps, and some celebrations. One big celebration for science educators was our annual CASE Science Educator Conference, October 20-22, in Palm Springs.

FYI

Region 4 Events

Region 4 Update: Winter 2023

Southern California science educators have been busy this fall, bringing exciting experiences to students in the region. Inyo County Office of Education (ICOE) just finished hosting their county Science Campers at the Bernasconi Education Center and it was a great success!

Join Today!

Not a member of CASE? Join/Renew today

Learn More-CASE Membership Joint NSTA/CASE Membership
California Classroom Science

CASE's signature publication, is an electronic publication that is produced bimonthly. The publication consists of mostly original content produced by CASE members and provides information of interest to California science educators.

CCS is packed with information, news, resources, ideas, and activities of current interest to science educators. CCS is delivered to CASE members electronically via e-mail and is available on our website for all to enjoy.

Science Classroom Move

CASE's newsletter, California Classroom Science, has always had great articles about resources, lessons, planning tools, and issues in science education. But sometimes the things that help us the most are the little things: A classroom move. This is a new interactive column that allows you to share those little moves. We'd love to hear from all of you!
Read More

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Winter 2023 California Classroom Science - Vol. 36 Issue 2 Celebrating Achievements and Successes at the California Science Education Conference Give yourself a high-five, pat yourself on the back, smile that awesome smile, you've made it to December! The first half of this school year has flown by, with some bumps, and some celebrations.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
AIMS Education Foundation
The popular materials from the Fresno-Pacific based program are listed.

# data[].attributes.headline
Kid's Corner Science Website Links by grade level - Humbolt

# data[].attributes.subject
Kid's Corner Science Website Links by grade level - Humbolt

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Hi! Try one of these HOT links to science activities:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This site is a curated collection of science phenomena for the NGSS, along with phenomenon based learning resources and help for how to use phenomenon to drive student questions in the classroom centered around 3 dimensional teaching and learning.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
2025 Winter CAST Academy: LACOE Assessment Unit

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Home

Testing & Accountability

Testing

California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) System

Item specifications describe how items for the CAST are developed to assess the California Next Generation Science Standards (CA NGSS).

The CAST item specifications provide details on each assessed dimension of a CA NGSS Performance Expectation (PE). The CA NGSS dimensions are Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs), Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs), and Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs). Item writers use the item specifications to write the CAST multidimensional test questions, which are aligned with the CA NGSS. With these specifications, educators will gain a better understanding of the three-dimensional nature of the CAST; however, they are not intended to guide instruction. Educators can use the item specifications and the 2016 Science Framework for California Public Schools as resources for developing items for interim, benchmark, and summative assessments for the classroom.

Background

The item specifications are based on the PEs in the CA NGSS and are designed to help item writers write test questions for the CAST. The item specification for an individual PE describes how students can demonstrate their understanding of the PE on the CAST. An item specification also includes possible phenomena and any relevant Environmental Principles and Concepts associated with a PE. The grade five assessment draws on PEs from grades three through five (3–5) and includes the foundational concepts that are addressed in kindergarten through grade two (K–2). The grade eight assessment draws on PEs from grades six through eight (6–8), and the high school assessment draws on PEs from the grades nine through twelve (9–12). More information about the construction of the CAST can be found in the Revised CAST Blueprint (PDF).

The CAST item specifications were written for all 175 PEs (i.e., 45 for grade five; 59 for grade eight; and 71 for high school) assessed on the CAST. One item specification is available per PE. Each PE addresses at least one SEP, one DCI, and one CCC, and each item specification represents the integration of the three dimensions.

All 175 item specifications are now available. The item specifications will be updated annually on the basis of input from California educators.

Introduction to the California Science Test Item Content Specifications (DOCX)

Grade Five Assessment

There are 45 PEs that may be assessed on the CAST; these item specifications are presented individually and by content areas.

Grade 5 Earth and Space Sciences (DOCX; Posted 26-Jul-2021)

Grade 5 Life Sciences (DOCX;Posted 26-Jul-2021)

Grade 5 Physical Sciences (DOCX; Posted 26-Jul-2021)

Grade 5 Engineering, Technology, and Application of Science (DOCX; Posted 26-Jul-2021)

Middle School (MS) Assessment

There are 59 PEs that may be assessed on the CAST; these item specifications are presented individually and by content areas.

MS Earth and Space Sciences (DOCX; Posted 26-Jul-2021)

MS Life Sciences (DOCX; Posted 26-Jul-2021)

MS Physical Sciences (DOCX; Posted 26-Jul-2021)

MS Engineering, Technology, and Application of Science (DOCX; Posted 26-Jul-2021)

High School (HS) Assessment

There are 71 (PEs) that may be assessed on the CAST; these item specifications are presented individually and by content areas.

HS Earth and Space Sciences (DOCX; Posted 26-Jul-2021)

HS Life Sciences (DOCX; Posted 26-Jul-2021)

HS Physical Sciences (DOCX; Posted 26-Jul-2021)

HS Engineering, Technology, and Application of Science (DOCX; Posted 26-Jul-2021)

Appendices

Appendix A: Complete List of the SEP Subpractices (DOCX)

2016 Science Framework for California Public Schools, Appendix 2 (PDF)

Questions:

California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress | caaspp@cde.ca.gov | 916-445-8765

Last Reviewed: Friday, November 19, 2021

Recently Posted in Testing

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
CAST Item Specifications - California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) System (CA Dept of Education)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Item specifications describe how items for the CAST are developed to assess the California Next Generation Science Standards (CA NGSS).

# data[].attributes.headline
National Science Education Standards - Teaching Standards Chapter 3 

# data[].attributes.subject
National Science Education Standards - Teaching Standards Chapter 3 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Read “National Science Education Standards” at NAP.edu

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Read chapter 3 Science Teaching Standards: Americans agree that our students urgently need better science education. But what should they be expected to…

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Caption This! A fun, deep-thinking Google Drawings activity

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This post is co-authored by Ditch That Textbook’s Matt Miller and Laura Steinbrink. Laura is a high school English teacher and tech coach from Plato,

# data[].attributes.headline
Creating a Discussion Rich Class Culture

# data[].attributes.subject
Creating a Discussion Rich Class Culture

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 Discussion Strategies and Activities for the Classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Discussion can engage students and help them to see different perspectives. Here are strategies you can use to create a discussion-rich classroom.“I want

# data[].attributes.body
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Transformational Learning Principles | ASCD+ISTE

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Reimagining Learning Using 8 Core Principles for Enhancing Student Success.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Getting Into the Habit of Problem Solving

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
These three Habits of Mind are essential to problem solving.

# data[].attributes.body
Find local phenomena!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What is a multiple?

How do multiples get used in everyday life?

How can you determine a number's multiples?

Find it out

Who was Mary Anning?

What did Mary Anning discover?

What is Jurassic Coast?

Find it out

Have you ever tasted an Arab taco?

When was the Arab taco invented?

What is shawarma?

Find it out

How are currency exchange rates determined?

What was the gold standard?

Which type of currency exchange rate system does the U.S. use?

Find it out
Which of the following is usually NOT a factor in determining currency exchange rates?

Test your knowledge

How can I use Wonderopolis?

What are the parts of a Wonder?

How do writers make a Wonder?

Find it out

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Where the Wonders of Learning Never Cease | Wonderopolis

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Where the Wonders of Learning Never Cease

# data[].attributes.headline
Student Moves: Teach the Language of Complex Thinking

# data[].attributes.subject
Student Moves: Teach the Language of Complex Thinking

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
When we present students with intriguing challenges to think through, some will jump right in and others will hold back. To activate collaborative thinking and discussion--the engine driving language development-we need to help students learn and practice new ways of interacting. Our work on this was inspired by the work of Zwiers, O'Hara, & Pritchard (2014) on constructive conversations and Michaels & O'Connor (2012) on the Talk Science Primer. We've put the ideas together a bit differently, and developed this short version for those interested in testing the power of a discourse-focused pedagogy. When you've seen what it can do for you and your students, the Resource page will show you where to go to learn more.

The Student Moves highlight seven things students can do when an idea is on the table. Teachers have found that this graphic serves as a good meta-cognitive support. The expectation that all students are always responsible, every minute, for tracking the development of an idea and for being ready with a response that furthers their own understanding is a new one for many students, and they need time and guidance to engage effectively. Teachers can support students' use of these moves by being overt about the naming of both Teacher Moves and Student Moves as they take place. We've heard one teacher do this very playfully: "I like the way you moved that move there!"

The full version of the Student Moves on the Resources page offers examples of language students can use. ELs relied on them for a longer period than their classmates, and having them nearby seemed to help them speak more often and more confidently. It's important to make sure students see these only as examples and to encourage students to create additional ways of saying these things. It can also be helpful to keep a running list somewhere of additional student-generated language

Teachers found it best to focus on one Student Move at a time. They posted the graphic of all the moves, and referred to them as they came up in discussions, but focused on one move at a time in their instruction. Some moves took longer for students to learn than others, but before long, teachers noted that students were learning newly introduced moves pretty quickly. Some fourth-grade teachers created color-cued bookmarks for their students, each having one Student Move with multiple examples of phrasings and some blank spots for students to create their own. These were helpful to the ELs, in particular, but we observed a wonderful interaction in one classroom when an EL could not find his bookmark and another student reassured him, "There are lots of ways to say that. You could say...or... ." This was one of several examples we observed of students learning language from and with one another.

"Our ELs are speaking up and offering ideas in ways they never did before. They feel smart now, and they feel proud, and they're willing to take risks with their language to share their thinking."
a fourth grade teacher

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Doing and Talking Math and Science: Teach the Language of Complex Thinking

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
When we present students with intriguing challenges to think through, some will jump right in and others will hold back. To activate collaborative thinking and discussion--the engine driving language development-we need to help students learn and practice new ways of interacting.

# data[].attributes.headline
Teacher Moves: Facilitate Student Reasoning and Collaboration

# data[].attributes.subject
Teacher Moves: Facilitate Student Reasoning and Collaboration

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Doing and Talking Math and Science: Facilitate Student Reasoning and Collaboration

# data[].attributes.headline
Rethinking Language Goals in Science w 3-D Learning

# data[].attributes.subject
Rethinking Language Goals in Science w 3-D Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As a science teacher working with English Language Learners (ELLs), I've sometimes found that developing and implementing language goals for ELL students can be clunky and confining. The focus on traditionally written language goals inserts a certain resistance into my lessons. The goals revolve around a teacher-led agenda that is often unrelated to the organic and student-centered process of sense-making, and they interfere with, rather than foster, the authentic discourse I need my students to engage in during science.

Language goals are developed ahead of time, so they cannot respond to the authentic in-the-moment goals the students themselves have for their own language. For example, one of my students claimed that lightning is responsible for the leaves changing colors and dropping in the fall, and he needed his classmates to understand and respond to his idea. My language goal for this student, "Students can use 'and' and 'but' to join two smaller ideas when summarizing science ideas", interfered with - rather than supported - the student-centered process of sense-making that was underway. The goal did not support growth through my student's own in-the-moment need for language.

When faced with this obstacle, I realized that perhaps I needed to look at the question of language goals (also called language objectives) a little differently. One approach that came to mind was the concept of learning in three dimensions.

Both the Framework for K-12 Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) view science learning as developing in three dimensions, one of which (scientific and engineering practices) is very language-intensive. Because language is necessary for successful engagement in the scientific practices, a focus on these practices provides opportunities for students to develop the scientific practices and language simultaneously.

It is helpful to frame this connection with these guiding questions:

Do traditional language goals for ELLs interfere with student agency when participating in science?

How can three-dimensional learning shift our thinking around science learning and language goals?

Before I explain how I applied this model to my student's claim that lightning changes the color of the leaves, I will provide some background on three-dimensional learning.

Three-Dimensional Learning

The Framework for K-12 Science Education, which guided the development of NGSS, moved away from focusing on isolated facts and procedures in science education. Together, these documents articulate a three-dimensional model and comprehensive approach. Three-dimensional learning is a continuous interweaving of three elements that develops simultaneously over time: scientific and engineering core ideas, practices, and crosscutting concepts.

As such, none of the dimensions works in isolation; they must be leveraged in concert for the purpose of constructing knowledge in the science classroom. Three-dimensional learning engages students deeply in not only the important ideas of science and engineering but in the doing of science. It is this focus on the doing of science that presents a new opportunity to help students develop the language of science.

Disciplinary core ideas

Core ideas are the big ideas in science, similar to what we have traditionally referred to as science content. In three-dimensional learning, the students develop these core ideas as they engage in the practices. For example, students develop the idea of erosion by being immersed in observing the effects of water flow on the land. This is a marked contrast to the traditional way of starting a unit by presenting the scientific idea and then using practices (investigating, developing models) to confirm the ideas that have already been presented, which has resulted in a narrow body of knowledge that isn't generative. The traditional method has rendered students unable to use those science ideas in a new context.

Crosscutting concepts

Crosscutting concepts refer to a set of lenses (patterns, cause and effect, systems, and systems models) that scientists use implicitly and that students must be taught explicitly. Like the core ideas of science, these concepts must also be developed within the context of sense-making. A student who can use the crosscutting concept can apply the lens of cause and effect to explain a host of phenomena, from explaining the sustainability of an ecosystem for native species of insects, to developing a molecular model of the release of energy during a chemical reaction.

Scientific practices: "Doing" Science

The in the Framework and the NGSS mirror the practices scientists use in their careers, and play a central role in what it means to know and do science. Across the grades, students engage in the practices in increasingly sophisticated ways. The practices position students to collaboratively make sense of the natural world in every grade. Will students be exploring the evidence to develop a claim about what is happening? Or will they look for patterns in the data?

Whatever the practice, students will be engaging in it together, questioning, asking for clarification, building off each other's ideas and revising these ideas based on their shared sense-making. The science and engineering practices frame the doing of science as a collaborative, discourse-rich activity that positions students as co-constructors of scientific understanding of the natural world. The practices provide teachers a rich opportunity to support students' language development, particularly in four of the practices that I discuss in more detail in my article Next Generation Science Standards: Offering Equitable Opportunities for ELLs to Engage in Science.

Using language in three-dimensional learning

When students engage in the scientific practices to develop a collaborative, evidence-based explanation of a phenomenon, they use language to:

examine ideas about natural phenomena

make their ideas understood

analyze, dispute, refine and build off each other's ideas

The collaborative exploration of phenomena and the shared development of ideas becomes a powerful engine that drives language development.

If we frame science education as facilitating students' co-constructed understanding of the natural world, it becomes clear that engagement in the language-intensive practices is a critical part of doing science. Most importantly, this engagement in collaborative sense-making helps students develop both their science understanding and their language. How can we leverage this opportunity for language development - and what does this look like in the classroom?

More Authentic Language Learning Goals

The three dimensions of the NGSS support the formation of new rich and authentic science learning goals by combining the three dimensions into one performance goal that defines what student will do. Since these new three-dimensional science learning goals embed language use - driven by and described by the practice - within them, language goals and science learning goals are combined and there is no need for the traditional de-contextualized language goals of the past.

Traditionally, language goals (such as those I described earlier) have been separated from science learning goals, and have tended to reflect the view that science is about acquiring and retelling facts and procedures. But that traditional approach separates the language from its context and from its real and powerful purpose: the collaborative construction of meaning. In contrast, three-dimensional, integrated science + language goals harness the power of the sense-making science practices as the purpose for language use. They harness the power of language for doing science. Here are some examples:

Language goals of the past:
three-dimensional learning goals:

Elementary: Students will use descriptive language to compare land forms.

Elementary: Students will collaboratively develop a model that explains and predicts patterns in the changes to the land caused by wind and rain.

Middle school: Students will use the past tense "_ed" form to describe the molecular change that from solid to liquid form when thermal energy is added.

Middle school: Students will collaboratively construct an explanation of the effect that thermal energy has on how molecules move about relative to each other.

Creating a new language goal

With that background in mind, let's take another look at my student's claim about lightning and leaves. I decided to create an alternative and three-dimensional language goal for my class: Students will collaboratively develop a model that explains and predicts effects that cold weather has on plants and animals' survival.

While working on the science idea of the effect of that cold weather has on plant adaptation and survival, I wanted to focus on building students' abilities for collaborative meaning-making. My students needed to build ideas together, so in order to work on the discourse skills of collaboration among students, I had to figure out a way to ensure that all of my students were invested in communicating - both my ELLs and non-ELL students. (For a more detailed explanation of this step-by-step process, see Seven Steps to Using Next Generation Science Standards with ELLs).

Engaging the students in experiencing natural phenomena

I decided to focus on two trees near the school, a coniferous tree and deciduous tree, that the students knew well. We had taken photos of the trees on the first and fifteenth of each month since August, and each time we had taken a photo, we went to observe the trees and discussed, first as partners and then as a class, the actual trees and photos we took. In class, we wrote about our observations, and placed our written observations on the evidence wall on sentence strips. In this student-centered context, support for students' language use was based on their immediate need, rather than on a pre-conceived scope and sequence of language development. I knew these trees would provide a great starting point for the question of how cold weather impacts plants and animals.

Helping students create a model of what is happening

The next step was for students to create their own model of the phenomena. In the early stage of developing their model, the students worked in groups of three to collaboratively place the tree photos in chronological order. Each student had three photos, and they were not permitted to touch any photos but their own. When the students had arranged the photos in an order they all agreed upon, they had to collaboratively write captions under the photos describing the changes they noticed. One student functioned as the scribe, but was allowed to write only the words provided by other group members. The groups also had a graph they had previously created of changes in temperature and hours of daylight that had occurred in the same space of time. The group could refer to these graphs as they generated ideas about the changes they noted in the trees.

Following the sequencing and captioning of the photos, the students had to collaboratively develop a model to explain why the changes seen in the photos were happening. Because I was focused on supporting students' collaborative meaning-making, I needed to support their ability to discuss ideas together. The learning objectives we discussed and recorded were:

Listening to each other's ideas is hard work. Everyone needs to explain their ideas and listen to others' ideas.

We can tell our own ideas and ask for clarification to make a model to show how and why trees change to survive cold weather.

We started off with these two important student discourse moves: 1) telling and supporting their own idea, and 2) asking for clarification - two of seven important discourse moves that we had identified as part of an NSF project focused on supporting students' discourse engagement in science. Phrases that accomplished those two functions in a variety of ways were written on laminated cards and each student was given a set of these cards (below). When a student struggled to explain his or her idea, we discussed as a class how to persevere together in coming to understand that idea, and which prompts we could use to help us.

As the students discussed how to develop an initial model to explain what was happening to the trees, I walked around the groups. When students used the prompts, I praised their efforts to communicate, and sometimes stopped the class to have the group explain why they chose that prompt and whether it helped them understand each other.

Sometimes students needed to produce a question and the question structure was taught and supported, first for that student and then explicitly for the class. Other times the students searched for a science word or phrase to express their observation, such as bark, water level, temperature, or drop in temperature. This language was supported with the experience itself of seeing, touching, diagramming the trees, along with the use of realia, photos, and diagrams.

Supporting language production

I was particularly interested in supporting language production for my ELLs, and in supporting my non-ELLs in working hard to understand their ELL peers' ideas. To provide practice in this, I structured an activity that paired students in speaking and listening together for sixty seconds. The speaker got to explain his/her thinking, and the listener needed to make sure that he or she understood and could rephrase or repeat the idea that had been expressed.

Groups took turns presenting one element of their model. Students' models were combinations of sketches and text, and served as effective language supports, since students could point to elements of the drawing and could use words that had been chosen and written beforehand.

One group showed a tree being hit by lightning. Khaliff spoke first, pointing out features of the model. "The tree is split down the middle, hit by lightning and then it will be black down here." Axel, a beginning-level ELL, spoke, again pointing to the model, "Lightning cuts the tree. Here leaves are and here leaves are (he showed the broken leaves near the trunk of the tree in the model). They fall because of the lightning." He made the searing sound that lightning may have made when it hit the tree. Axel had learned the cause and effect phrase "because of the" which he had needed when dictating one of the captions.

Aliaya came next, "We think lightning hits the tree and then all the leaves crinkle up, change to yellow and brown, and fall off because the tree is in shock. The leaves will grow back when the tree is cured." Another classmate, Germaine, raised his hand, "I have seen that before, too! Lightning makes the leaves fall off the tree." Another student, Emanuela, said, "But there isn't that much lighting, is there? Almost all the leaves change color and fall off."

I was pleased. The idea had originally come from Axel, and he had expressed his idea of cause and effect well. His group had listened and contributed more to his idea. Axel was acquiring language because he was motivated to express his ideas in science. Emanuela gave us something to consider. As the students learned more about trees and the impacts of sunlight and water on plants, we would collaboratively revise our models to incorporate more evidence.

Teacher's Role in three-dimensional Learning

How does this shift impact the role of the teacher? The teacher's role in combined science and language learning changes from delivering science ideas and teaching some language on the side to guiding students' engagement in the scientific practices by shaping the discussion to promote collaborative meaning-making. This new role includes:

Creating the need to for students to meaningfully interact

Facilitating students' collaborative sense-making: using prompts to clarify & deepen student reasoning and to promote student-to-student idea-focused interactions

Ensuring that every student's ideas are sought and valued

Designing for ELs to be initiators, as well as responders, of meaning-making in groups

Intentionally nurturing and building on student-to-student interactions

Supporting tenacity and perseverance in understanding and sense-making

Modeling complex and precise language when needed and discussing the rationale behind these linguistic choices

Teachers will still model, explain, and support the language needed to develop mastery of the scientific practice, but they will do this in support of students' co-construction of meaning. Teachers will still be identifying student areas for language development and will model and scaffold language so ELLs gain practice and facility in more complex English; but these opportunities will take place within the sense-making discourse.

Closing Thoughts

Language, like science, is a social endeavor. We can combine both language learning and science learning through three-dimensional leaning that describes the doing of science as a collaborative, discourse-rich, activity that positions students to co-construct a scientific understanding of the natural world. This approach presents an opportunity for teachers to take a new look at how we think about the purpose for language in science. By focusing on students' collaborative engagement in science practices, we can leverage the power of sense-making to drive language development, helping students learn how to talk science while they do science.
This work has been supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation (EAGER Proposal DRL-1346491).
About the Authors

Emily Miller

Emily Miller, a second- and third-grade ESL and bilingual resource science teacher for the Madison, WI Metropolitan School District, served on the Next Generation Science Standards Elementary Writing Team, as well as the Diversity & Equity Team.

Her other articles for Colorín Colorado include:

Rita MacDonald

Rita MacDonald is an Academic English Language Researcher at the Wisconsin Center for Education Research. She has worked extensively in the field of content-language integration, both as a K-12 ESL teacher and as a teacher educator in MATESOL at Saint Michael's College in Vermont. As coordinator of two National Professional Development grants, she has worked to build awareness of discipline-specific language and instructional capacity for content-embedded language instruction for K-12 in-service teachers and has facilitated the integration of Systemic Functional Linguistic theory and pedagogy into pre-service teacher education, resulting in a curriculum being used as a model by other universities, and has published in the fields of teacher collaboration and integrated content-language instruction.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Rethinking Language Goals in Science with Three-Dimensional Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As a science teacher working with English Language Learners (ELLs), I've sometimes found that developing and implementing language goals for ELL students can be clunky and confining. The focus on traditionally written language goals inserts a certain resistance into my lessons.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Find your path through the new Next Generation Science Standards using the Concord Consortium’s interactive pathfinder.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
STEM Resource Finder | Concord Consortium

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The STEM Resource Finder is a collection of the Concord Consortium's best resources for science, math, and engineering education. Our curated collections offer lesson plans and units for your class based on these resources. All for free!"

# data[].attributes.headline
Science Lesson Plans Cal Academy of Sciences

# data[].attributes.subject
Science Lesson Plans Cal Academy of Sciences

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A Hub is a custom resource center on WISELearn Resources Library where groups can create and share collections associated with
a project or organization. Projects, institutions, states and initiatives make use of Hubs to bring groups of
educators together to create, organize, and share collections that meet their common goals.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A Hub is a custom resource center on WISELearn Resources Library where groups can create and share collections associated with
a project or organization. Projects, institutions, states and initiatives make use of Hubs to bring groups of
educators together to create, organize, and share collections that meet their common goals.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Elementary Grades (3-5) Assessment Tasks

The tasks are organized by grade and Performance Expectation (PE). For each PE, we present a set of less broad but more manageable three dimensional performance statements that we call Learning Performances (LPs), which collectively describe the performances that students need to demonstrate as they progress toward achieving that PE. For more detail about the design process used to develop these tasks go to nextgenscienceassessment.org/design-process

Development of these tasks and associated resources is on-going. Future updates will add new tasks for additional Grade 3-5 PEs, update existing tasks, and add teacher guides.

These tasks were developed through a collaborative effort of University of Illinois at Chicago, UChicago STEM Education, and the Concord Consortium, with funding from the National Science Foundation.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The tasks are organized by grade and Performance Expectation (PE). For each PE, we present a set of less broad but more manageable three dimensional performance statements that we call Learning Performances (LPs), which collectively describe the performances that students need to demonstrate as they progress toward achieving that PE.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
AI and Culturally Relevant Pedagogy: A Great ‘pAIr’

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
By Valerie Bennett, Ph.D., Ed.D., and Christine Anne Royce, Ed.D.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Free Education Resources for Parents in California

No one knows your child or their needs more than you. With Starting Smarter, you now have access to information about your child's education that goes beyond just grades. You can use our test score reports to see the areas your child is excelling and where they can improve. All of this can begin a conversation with your child's teacher about offering better learning support at home and all year long.

Check out the Test Questions

Enter your child's grade and select a subject and area to see descriptions of the skills and sample test questions in each performance area.

It's natural for every student to have academic strengths as well as areas where they may need more support and improvement. The tests your child takes are meant to measure the most important skills in each subject. For all tests, we break down the score reports into different performance areas-like reading and problem solving-to identify where your child is excelling or needs more support.

Families will also receive more information on their child's reading and math performance with the new Lexile and Quantile report. A Lexile measure shows the level of text your child can read and understand. A Quantile measure shows what math skills your child knows and is ready to learn next. Learn how to use the scores to support reading and math.

Use this information to have a meaningful conversation with your child's teacher about the skills and content in the grade level and to support your child's learning at home.

Be a Learning Hero!

Visit the Learning Heroes website to find resources and tools to help your child thrive in school.

Plan for your Parent-Teacher Conversations

Use this tool to have a meaningful conversation about your child's test results and to co-create a learning plan with the teacher.

Check out the test in action

Visit the CAASPP practice test to try out live, interactive questions and the testing features students can use.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Free Education Resources | Starting Smarter California - CAASPP Starting Smarter

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
No one knows your child or their needs more than you. With Starting Smarter, you now have access to information about your child's education that goes beyond just grades. You can use our test score reports to see the areas your child is excelling and where they can improve.

# data[].attributes.headline
LACOE Performance Task Webinar & Resources

# data[].attributes.subject
LACOE Performance Task Webinar & Resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
2024 CAST Academy: LACOE Assessment Unit

# data[].attributes.body
Great links to research in all topics of education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Education | American Institutes for Research

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The American Institutes for Research® (AIR) is committed to increasing the effectiveness of education at all levels through rigorous research and evaluation, training, and technical assistance. Our work spans the learning lifespan—from pre-K to postsecondary education, career readiness, and adult education—and focuses on a wide range of topics, including STEM, social and emotional learning, and state and federal education policies.

# data[].attributes.headline
Teaching Academic Content and Literacy to ELs Protocol

# data[].attributes.subject
Teaching Academic Content and Literacy to ELs Protocol

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Anatomy of a ML-PBL Lesson | MLPBL Project

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Multiple Literacies in Project-Based Learning currently provides integrated project-based science units for Grades 3, 4, and 5. The curriculum for each grade level consists of four units of instruction. Each is framed by a driving question and an anchoring phenomenon, and culminates in a final artifact. Throughout each unit, students are building toward meeting a bundle of NGSS Performance Expectations (PEs). Each lesson focuses on building toward one or more PEs.

# data[].attributes.body
Be sure to check out the Science Notebook Corner

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We welcome all educators, near and far. Looking for teaching resources? Hope to register for Distance Learning programs? You’ve come to the right place.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It seems JavaScript is either disabled or not supported by your browser. To view this site, enable JavaScript by changing your browser options and try again.

Jump to main content

Notebooks can help make your classroom experiments both hands-on and minds-on.

About This Guide

Below, you'll find guidance related to helping students plan investigations, including:

Scaffolds to help students create their plans

Tips for more open-ended investigations

An example story from a real classroom

Because we know teachers appreciate seeing the results of using these strategies, we've also created an example gallery containing student work and photographs of scaffolds on the walls of classrooms.

Introduction

When many teachers think of a science investigation, they think of lab reports or the scientific method - a rigid set of steps students adhere to in order to complete an assignment. In fact, real scientists don't often follow such a prescribed path. Instead, they follow questions and curiosities, which might lead them to read or research or experiment, which might lead them to more questions, etc. etc. The process can be messy and complex.[i] Student work in the classroom can mirror the work of real scientists. Read this page to learn how students can use notebooks to both catalyze and catalog their own scientific process.

[i] "How Science Works" graphic © 2008 by The University of California Museum of Paleontology, Berkeley, and the Regents of the University of California.

From Gluing to Doing

The notebook can be a powerful tool for students to learn how to plan investigations. Perhaps you'll start out the year by handing students a worksheet or lab report and asking them to glue it into their notebooks, but as time goes on, you can empower your students to create their own structures for planning and carrying out investigations.

Scaffolded Planning for Investigations
If students have little lab experience, notebook scaffolds can help them get prepared for an investigation. Here are a few options:

Have students copy out the focus question, materials, and procedure from the board, like in this example.

Give students pre-printed labels/handouts with focus question and procedure and have them glue it in their notebook, like in this example.

Have students divide their notebook page into sections and label each one with terms like, "Question" "Prediction" "Materials" "Independent variable" "Dependent variable," etc., like in this example.

Semi-Scaffolded Planning for Investigations
Once students have experienced one or two heavily scaffolded investigations, you can help them transition towards planning their own investigations. Here are some examples of intermediary scaffolds that enable students to make more of the decisions.

Give students a list of elements that should be included in their plan, but allow them to determine how to organize the plan in their notebook, like in this example.

Encourage students to number the steps of their procedure, but allow them to determine what the steps will be, like in this example.

Have students divide their page into different sections for each trial, but allow them to collect data as they see fit, like in this example.

Direct students to organize their page with sentence-frames such as, "I predict..." and "I wonder..." and to develop a plan based on their question, like in this example.

Unstructured Planning for Investigations
After a few transitional investigations that are jointly planned by teacher and student, consider giving your students the opportunity to fully design their investigations. Here are a few tips for an open-ended planning session.

Give students a chance to discuss their plan before writing/sketching it in the notebook.

Tell students to use words and sketches to outline their plan in the notebook.

Remind students to include the focus question. (Maybe they are even selecting the question).

Encourage students to be clear and thorough, so that another scientist would be able to repeat their experiment by looking at their notebook. [Check out our page on Strategies for Peer-to-Peer Sharing].

Ask students to make a plan for how they will collect data during the investigation.

Notes from the Classroom

Jinney was preparing for a celery investigation from her 5th grade curriculum. Her students had already experienced a few hands-on investigations, so she didn't want to just hand them a ready-made procedure. She wanted to give them an opportunity to design the experiment themselves. So, here's what she did.

To set the stage, she had students discuss a few questions: Are plants living organisms? Are plants made of cells? Are cells alive? How do plants get the resources they need for life? Jinney did not answer these questions - she just encouraged students to talk with each other about their ideas. Then, she showed them the materials they would have at their disposal - celery, pitchers of water, a scale, etc. Finally, she gave them a focus question for the investigation: "Will celery with leaves absorb more water than celery without leaves?" After that, the students were on their own. In groups, they designed investigations to answer the focus question. You can see several of their plans here.

Make the most of investigations with clear and specific focus questions.

The science notebook is a useful tool for both data stages: collection and analysis.

Scientific sketching is about looking at something so closely you notice something new.

Close

Ever wonder what 38,000 animals are up to after dark?

Stay curious-every Thursday at NightLife. Sign up for event updates and exciting announcements.

(Because night owls know best.)

Please try submitting your email again.

Close

An adventure in your inbox. (And a discount, too.)

Sign up for the Academy's monthly newsletter and get a promo code for 10% off at our online retail store.

Now's a great time to start window-shopping at the Academy Store.

Please try submitting your email again.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Use science notebooks to make your classroom experiments both hands-on and minds-on.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We Engage Students In NASA's Mission

K-12 students can dig deeper into STEM topics and experience the thrill of exploration and discovery.

NASA makes vital investments in a diverse portfolio of learning opportunities and activities designed to reach as many U.S. students as possible - from kindergarten through graduate school. NASA seeks to build the next generation STEM workforce and broaden student participation to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in STEM fields.

For Kids and Students

We Inspire An Interest In STEM

NASA offers a wide array of unique experiences designed to engage K-12 students nationwide in the agency's missions, people, and resources.

Educators are a significant part of students' lives and play a key role in connecting NASA to the Artemis Generation. NASA STEM fully supports formal educators in classrooms and informal educators in museums, science centers, afterschool programs, and similar organizations, all of whom bring the excitement of the agency's missions to students.

For Educators

Colleges, Universities, Technical and Vocational Institutions

NASA leverages its unique missions and programs to enhance and increase the capability, diversity, and size of the nation's future STEM workforce.

NASA has a portfolio of activities and opportunities dedicated to attracting, engaging and educating students in all institutional categories and levels across the nation. These range from internships and fellowships, research and development opportunities, challenges and competitions, pre-college and college STEM experiences, virtual learning, faculty support, as well as institutional support.

For Colleges and Universities

Welcome to Earthrise!

Through Earthrise, educators can register to receive a monthly e-newsletter featuring interactive lesson plans, mission and research highlights, and opportunities to participate in student engagement and educator professional development events from across the federal government.

Learn More about Welcome to Earthrise!

Latest STEM News and Features

get social with nasa stem engagement

Discover More STEM Topics From NASA

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We're launching learning to new heights with STEM resources that connect educators, students, parents and caregivers to the inspiring work at NASA. Find your place in space!

# data[].attributes.headline
STEM Lessons for Educators – NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

# data[].attributes.subject
STEM Lessons for Educators – NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
STEM Lessons for Educators – NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Explore standards-aligned lessons from NASA-JPL in science, technology, engineering and math for students for grades K-12. Engage students in NASA missions exploring Earth and space.

# data[].attributes.headline
Activities for Students - NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

# data[].attributes.subject
Activities for Students - NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Activities for Students - NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Explore Earth and space with these STEM activities, projects, videos and games for kids and students from NASA-JPL.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The California STEM Learning Network (CSLNet) has recently released a report and supplement toolkit with resources to help advocates built a strong foundation of STEM and science education in schools' Local Control Accountability Plans (LCAPs). The policy brief, which provides an overview of science education in California, and the toolkit aim to help strengthen the role of STEM learning in the local budget development process.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The STEM Resource Inventory is a tool that lets you search through a wide variety of STEM programs and providers in the 9-county San Francisco Bay Area while providing filter options for the target groups of those programs. We invite STEM program providers in the area to submit their programs to the inventory. If you are interested in creating a similar inventory for your area, please reach out to us at [email protected] .

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The STEM Resource Inventory is a tool that lets you search through a wide variety of STEM programs and providers in the 9-county San Francisco Bay Area while providing filter options for the target groups of those programs. We invite STEM program providers in the area to submit their programs to the inventory.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Improving science education for all students

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Read recommended questions and answers that will help you better understand and use the Smarter Content Explorer.

# data[].attributes.headline
EQuIP Rubric for Science Lessons and Units

# data[].attributes.subject
EQuIP Rubric for Science Lessons and Units

# data[].attributes.headline
Developing Assessments for the Next Generation Science Standards

# data[].attributes.subject
Developing Assessments for the Next Generation Science Standards

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Developing Assessments for the Next Generation Science Standards

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Download a PDF of “Developing Assessments for the Next Generation Science Standards” by the National Research Council for free.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Find your path through the new Next Generation Science Standards using the Concord Consortium’s interactive pathfinder.

# data[].attributes.headline
Understanding Science - How science REALLY works...

# data[].attributes.subject
Understanding Science - How science REALLY works...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Understanding Science - How science REALLY works...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Understanding Science - How science REALLY works...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Welcome to the Strategic Science Teaching website. Through the integration of literature and the 5E Learning Cycle, students and teachers make important connections in order to facilitate understanding of science concepts.

This Website:

introduces you to the Strategic Science Teaching resource guide;

provides video-based science and literature model lessons with commentary;

illustrates and explains the 5E Learning Model;

includes a template to guide in the development of your own 5E science and literature lessons;

lists a variety of resources for you to further explore related topics.

The SST Guide:

The Strategic Science Teaching (SST) resource guide provides grade-level specific lessons that represent the integration of science concepts, literature readings, and teaching strategies.

Use the links to the right to download the entire guide, learning strategies, or grade-level lessons.

Video-based Model Lessons:

While showcasing many key elements from the Strategic Science Teaching guide, the "Model Lesson" section of this website provides video commentary related to sample lessons from four grade level strands: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Each grade level model is presented in three segmented themes:

Science Content & Inquiry Strategies

Literature Integration & the Common Core State Standards

Teaching Strategies

View Model Lesson Commentaries

Download SST Lesson Plans:

Lessons: Grades K-2

Lessons: Grades 3-5

Lessons: Grades 6-8

Lessons: Grades 9-12

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Center for Distance and Online Learning (CDOL)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Introduction to Strategic Science Teaching (SST)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Welcome to the Strategic Science Teaching website. Through the integration of literature and the 5E Learning Cycle, students and teachers make important connections in order to facilitate understanding of science concepts.

# data[].attributes.body
NGSS CCC/SEP Planning Cards and Graphic Organizers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Anatomy and Physiology AP Biology AP Chemistry AP Environmental Science AP Physics Biology Chemistry Earth Science Educational NGSS - Next Generation Science Standards Physics Statistics & Graphing

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
lab equipment list science equipment list ngss equipment list

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST. The UDL Guidelines can be used by educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and anyone else who wants to implement the UDL framework in a learning environment. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

Reenvisioning the UDL Guidelines

Because the UDL Guidelines are meant to be informed by feedback from the field as well as new research, they have been updated several times in the past. We are in the process of updating the Guidelines once again in our UDL Rising to Equity initiative.

This update will focus specifically on addressing systemic barriers that result in inequitable learning opportunities and outcomes. CAST aims to develop a transparent, inclusive, and community-driven process. If you are interested in collaborating and staying updated on our progress, we invite you to complete a brief survey.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST. The UDL Guidelines can be used by educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and anyone else who wants to implement the UDL framework in a learning environment. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Asking Questions (for science) Defining Problems (for engineering) Developing & Using Models Planning & Carrying Out Investigations Analyzing & Interpreting Data Mathematics & Computational Thinking Construct Explanations (for science) Designing Solutions (for engineering) Engaging in Argument from Evidence Obtain, Evaluate, Communicate Information

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Winter 2023 California Classroom Science - Vol. 36 Issue 2

President's Message

Celebrating Achievements and Successes at the California Science Education Conference

Give yourself a high-five, pat yourself on the back, smile that awesome smile, you've made it to December! The first half of this school year has flown by, with some bumps, and some celebrations. One big celebration for science educators was our annual CASE Science Educator Conference, October 20-22, in Palm Springs.

FYI

Region 4 Events

Region 4 Update: Winter 2023

Southern California science educators have been busy this fall, bringing exciting experiences to students in the region. Inyo County Office of Education (ICOE) just finished hosting their county Science Campers at the Bernasconi Education Center and it was a great success!

Join Today!

Not a member of CASE? Join/Renew today

Learn More-CASE Membership Joint NSTA/CASE Membership
California Classroom Science

CASE's signature publication, is an electronic publication that is produced bimonthly. The publication consists of mostly original content produced by CASE members and provides information of interest to California science educators.

CCS is packed with information, news, resources, ideas, and activities of current interest to science educators. CCS is delivered to CASE members electronically via e-mail and is available on our website for all to enjoy.

Science Classroom Move

CASE's newsletter, California Classroom Science, has always had great articles about resources, lessons, planning tools, and issues in science education. But sometimes the things that help us the most are the little things: A classroom move. This is a new interactive column that allows you to share those little moves. We'd love to hear from all of you!
Read More

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Winter 2023 California Classroom Science - Vol. 36 Issue 2 Celebrating Achievements and Successes at the California Science Education Conference Give yourself a high-five, pat yourself on the back, smile that awesome smile, you've made it to December! The first half of this school year has flown by, with some bumps, and some celebrations.

# data[].attributes.headline
English Learners in STEM Subjects book pdf

# data[].attributes.subject
English Learners in STEM Subjects book pdf

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Unit Description: The anchoring phenomenon of this unit is that the school, home, and neighborhood make large amounts of garbage every day. In answering the driving question of the unit, "What happens to our garbage?", students investigate a series of subquestions (e.g., "What is that smell?"

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ideas on 20% time, project based learning and gamification to encourage students to become lifelong learners in the age of technology.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
After my obsession with "Mystery Pixel Art", I am working my way through color by numbers. Much like the pixel art, color by numbers are a good way to practice/review the content. The added benefit is that they take the students a bit longer to complete, so they are amazing to leave for a sub in an emergency situation - back-to-back one page copy, no electronics, and kids can spend a whole class period with just one sheet.

As with my other materials, you are free to use the "Print and Go" activity and share with others. My intent has always been not to add a price tag to my resources, but with the increase in cost in making them, I have decided to place the answer keys up for sale on TpT. My idea is that you take what you need, when you need it without worrying about cost (i.e. when you get a call that you need to pick up your kid from daycare, or you wake up with a migraine - you get the idea). Later, you may wish to pay it back. Even if you use them all and you just purchase one answer key, it would definitely brighten my day.

Disclaimer: The colors you see in the thumbnails and on the first pages of the free downloads have been scrambled / do not correspond to the correct answers. This was done in order to prevent students finding this page and simply copying what they see.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ideas on 20% time, project based learning and gamification to encourage students to become lifelong learners in the age of technology.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
For a couple of months now I've been "drawing" pixel art to use with my students. What started with a simple, "Oh that looks cool" quickly snowballed into a passion. I of course do not have every topic imaginable, but I have managed to create over 40 science-specific Mystery Pixel Art Activities specifically at the middle school level, though some could be used in higher or lower grades.

All of the links shared below are force copies and shared with anyone can view. However some school districts do not allow access to any material from outside their domain. If this is your case, the only solution is to make a copy into your personal account, download it to your device and then upload it as a new file into your school domain account.

All of the activities are shared freely, and you are free to share them the same way. Do not just make a copy of my stuff and post if for sale on any site. That is just rude.

For those of you that are interested to learn how to make them, there are many videos on YouTube that show you how, such as https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YKwyFBayp8

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
California Coalition for Inclusive Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Welcome to the California Coalition for Inclusive Learning (CCIL) universal resources. It is our intent that educators in a variety of roles, find resources to support their practice in universally designing learning experiences for all learners. In anticipation to the barrier of time, we’ve

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Single Point Rubrics: What They Are And How To Use Them In the Classroom | Kodable

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Unlock the potential of single-point rubrics! Learn how to implement them in the classroom for deeper student understanding and impactful feedback. Elevate your teaching game with this comprehensive guide!

# data[].attributes.headline
Literacy Across Disciplines Got a Minute?

# data[].attributes.subject
Literacy Across Disciplines Got a Minute?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
GaM? Slidedeck - Literacy Across Disciplines

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
California Coalition for Inclusive Learning - Meaning Making

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Data talks are short 5-10 minute classroom discussions to help students develop data literacy. This pedagogical strategy is similar in structure to a number talk, but instead of numbers students are shown a data visual and asked what interests them. In a data talk the teacher does not have to be an…

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Goals and Moves | Professional Development | The Inquiry Project

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Inquiry Project takes a unique approach to a study of matter for grades 3-5, bringing together core ideas, scientific practices, and crosscutting concepts...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Em Espey Senior Manager, Media Relations

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Future of Testing in Education: Artificial Intelligence

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Technology and artificial intelligence can vastly improve the types of assessments teachers use to guide students in their learning.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The National Academies Press (NAP) publishes authoritative reports issued by The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Editor's note: This essay is an entry in Fordham's 2023 Wonkathon, which asked contributors to answer this question: "How can we harness the power but mitigate the risks of artificial intelligence in our schools?" .

When we started thinking about the question of how we can harness AI to benefit K-12 teachers and students, we asked AI, ChatGPT specifically, and got the following response:
Artificial intelligence (AI) can significantly enhance K-12 education by offering personalized learning experiences, automating administrative tasks, providing intelligent tutoring, and fostering engagement.
The chatbot then detailed specific ways in which AI can help to offer all those benefits within an educational context. The reality of AI in education is that it can supply all those amazing supports, and there are already many examples of personalized learning, automated tasks, intelligent tutoring and chatbot tools, and opportunities for increased engagement.

In order to narrow the scope of our exploration of the impacts of AI in the classroom, we will focus specifically on science education because of its increasing importance and relevance to our current world and the ways in which AI is able to integrate into a science curriculum not only as a tool, but also as a subject of deeper inquiry and study.

When we asked AI what AI + science equals, we got this insightful response from ChatGPT:
AI + Science = Innovation and Discovery The combination of AI and science leads to innovative solutions, accelerates discoveries, and enhances our understanding of the world.
In today's science classrooms, AI can provide real and innovative solutions to enhance student learning. AI can allow students to access key models and phenomena through new and diverse lenses. AI, in partnership with science educators, can be a tool that helps to make science relevant, engaging, and accessible to all students, regardless of their personal background, support needs in the classroom, or other relevant characteristics to their learning.

Some uses of AI within science education that have had positive impacts in the classroom include:
Assessments

AI-driven assessments: Assessment is an integral part of any science curriculum. To be able to understand and track student progress, there need to be assessments throughout the year. A report on the future of testing from the Center for American Progress details ways that assessment might be enhanced by AI with "intelligent tutoring, stealth assessments, games, and virtual reality." They assert that "mini-tests built by artificial intelligence can provide a wide variety of ways to use this technology to build engaging tools."

Relevant examples: AI can be used to tailor examples and phenomena in the science classroom to specific student contexts and experiences to make the curriculum more culturally relevant and engaging to students. Using examples that reflect students' lived experiences can help them to connect on a deeper level with their science learning. For example, if you ask ChatGPT to provide an example of a science phenomenon based on energy that is relevant to a middle school student in Louisiana, it will provide details and examples of solar energy. This is in large contrast to a student example in Seattle, Washington, where an example might be closely related to water because of the abundance of water resources in that area. Also, with ChatGPT, you can provide more specifics to the student and school culture, NGSS dimensions, or other characteristics related to phenomena that would help to pinpoint the closest relevant examples.

Grading

AI grading tools: Tools like gradescope can support teachers in their grading, saving them time and providing insights on how their students are progressing. AI also has the capability to help address bias in grading by ensuring that students are graded by objective standards and that teachers' implicit biases are not reflected within student grades.
Supports

The MSU Denver Virtual Lab Assistant: Otherwise known as the VLA, this tool supports science learning for students with visual impairments and allows those students "the ability to control laboratory equipment in a completely independent manner via voice command."

Benetech: A non-profit working to develop an AI solution to create accessible equations and charts for usage with screen readers and within their audio content library, Bookshare. This increases access for students with dyslexia/dysgraphia, students with low vision, or students with other barriers to accessing the materials. Benetech envisions a science classroom where "readers will not have to take extra steps to access the complex visuals as they would already be converted into digital materials."

AI tutors: Emerging AI tutor solutions like Khanmingo provide tutoring support for both teachers and students alike, providing coaching through both lesson planning and student learning. Students in computer science courses can get real time feedback on their work as they code to help them identify where they might need to go back to and re-learn specific things to apply to their assignments.

With the development of tools like the ones above, we can envision a future where AI solves many of the access and equity issues plaguing science education and education more broadly. These innovative tools and uses of AI also show us areas where we can further develop AI to fill more gaps in the science classroom. In science, with the advent of innovative assessments and tasks, we are seeing that many schools and districts struggle to know and understand high-quality aligned Next Generation Science Standard (NGSS) assessments. As an organization, in partnership with AI, this provides us an opportunity to creatively problem solve for these instances and provide the knowledge necessary to support the integration and analysis of these assessments.

Also, as we consider what students are learning within the NGSS, specifically in science practices, we can use AI to help teachers expand their curriculum. For example, in MS Practice 8, it says, "[students will] gather, read, and synthesize information from multiple appropriate sources and assess the credibility, accuracy, and possible bias of each publication and methods used, and describe how they are supported or not supported by evidence." This practice provides an opportunity to use AI as an on ramp to meeting these expectations, but also expands the opportunities for students to practice.

AI can unfortunately also present challenges for students and teachers if used incorrectly in a classroom setting. Right below the area where you input your prompts in ChatGPT is an important warning about the information that is provided: "ChatGPT can make mistakes. Verify important information." This highlights the potential for AI to spread misinformation and bias, and even beyond that, there are additional risks associated with AI being used in ways that undermine students' creativity and critical thinking by completing tasks for them instead of allowing them to reason through them.

The way we can begin to truly integrate AI into the classroom and mitigate the risks associated with AI is by forming a strong partnership between AI and educators. Educators and education leaders should be given the training and support to understand the benefits and potential uses of AI to enhance student learning and be given opportunities to work alongside content experts to review content generated by AI. There are several resources available to empower school leaders and educators to leverage AI in the classroom, from organizations like Code.org, OpenAI, and other leading technology and education organizations.

The use of AI within science education just makes sense. AI, as an innovation within the field of science, shows students the ways in which science has already transformed our world and the ways we think, work, learn, and do most other things. With the right guidance and collaboration from educators and students, AI can revolutionize the way we learn in a science classroom. AI can bridge long-existing learning gaps by providing innovative accessibility supports, engaging and culturally relevant examples within assessments and activities, and supporting teacher practice with enhanced grading and feedback supports. We must embrace AI in the classroom to meet the needs of this new generation of science learners.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How we can use AI to increase access and equity in science education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Editor's note: This essay is an entry in Fordham's 2023 Wonkathon, which asked contributors to answer this question: "How can we harness the power but mitigate the risks of artificial intelligence in our schools?" Learn more.

# data[].attributes.headline
CCC Prompts for Reflecting on and Improving Instruction

# data[].attributes.subject
CCC Prompts for Reflecting on and Improving Instruction

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Practice Brief 75 -- Topics:Implementation Instruction
Using the crosscutting concepts to reflect on and refine your teaching

Teachers should engage as scientists in their classrooms by conducting action research and reflecting using crosscutting concepts.

District Staff & PD Providers should give teachers time and space to identify their own opportunities and problems of practice to focus on during professional learning (for example, PLCs and workshops).

School Leaders should provide time in teachers' schedules to engage in authentic reflection and action research in service of improved practice.

What is the Issue?

A Framework for K-12 Science Education poses the idea that students are best positioned to figure out phenomena and solve problems by engaging in science and engineering practices and using the crosscutting concepts as thinking lenses. The crosscutting concepts are a broad set of useful themes that can be applied to any field, including education. By using the crosscutting concepts to approach their own problems and opportunities of practice, teachers can engage in deeper reflection and metacognition-and strengthen their ability to help students use the crosscutting concepts to explain phenomena and design solutions.

Authors:

JEANNE NORRIS AND SARAH SCHONDELMEYER | JUNE 2021

Reflection Questions

In your teaching, when was the last time when you weren't sure where to go next, or when something wasn't going as planned? What successes can you analyze to see how they might be replicated? Use the recommended process to formally explore your practice.

How might your students, school, or district use the crosscutting concepts in ways beyond scientific thinking?

Things to Consider

* Ambitious Science Teaching outlines cycles of Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) for teachers to improve their practice. PDSA are short cycles of action-research that allow for quick adjustment based on data analysis and reflection. The steps of PDSA encourage teachers to be "scientists" and engineers of their own classrooms. They ask questions and make observations, suggest a change to implement based on interpreting the situation, implement the change, collect and analyze data, reflect, then act on what was learned.

* The crosscutting concepts are a set of common lenses that students use across science content to make sense of the world. Similarly, the crosscutting concepts can serve as a form of structured reflection lenses to help teachers better understand classroom phenomena.

Attending to Equity

Teachers should be supported and empowered to figure out their own solutions, rather than only accepting top-down mandates for educational change.

Consider how systems and structures in your classroom, school, or district promote or discourage equity of student participation in authentic science and engineering learning.

Equity-focused transformations come from deeper changes to systems. Consider true root causes and effects, as well as locus of control, when using these prompts. Dig deep and avoid deficit-based reasons we assign for student behavior and academic performance.

These prompts can help keep PLC and professional learning conversations focused and solution-oriented, steering conversations away from deficit thinking around student capabilities.

Recommended Actions You Can Take

Watch PDSA videos from Ambitious Science Teaching to observe examples of teachers focusing on a problem of practice. In these videos, teachers are implicitly using crosscutting concepts such as Patterns, Cause and Effect, and Systems Thinking to reflect and act on their classrooms. Keep in mind that there can also be opportunities of practice to identify and leverage.

The crosscutting concept prompts at the end of this Plan, Do, Study, Act template from the Institute for School Partnership at Washington University in St. Louis can be used to help identify problems and opportunities of practice before action steps are planned and enacted. They can also be used during the Study portion of the PDSA cycle to provide support for teachers as they analyze data from their tests of change. This tool could be used in a wide variety of settings, including on a district, school, or classroom level.

Review the crosscutting concept prompts from the Institute for School Partnership. Consider customizing them based on the work of your school or district-to strengthen how they fit your context.

Use the PDSA template during PLC meetings to focus conversation and provide clear supports. The prompts can be used to analyze student work samples, lesson videos, or assessment scores, for example. This tool could also be used in a wide variety of settings, including on a district, school, or classroom level.

As an extension, do a book study on Ambitious Science Teaching. You can connect the chapter called "Organizing with Colleagues to Improve Teaching," which outlines driver diagrams as a tool to implement instructional goals, to the effort outlined here.

ALSO SEE STEM TEACHING TOOLS

STEM Teaching Tools content copyright 2014-22 UW Institute for Science + Math Education. All rights reserved.
This site is primarily funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) through Award #1920249 (previously through Awards #1238253 and #1854059). Opinions expressed are not those of any funding agency.

Work is licensed under aCreative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Others may adapt with attribution. Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Opinions expressed are not those of any funding agency.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Using the crosscutting concepts to reflect on and refine your teaching : StemTeachingTools (en-US)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Practice Brief 75 -- Topics:Implementation Instruction Teachers should engage as scientists in their classrooms by conducting action research and reflecting using crosscutting concepts. District Staff & PD Providers should give teachers time and space to identify their own opportunities and problems of practice to focus on during professional learning (for example, PLCs and workshops).

# data[].attributes.headline
CCC Prompts for Instruction and Assessment

# data[].attributes.subject
CCC Prompts for Instruction and Assessment

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Practice Brief 41 -- Topics:Assessment Instruction
Prompts for Integrating Crosscutting Concepts Into Assessment and Instruction

The new vision for science education features a three dimensional view of learning that involves: science and engineering practices, crosscutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas. Many educators already incorporate crosscutting concepts into their teaching, but may still be looking for ways to amplify these concepts or to make them more explicit for their students, including in their classroom assessments.

This set of prompts is intended to help teachers elicit student understanding of crosscutting concepts in the context of investigating phenomena or solving problems.

These prompts should be used as part of a multi-component extended task. These prompts were developed using the Framework for K-12 Science Education and Appendix G of the Next Generation Science Standards, along with relevant learning sciences research.
PDF download

Authors:

BY WILLIAM R. PENUEL AND KATIE VAN HORNE | VERSION 2.0 | NOV 2016, UPDATED FEB. 2018

ALSO SEE STEM TEACHING TOOLS

STEM Teaching Tools content copyright 2014-22 UW Institute for Science + Math Education. All rights reserved.
This site is primarily funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) through Award #1920249 (previously through Awards #1238253 and #1854059). Opinions expressed are not those of any funding agency.

Work is licensed under aCreative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Others may adapt with attribution. Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Opinions expressed are not those of any funding agency.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Prompts for Integrating Crosscutting Concepts Into Assessment and Instruction : StemTeachingTools (en-US)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Practice Brief 41 -- Topics:Assessment Instruction The new vision for science education features a three dimensional view of learning that involves: science and engineering practices, crosscutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas. Many educators already incorporate crosscutting concepts into their teaching, but may still be looking for ways to amplify these concepts or to make them more explicit for their students, including in their classroom assessments.

# data[].attributes.body
NGSS Lessons and Assessments

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Sprocket is a no-cost online portal for teachers to access full year project-based learning courses.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Instructional Leadership for Science Practices

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Science Practices Continuum is intended for teachers and administrators to use in guiding and evaluating science practice-based instruction ( McNeill, Katsh-Singer & Pelletier, 2015 ). For each…

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Instructional Leadership for Science Practices

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Instructional Leadership for Science Practices

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This website includes resources to support the successful integration of the 8 Science Practices in NGSS into K-8 classrooms. This includes descriptions of the 8 practices, case studies, and tools such as a continuum for the eight practices.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
These two tools are intended to assist educators in evaluating science assessment tasks to determine whether they are designed for three-dimensional science standards based on the Framework for K-12 Science Education, such as the Next Generation Science Standards.

The Science Task Prescreen can be used to conduct a quick review of assessment tasks to identify any "red flags" - challenges commonly found in science assessment tasks - and determine whether a task is worth diving into more deeply.

The Science Task Screener is used to take that deeper dive into evaluating science assessment tasks. The purpose of the Science Task Screener is

1. to determine whether classroom assessment tasks are high quality, designed to elicit evidence of three-dimensional performances, and designed to support the purpose for which they will be used; and

2. to provide a group of reviewers with a common set of features to ground conversations about what it "looks like" for students to demonstrate the kinds of performances expected by three-dimensional standards.

The Screener builds off the criteria in Category III of the EQuIP Rubric for Science by more clearly specifying features for the assessment tasks embedded in lessons and units.

An FAQ about the Science Task Prescreen and Screener is available here.

If you have questions or are interested in professional development opportunities related to evaluating science assessment tasks, please contact nextgenscience@wested.org.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
These two tools are intended to assist educators in evaluating science assessment tasks to determine whether they are designed for three-dimensional science standards based on the Framework for K-12 Science Education, such as the Next Generation Science Standards.