Getting Started

by: Harold Pratt

The new standards promote a vision that the instruction and the learning your students experience should change significantly. An early piece of front matter in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) that lists the conceptual shifts called for in the NGSS provides a brief overview of the changes. This guide is designed to assist you and your team in gaining a deep understanding of the new standards and will supplement the many front matter documents and appendices provided with the NGSS itself. These documents should be carefully read as you progress through this guide and its many suggestions for action. This guide has been created as a part of an array of resources from NSTA to support you and your colleagues. These resources are listed at the end of the chapter.

Topics

CCC1: Patterns CCC2: Cause and Effect: Mechanism and Explanation CCC3: Scale, Proportion, and Quantity CCC5: Energy and Matter: Flows, Cycles, and Conservation Clear, shared goals based on a vision of science learning, teaching, and teacher development congruent with the National Science Education Standards . (NSES) Collaboration among the people involved in programs, with clear respect for the perspectives and expertise of each. (NSES) Communicating Continuous program assessment that captures the perspectives of all those involved, uses a variety of strategies, focuses on the process and effects of the program, and feeds directly into program improvement and evaluation. (NSES) Deepens educators’ content knowledge, provides them with research-based instructional strategies to assist students in meeting rigorous academic standards, and prepares them to use various types of classroom assessments appropriately. (NSDC) Requires resources to support adult learning and collaboration. (NSDC) Scientific habits of mind Select science content and adapt and design curricula to meet the interests, knowledge, understanding, abilities, and experiences of students. Select teaching and assessment strategies that support the development of student understanding and nurture a community of science learners.

Details

Type Book ChapterPub Date 4/15/2013ISBN 9781938946066Stock # PB340X_1

NSTA Press produces classroom-ready activities, hands-on approaches to inquiry, relevant professional development, the latest scientific education news and research, assessment and standards-based instruction.

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