Connecticut State Department of Education

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Connecticut Core Standards

Understanding/Implementing the CT Core State Standards in the Classroom - Science

General Overview of the Common Core State Standards

Common Core State Standards

Next Generation Science Standards

  • Next Generation Science Standards (nextgenscience.org) 
  • Next Generation Science-CT Online Short Course – There is no-cost for this web-based, self-paced course developed for CSDE through a Mathematics and Science Partnership Grant. This course provides an introduction to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and a broad overview of the changes to science teaching and learning envisioned in the Framework for K-12 Science Education (National Research Council, 2012). The 15 modules offer 16 to 60 hours of structured professional learning for groups of educators. (ngss.ccat.us) 
  • A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas – by the National Research Council, 2012 offers free electronic access to the NRC Report upon which the NGSS were based. It is recommended reading for teachers trying to understand NGSS. (nap.edu) 
  • Bozeman Science – Next Generation Science Standards Video Series covers the concepts contained within the K-12 Science Framework. The 60 videos contain an NGSS overview, 8 practices, 7 crosscutting concepts, and 44 disciplinary core ideas. (youtube.com) 
  • The Inquiry Project: Seeing the World Through A Scientist’s Eyes – The Inquiry Project curriculum for Grades 3-4-5 is based on a body of research in how people learn, how they learn science, and how they understand specific science topics. The curriculum engages student in science inquiry about the nature of matter. It is NGSS aligned and implementation is supported by online workshop for teachers. (terc.edu) 
  • Talk Science Professional Development – This component of The Inquiry Project (TERC) is designed to increase the effectiveness of discourse in Grades 3 through 5 science classrooms. The focus is on meaning-making and strategies to support productive discussion. Video case studies are included. (terc.edu) 
  • Talk Science Primer by Sarah Michaels and Cathy O’Connor - This site provides electronic access to a twenty-two page pdf explaining academically productive talk, why it is important, how to establish a culture of productive talk in the classroom and use “talk moves” to support it. (terc.edu) 
  • STEM Teaching Tools - This is a collection of brief essays, each focused on a specific issue, is authored and reviewed by teachers and researchers. Each Practice Brief highlights ways of working on specific issues that come up during STEM teaching.  
  • Ready, Set, SCIENCE! Putting Research to Work in K-8 Classrooms - by the National Research Council, 2007 offers free electronic access to a book that summarizes research on learning and explains types of instructional experiences that help K-8 students learn science with understanding. It also informs NGSS 3-dimensional approaches. (nap.edu) 
  • Language Demands and Opportunities in Relation to Next Generation Science Standards for ELLS: What Teachers Need to Know – a paper by Helen Quinn, Stanford University Okhee Lee, New York University Guadalupe Valdés, Stanford University that highlights challenges and opportunities as English Language Learners engage with the Next Generation Science Standards. These new standards represent a major shift in science instruction, toward an explicit focus on scientific sense-making, language use, and scientific practices. (ell.stanford.edu) 
  • The Five Tools and Processes for Translating the NGSS – The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) challenge teachers to think deeply about learning and teaching with the goal of developing a clear vision of science education that is coherent, focused, and rigorous. These tools are designed to help professional development leaders work with teachers on curriculum, instruction, and assessment.  (American Museum of Natural History in collaboration with BSCS and the K-12 Alliance at WestEd.) 
  • Debating Real Scientific Questions Fosters Deeper Learning - Education Week’s Learning Deeply blog. 3-18-16 by contributing blogger Hillary Mills, Academic Dean and Instructional Coach, Metropolitan Expeditionary Learning School, New York (Education Week)  
  • Core Practices in Action: Deeper Instruction Preparing for an Academic Conversation, Day 1 - This first of a two-part video inspires and nurtures student conversation on complex topics in a biology class as they prepare for a debate on the bioethics of TALEN gene therapy. (eleducation) 
  • Constructing Arguments Using Science Notebooks, Day 2 - In this second of a two-part video, students make connections among concepts and technical vocabulary, using science notebooks to organize their thinking, in preparation for their bio-ethical debate. (eleducation) 
  • NGSS Content Crosswalk Report shows content similarities and differences between NGSS and Connecticut's 2004 science standards. (ct.gov/sde) 
  • National Science Teachers Association NGSS Resources - web seminars, articles from peer-reviewed journals, NSTA Press books, short courses and face-to-face conference lectures and workshops, all designed to build an understanding of the NRC Framework and NGSS. (ngss.nsta.org)
  • NGSS EQuIP Rubric Series –This video series, produced through a collaboration between Achieve and Teaching Channel, helps educators gain a deeper understanding of the features and shifts that are inherent in the NGSS. Videos showcase explicit “look-fors” used to evaluate the quality of instructional materials using the NGSS EQuIP rubric. (teaching channel.org) 

EQuIP Resources for Common Core Alignment

  • EQuIP e-Learning Modules - The purpose of this e-Learning module is to develop the learner's knowledge and understanding of the EQuIP Quality Review Process, which is designed to increase the ability of educators – and educational leaders – to identify and create quality instructional materials aligned to the Common Core State Standards. Specifically, learners will explore what effective observations and criterion-based feedback look like and experience the process of reviewing instructional materials using the EQuIP Quality Review criteria, rating scales, and rating descriptors. (achieve.org)
  • The EQuIP Student Work Protocolis designed to establish or articulate the relationship between student work and the quality and alignment of instructional materials that previously have been reviewed using the EQuIP quality review process. Focusing on this relationship enables educators to develop a common understanding of the challenging work required by the CCSS. (achieve.org) 
  • An Introduction to the EQuIP Rubric- Learn more about the EQuIP (Educators Evaluating the Quality of Instructional Product) Rubric for mathematics and ELA/Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects grades k-2 and 3-12 (webinar from Learn Zillion and achieve.org)
  • What can the EQuIP Rubric Do For You? – This blog hosted on Teaching Channel provides an in-depth discussion of the NGSS EQuIP rubric as well as links to websites and resources to facilitate implementation of NGSS in the classroom. 
  • EQuIP Rubric for Lessons & Units: Science – The NGSS EQuIP rubric describes a set of criteria for high-quality science lessons and units. 
  • NGSS Video Series –This video series, produced through a collaboration between Achieve and Teaching Channel, helps educators gain a deeper understanding of the features and shifts that are inherent in the NGSS. Videos showcase explicit “look-fors” used to evaluate the quality of instructional materials using the NGSS EQuIP rubric.
  • Strengthening Lessons with a Student Work Protocol—This video illustrates how to evaluate a lesson using the EQuIP rubric (Achieve and Teaching Channel)
  • EQuIP: Educators Evaluating Quality Instructional Products (achieve.org)

 

Common Core Implementation for All Students