Exploring the NGSS: Three survivor’s tales

Gale O’Keefe, Lesley Shapiro, Alyssa Wood, and Rudolf Kraus

RISTA 2014

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Hello

Who we are…

Alyssa

Gale

Lesley

Rudolf

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NGSS class

SED 548: Fall 2014

Rhode Island College

Monday 4-6:50

We’ll be taking a look at the NGSS,

and the implications for your classroom

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Our story

Our class had four parts:

▪ Theory of systemic change: Lewin’s change curve

▪ Study of previous curriculum change

▪ Look at the NGSS- what’s there?

▪ Developing your own NGSS curriculum

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NGSS: what’s the deal?

Not a complete overhaul, the next step

Three Emphases: content, practices, concepts

Compatible with Common Core:

more analysis, fewer facts

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Other curricular changes

Practices are those of science AND engineering

Integration of content, practices, and concepts

Content areas are: life, physical, earth + space

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Lewin’s change curve

Lewin’s model is for all organizational change

We get worse before we get better

Leadership and support can help quite a lot.

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Developing new curricula

Three coming up:

▪ 5th grade at Sophia Academy

▪ 7th grade at North Smithfield Middle School

▪ 9th grade at Classical High School

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Sophia Academy

Sophia Academy is a private, all-girls middle school in Providence focused on breaking the cycle of poverty that has ensnared so many.

Sophia Academy fosters intellectual, moral, cultural, and social growth for its students.

Sophia Academy’s 60 students are City residents and reflect the demographics of the Providence School District.

Sophia Academy

Just moved to 582 Elmwood Ave., Providence

Small school: pros and cons

Alyssa is the entire science department.

Overall NGSS curriculum

5th grade: Intro to science

6th, 7th, + 8th: all take one of:

Life physical earth/space

Advantages:

Two preps, not four

Better use of science lab

Classes connected with:

▪ NGSS Practices of Science+ Engineering

▪ NGSS Cross-Cutting Concepts

North Smithfield Middle School

Public school serving

6th, 7th, 8th grade

In sixth year of operation

~470 students, mostly rural, with strong NECAP scores

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North Smithfield Middle School

Current School Science Program

- 6th grade: Earth’s Atmosphere, Space Science, Life over Time, and Earth’s Surface

- 7th grade: Diversity of Living Things, Ecology, and Waves, Sound, and Light

- 8th grade: Matter, Energy and Chemical Interactions, Forces and Motion, Electricity and Magnetism and the Changing Earth

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The shift (GSEsNGSS)

My fears of NGSS

Comparing GSE to NGSS–Time–Practice–Engineering added at every grade–Project based

My NGSS-compatible science curriculum

All four MS Engineering Standards are addressed each year

6th grade– Earths Place in Universe– Earth Systems– Some Earth and Human

Activity

7th grade – From Molecules to Organisms– Ecosystems and Interactions– Heredity – Biological Evolution– Some Earth and Human

Activity

8th grade- Matter and Its Interactions- Motion and Stability- Energy and Their Applications- Waves and Their Applications

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7th grade curriculum with NGSS

7th grade–From Molecules to Organisms–Ecosystems and Interactions–Heredity –Biological Evolution–Some Earth and Human Activity

See handout for details

Classical High School

▪ A demanding college prep school in Providence

▪ Provides a diverse community of students with a rigorous learning environment and high standards

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Classical High School

• Examination required for admission

• 1112 students in grades 9-12

• 99% of graduating seniors go to college

• 20 AP Courses offered including AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Physics B, AP Physics C and AP Environmental States

•Most seniors take 1 or more science courses senior year

Current science model

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The shift (GSEsNGSS)

▪ For 9-12, the NGSS represent a significant departure from the GSEs and the current Biology, Chemistry, Physics model.

▪ NGSS trims down the number of Physical Science standards

▪ NGSS increases the number or Earth & Space Science standards

▪ Attempts to integrate the Earth & Space Science GSEs in at the High School Level were unsuccessful as per NECAP

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Choosing between options

NGSS appendices offer three suggestions on 9-12 curricula

▪ Initially, integrated model– talking to other teachers made me

reconsider

▪ Eventually, DCI model–Course 1: Earth& Space Science–Course 2: Physical Science–Course 3: Life Science

My NGSS-compatible science curriculum

All four MS Engineering Standards are addressed each year

9th grade

▪ Big bang and beyond

▪ Plate tectonics

▪ Earth Processes

▪ Humans and the Earth

10th grade

▪ Collisions and Motion

▪ Waves and EM radiation

▪ Atoms & molecules

▪ Reactions

11th grade

▪ Cellular Biology Genetics

▪ Evolution Ecology

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NGSS and the AP

▪ The College Board is in, but AP revisions --???

▪ As of right now:

–NGSS will prepare students exceptionally well for AP Biology and AP Environmental Science

–AP Physics B & C can be taken as a first year physics class

–NGSS will not adequately prepare students for AP Chemistry

What do you think?

As we’re handing out sample curricula, please find your self a partner.

Take five minutes and…

▪ What are three things that you do now?

▪ What are two changes you notice?

▪ What is one question that you have?

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What we’ve learned

Initially, we had vague concerns▪ Why bother?▪ What’s going to be better? Worse?

Now, we have specific, detailed questions.▪ Can we get support as we adjust

units/curricula?▪ What’s the test going to look like?▪ How do we successfully integrate engineering?▪ How do we add Earth/Space into the HS

environment?

Engineering help

http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/online_courses/NEScourse.aspx

From NSTA and NASA: starts in 3 weeks, free.

RIC’s Technology education program:

Tech 200: Intro to Tech systems and Processes

Tech 202: Design Processes

Questions?

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Interested?

Join our professional learning community

North Smithfield Middle School

Monday evenings

6-8pm

401-263-9800, leave a message

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Want to do more?

SED 548: Fall 2014

Rhode Island College

Monday 4-6:50

We’ll be taking a look at the NGSS,

and the implications for your classroom