Revised Draft MA Science & Technology/ Engineering Standards Webinar for Administrators March, 2014

Session goals  Consider impact of science in school & district accountability  Overview key “shifts” in draft revised STE standards  Discuss resources and strategies for implementation 2

Virtual introductions  In the chat box … Name, Title or role, District or organization  All microphones have been muted for now.  Questions as we go: type into chat box 3

“Science” is…  Earth and Space Science  Life Science (Biology)  Physical Science (Chemistry and Physics)  Technology/Engineering  Districts may provide more specific focus:  Robotics  Marine Ecology  Biotechnology  Computer Science  Pharmacology … 4

STE in PPI / Accountability  Science is in the school & district accountability formula  Narrowing proficiency gaps  (Not growth)  Science is include in the Competency Determination (CD) policy  Cohort graduation rate 5

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 6 Science in accountability

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 7 Science in accountability

 Elementary and middle schools  Grade 5 and 8 MCAS are grade span tests  Assess same scope as 3 math or ELA tests, therefore weighted equally in PPI  Consider different school configurations  E.g., PreK-4, 5-8: Only the “middle school” would have science in PPI, but grades 3 & 4 contribute 8

In the chat box…  In general, how does science performance compare to math and ELA performance in your school or district? 9

STE Standards Current and Revised (for )

Structure & focus of current STE standards (2001/06)  Content focused  no inquiry skills except quick mention at HS  use generic cognitive verbs throughout  4 primary domains (strands)  ESS, LS, PS, TE  Topics within each domain  not consistent by grade  Presented by grade spans  PreK-2, 3-5, 6-8, HS “introductory” courses 11

Why revise?  Update the science  Last full set of standards developed in 2001  Preparation for post-secondary success  STE contributes to college & career readiness (CCR)  Student preparation for STEM-focused jobs and postsecondary opportunities*  Integration of practices with concepts  Necessary skills for CCR  Increases rigor of student expectations  Reinforces mathematics and literacy standards  Present PreK-8 grade-by-grade standards 12

Students who are college and career ready in Science and Technology/Engineering will demonstrate the academic knowledge, skills, and practices necessary to enter into and succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing science, engineering or technical courses; certificate or workplace training programs requiring an equivalent level of science; or a comparable entry-level science or technical course at the institution. College & Career Readiness 13

Students will be prepared to: Analyze scientific phenomena and solve technical problems in real-world contexts using relevant science and engineering practices and disciplinary core ideas. Use appropriate scientific and technical reasoning to support, critique, and communicate scientific and technical claims and decisions. Appropriately apply relevant mathematics in scientific and technical contexts. College & Career Readiness 14

Science & engineering practices 1. Asking questions and defining problems 2. Developing and using models 3. Planning and carrying out investigations 4. Analyzing and interpreting data 5. Using mathematics and computational thinking 6. Constructing explanations and designing solutions 7. Engaging in argument from evidence 8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information 15

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Outcomes of integrating practices & content  Better reflection of actual science and engineering  Increased mastery of sophisticated subject matter  Increased opportunities to engage in practices in authentic contexts  Increased interest in STEM  America’s Lab Report (NRC, 2005) 17

What an STE standard looks like 5-PS1 Matter and Its Interactions 5-PS1-1. Use a model of matter as made of particles too small to be seen to explain common phenomena involving gases, phase changes between gas and liquid, and dissolving. [Clarification Statement: Examples of common phenomena the model should be able to describe include adding air to expand a basketball, compressing air in a syringe, dissolving sugar in water, and evaporating salt water.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include the atomic-scale mechanism of evaporation and condensation or defining the unseen particles.]  Articulates expected performance/demonstration  Does not limit curriculum and instruction to the included practice 18

Compare standards 2001: Gr. 3-5 Physical Science #2: Compare and contrast solids, liquids, and gases based on the basic properties of each of these states of matter. Revised: Gr. 5 Physical Science 5-PS1-1. Use a model of matter as made of particles too small to be seen to explain common phenomena involving gasses, phase changes between gas and liquid, and dissolving. [Clarification Statement: Examples of common phenomena the model should be able to describe include adding air to expand a basketball, compressing air in a syringe, dissolving sugar in water, and evaporating salt water.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include the atomic-scale mechanism of evaporation and condensation or defining the unseen particles.] 19

Compare standards 2001: Gr. 6-8 Technology/Engineering #2.5. Explain how such design features as size, shape, weight, function, and cost limitations would affect the construction of a given prototype. Revised: Gr. 7 Technology/Engineering 7.MS-ETS1-2. Evaluate competing solutions to a given design problem using a systematic process to determine how well each meets the criteria and constraints of the problem. Use a model of each solution to evaluate how variations in one or more design features, including size, shape, weight, or cost, may affect the function or effectiveness of the solution.* 20

In chat box …  In what ways are the integration of practices and change the in rigor of science standards similar to or different from shifts in math and ELA? 21

Crosswalks /6 Standard Degree of alignment of current to draft revised Relative grade current is found in revisedDraft Revised MA Standards December 2013 Comments on alignment LS. Life Science HS.LS.1.1. Recognize that biological organisms are composed primarily of very few elements. The six most common are C, H, N, O, P, and S. comparablesame HS-LS1-6. Construct and revise an explanation based on evidence that macromolecules are primarily composed of six elements, where carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms from carbohydrates may combine with nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus to form large carbon-based molecules. [Clarification Statement: Large carbon-based molecules included are proteins, carbohydrates, amino acids, nucleic acids, and lipids.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include the details of the specific chemical reactions or identification of specific macromolecules.] HS.LS.1.2. Describe the basic molecular structures and primary functions of the four major categories of organic molecules (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids). partialsame HS-LS1-1. Explain that genes are regions in the DNA that code for proteins, which carry out the essential functions of life. Construct a model of transcription and translation to explain the roles of DNA and RNA in coding the instructions for polypeptides, which make up proteins. Explain that different classes of proteins regulate and carry out the essential functions of life. [Clarification Statement: Four classes of proteins that regulate and carry out the essential functions of life include: enzymes (speeding up chemical reactions), structural proteins (providing structure and enabling movement), hormones (sending signals between cells), and antibodies (fighting disease).] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include specific names of proteins or rote memorization of steps of transcription and translation.] Draft revised standard only includes proteins.

Coherent progressions of learning  Vertical alignment through progressions of practices and concepts  Draws on learning progression research  A Framework for K-12 Science Education (NRC, 2012)  Learning Progressions in Science: Current Challenges and Future Directions (Alonzo & Gotwals, 2012)  Learning Progressions in Science: An Evidence-Based Approach to Reform (CPRE, 2009) 23

MA strand maps Arrows highlight conceptual connections (needed for learning); not curricular connections

PreK-8 grade-by-grade standards  Grade-specific standards support:  Collaboration and sharing across districts on curriculum, district determined measures, etc  Consistency when students move schools/districts  Standards appropriate for students of each grade  All 4 disciplines in each grade encourage integrated instruction  Pre-K developed by EEC  K-5 as consistent with NGSS as possible  6-8 generating discussion about school program 25

High school – no change in structure  Maintain current model of course choices, flexibility for different pathways  Overall reduction in scope of HS standards  Continuing to work on the HS model with DHE and others  Ensure all options lead to student development of science & engineering practices by end of 3 years of lab science (MassCore) 26

Implications for curriculum and instruction Shifts in revised standardsShift in curriculum & instruction Organized around core explanatory ideas The goal of teaching needs to shift from facts and concepts to explaining phenomena Central role for science and engineering practices Inquiry- and design-based learning is not a separate activity; all STE learning should involve engaging in practices to build and use knowledge Coherence: ideas and practices build across time and between disciplines Teaching involves building a coherent storyline across time Adapted from: Brian Reiser, Northwestern University,

Instructional shifts in STE  Relevance: Using knowledge and skills to analyze and explain natural phenomena and designed systems  Rigor: Purposeful engagement with practices and concepts  Coherence: Building a coherent storyline over time toward more sophisticated scientific and technical models

Additional resources  Crosswalk   STE MCUs (forthcoming) and rubric    Characteristics of an STE Classroom   In the chat box … Are there other resources that have been valuable to support math and ELA in your school or district? 29

A multi-stage (multi-year) process Public Draft State Revision Process MA STE Review Panel & NGSS Advisory Group www7.nationalacademies.org/bose/Stan dards_Framework_Homepage.html Adoption

Next steps DateESE actionDistrict action Public draft through STEM pathways; implications for upper-level HS courses Edits based on input Post model curriculum units Develop Framework resources Optional Revise curriculum & instruction Use to inform educator goals, district determined measures Move to official public comment and adoption process Multi-year implementation & transition period Provide support for transition Adjust MCAS Transition curriculum and instruction to revised standards 31

STE state assessment  Once revised STE standards adopted, will take ~2-3 years to revise MCAS  No change in MCAS structure anticipated at this time  Continue to test at grades 5 & 8, HS end-of-course  BUT…as with math and ELA, need to consider how to measure CCR  Looking into performance assessments formats and options  Through RTTT grant  PARCC item types Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 32

Staying up to date/FAQ 33

Possible district strategies  Begin the transition in full  Pick a component to work on  Science and engineering practices  Middle school  DDM focus  Easiest gains  Biggest challenges  Develop a transition plan  Make no changes/take no action until adoption 34

Open discussion  Microphones are now un-muted to ask questions and discuss  Please mute when not talking  Un-mute to contribute 35

Review key messages  As possible, attend to science sooner rather than later  Use extra time to your advantage  Do not forget technology/engineering  ESE encouraging action for all grades except 9 th or 10 th grade “MCAS” courses that determine CD  Do what you can and/or what is most important (connect to DDMs)  Build on math and ELA initiatives  Involve science staff  Collaborate across schools and districts 36

Related ESE Policies

John and Abigail Adams Scholarship Beginning with the class of 2016, students must:  score Advanced on one of the three assessment tests (ELA, Mathematics, or STE); AND  score Proficient or higher on the other two; AND  have combined scores from the three tests that place them in the top 25 percent of students in the graduating class in their district. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 38

Alignment to HEI admissions  ESE MassCore: “3 units lab-based science”  Which can include any technology/engineering course taken for science credit   DHE Admissions Requirements: “3 sciences (including 2 with laboratory work)”  Which can include any technology/engineering course taken for science credit  Starting fall 2017: All 3 must be with laboratory work  ards.asp ards.asp Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 39

MSBA science lab specs (MS-HS)

Thank you! Questions, Comments, or Requests: 41