K-12 Alliance A Tool for Implementing the Next Generation Science Standards

Session Outcomes Experience a tool to align unit development and instruction with NGSS Understand the value of this tool as a guide for: planning instruction, determining assessment points and evaluating instructional materials

Next Generation Science Standards: 3D Learning Science and engineering Core ideas in the discipline Concepts across disciplines

How People Learn Prior Knowledge Conceptual Frameworks Metacognition (Bransford et al., 2000)

HPL and The tool Key finding #2 Conceptual Frameworks THE TOOL A.Conceptual Flow B.Phenomena, Questions, Practice C.Cross Cutting Concepts translates into

Tool A: Conceptual Flow  Details the important concepts for instruction  Identifies an instructional sequence  Identifies important concepts for assessment of student understanding  Serves as a tool for evaluation of instructional materials (DiRanna, Osmundson, Topps, Gerhardt, Barakos, Cerwin, Carnahan, Strang, 2008)

Conceptual Flow Conceptual Flow Developed by the K-12 Alliance/WestEd

Individual Pre-think Answer the prompt in a paragraph using complete sentences Write about the content (what students should understand, not how they will show they understand it) Transfer ideas to appropriate size sticky- notes Conceptual Flow Developed by the K-12 Alliance/WestEd

Quick Write Prompt What should an exiting (middle school) student understand about (interactions in an ecosystem)? Conceptual Flow Developed by the K-12 Alliance/WestEd

Facts or definitions are pieces of information. The focus is on verifiable and discrete details. In teaching facts are often presented without making connections to the big ideas in science. Concepts are over-arching ideas that clearly show the relationships between facts. They are frequently abstract. In teaching, concepts are often presented with connections to the real world and to the big ideas of science.

Collaborative Pre-think: Negotiate Your Ideas One person “plays” their biggest idea. Ask other participants if they have a similar idea. If they do, place the sticky notes under each other. If they have other big ideas, play those, then negotiate which is the best big idea. Next “play” the medium sized ideas, again tucking similar ideas under each other. Last “play” the smallest ideas. Review your “story” reading left to right and top to bottom. Move the stickies so that the instructional order makes the most sense. Conceptual Flow Developed by the K-12 Alliance/WestEd

Example of a Preliminary Collaborative Conceptual Flow Conceptual Flow Developed by the K-12 Alliance/WestEd

Content Check Read the essential question in the K-12 Science Framework associated with the strand/topic Jigsaw the reading Everyone read LS2 #1 read LS2A; #2 read LS2B; #3 read LS2C read opening paragraph scan grade levels read by the end of 8 th grade Discuss the reading Conceptual Flow Developed by the K-12 Alliance/WestEd

Content Check After Reading Are there any ideas on your conceptual flow which should be deleted? Delete them. Are there other content ideas that should be added to your conceptual flow? Add them on an appropriate size yellow sticky-note and put on the CF Conceptual Flow Developed by the K-12 Alliance/WestEd

Aligning DCI S with the Conceptual Flow Read the DCIs for the topic. Where are the DCIs on your conceptual flow? Write the DCI on a orange sticky note and post on the flow where you find a match. Are there DCIs that are not in your flow? Should they be? Add if appropriate. Remember to check DCIs in other content areas Conceptual Flow Developed by the K-12 Alliance/WestEd

Example of a Conceptual Flow with DCI Matches Conceptual Flow Developed by the K-12 Alliance/WestEd

CF Edit Conceptual Flow Developed by the K-12 Alliance/WestEd

Review Your Conceptual Flow Are there concepts/facts for which there are no matching DCIs? If so, should you: Delete them? Find other content or grades where they might be addressed? Keep them? What is your rationale?

Assessment Check Review your conceptual flow Identify where you would put formative and summative assessments Place a flag sticky note at point where you think you would need to know what students understand before moving on in their study Conceptual Flow Developed by the K-12 Alliance/WestEd

Example of CF with Pre-think Assessment Points Conceptual Flow Developed by the K-12 Alliance/WestEd

Aligning PE S With a Conceptual Flow Review the PEs. If they appear on your conceptual flow, write the PE number on a sticky note and add it to the CF If the PEs are not on your flow, discuss why they are missing and if they should be added. Where would you add them? Conceptual Flow Developed by the K-12 Alliance/WestEd

Example of CF with PE Matches Conceptual Flow Developed by the K-12 Alliance/WestEd Where is LS2-5?

Exit Quickwrite List at least 2 things you are sure about in the conceptual flow process What is something you are wondering about in the conceptual flow process?

The Tool Continued Welcome Back Share Exit Comments Onto PART 2

Tool B: Identifying Practices Phenomena Questions Practices Developed by the Sacramento Area Science Project Performance Expectation DCINatural Phenomena Driving QuestionsPractices

Enter Selected DCI AND PE from Conceptual Flow Phenomena Questions Practices Developed by the Sacramento Area Science Project PE: Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem DCINatural Phenomena Driving QuestionsPractices LS2.A Organisms dependent on interaction of LT and NLT… Similar needs, competition.. Growth limited by resources..

Phenomena

Brainstorm Phenomena Related to the specific DCI Related to student background/interest/prior knowledge  Related to your context—natural phenomena possible to observe in your immediate surroundings.  Or for which you can obtain data (though classroom experiences, the internet, textbook, etc.)  Use California examples where feasible Phenomena Questions Practices Developed by the Sacramento Area Science Project

Example: (Natural) Phenomena Phenomena Questions Practices Developed by the Sacramento Area Science Project PE: Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem DCINatural PhenomenaDriving QuestionsPractices LS2.A bullet 2 In any ecosystem, organisms and populations with similar requirements for food, water, oxygen, or other resources may compete with each other for limited resources, access to which consequently constrains their growth and reproduction. zebra mussels taking over CA lakes (and Great Lakes) kudzu growing all over the south starlings changing meadow or pasture to star thistle Housing tracks Concrete river beds

Develop Driving Questions The Question: Links DCI with an interesting phenomenon; they are often “why” questions Guides student investigation/experiment/activity, often over multiple days of instruction  Leads to depth of student understanding (higher order thinking) Phenomena Questions Practices Developed by the Sacramento Area Science Project

Example: Driving Questions Phenomena Questions Practices Developed by the Sacramento Area Science Project PE: Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem DCINatural PhenomenaDriving QuestionsPractices LS2.A bullet 2 In any ecosystem, organisms and populations with similar requirements for food, water, oxygen, or other resources may compete with each other for limited resources, access to which consequently constrains their growth and reproduction. zebra mussels taking over CA lakes (and Great Lakes) kudzu growing all over the south starlings changing meadow or pasture to star thistle Housing tracks Concrete river beds Why do zebra mussels proliferate and push out other species? Why are there so many zebra mussels ? Where did they come from? Why have they survived so well where others haven't? What do zebra mussels eat? What pH levels are optimal for zebra mussels?

Practices to Support Learning Start with the practice delineated in the PE Think about how students would answer the driving questions. Determine the other practices needed to help support student learning. Don’t forget that the practices are highly connected—think of practices that naturally fit together Enter the practices on the PQP Chart Add “blue practice flags” to the DCIs on the Conceptual Flow

Example: Practices Phenomena Questions Practices Developed by the Sacramento Area Science Project PE: Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem DCINatural PhenomenaDriving QuestionsPractices LS2.A bullet 2 In any ecosystem, organisms and populations with similar requirements for food, water, oxygen, or other resources may compete with each other for limited resources, access to which consequently constrains their growth and reproduction. zebra mussels taking over CA lakes (and Great Lakes) kudzu growing all over the south starlings changing meadow or pasture to star thistle Housing tracks Concrete river beds Why do zebra mussels proliferate and push out other species? Why are there so many zebra mussels ? Where did they come from? Why have they survived so well where others haven't? What do zebra mussels eat? What pH levels are optimal for zebra mussels? Analyze and interpret data Conduct research to find out about zebra mussels (link to CCSS) Plan and conduct an investigation about different aspects of an ecosystem Argue from evidence Construct and refine a model to explain the phenomenon

Example of CF with Practices Aligned to DCIs and PEs Conceptual Flow Developed by the K-12 Alliance/WestEd

Practices Are Built on Practices What are the nuances in a practice? How can those be used to deepen learning? How does using a variety of practices scaffold learning? How does using a variety of practices deepen learning? How does using a variety of practices strengthen the PE?

Using Cross Cutting Concepts LifeEarthPhysical PhotosynthesisEarthquakesElectricity ENERGY Life Science CellsOrgan SystemsEcosystems Scale Across Disciplines Within a Discipline

Cross Cutting Concepts Column Phenomena Questions Practices Developed by the Sacramento Area Science Project Performance Expectation DCINatural Phenomena Driving Questions PracticesCross Cutting Concepts OTHER UNITS

Adding Cross Cutting Concepts Identify cross cutting concepts in the PQP Chart and “flag” your flow Which CCCs are predominate in your flow? How might they be used to connect to another unit? Keep the CCC in mind as you create a conceptual flow and PQP chart for another unit

Example of Completed CF with DCIs, SEPs and CCCs Conceptual Flow Developed by the K-12 Alliance/WestEd

Taking it Home How might you use The Tool in your context? What structures do you have in place that would enable you to use the Tool? What structures do you need? How will you get them? What assistance do you need from your local providers (e.g., county offices, CSP, K- 12 Alliance, CSTA) to help you in implementing this Tool?