Exploring the NGSS: Three survivor’s tales Gale O’Keefe, Lesley Shapiro, Alyssa Wood, and Rudolf Kraus RISTA 2014

Hello Who we are… Alyssa Gale Lesley Rudolf 2

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 3

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 4

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 5

Other curricular changes Practices are those of science AND engineering Integration of content, practices, and concepts Content areas are: life, physical, earth + space 6

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. 7

Developing new curricula Three coming up: ▪ 5th grade at Sophia Academy ▪ 7th grade at North Smithfield Middle School ▪ 9th grade at Classical High School 8

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. 9

Sophia Academy Just moved to 582 Elmwood Ave., Providence Small school: pros and cons Alyssa is the entire science department.

Overall NGSS curriculum 5 th grade: Intro to science 6 th, 7 th, + 8 th : 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 6 th, 7 th, 8 th grade In sixth year of operation ~470 students, mostly rural, with strong NECAP scores

North Smithfield Middle School Current School Science Program -6 th grade: Earth’s Atmosphere, Space Science, Life over Time, and Earth’s Surface -7 th grade: Diversity of Living Things, Ecology, and Waves, Sound, and Light -8 th grade: Matter, Energy and Chemical Interactions, Forces and Motion, Electricity and Magnetism and the Changing Earth 13

The shift (GSEs  NGSS) My fears of NGSS Comparing GSE to NGSS – Time – Practice – Engineering added at every grade – Project based 14

My NGSS-compatible science curriculum All four MS Engineering Standards are addressed each year 6 th grade – Earths Place in Universe – Earth Systems – Some Earth and Human Activity 7 th grade – From Molecules to Organisms – Ecosystems and Interactions – Heredity – Biological Evolution – Some Earth and Human Activity 8 th grade - Matter and Its Interactions - Motion and Stability - Energy and Their Applications - Waves and Their Applications

7th grade curriculum with NGSS 7 th grade – From Molecules to Organisms – Ecosystems and Interactions – Heredity – Biological Evolution – Some Earth and Human Activity See handout for details 16

Classical High School ▪ A demanding college prep school in Providence ▪ Provides a diverse community of students with a rigorous learning environment and high standards

Classical High School Examination required for admission 1112 students in grades % 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 18

Current science model

The shift (GSEs  NGSS) ▪ 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 20

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 21

My NGSS-compatible science curriculum All four MS Engineering Standards are addressed each year 9 th grade ▪ Big bang and beyond ▪ Plate tectonics ▪ Earth Processes ▪ Humans and the Earth 10 th grade ▪ Collisions and Motion ▪ Waves and EM radiation ▪ Atoms & molecules ▪ Reactions 11 th grade ▪ Cellular BiologyGenetics ▪ EvolutionEcology

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 23

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?

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? 25

Engineering help Scourse.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? 27

Interested? Join our professional learning community North Smithfield Middle School Monday evenings 6-8pm , leave a message 28

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 29