1. Science for the Middle Grades
K-12 Alliance
Science for the Middle Grades

2. NGSS Setting a New Course

3. A Few Conceptual Shifts in CA NGSS
California K-12 Science Education:
reflects the interconnected nature of science as it is practiced and experienced in the real world.
builds coherently from K-12.
focuses on deeper understanding of content as well as the application of content.

4. How California developed the Middle Grade Learning Progressions.
How We Got Here!
How California developed the Middle Grade Learning Progressions.

5. State Board of Education November 2013 Decision
The SBE unanimously adopted:
The integrated learning progression model as the preferred model of instruction for grades 6-8.
AND
Authorized an alternative model that is discipline specific for grades 6-8.

6. California Science Expert Panel
27 Science Education Experts
K-12 Teachers, COE Science Leaders, IHE Faculty, Business, Industry, and Informal Science Centers
Noted Scientist Advisors
Dr. Bruce Alberts
Dr. Helen Quinn
Dr. Art Sussman
California State Board of Education Liaisons
Trish Williams
Ilene Straus

7. “ When we try to pick out something by itself, we find that is hitched to everything else in the Universe.”
-John Muir

8. Photosynthesis or Geologic Time
Select one of these topics.
Work with your table group to brainstorm the concepts a student needs to know to fully understand the bigger idea.
Display your groups ideas in a concept map and be prepared to share.

9. Criteria for Selecting Integrated Middle Grade PEs
Include PEs from Life, Earth and Space, and Physical each year
Be arranged to provide a transition from elementary to high school
Align with the cognitive demands of CCSS ELA and Math
Build within and across grade levels
Be balanced in complexity and quantity at each grade
Integrate engineering appropriately

10. Articulation Example Life Science grades 4th – 8th
8th Natural Selection
7th Ecosystems
6th Cells/Organisms
5th Food Chains/Webs
4th Internal and External Structures/Functions 10

11. An Example of
Eighth Grade Topics

12. Example Integration 8th Grade
Natural selection
Earth History and Space Science
Energy
Engineering and human impact
scale
stability
One way to think about the integration

13. CA’s Preferred Integrated Progression
6th Grade - 19 PEs; 30 DCIs
7th Grade - 22 PEs; 37 DCIs
8th Grade - 26 PEs; 38 DCIs
Including life, Earth, and physical science and Engineering, Technology and Application of Science at each grade

14. Alternative Discipline Specific Learning Progression
Developed by the SEP as an alternative to the preferred integrated model
Is based on the adopted NGSS Appendix K
Aligns with Common Core State Standards
Contains the PEs from each of the disciplines (Earth and Space, Life and Physical Sciences)
Contains concepts from other disciplines at each grade level for complete student understanding

15. CA’s Alternative Discipline Learning Progressions
6th Grade (Earth and Space Science)
19 PEs; 52 DCIs
7th Grade (Life Science)
24 PEs; 52 DCIs
8th Grade (Physical Science)
23 PEs; 43 DCIs
Including Engineering, Technology and Application of Science at each grade

16. Because
The integrated progression is the preferred pathway from the State Board of Education for middle grade science instruction, we will take a deep dive into the thinking and implementation of the progression.

17. Reminder!!
Performance Expectations (PEs) are what each student should know and be able to do at the end of the instructional sequence. They do NOT define the Instructional sequence (Curriculum) or the instructional strategies that the teacher utilizes to achieve the outcome.
How you “bundle” PEs for instruction is up to you or your district.

18. How Does One Bundle?
Phenomena

19. Deep Dive ! Using the 7th grade PEs:
Review the PEs for the core ideas for each discipline.
Consider what would be the best way to bundle the PEs for full deep student understanding.
Consider developing a cohesive storyline. Add in concepts and ideas that the PEs might be missing.

20. Deep Dive Continued !
Consider how your local context might impact the way the PEs are bundled.
Chart your ideas into a concept map.
Be prepared to share your ideas.

21. CDE Rationale Grade 7
Read the Rationale Document (pages 16-17) from CDE for grade 7.
• How does the thinking in that document resonate with your thinking as you bundled the PEs?
• What is similar? What is different?
• How does thinking about instruction and assessment help you determine which bundles are most productive?

22. Creative Implementation
Teach life, Earth/space and physical sciences in 6th, 7th and 8th grade as individual units during the year.
Teachers collaborate to share expertise with colleagues as they teach all three disciplines within the year.
Combine expertise at grade level—students rotate from teachers who stay in their disciplines-(Team Teach)
Ease in implementation over the next several years 22

23. Where Can We Start? Don’t Know? Not Ready?
• Consider what you are currently teaching— how can you increase the opportunity for students to learn through the SEPs? How might you incorporate engineering?
Ready to Tackle the Issues
• Build awareness with your colleagues; make informed decisions
• Provide a structure to move from the current status to a NGSS aligned integrated structure

24. One idea for a SLOW transition from ‘98 standards to NGSS
Developed by Palm Spring USD

25. One Idea for a FASTER transition from ‘98 Standards to NGSS
Developed by Palm Springs USD
A faster version of the last slide

26. One Idea for FASTEST Change
JUST DO IT!

27. Search: California Middle School science teachers
Facebook group
Search: California Middle School science teachers