Planning NGSS-Based Instruction: Where Do You Start?

Abstract

I n 1986, as a young geologist in love with science and teaching, I (Mary) began planning how to start my first year of eighth-grade Earth science. I decided to begin with a mineral identification activity. I knew that many of the clues to understanding Earth's past are found in rocks, and rocks are made of minerals. A great place to start-or so I thought. I believed in rigor, so I designed a fairly detailed lab. Students looked at lots of mineral samples and performed tests to determine each mineral's properties. They used mineral identification tables to identify each of their minerals. Students willingly engaged with the activity, and I took that as the sign of a successful lab. But they didn't seem excited. And they weren't sufficiently curious or interested to explore beyond the scope of the task I gave them. When the lab was over, and I considered that lack of curiosity, my enthusiasm for the lab waned. Why hadn't students asked questions beyond "Did I get the right answer?"

Consequences of curricular adaptation strategies for implementation at scale

“…In the wake of the appearance of the NGSS, a broad literature has sprung up to help teachers with the challenge. Since teacher professional development seems most effective when it is in the context of curriculum to be taught (Darling‐Hammond, Hyler, & Gardner, 2017), curriculum materials are seen to be crucial mediators for teachers' becoming “standards aligned” (Berk, 2014; Colson & Colson, 2016; Krajcik, 2014; Puttick & Drayton, 2017). This study involves changes in teachers' understanding of their work, and practical experience in trying new materials and new methods, evaluating the results, and refining practice as a result of experience.…”

“…Curriculum development has long been an important strategy for innovating in science education (Deboer, 1991), especially in the past half‐century of design and experimentation to transform science education to more authentically reflect science as practiced (Munby, Cunningham, & Lock, 2000; Schwab, 1962). Standards and tests provide only limited guidance to teachers and teacher educators about how to achieve the desired science outcomes; instead a common assumption is that classroom materials, their nature, choice, and implementation are essential mediating tools for the teacher (see, e.g., Berk, 2014; Colson & Colson, 2016; Krajcik, 2014; Puttick & Drayton, 2017). Unfortunately, there is insufficient research on how to design effective curricular materials intended to support the range of teacher use and adaptations likely to be seen during large scale curriculum implementation.…”