A look at the Next Generation Science Standards

A look at the Next Generation Science StandardsBy Ted WillardThe final version of the Next Generation ScienceStandards (NGSS) is expected later this spring.Once it is released, educators across the countrywill need to carefully study the standards as plans aremade for adoption and implementation. The followingtext and diagram below provides an overview on thearchitecture of the standards.Overall architectureNGSS differs from prior science standards in that theyintegrate three dimensions (science and engineeringpractices, disciplinary core ideas, and crosscutting concepts)into a single performance expectation and haveintentional connections between performance expectations.The system architecture of NGSS highlights theperformance expectations as well as each of the threeintegral dimensions and connections to other gradebands and subjects. The architecture involves a tablewith three main sections.What is assessed(performance expectations)A performance expectation describes what studentsshould be able to do at the end of instruction and incorporatesa practice, a disciplinary core idea, and a crosscuttingconcept from the foundation box. Performanceexpectations are intended to guide the development ofassessments. Groupings of performance expectationsdo not imply a preferred ordering for instruction—norshould all performance expectations under one topicnecessarily be taught in one course. This section alsocontains Assessment Boundary Statements and ClarificationStatements that are meant to render additional supportand clarity to the performance expectations.Foundation boxThe foundation box contains the learning goals thatstudents should achieve. It is critical that science educatorsconsider the foundation box an essential componentwhen reading the NGSS and developing curricula.There are three main parts of the foundationbox: science and engineering practices, disciplinarycore ideas, and crosscutting concepts, all of which arederived from A Framework for K–12 Science Education.During instruction, teachers will need to have studentsuse multiple practices to help students understand thecore ideas. Most topical groupings of performance expectationsemphasize only a few practices or crosscuttingconcepts; however, all are emphasized within agrade band. The foundation box also contains learninggoals for Connections to Engineering, Technology, andApplications of Science and Connections to the Nature ofScience.Connection boxThe connection box identifies other topics in NGSS andin the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) that arerelevant to the performance expectations in this topic.The Connections to other DCIs in this grade level containsthe names of topics in other science disciplines that havecorresponding disciplinary core ideas at the same gradelevel. The Articulation of Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs)across grade levels contains the names of other sciencetopics that either provide a foundation for student understandingof the core ideas in this standard (usuallystandards at prior grade levels) or build on the foundationprovided by the core ideas in this standard (usuallystandards at subsequent grade levels). The Connectionsto the Common Core State Standards contains the codingand names of CCSS in Mathematics and in EnglishLanguage Arts & Literacy that align to the performanceexpectations.Ted Willard (twillard@nsta.org) is a program director at NSTA.

Inside theNGSS BoxWhat is AssessedA collection of severalperformance expectationsdescribing what studentsshould be able to do to masterthis standard.Foundation BoxThe practices, core disciplinaryideas, and crosscuttingconcepts from A Frameworkfor K–12 Science Educationthat were used to form theperformance expectations.Connection BoxOther standards in the NextGeneration Science Standardsor in the Common Core StateStandards that are relatedto this standard.Based on theJanuary 2013Draft of NGSSTitle and CodeThe titles of standard pages are not necessarily unique and may bereused at several different grade levels. The code, however, is aunique identifier for each set based on the grade level, contentarea, and topic it addresses.Codes for Performance ExpectationsCodes designate the relevant performance expectation for an item in thefoundation box and connection box. In the connections to common core, italicsindicate a potential connection rather than a required prerequisite connection.Performance ExpectationsA statement that combines practices, core ideas,and crosscutting concepts together to describehow students can show what they have learned.Clarification StatementA statement that supplies examples or additionalclarification to the performance expectation.Assessment BoundaryA statement that provides guidance about thescope of the performance expectation at aparticular grade level.Engineering Connection (*)An asterisk indicates an engineering connectionin the practice, core idea, or crosscutting conceptthat supports the performance expectation.Scientific and Engineering PracticesActivities that scientists and engineers engage into either understand the world or solve aproblem.Disciplinary Core IdeasConcepts in science and engineering that havebroad importance within and across disciplinesas well as relevance to people’s lives.Crosscutting ConceptsIdeas, such as Patterns and Cause and Effect,which are not specific to any one discipline butcut across them all.Connections to Engineering, Technology,and Applications of ScienceThese connections are drawn from the disciplinarycore ideas for engineering, technology, andapplications of science in the Framework.Connections to Nature of ScienceConnections are listed in either the practices orthe crosscutting connections section of thefoundation box.