Getting to Know the Next Generation Science Standards: Workshop 2 Disciplinary Core Ideas

1. Getting to Know the Next Generation Science Standards: Workshop 2Disciplinary Core Ideas

2. Learning Goals • Describe the role of disciplinary core ideas (DCIs) in science teaching and learning. • Describe the characteristics of DCIs (disciplinary significance, explanatory power, etc.). • Distinguish between DCIs and concepts. • Explain how student understanding of DCIs develops over time. • Explain why organizing science instruction around DCIs is important for supporting student learning.

3. Discussion • Consider the following two statements • “Science learning is about the accumulation of information” • “Science knowledge is about making sense of and seeing connections among ideas.” • Discuss the following issues • How would you define “disciplinary core idea?” • If you were going to choose a core idea from your discipline, how would you do so? What characteristics should that idea have?

4. NGSS is Different • Standards expressed as performance expectations. • Combine core ideas, practices, and crosscutting concepts into a single statement of what is to be assessed. • Performance expectations are not instructional strategies or objectives for a lesson.

5. Organized around Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs) Fewer, Clearer, Higher • DCIs serve as thinking tools that students use to solve problems and make decisions. • Standards and curriculum materials. focused on a limited number of core ideas. • Core ideas provide a framework for thinking about ideas and adding new ideas.

6. Disciplinary significance Explanatory power Generative Relevant to peoples’ lives Usable from K to 12 Characteristics of Core Ideas

7. Value of Focusing on Core Ideas • Enables time for: • Deep exploration of important concepts and principles. • Developing integrated understanding (connections among ideas). • Using practice of science and engineering. • Reflecting on the nature of science and scientific knowledge. • Provides a more coherent way for science to develop across grades K-12.

8. Activity #1: Think-Pair-Share: “What is Core Idea?”[5 minutes] • Step 1. Choose one of the following: • Neutralization / Chemical Reactions • Wave Frequencies / Magnetism • Earthquakes / Plate Tectonics • Phenotype / Heredity • Step 2. Consider on your own: what are the differences between these two terms? Which is the core idea? Why? • Step 3. Share your ideas with your partner. How are your ideas similar? How are they different? Come to an agreement about which is the core idea and provide a reason for your decision.

9. Identifying Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCI) Physical Sciences (PS) • Matter and Its Interactions • Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions • Energy • Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer Life Sciences (LS) • From Molecules to Organisms: Structure and Processes • Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics • Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits • Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity Earth and Space Sciences (ESS) • Earth's Place in the Universe • Earth's Systems • Earth and Human Activity Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science (ETS) • Engineering Design

10. Activity #2: Identifying Disciplinary Core Ideas in NGSS (10 minutes) • Step 1. Form groups of two to four and select one DCI from PS, LS, ESS, or ETAS. Carefully read about the core idea using the resources listed below: (5minutes) • NGSS Appendix E pp. 2-8 http://www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards; • Also refer to the Framework pp. 103 through 241 http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13165 • For Engineering, use Appendix I http://www.nextgenscience.org/sites/ngss/files/Appendix%20I%20-%20Engineering%20Design%20in%20NGSS%20-%20FINAL_V2.pdf • Which DCI did you chose and what are the component ideas [Hint: see left column of chart in Appendix E] • Agree on 2 or 3 key points that describe this DCI • Step 2. Regroup in the large group. One member from each group shares about that DCI. Continue to have groups present on other DCIs as time permits.(5 minutes)

11. Learning Develops Over Time • Learning difficult ideas… • Takes time. • Requires that students make connections and synthesize new ideas. • Occurs when new and existing knowledge is linked to previous ideas. • Depends on instruction.

12. Learning progression of ideas across time SEE1.C The history of planet Earth Grade 9-12 The rock record resulting from tectonic and other geoscience processes as well as objects from the solar system can provide evidence of Earth’s early history and the relative ages of major geologic formations Grade 6-8 Rock strata and the fossil record can be used as evidence to organize the relative occurrence of major historical events in Earth’s history K-2 Some events on Earth occur very quickly; others can occur very slowly Grade 3-5 Certain features on Earth cab be used to order events that have occurred in a landscape

13. Activity #3: Progressionsin the NGSS [5minutes] • Turn to your shoulder partner. Using Appendix E of the NGSS look more closely at a learning progression. • Choose one DCI component and read the element ideas at each grade band. • Discuss the progression of learning the core idea from K-2 to high school for that component. • Resource: NGSS Appendix E pp. 2-8 http://www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards

14. Summary and Synthesizing Discussion Read the following situations below with your shoulder partner. Choose one of the situations and decide which role you will play. (5 minutes) • Situation 1. Choose your role: teacher or parent of a student in your classroom. • As the teacher, talk to the parent about DCIs and their value and importance to the teaching and learning of science. Explain how this may impact their child. • As the parent, raise concern you have and/or provide support for this change in science teaching for your child. • Situation 2.Imagine returning to your school following this workshop on DCIs. Another teacher asks about what you learned. Choose your role: The teacher who has completed the workshop or the colleague. Begin the role play with the colleague asking, “How is teaching with DCIs is different than what is currently being done in our school? Discuss about the characteristics of DCIs and the value of using core ideas in the teaching and learning of science. As the discussion continues, the colleague can ask clarifying questions.

15. Reflection on Practices (5 minutes) • Choose one core idea and its component ideas that you plan to teach in your classroom and answer the following questions in writing: • What core idea did you choose? • Why did you choose that idea? • In what ways is the content different from what you currently teach? • What steps do you need to take to incorporate this idea in your classroom?