ABOUT SCIENCE Instruction
NYS science LEARNING standards
New York is one of many states that have adopted the Next Generation Science Standards as a basis for science education, framing instruction around the practices of real-life scientists and engineers. Developed by scientists and educators, and grounded in research, NGSS-based instruction has transformed the way students learn science. From asking questions to developing models, planning investigations and analyzing results, students become fully immersed in the process of explaining phenomena and solving problems. Unfortunately, this comprehensive approach to science education is presented as “the new way of teaching” and “you’d better get on it because there’s a test coming!”- generating a good amount of anxiety among teachers. If you are feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of transforming your teaching, read on!
preparing THIS generation of learners!
I initially shared this concern and decided to take a “deep dive” into the NGSS to see how they align with the “old” standards. In short, they look very different. Rather than providing a detailed set of concepts and process skills for students to master, they focus on connecting major concepts and developing scientific skills and thought processes which build throughout K-12 education. I couldn’t initially see myself making this shift…but after participating in an NGSS lesson at a statewide science conference, I realized I was doing some of this already! With a few adjustments I could transform my teaching and become a facilitator of meaningful instruction. My goal is to partner with science teachers to design high quality, standards-based instruction for THIS generation of learners!
using real-world science…a sample lesson
In chemistry, students learn about the concepts of molecular structure and polarity, and how these factors influence physical properties such as water solubility. Now…you could give notes on these concepts and have the students verify what they wrote down in the lab… or you catch the students’ interest with a story and build it from there! Around the time of this lesson, a conspiracy theory related to COVID vaccines went viral. High schoolers love that stuff - but it’s junk science! So I thought of a way to connect the REAL science behind the theory with my lesson objective.
Go ahead and click the button. Then ask yourself…does this lesson present students with a problem? Does the problem generate questions that can be modeled and tested out in the lab? Does it yield data that can be analyzed? Do the results lead students to the concept of “likes dissolve likes”? Does it go further and apply the concept to a current real life problem and the engineering design used to solve it? If the answer to these questions is “yes” then you have a lesson that meets all the NGSS criteria…and the best part is that the students will use critical thinking skills to figure the concept out on their own!