Reading the Next Generation
Science Standards
A little background….
• Next Generation Science Standards - based
on the Framework for K-12 Science
Education
• Every NGCC standard has three dimensions
• Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCI)
• Science and Engineering Practice (SEP)
• Cross-cutting Concepts (CCC)
*** Please refer to the List of Acronyms Sheet
The Three Dimensions
• These three
dimensions
intertwine together
like a rope all feeding
into the overall
Performance
Expectations (PE)
Performance
Expectation
Science &
Engineering
Disciplinary
Core Ideas
Cross-cutting
Concepts
Let’s look at
this
example…..
We will start
with the box at
the top, which
are the
Performance
Expectations
This box at the very top of the Next Generation
Science Standard contains what are called
“Performance Expectations” or “PE “
• This box contains Performance Expectations.
They are highlighted in yellow.
• The red text under each PE is a clarification
statement, along with assessment boundaries
MS stands for Middle School – LS stands for Life Science
More on PE’s
• They are statements of what a student
should be able to do AFTER or at the END
of instruction
• These PE’s contain what will be assessed
• They are not instructional strategies OR
lesson objectives.
• Many lessons will be needed to satisfy a PE
Now let’s look at the
three colored boxes
under the PE’s.
These are called
Foundation Boxes
(FB)
They are color coded
for a reason. Blue is
for Science &
Engineering, Orange
for Disciplinary Core
Ideas, and Green for
Cross-cutting
Concepts.
• The yellow highlighted sections in each foundation box
shows which PE it connects with.
• Example – Look at Science and Engineering. The second
down under “Constructing Explanation…” goes with PE
MS-LS1-5
Science and Engineering Piece
• Let’s use Appendix F
• This appendix will help you really
understand what the Science and
Engineering piece looks like when applying
it to a performance expectation
Let’s look at “Constructing
Explanations…” again. This SEP
practice goes with PE MS-LS1-5
Find “Constructing Explanations
and Designing Solutions” in
Appendix F. It should be Practice
#6
Read through it….it will clarify
for you what is needed to satisfy
the SEP for PE MS-LS1-5
MS stands for Middle School – LS stands for Life Science
Disciplinary Core Ideas
• DIC’s are derived from the Framework for
K-12 Science Education
• These are essential science ideas that all
students should know
• Appendix E is helpful to look at because it
shows the progression within the NGSS
These work similar to the SEP’s.
Let’s look at LS3.A – Inheritance
of Traits.
The first DCI goes with PE MSLS3-1 and the second DCI goes
with MS-LS3-2
MS stands for Middle School – LS stands for Life Science
Cross-cutting Concepts
• Appendix G contains 7 cross-cutting
concepts with an explanation of each
• These remind me of the Universal Science
Concepts or “Big Ideas” of science
Let’s look at “Structure and
Function”. This CCC goes with
PE MS-LS3-1
Find “Structure and Function” in
Appendix G. It should be #6
Read through it….it will clarify
for you what is needed to satisfy
the CCC for PE MS-LS3-1
MS stands for Middle School – LS stands for Life Science
The Bottom Portion
• Bottom portion of document shows
connections to other DCI’s
• It also shows connections to ELA and Math
Common Core Standards
Let’s put it together…
• Step 1 - Select one PE and read it. Make
sure to read the clarification statement and
the assessment boundary in red.
• Step 2 - Read only the DCI that applies to
that PE located in the Foundation Box
(orange section)
• Step 3 - Look in Appendix E to read about
the DCI progression within NGSS
• Step 4 – Look at the SEP box (blue) and
read the one that goes with the PE you
selected in Step 1
• Step 5 – Look in Appendix F for
clarification
• Step 6 – Look at the CCC box (green) and
the read the one that goes with the PE you
selected in Step 1.
• Step 7 – Look in Appendix G for
clarification
What’s coming down the road….
• Now that you know how to read the NGSS,
you will learn how to plan a lesson that
incorporates all three dimensions.