Twitter: Be a follower!

One of the most exciting ways to engage in professional development is by employing the power of social media. Educators from around the country can connect about the subject of NGSS because it is a national set of standards that varies only a little (if at all) from state to state.

It's super easy to build your professional network through Twitter; dedicate as much time as you wish, whenever you wish to connect.

If you're completely new to the social-media scene for professional networking, check out my other blog post here.

Here's a "who's-who" of NGSS educators and resources on Twitter:

Next Generation Science Standards - Twitter @OfficialNGSS | Website link

Ted Willard (Director of NGSS at NSTA) - Twitter @Ted_NSTA

NGSS Tweeps - Hosted by rotating group of educators to showcase NGSS work in the classroom - Twitter @NGSStweeps (last host in 2016 was the North Country's own @Chemteach201!)

NGSS Professional Learning Network

• NGSS Chat - Twitter @NGSSchat | Website link for NGSS PLN's #NGSSchat (1st and 3rd Thursdays at 9 pm - check out the website if you've never participated in a Twitter chat)
• NGSS Blogs - Twitter @ngssblogs
• Tricia Shelton (Co-moderator of NGSSchat, NGSS PLN website, Connect Think Learn website) - Twitter @TdiShelton

STEM Teaching Tools - Twitter @STEMTeachTools | Website link

Phenomena for NGSS - Twitter @NGSSphenomena | Website link

• TJ McKenna (Curator of NGSS Phenomena) - Twitter @tjscience

There are lots of hashtags to search and use... here are just a few popular ones:

#phenomena #ngss #ngsschat #scichat

Who would you suggest to "follow?" Leave a comment below!

Conceptual Shifts in the NGSS (as well as NYSSLS)

Appendix A of the NGSS - Conceptual Shifts

Before you get too far in your studies of the NYSSLS, you need to take a look at the Conceptual Shifts that are explained in this document. We will be teaching science by doing science and using 3 Dimensions of Learning in the process!

What strikes you about these shifts?

How do you think this will impact your classroom?

Leave a comment, let's have some dialogue.

3D Lesson - Earth and Space Science - Interpreting Models of Landscapes

3D Earth and Space Science Lesson: Mapping the Impossible

ESS2; ESS3; ETS1

This lesson is an example of curriculum adaptation.

Regents Earth Science: A spiral approach to teaching maps

In the current NYS Regents Earth Science course, mapping is a skill that reinforces learning across multiple content areas. Many teachers choose to include a unit on mapping early in their curriculum sequence to give students the background skills needed to interact with learning later on in the course. This is similar to the way in which Earth Science courses address skills-based topics such as measuring and density, and rock and mineral identification.

More recently, many teachers have proposed shifting topics out of the "prologue" or preview of the course, and spiraling their introduction within the context of other Earth science themes. For example, teachers introduce density when discussing the separation of the Earth into layers and the mechanism of convection currents. Igneous and metamorphic rocks form by tectonic processes, and sedimentary rocks link the study of lithospheric landforms with the interactions of the hydrosphere and atmosphere.

The same can be done with map skills. Outside of their contextual use in interpreting landscapes, maps are arbitrary constructs to students. Especially with the shift toward a 3-dimensional approach to student learning, maps can and should be more of a thematic link between multiple core ideas within the discipline. Deliberate decisions about the introduction of the different types of maps can have an important impact on student understanding, especially if aligned with the development of a student's math skills. This also allows teachers to free up the time usually spent introducing skills at the beginning of the course and dive deeply into the curriculum itself - addressing the concern that a 3-dimensional approach "takes longer" in an already-full Earth Science curriculum.

3-D Lesson Regents Chemistry - Chromatography

Chromatography Whiteboard  Meeting

♫ Audio of Meeting

(The audio shows that you will go places you might not anticipate - but there is always an opportunity to learn - even for the teacher...)

3-D Lesson - Living Environment - Osmosis

3-D Biology Lesson: Road Salt and Osmosis

HS-LS1-2; HS-LS1-3; HS-LS2-1

 

This lesson is an example of curriculum adaptation.

3-D Lesson - Regents Chemistry - Distillation

3-D Chemistry Lesson - Using Distillation as a Phenomenon: 

HS-PS1-10; HS-PS3-1

 

This lesson is an example of curriculum adaptation - 

Cookie's Go-To Resource - NGSS Hub

NSTA's Go-To Resources for the NGSS - NGSS Hub

Lesson Plans, Videos, Performance Expectations, Evidence Statements
The site continues to grow - all materials are vetted - Awesome Resource 👍