The immediate goal of an NGSS learning sequence is that students will have figured something out on their own and so are able to respond to an assessment around a performance expectation. Depending on the tasks and the age levels, the ultimate goal of our science education is to facilitate students’ formation of concept models that describe and explain how natural systems work, so that they use these models to explain and predict behaviors they see in everyday life.

Carefully Choose Phenomena

When designing an NGSS lesson sequence, we first identify the elements that need to be included in thinking about a sequence. For example, because we want students to be engaged in the scientific practices, we need to carefully choose phenomena for them to observe, investigate, ask questions about and ultimately try to explain. Then, as we want them to make sense of something related to that phenomena, we need ways to elicit questions from them, as well as methods for investigating and explaining those questions. The scientific practices outline the thinking we want them to do, and several tools and strategies help us format the tasks we give them.

Brainstorm Reference Material and Formats

Referencing the cross-cutting concepts and disciplinary core ideas as we plan helps us stay focused on specific content areas. After identifying a Performance Expectation or a set that we want to work with, we identify phenomena that could work for this unit. We brainstorm as many ideas as we can, and try to think of a variety of formats such as data, images, demonstrations etc. so that we have a lot to choose from. Often our choice of phenomena has as much to do with availability of resources and efficiency in setting up materials as it does with anything else.

Identify the Model(s)

As we’re identifying the phenomena that will work for the segment, we’re also figuring the overall scientific models for the systems we’re studying. To do this, we start with the Disciplinary Core Ideas, to make sure we’re on the right track, and we brainstorm as many questions as we can, and try to figure out what our own understanding is at the moment. If the science is new or we’re not sure about some aspects, we do research, debate with each other and talk to scientists so we can develop as deep a model as possible before developing lessons for students.

Establish a Goal

Before we begin coming up with lessons, we try to outline how we think students will be demonstrating their knowledge of the performance expectation. Identifying an assessment creates a learning goal that we now work towards. We break down the models that we identify as part of this learning segment, and begin with the simplest aspects of the model and phenomena that will help students ask questions that will lead to some ideas about that model.

Nurture the Learning Process

As students engage in a cycle of observing and investigating phenomena, asking questions about that phenomena and then forming models that help explain the questions, we bring in dialogue protocols that help structure their thinking, modeling and writing prompts that help them make their thinking as visible as possible, and peer reviews that encourage them to give and receive feedback on their ideas. In this section you will find an example of one complete lesson unit for 4th grade.