The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)* call for students to use the practices, concepts and content of science and engineering to understand phenomena and solve problems that are relevant to their lives. Starting from a student’s own experiences and community makes the science meaningful and increases engagement while helping students understand how global issues like climate change are present and addressable in their lives. In this series we examine how you can use the new science standards and your community to understand and address real world environmental problems and explore together how to integrate NGSS into your district’s classroom science units.Would you like to learn more about how urban water systems actually work? Are you curious how water systems, the impacts of climate change, and related conservation issues can interest your students and integrate with NGSS? Join us to learn about wastewater and stormwater systems (may include tours of facilities, depending on the site) and then workshop how you might use this content in your classroom. Appropriate for all 4th-12th grade teachers.

An adaptable exploratory and reflective activity that works with all ages and uses the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS*), Asking Question and Defining Problems Practice and one of several possible Crosscutting Concepts to explore students’ awareness, prior knowledge and cultural experiences related to a phenomenon or Disciplinary Core Idea .

This toolkit was developed as part of the Primary Source Project. In creating the toolkit, ISKME collaborated with 12 educators from 8 different states, who possessed varied subject area expertise. The toolkit is a sequenced pathway for selecting informational and non-fiction literary texts, and creating integrated wraparound lessons that meet the Common Core State Standards, as well as the C3 Social Studies Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards.

This document provides a simplified version of an investigation that uses quadrats to compare habitats in your schoolyard. Depending on your focus, the activity can be adapted to compare the diversity or amount of ground insects, invertebrates or plants in two areas. Students use the Next Generation Science Standards’ Planning and Carrying Out Investigations practice and the Cause and Effect and/or Stability and Change crosscutting concepts to build understanding of the needs of animals, differences in ecosystems and/or change in ecosystems.

This is a mapping activity that uses the student’s schoolyard to investigate how rain/stormwater interacts with different surfaces and where stormwater problems may occur. Students use Next Generation Science Standards’ Science and Engineering Practices in a near-by, relevant place.

 The Tasks in this module include:Task 1. Getting to Know Next Generation Science StandardsTask 2. Mapping Next Generation Science StandardsTask 3. Understanding Next Generation Science StandardsTask 4. Collaborating with a Science TeacherTask 5. Teaching Next Generation Science Standards Authentically Task 6. Resourcing Next Generation Science StandardsThe expected learning outcomes resulting from these learning objectives are:1] Enhanced science literacy for school librarians;2] Enhanced knowledge of Guided Inquiry and Authentic Learning for science teachers.

Students will use a variety of materials to create a mural of a coral reef environment. Video and PDF links are also included. Users are encouraged to remix the lesson to fit own needs and to keep up to date.