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Next Generation Science Standards

June 28, 2013 by jesandco

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are now available in the ASN. The modeling and representation of the NGSS is supported by ASN Member, TeachEngineering digital library. Here is what was done:

A Framework for K-12 Science Education

Prior to modeling the NGSS standards, the Framework for K-12 Science Education (Framework) was added to the ASN repository as a separate, referenceable document.

DCI View vs. Topic View

The ASN representation/layout of NGSS (via properties hasChild/isChildOf) follows the NGSS Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCI) View but the data accommodates applications wanting to display performance expectations by topic as well. We created a controlled vocabulary consisting of each NGSS topic (which can be downloaded/referenced here), and tagged each NGSS performance expectation with the appropriate topic tag. Applications can then use these tags to create an associated "Topic View" of the NGSS.

Common Core Connections

Each ASN NGSS performance expectation has been aligned to the appropriate Math and ELA Common Core State Standard (CCSS) per the NGSS Common Core Connections section. We’ve opted to align to the official CCSS URI and not to the corresponding ASN CCSS URI. The ASN CCSS data contains the one-to-one mappings to the official CCSS URI’s so chances are, your system has already ingested them.

Three Dimensions

The three dimensions of Science Engineering Practices, Crosscutting Concepts and Disciplinary Core Ideas have been captured in the ASN NGSS. All of these statements while not “Original” to the NGSS are “Derived” from the previously mentioned Framework document. Where known, ASN has linked these “Derived” statements back to the original Framework sections. These “Derived” statements contain a seeAlso reference to the identified PDF pages on the National Academies Press website as well.

While the three dimensions are not related hierarchically to any NGSS performance expectation (no hasChild/isChildOf relationships) they are linked via the ASN property, comprisedOf. comprisedOf states that the standard being described, comprehends or encompass, in whole or in part, the mearing, nature or importance of the standard being referenced. So in the case of NGSS performance expectations, each expectation is comprisedOf the various corresponding dimension statements. This horizontal linking of the dimensions to the performance expectations allows applications to create custom searches and views of the data like that found on the Next Generation State Standards website. An application can choose not to display the dimension statements by simply filtering out the “Derived” statements vs. “Original” statements.

comprisedOf Example

For NGSS performance expectation, K-PS3-2, Use tools and materials provided to design and build a structure that will reduce the warming effect of sunlight on Earth's surface., we can see that it is comprisedOf of three statements (one from each dimension). The metadata for this ASN Statement contains the same three comprisedOf references:

Applications can find other NGSS performance expectations that are comprisedOf the same “Derived” Framework statements as well. For example, the following NGSS performance expectations share the common comprisedOf Framework statement - Sunlight warms Earth's surface.

  • K-PS3-1 - Make observations to determine the effect of sunlight on Earth’s surface.
  • K-PS3-2 - Use tools and materials to design and build a structure that will reduce the warming effect of sunlight on an area

If you need additional assistance or have further questions about the ASN, send us a message.

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