During the 2021-2022 school year, Science Sparks will focus on instructional strategies and tools to support the Science and Engineering Practices found in the NGSS science standards.
First, let’s remember that science instruction is 3-dimensional, meaning the Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs), Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs), and the Crosscutting Concepts are interwoven into Performance Expectations. Second, the practices are never used in isolation. If you would like an overview of the structure of the standards and the 3-dimensions, Jason Martin-Hiner, Keystone’s science consultant, has a wonderful micro-credential series to support your initial understanding (see below).
What are the Science and Engineering Practices?
The science and engineering practices (SEPs) bring the focus of the science classroom to student sensemaking which is best outlined in the New Vision for Science Education. Essentially, classroom instruction is moving beyond “knowing about” science to making sense of the world. The practices “are a way to build, test, refine, and use knowledge either to investigate questions or to solve problems. They are the different parts of the sense-making process” (Schwarz et al., 2017, 6).
Throughout this year, we will feature each of the practices, tips for implementation, and resources to support student sensemaking.
Professional Resources
Keystone Media Collection
- B 96945 Helping Students Make Sense of the World Using Next Generation Science and Engineering Practices
On the web
Student Resources
Micro-credentials (15 total hours = 1 recertification credit!).
Click here to learn more about when the micro-credential cohorts begin
To start, you might consider...
- Introduction to the Science Standards (2hrs)
- Exploring the Science and Engineering Practices (3hrs)
- Exploring the Crosscutting Concepts (3 hrs)
Or choose a more specific topic that might include the “Focusing on the SEPs” micro-credential series.
