Adventures in NGSS
A Differentiated Strategy for Teaching NGSS Remotely
March 19, 2020
Welcome Teachers!
First, let me send my love and appreciation for all you do in the classroom and beyond every day. These are tough times and we all are going through a variety of emotions as we face fears, change and adversity. I have found it inspiring to have so many educators sharing resources to help one another acclimate to online and distance learning amid the Covid-19 crisis. Several of us are beginning to share some resources on twitter under the hashtags #LearningTogether and #NGSSchat. As I also sit home for the next several weeks, I thought I might be able to help some of you out by sharing a strategy that may help you maintain your NGSS teaching and learning from home.
The idea of Adventures in NGSS is to assign students a Learning Adventure (or topic) they are to learn about. Each Learning Adventure meets the vision of the Framework and NGSS through providing three-dimensional learning activities that student choose to complete as they build understanding of the scientific concepts required to explain the anchoring phenomenon or engineering design solution. However, it is expected that the Learning Adventure journey will look different for each student. I ask that we really try and understand the diversity of our students and acclimate to the idea that circumstances at home are very different for each student right now . For example:
For now, here is another way to think about grading. Provide each student with a weekly grade that is based on Evidence of Three Dimensional Learning and Progress Towards Goals. Leverage the power of self-assessment to help you grade their progress and to help students create goals and stay goal-oriented. Please feel free to use or modify either below. Just go to File> Make a Copy and you are free to edit as use as needed. I have provided two rubrics for different types of grade books. Make sure you do not use the 4 point scale in a percentage based grade book or things will get less equitable very quickly. If you are using a 4-Point scale, the scores can be entered separately or averaged. If you are using a 10-Point scale, scores can be entered separately or added together. More on this topic to come in the upcoming months.
Grading Rubric- 4 Point Rubric Scale
Grading Rubric- 10 Point Percentage Scale
Please reach out if you need any support. I know this is foreign territory but I would like to support you in any way possible. We can get through this together. #LearningTogether
Take care everyone,
Cari Williams
email: [email protected]
twitter: @cariwilliamz
websites: [email protected]
Welcome Teachers!
First, let me send my love and appreciation for all you do in the classroom and beyond every day. These are tough times and we all are going through a variety of emotions as we face fears, change and adversity. I have found it inspiring to have so many educators sharing resources to help one another acclimate to online and distance learning amid the Covid-19 crisis. Several of us are beginning to share some resources on twitter under the hashtags #LearningTogether and #NGSSchat. As I also sit home for the next several weeks, I thought I might be able to help some of you out by sharing a strategy that may help you maintain your NGSS teaching and learning from home.
The idea of Adventures in NGSS is to assign students a Learning Adventure (or topic) they are to learn about. Each Learning Adventure meets the vision of the Framework and NGSS through providing three-dimensional learning activities that student choose to complete as they build understanding of the scientific concepts required to explain the anchoring phenomenon or engineering design solution. However, it is expected that the Learning Adventure journey will look different for each student. I ask that we really try and understand the diversity of our students and acclimate to the idea that circumstances at home are very different for each student right now . For example:
- some will be able to model and explain the anchoring phenomenon at grade-level or above relatively quickly with only completing one or two learning activities provided
- some will need to complete most or all of the learning activities within a Learning Adventure in order to provide just a basic understanding of the anchoring phenomenon
- some will work quickly and some will work slow
- some will have more availability to wi-fi , devices, and parent support that others in the class
- some will have responsibilities other than school when working from home
- some will need probing questions and feedback to help guide their Learning Adventure
- ALL will need to feel connected to you and their peers during this time of isolation
For now, here is another way to think about grading. Provide each student with a weekly grade that is based on Evidence of Three Dimensional Learning and Progress Towards Goals. Leverage the power of self-assessment to help you grade their progress and to help students create goals and stay goal-oriented. Please feel free to use or modify either below. Just go to File> Make a Copy and you are free to edit as use as needed. I have provided two rubrics for different types of grade books. Make sure you do not use the 4 point scale in a percentage based grade book or things will get less equitable very quickly. If you are using a 4-Point scale, the scores can be entered separately or averaged. If you are using a 10-Point scale, scores can be entered separately or added together. More on this topic to come in the upcoming months.
Grading Rubric- 4 Point Rubric Scale
Grading Rubric- 10 Point Percentage Scale
Please reach out if you need any support. I know this is foreign territory but I would like to support you in any way possible. We can get through this together. #LearningTogether
Take care everyone,
Cari Williams
email: [email protected]
twitter: @cariwilliamz
websites: [email protected]