Next Generation Science Standards

We were national standards as our guide for curriculum.

And I had a lot of leeway because I could bounce back and forth between NGSS or different standards put out by different organizations that were recognized nationally.

So I was trying to weave through some of those things and pull things that looked fun or that I had equipment for in order to those topics into my classroom.

So there's been, I would say there's, I feel that from both sides and now we have steel standards are the new standards that have been put out in Pennsylvania and those encompass all of the STEM standards within the science standards and the technology standards are in there as well.

Different roles, regional instructional supervisor for science, and then the director of instructional informational technology.

Um, transitioned from there to the state of Hawaii, was the head of science during the NGSS days, and actually bringing that to market there as well for educators in, uh, Hawaii as well.

And, um, it was a lot of fun.

Building robotics programs, STEM programs.

And also because, I mean, the, the level of experience that you just mentioned, you know, working in classrooms, leading schools, leading programs, building programs.

And so I wanna ask you, you know, to kind of start off our conversation, looking back at those experiences that you've had that you just described, what do you think the EdTech conversation keeps getting wrong about what teachers and students actually need?

You know, it's funny, um, if I go back to when the NGSS was being written, you know, I was one of the people that was brought in as a reviewer, but not because of my science content.

They had a Nobel laureate.

Well, one of the things we've been pushing for is because I'm also a subject area representative for Stannis, the elementary level for science in New York City.

One of the things we've been pushing for is for places to use the next generation science standards.

This

goes all the way, kindergarten all the way up, because in this way, children get exposed to all branches of science, not just biology, not just physical science, but they go into engineering, chemistry, you name it.

And so Quantum Courses does hit all the standards, just in a different way that would be unrecognizable to, like, a local charter school science teacher or just a regular generalist teacher.

And so the next project is to basically map the standards, you know, NGSS, Next Generation Science Standards, onto Quantum Courses so that charter schools can be confident that, yes, they are standards-based.

And it would just be a rearranging of stuff because, you know, you know, the, the standards do cover all of the things kids should know, just in a sort of sterilized, meaningless way, I'd say.

Well, that's because we believe it has to be linear, and what you and I know is that is not the case at all, right? You know, all those standards, they're great.

And by the time I get to the end, not only do I understand it, but I can apply it to something completely different now.

So true.

NGSS, the Next Generus- Generation Science Standards, is way better than the standards they replaced in-- this is like twenty thirteen or fourteen.

Uh, there's a set of what's called SEPs, the Science Engineering Practice, which are all really good.

That's sciencepodcastforkids.com. Head to the blog post on this episode if you'd like to see videos of Huggie Bot, which Boy, I can't wait.

And read Alexis's full list of 11 hug ingredients, along with transcripts, discussion questions, and so much more, including NGSS alignment.

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