LIVE INTERACTIVE LEARNING @ YOUR DESKTOP
Preparing for NGSS: Constructing
Explanations and Designing Solutions
Presented by: Katherine McNeill and Leema Berland
November 20, 2012
6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Eastern time
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Developing the Standards
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Developing the Standards
Assessments
Curricula
Instruction
Teacher
Development
July 2011
2011-2013
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NGSS Development Process
In addition to a number of reviews by state teams
and critical stakeholders, the process includes two
public reviews.
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1st Public Draft was in May 2012
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2nd Public Draft is coming soon
Final Release is expected in the Spring of 2013
IT’S NOT OUT YET!
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A Framework for K-12 Science Education
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Released in July 2011
Developed by the National Research Council at the
National Academies of Science
Prepared by a committee of Scientists (including Nobel
Laureates) and Science Educators
Three-Dimensions:
„ Scientific and Engineering Practices
„ Crosscutting Concepts
„ Disciplinary Core Ideas
Free PDF available from The National Academies Press (www.nap.edu)
Print Copies available from NSTA Press (www.nsta.org/store)
Scientific and Engineering Practices
1. Asking questions (for science)
and defining problems (for engineering)
2. Developing and using models
3. Planning and carrying out investigations
4. Analyzing and interpreting data
5. Using mathematics and computational thinking
6. Constructing explanations (for science)
and designing solutions (for engineering)
7. Engaging in argument from evidence
8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
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Crosscutting Concepts
1. Patterns
2. Cause and effect: Mechanism and explanation
3. Scale, proportion, and quantity
4. Systems and system models
5. Energy and matter: Flows, cycles, and conservation
6. Structure and function
7. Stability and change
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Disciplinary Core Ideas
Life Science
Physical Science
LS1: From Molecules to Organisms:
Structures and Processes
PS1: Matter and Its Interactions
LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and
Dynamics
LS3: Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of
Traits
PS2: Motion and Stability: Forces and
Interactions
PS3: Energy
PS4: Waves and Their Applications in
Technologies for Information Transfer
LS4: Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
Earth & Space Science
Engineering & Technology
ESS1: Earth’s Place in the Universe
ETS1: Engineering Design
ESS2: Earth’s Systems
ETS2: Links Among Engineering,
Technology, Science, and Society
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
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Closer Look at a Performance Expectation
Construct and use models to explain that atoms combine to form new substances of varying complexity in terms of
the number of atoms and repeating subunits. [Clarification Statement: Examples of atoms combining can include Hydrogen (H2) and Oxygen (O2)
combining to form hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) or water(H2O). [Assessment Boundary: Restricted to macroscopic interactions.]
Performance expectations combine practices, core ideas,
and crosscutting concepts into a single statement of
what is to be assessed.
They are not instructional strategies or objectives for a
lesson.
Closer Look at a Performance Expectation
Construct and use models to explain that atoms combine to form new substances of varying complexity in terms of
the number of atoms and repeating subunits. [Clarification Statement: Examples of atoms combining can include Hydrogen (H2) and Oxygen (O2)
combining to form hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) or water(H2O). [Assessment Boundary: Restricted to macroscopic interactions.]
Performance expectations combine practices, core ideas,
and crosscutting concepts into a single statement of what
is to be assessed.
They are not instructional strategies or objectives for a
lesson.
Closer Look at a Performance Expectation
Construct and use models to explain that atoms combine to form new substances of varying complexity in terms of
the number of atoms and repeating subunits. [Clarification Statement: Examples of atoms combining can include Hydrogen (H2) and Oxygen (O2)
combining to form hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) or water(H2O). [Assessment Boundary: Restricted to macroscopic interactions.]
Performance expectations combine practices, core ideas,
and crosscutting concepts into a single statement of what
is to be assessed.
They are not instructional strategies or objectives for a
lesson.
Closer Look at a Performance Expectation
Construct and use models to explain that atoms combine to form new substances of varying complexity in terms of
the number of atoms and repeating subunits. [Clarification Statement: Examples of atoms combining can include Hydrogen (H2) and Oxygen (O2)
combining to form hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) or water(H2O). [Assessment Boundary: Restricted to macroscopic interactions.]
Performance expectations combine practices, core ideas,
and crosscutting concepts into a single statement of what
is to be assessed.
They are not instructional strategies or objectives for a
lesson.
Constructing explanations and designing solutions
Katherine L. McNeill
Boston College
Primary funding for McNeill’s research has most recently come from the National Science Foundation (DRL‐1119584 and DRL‐0836099).
Leema Berland
University of Texas, Austin
Primary funding for Berland’s work has most recently come from National Science Foundation (DRL1020316 and DUE 0831811) . The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NSF. 13
Who are we?
• Katherine L. McNeill
– Professor in science education at Boston College
– Former middle school science teacher. Earned my PhD at the University Michigan because I was interested in supporting students in inquiry.
– Current work (past 10 years) supporting k‐12 teachers and students in scientific practices – especially explanations and argumentation. • Leema K. Berland
– Professor in learning sciences at the University of Texas at Austin
– Earned my PhD at Northwestern University where I examined student engagement in argumentation and explanation
– Current work supporting students and teachers in scientific argumentation and the engineering design process.
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Caveats to this presentation
• We are not authors of the framework, so we have no special insight into the decisions made by the committee. We can use our expertise having worked with teachers and students to help you think about what explanations and solutions are and how you can engage your students in these practices.
• Our primary expertise is in scientific explanations rather than engineering modeling. 15
Overview
• Importance of explanations and solutions
• The Framework and NGSS
• Definitions of explanations and solutions
• Relationship with other 7 practices
Questions??
• Examples of explanations and solutions
Questions??
• Supporting students in explanations and solutions
Questions??
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Poll: Purpose of Explanations and Solutions
What do you see as the most important reason to include explanations and solutions in k‐12 classrooms?
A. To have students share their own ideas
B. To help students make sense of the world
C. To support students in using evidence
D. To engage students in core disciplinary ideas
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Importance of Explanations and Solutions
• Constructing explanations and designing solutions are key practices of professional scientists and engineers.
• Engaging students in these practices can help them understand how knowledge is produced and how engineering solutions are developed. • Developing these practices can help students become more critical consumers of the products of science (explanations) and engineering (solutions). 18
Importance of Explanations and Solutions
• Participating in constructing explanations and designing solutions supports students’ understanding of disciplinary ideas of science.
• The focus on using evidence to construct and critique explanations and solutions is also a 21st century skill that can be used across disciplines and outside of the school setting. 19
Explanations in NGSS (May Draft)
The products of science are explanations and the products of engineering are solutions.
•Explanations in Science
– “The goal of science is the construction of theories that provide explanatory accounts of the world. A theory becomes accepted when it has multiple lines of empirical evidence and greater explanatory power of phenomena than previous theories”
– How or why phenomena occur
– Relies on evidence
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NGSS: Sample Explanation Performances
Elementary
• Use evidence to construct an explanation that some rocks and minerals are formed from the remains of organisms. (4 PSE.d)
Middle School
• Use evidence to support an explanation of how environmental and genetic factors affect the growth of organisms. (MS. LS‐GDRO. a) High School
• Construct and communicate explanations that show how chemical processes and/or properties of materials are central to the biological and geophysical systems. (HS. PS‐CR. f)
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Progression of Explaining
Grade 3‐5
Nature of Claim
Use quantitative relationships to construct explanations of observed events
Use of Evidence
Identify evidence that supports an explanation
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High School
Make quantitative claims regarding the relationship between dependent and independent variables
Apply scientific reasoning, theory, and models to link evidence to claims and show why the data are adequate for the explanation
Solutions in NGSS (May Draft)
The products of science are explanations and the products of engineering are solutions.
•Solutions in Engineering
– “The goal of engineering design is to find a systematic solution to problems that is based on scientific knowledge and models of the material world…The optimal choice depends on how well the proposed solutions meet criteria and constraints”
– Solution to a problem
– Selection based on multiple criteria (including evidence)
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NGSS: Sample Solution Performances (May draft)
Elementary
• Design and refine solutions to a problem by using magnets to move objects not in contact with one another.
Middle School
• Apply scientific knowledge to design engineered solutions to natural hazards that result from surface geologic and hydraulic processes.
High School
• Design solutions for creating or maintaining the sustainability of local ecosystems.
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Where do explanations fit into the 8 scientific practices?
2. Developing and using models THAT GUIDE
1.
Asking questions and defining problems
3. Planning and carrying out investigations
4.
Analyzing and interpreting data
TO
7. Engaging in argument from evidence
TO
6. Constructing explanations and designing solutions
5. Using mathematics and computational thinking
ALL WHILE 8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
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Where do explanations fit into the 8 scientific practices?
2. Developing and using models THAT GUIDE
1.
Asking questions and defining problems
7. Engaging in argument from evidence
TO
6. Developing explanations and designing solutions
“The products of science are explanations and TO
4.the products of engineering are solutions”
Analyzing and interpreting data
(NGSS).
3. Planning and carrying out investigations
5. Using mathematics and computational thinking
ALL WHILE 8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
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Relationship between explanation and argumentation
• “…all ideas in science are evaluated against alternative explanations and compared with evidence; acceptance of an explanation is ultimately an assessment of what data are reliable and relevant and a decision about which explanation is the most satisfactory. This knowing why the wrong answer is wrong can help secure a deeper and stronger understanding of why the right answer is right. Engaging in argumentation from evidence about an explanation supports students’
understanding of the reasons and empirical evidence for that explanation, demonstrating that science is a body of knowledge rooted in evidence.” (p. 44 NRC Frameworks)
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Before We Get to Your
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Questions???
• Questions about what explanations or solutions are? • Questions about the language in NGSS?
• Questions about the relation with other practices?
• Other questions?
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Poll: Student Difficulties
What do you think will be hardest for your students?
A. Considering multiple explanations or solutions
B. Using evidence to support their ideas
C. Explaining why their evidence supports their ideas
D. Revising explanations and solutions based on new evidence or scientific knowledge
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Student Examples of Explanations and Solutions
• Student Examples
– Elementary Lever Explanation
– Elementary Motion Solution
– Middle School Air Explanation
– Middle School Natural Selection Explanation
– High School Solution
• Summary of Student Challenges
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Elementary – Lever Explanation
Does a lever make work easier?
Levers sometimes make work easier. When we picked up the load without the lever, it was 2.2 N. When the load was 5.0 cm from the fulcrum and the effort was 10 cm from the fulcrum, it was 0.8 N. When the load was 20 cm from the fulcrum and the effort was 10 cm from the fulcrum, it was 4.3 N. When the load was 10 cm from the fulcrum and the effort was 5.0 cm, it was 5.3 N. When the load was 10 cm from the fulcrum and the effort was 20 cm, it was 1.3 N (Evidence). Doing work is the ability to move an object. If it takes less force, the work is easier. A lever can make work easier depending on the position of the fulcrum, effort and load. When the fulcrum is close to the load and far from the effort, the work is easier.
Elementary – Motion Solution
Can you make this K’nex vehicle travel farther? Elementary – Motion Solution
Can you make this K’nex vehicle travel farther? Yes, I could redesign this K’nex vehicle to make it travel farther. I will explain three different changes I would make to this vehicle. First, I would take off all of the extra blocks that aren’t doing anything to help the vehicle stay together or move. I know this will make it go farther. In science class, when our standard vehicle was carrying two blocks, it only traveled 10 cm before it stopped. When it wasn’t carrying any blocks, it traveled all the way across our table, 120 cm. Both times, the same force was pulling on our vehicle (Evidence). This makes sense because when something is heavy, it needs a lot of force on it to make it move. If you take off those extra blocks, it will need less force on it to make it move.
Second, I would take that sail off of the vehicle….
Middle School – Air Explanation
What is air?
Air is matter. I think air has mass because in the balloon experiment when we were comparing or weighting the deflated balloon to the balloon filled with air, the balloon filled with air weighted more (Evidence). This is because of mass. Mass means the amount of matter in something. The balloon which had air in it has more mass. Another reason why I think air has mass is because in the syringe experiment, it was difficult to push the top of the syringe because the air was blocking it from going down (Evidence). The tiny little molecules were trapped in a small space and created more pressure. Air pressure made it difficult to push down because the air takes up space. It is made of matter and has mass. It is true that air is made of matter and has mass.
Middle School –
Natural Selection Explanation
Why did most of the finches die in 1973 and some survive?
Janelle What I notice is that your claim and our claim are opposite.
Toby
Yeah.
Because we say it's from the drought and you say it's from harsh
Janelle rain.
Toby
Yeah.
And our evidence from that is that we actually have measurements
that says the rainfall decreased (EVIDENCE). Do you have actual
Janelle numbers that say the rainfall increased?
Toby
Yeah.
Janelle Because you can't say it increased without numbers.
Toby
Yeah.
Janelle I want to see it.
Middle School –
Natural Selection Explanation
Why did most of the finches die in 1973 and some survive?
Okay. So the rainfall in 1973 seemed pretty devastating
Toby
(EVIDENCE) to kill all the finches in the wet season.
Janelle But here's the thing: the rainfall is pretty balanced.
No, I mean, it's not – it's not just going to keep going up, because I
remember in 1979 none of the finches really died in the wet
season or the dry season (EVIDENCE).
Toby
But the rainfall, I don't think it kills the plants. I don't think it drowns
Janelle them at all.
It does. That's what my mom says. That if it rains too hard, that it
Toby
drowns the plants, so they can't survive.
Janelle I know.
High School Solution
CONTEXT: High school engineering students designing pinhole cameras
SOLUTION: Description of product refinement to meet success criteria
“When my group first did the light test, our photograph was nearly completely black [Data regarding success criteria]. We assumed that the slide that covers our aperture was poorly glued on and light probably got in through there. To fix that, we added tape around all the edges that held the slide. We then loaded the film paper and put our camera in the sun for 5 minutes, developed the photo and it also was nearly all black (again). For our 3rd light test, we loaded the paper and taped the lid to the box (sealing all open edges). We took the camera out in the sun and set it in the sun for 5 minutes, developed it and the photo was white. Thus, our light tight box.”
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High School Solution
SOLUTION: Sketch
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SOLUTION: Product
Student Challenges
• Using evidence to support their ideas
– Can rely on their own opinions and/or have difficulty using sufficient evidence
• Explaining why their evidence supports their ideas
– Can have difficulty articulating this link and/or using scientific principles
• Considering multiple explanations or solutions
– Can focus on one idea
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• Revising explanations and solutions based on new evidence or scientific knowledge
Before We Get to Your
Questions…
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Questions???
• Questions about what explanations or solutions look like in k‐12 classrooms?
• Other questions?
42
Poll: Instructional Difficulties
What do you think will be hardest about incorporating this into your instruction?
A. Finding places in your science curriculum where it would make sense to include it
B. Developing questions that focus students on using evidence to construct these
C. Supporting students in classroom discussion
D. Supporting students in writing explanations or constructing solutions
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Supporting Students
1. Developing “good” questions to support explanations and solutions
2. Talk moves and classroom culture
3. Scaffolding student writing
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1. Developing a “good” question
• Identifying opportunities:
– Identify data students can use as evidence
– Identify scientific principles (e.g. core ideas) students can apply to make sense of the data
– Ensure questions have multiple plausible answers
• Writing the question
– Consider the clarity of the question
Example Problematic Questions
• Lacking Clarity:
– What will happen when you mix salt and water?
• Lacking Evidence:
– Why is a diamond a mineral and not a rock?
– Does a DNA molecule resemble a spiral staircase? Why or why not ? • Lacking Scientific Principles:
– Does a paper airplane fly better or worse with a snub nose?
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Successful Questions
• Use evidence to support explanation or solution
– What bird beak is the best adaptation for this environment?
– What type of bonding is present in this sports drink powder? Use the data table (e.g. yellow, lemon flavor, dissolves in water, conducts electricity when dissolved) below to justify your answer. – Which biodiesel recipe is the best?
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2. Talk moves & classroom culture
• Orchestrate discussion
• Support students’ communication of scientific ideas and evidence
• Make thinking visible
• Assess understanding (formative)
Talk moves from Ready, Set, Science! (Michaels et al., 2008, p.91)
Talk Move
Example
Revoicing
“So let me see if I’ve got your thinking right.
You’re saying ____________?”
Asking students to restate someone
else’s reasoning
“Can you repeat what he just said in your own
words?”
Asking students to apply their own
“Do you agree or disagree and why?”
reasoning to someone else’s reasoning
Prompting students for further
participation
“Would someone like to add on?”
Asking students to explicate their
reasoning
“Why do you think that?” or “What evidence
helped you arrive at that answer?” or “Say
more about that.”
Using wait time
“Take your time…We’ll wait.”
Questions to support evidence‐based explanations
from What’s your evidence? (Zembal‐Saul, McNeill & Hershberger, 2013)
Claim, Evidence,
Reasoning -Approach
Question Examples
Re-focus on the guiding
question
How does that help us answer our question,
____________?
Look for patterns in the
data
What patterns are you beginning to notice in your data?
Make a draft claim
What claim can you make based on the data you have so
far?
Consider alternatives
Is there a different claim that explains the data better?
Make new predictions
Given your results so far, what do you predict will happen
next?
Example Transcript – 3rd Grade
Class is answering the question – How do pulleys help us to do work? The
teacher posted 3 claims (A, B and C) and students are discussing, which is the
best explanation.
Jordyn:
Because if people didn’t know the distance part, then they
wouldn’t pick A, because distance and decreasing the
force they both seem to do together.
Teacher: How do you know that?
Jordyn: Because when you decrease the force there’s more
distance and when there’s less distance there’s more
force.
Teacher: But I’m asking you how you know that.
Jordyn: Because of all of the experiments we’ve done.
Teacher: What did you do to know about distance?
Jordyn: I know about distance with the levers.
3. Scaffolding student writing
• Writing scaffolds can be sentence starters, questions, or other prompts that provide students with hints about what to include in their scientific explanations.
• We consider multiple characteristics when we design scaffolds for students
– content and general support
– detail and length
– fading 52
Writing Scaffolds
Conclusion:
Which bird beak is the best adaptation for this environment? Why?
Claim
[Write a sentence stating which beak is the best adaptation for this environment.]
Evidence
[Provide scientific data to support your claim. The evidence should include the
amount of food (marbles, pennies, popsicle sticks & red water) that the beaks ate.]
Reasoning
[Explain why your evidence supports your claim. Describe what an adaptation is
and why your evidence allowed you to determine the beak was the best adaptation.]
Conclusions
• Explanations in science
– 1. How or why phenomena occur; 2. Relies on evidence
• Solutions in engineering
– 1. Solution to a problem; 2. Selection based on multiple criteria (including evidence)
• Numerous opportunities to engage students
• Constructing explanations and solutions is challenging for students
• Considering the design of your instruction and including different strategies can help students
– E.g. “good questions”, talk moves, scaffolds
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Contact Information
• Katherine (Kate) McNeill
– [email protected]
– http://www.katherinelmcneill.com
• Leema Berland
– [email protected]
Before We Get to Your
Questions…
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Questions???
• Questions about supporting students as they construct explanations and design solutions?
• Other questions?
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NSTA Website (nsta.org/ngss)
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Upcoming Web Seminars on Practices
Date
Topic
Speaker
1
9/11
Asking Questions and Defining Problems
Brian Reiser
2
9/25
Developing and Using Models
Christina Schwarz and
CindyPassmore
3
10/9
Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
Rick Duschl
4
10/23
Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Ann Rivet
5
11/6
Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking
Robert Mayes and
Bryan Shader
6
11/20
Constructing Explanations and Designing
Solutions
Katherine McNeill and
Leema Berland
7
12/4
Engaging in Argument from Evidence
Joe Krajcik
8
12/18
Obtaining, Evaluating and Communicating
Information
Philip Bell, Leah Bricker, and
Katie Van Horne
All take place on Tuesdays from 6:30-8:00 pm ET
59
Next Web Seminar
December 4 (two weeks from today)
Engaging in Argument from Evidence
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Teachers will learn more about:
„ why reasoning and argument based on evidence are
essential to identifying the best explanation for a
natural phenomenon or the best solution to a design
problem;
„ how scientists and engineers use argumentation to
listen to, compare, and evaluate competing ideas and
methods based on merits; and
„ the use of argumentation when investigating a
Presenter:
phenomenon, testing a design solution, resolving
Joe Krajcik
questions about measurements, building data models,
and using evidence to identify strengths and
weaknesses of claims.
Graduate Credit Available
Shippensburg University will offer one (1) graduate
credit to individuals who attend or view all eight
webinars.
Participants must either:
„ Attend the live presentation, complete the survey at the end of
the webinar, and obtain the certificate of participation from
NSTA, or
„ View the archived recording and complete the reflection
question for that particular webinar.
In addition, all participants must complete a 500 word reflection essay.
The total cost is $165.
For information on the course requirements, as well as registration and
payment information visit www.ship.edu/extended/NSTA
61
Community Forums
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NSTA Phoenix Area Conference
The conference will include a number of sessions
about the K–12 Framework and the highly anticipated
Next Generation Science Standards.
Among the sessions will be an NSTA sponsored session
focusing on the Scientific and Engineering Practices.
63
NSTA Print Resources
NSTA Reader’s Guide
to the Framework
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NSTA Journal Articles
about the Framework
and the Standards
Thanks to today’s presenters…
Katherine McNeill
Boston College
Leema Berland
University of Texas, Austin
Thank you to the sponsor of today’s
web seminar:
This web seminar contains information about programs, products, and services
offered by third parties, as well as links to third-party websites. The presence of
a listing or such information does not constitute an endorsement by NSTA of a
particular company or organization, or its programs, products, or services.
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National Science Teachers Association
Gerry Wheeler, Interim Executive Director
Zipporah Miller, Associate Executive Director,
Conferences and Programs
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e-Learning and Government Partnerships
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