The Next Generation Science Standards

(Grades K-12) / Flex Course

PDI Course Number: 36T02 / UCSD Course Number: EDUC40102

Course Description

Have you tried to make sense of the Next Generation Science Standards without feeling successful? Are you overwhelmed because your district has adopted these standards and you are not sure where to begin? This online course is designed for teachers in grades K-12 who want to unpack the complexity of the Next Generation Science Standards. This course takes teachers through a step-by-step explanation of the standards, including a thorough description of the conceptual framework leading into how to interpret the science and engineering practices, crosscutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas at each respective grade band. Performance expectations for the standards are also addressed. The role of curricula is discussed, as well as how Universal Design for Learning plays an important role in the assessment of the standards. Teachers will be introduced to an overview of assessment and how it applies to the Next Generation Science standards, as well as a brief overview of how to bundle some of the core ideas contained within the standards. Suggestions for integrating technology into science instruction are also shared. By the end of this course, teachers will have a thorough understanding of the Next Generation Science Standards and have gained the ability to put them into practice in the classroom. This course is worth 3 ⅓ semester units/5 quarter units (50 hours of training) from University of California San Diego (UCSD) Division of Extended Studiesn. For detailed information on university credit, click here.

"This is a very well put together course!! I have really learned a lot about the new standards and how they are meant to be implemented." - Carol Dicksen