Presentation slides for 2/9/17 NGSS Webinar

1. Webinar:
NGSS Curriculum Development:
Lessons Learned from the Mi-STAR
Program
Organizers:
Susan Sullivan, CIRES, CU Boulder & NAGT Past President
Aida Awad, Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow,
Department of Energy
Ed Robeck, AGI
John McDaris, SERC/NAGT
Webinar Begins at
1:00 PM Pacific | 2:00 PM Mountain | 3:00 PM Central | 4:00 Eastern

2. Webinar overview:
➢ Welcome and introductions
➢Presenters
Jackie Huntoon and Doug Oppliger (Michigan
Technological University)
Ed Robeck and Matt Hoover (American Geosciences
Institute)
 Discussion and Q&A
➢Future Events

3. Upcoming Events:
 Webinars: 2nd Thursdays, 1p PT/4p ET
• March 9, 2017
“ACHIEVE Resources and Tools for NGSS Implementation”
(Matt Krehbiel)
• April 13, 2017
NGSS Climate Education with the CLEAN Collection
• May 11, 2017
NGSS Resources Across the Sciences (Jo Ellen Roseman,
AAAS) Jim Kessler (American Chemical Society), Aleeza Oshry
(Howard Hughes Medical Institute)
Email list and archived webinars:
http://nagt.org/nagt/profdev/workshops/ngss_summit/index.html

4. Presenters
Jacqueline Huntoon
Michigan Technological University
With Doug Oppliger
Michigan Technological University
Edward Robeck
American Geosciences
Institute
With Matt Hoover
American Geosciences
Institute

5. NGSS Curriculum Development:
Lessons Learned from the Mi-STAR
Program
Jackie Huntoon & Doug Oppliger, Michigan Technological University
Matt Hoover & Ed Robeck, American Geosciences Institute
February 9, 2017

6. Welcome and Introductions
• Jackie Huntoon, Michigan Technological University, Provost and Vice
President for Academic Affairs, Professor of Geological and Mining
Engineering and Sciences, Affiliated Professor of Cognitive and
Learning Sciences, Principal Investigator for Mi-STAR
• Ed Robeck, American Geosciences Institute, Director of Education
and Outreach, Center for Science and Society Director
• Doug Oppliger, Michigan Technological University, Department of
Engineering Fundamentals, Mi-STAR Curriculum Development Leader
• Matt Hoover, American Geosciences Institute, Senior Curriculum
Specialist, Mi-STAR Curriculum Development Consultant

7. Webinar Outline
• Revisit 2015 Summit
• Mi-STAR project
• Overview
• Challenges and Lessons Learned
• Curriculum Design
• Political Considerations
• Management
• Summary
• Announcements

8. 2015 Summit on Implementation of NGSS-ESS
Convened by AGI’s Center for Geoscience and Society
and National Association of Geoscience Teachers with
funding from NSF and AGI. Hosted by NOAA.
More than 50 attendees from almost as many
organizations.
Purpose:
Assemble key individuals and representatives in Earth
and Space Science (ESS) education to familiarize each
other with NGSS-ESS and strategize networked ways
to support implementation.

9. 2015 Summit on Implementation of NGSS-ESS
Pre-summit Needs Assessment
• Framework & NGSS
• Support (Advocacy)
• Curriculum and Instruction
• Teacher Readiness & Resources
• Professional Development
• Assessment

10. Overview of Mi-STAR
• Michigan Science Teaching and
Assessment Reform
• NGSS-aligned middle school
curriculum (integrated science
and engineering)
• Teacher PD + preparation
• Supported by the Herbert H.
and Grace A. Dow Foundation
• Builds on “MiTEP,” an NSF MSP
• Partnership-driven
• Research-based
• Partner School Districts
• Eleven (+) school districts in
Michigan
• Staff
• Scientists and engineers
• Teachers
• Education experts (AGI and
others)
• Connections/Advisers
• Michigan Department of
Education
• Michigan Math / Science Centers
• External Advisory Board
• Other friends

11. The Mi-STAR Approach
• Curriculum
• Relevant real-world problems
and phenomena engage
students in using science and
engineering
• “Unit challenges” provide
opportunity to develop and
refine understanding over a
period of time
• Teacher PD and Education
• Teachers as curriculum
developers
• Teacher-leaders
• Professional learning
communities
• Low-cost PD (Mi-STAR
Academy)
• Build upon other initiatives

12. Progress to Date (http://mi-star.mtu.edu/)
• Curriculum Development
• Unit structure
• Lesson structure
• PD for implementation
• Unit sequencing
• Scaffold content and practice
• Enthusiasm
• 240 Teachers
• 2287 Students (pre 2017)
• “We are waiting for Mi-STAR”

14. Unit 6
Patterns/Cause and effect
6.6
MS-LS2-1 (LS2.A)
MS-LS2-2
MSLS2-4
ETS1-2* (ETS1.B)
Sustainable
Ecosystems
Cross Cutting
Concepts
Unit
Number
Performance Expectation
Package
Theme

15. Mi-STAR Unit Structure
Unit Question
Intro to Unit
Question
Intro to
Challenge
Lesson
Question
Lesson
Question
Lesson
Question
Address the
Challenge
Unit Challenge
What happens in each lesson?

16. Instructional Phases of a Mi-STAR Lesson
Assessment of
Learning
Performances
Anchoring
Your
Experience
Uncovering
Your Ideas
Sharing Your
Ideas
Connect
Your Ideas
Unit
Challenge
Checking
Your
Progress
Informed by the 5E
Sequence
Always connects back to
Unit Challenge
Allows for three “contexts”
to apply learning

17. Curriculum Design:
Challenges and Lessons Learned
The three-dimensional design of the NGSS
Past experience
Urge to make the “perfect” materials
Multiple possible entry points

18. Curriculum Design:
Challenges and Lessons Learned
The three-dimensional design of the NGSS – DCI’s, SEP’s, CCC’s
No specific and direct prior experience with this model
No materials – at best, current materials approximate the intent
Limited shared experience that applies – especially with engineering
Very limited guidance regarding assessment – at any level
Considered what others offered, tools being created (e.g., NSTA, Achieve)
Stay open to learning, experimenting, revising, collaborating (e.g., exemplars)
Developed in-house professional development materials
Involved teachers as collaborators
Design and document the process

19. Curriculum Design:
Challenges and Lessons Learned
Past Experience
Negative transfer – Past experience (e.g., “science skills”) could mislead
Lesson planning contributes to curriculum design, but is not the same
Review certain fundamental literature in science education (e.g.,
conceptual change, Framework for K-12 Science Education, NAS pubs)
Considered avoiding “too familiar” terms/approaches (e.g., “inquiry,” “5E”)
Shaped/reshaped elements to communicate effectively

20. Curriculum Design:
Challenges and Lessons Learned
Urge to make the “perfect” materials
How comprehensive do the materials need to be?
How specific should direction be to the teacher?
Define what is necessary, sufficient, and presentable
Make use of teacher input, especially regarding scaffolding of learning
Communicate clear beginning and end points – design with end in
mind
Working to assume skilled teacher practice – avoid building in PD

21. Curriculum Design:
Challenges and Lessons Learned
Multiple possible entry points
Where does one begin to create a “unit”?
DCIs are typical entry points – other dimensions added on (Past Exp.)
What does assessment of three-dimensional teaching look like?
Staged and iterative process – dancing our way through development
Emphasized PE-aligned development integrating SEPs + DCIs + CCCs
Focused primarily on guidance and tools for the teacher

22. Questions

23. Politics: Challenges and Lessons Learned
• State adoption
• Potential repeal
• State funding
• Governor’s and legislators’ priorities
• Partners’ expectations
• Timing, cost, delivery method, “kits”, necessary PD
• Mutual support / collaboration
• Audiences and spokespeople
• Teachers, administrators, legislators, public, universities
• Common messages delivered by credible, knowledgeable representatives

24. Questions

25. Leadership Challenges and Lessons
• Vision, strategy, resources, expectations, morale
• Shared governance (pros and cons)
• Strategic decision making

26. Management: Team Challenges and Lessons
• Large geographically separated group
• Time and schedule management
• Effectively utilizing teachers’ skills and
talents
• Communication among scientists,
engineers, curriculum designers, and
teachers

27. Management: Major Lessons Learned
• Start small – team size and task list
• Develop and test a prototype then a model unit to serve as an example
• Large teams exploring unknown territory leads to confusion, uneven
quality, squandering of resources

28. Management: Major Lessons Learned
• As team size grows –
• Design and communicate clear guidelines for products
• Design and adhere to a clear management / reporting structure with clear
responsibilities
• Don’t underestimate the level of challenge with 3D curriculum and
assessment
“We’re
building the
plane while
flying it!”

29. Management: Major Lessons Learned
• Don’t underestimate the PD needed for implementation
• Online vs. face-to-face

30. Questions

31. Summary and Closing
• Curriculum Design
• Check assumptions – What does _____ really mean
here?
• Embrace the uncertainty – It’s a series of CD puzzles
• Maintain documentation – Capture the learning
• Politics
• Efforts do not operate in a vacuum
• Management
• Vision, plan for expansion, and clear management
(reporting) structure necessary
• Collaborative and flexible team critical to success

32. Announcements
Thanks for Attending

33. Upcoming Events:
 Webinars: 2nd Thursdays, 1p PT/4p ET
• March 9, 2017
“ACHIEVE Resources and Tools for NGSS Implementation”
(Matt Krehbiel)
• April 13, 2017
NGSS Climate Education with the CLEAN Collection
• May 11, 2017
NGSS Resources Across the Sciences (Jo Ellen Roseman,
AAAS) Jim Kessler (American Chemical Society), Aleeza Oshry
(Howard Hughes Medical Institute)
Email list and archived webinars:
http://nagt.org/nagt/profdev/workshops/ngss_summit/index.html

34. Thank you!
Contact information:
Susan Sullivan
susan.sullivan@Colorado.edu, 303-492-5657
Aida Awad
aawad@tothecloudedu.com
Edward Robeck
ecrobeck@agiweb.org