As part of the 2017 Fall Alpha Publishing Product Training and Professional Development season, we had the pleasure of connecting and working with many fantastic teachers and schools in Riyadh and Dammam. The sessions focused on: STEAM and 21st Century Skills, Engineering Design Process Through model lessons and hands-on activities for creating a thriving learning environment and supporting teachers using Alpha resources.

1. STEAM
and
21st Century Skills in the Science Classroom
(Introduction to the Next Generation Science Standards)
Dr.S Govindswamy Sunder

2. Objective of the session (KUD)
What do students Know, Understand and Do with scientific knowledge?
• To Know
• The Three Dimensions of the Next Generation Science Standards
• Understand the role of :
• Engineering Design Process and the role of sustained Inquiry in the classroom
• Do:
• Three Dimensional Assessments- What and How do we Assess?

3. What do thinking classrooms
look like?
Dr.S Govindswamy SunderDr. Lynn Erickson

4. Dr.S Govindswamy Sunder

5. Let’s Unpack the Standards.

6. The Three Dimensions of the NGSS
Science and
Engineering
Core ideas in
the discipline
Concepts across
disciplines

7. The three dimensions of the NGSS
Dr.S Govindswamy Sunder

8. NGSS Crosscutting Statements
(Energy and Matter)
• K-2- Objects may break into smaller pieces, be put together into larger pieces, or
change shapes.
• 3-5- Energy can be transferred in various ways and between objects.
• 6-8- Energy may take different forms (eg: energy in fields, thermal energy, energy
of motion)
• 9-12- Students understand that...Energy cannot be created or destroyed- only
moves between one place and another place, between objects and/or fields, or
between systems.
Dr.S Govindswamy Sunder

9. Integration of 3 Dimensions:
Practices
Crosscutting Concepts
Core Ideas
Next Generation Of Science Standards Architecture

10. Concepts
• Concepts: Mental constructs that “umbrella” different topical examples and meet
these criteria: timeless, abstract (to different degrees).
• Eg: System; Habitat
• Concepts do transfer.
• A higher level of abstraction than topics because of their generalizability.
• Concepts come at different levels of generality, abstractness and complexity.
Dr.S Govindswamy Sunder

11. What are Crosscutting Concepts
• The NRC Framework describes crosscutting concepts as :
• Those that bridge disciplinary boundaries,
• Having explanatory value throughout much of science and engineering.
Dr.S Govindswamy Sunder

12. What are the chosen Crosscutting Concepts in
NGSS?
1. Patterns
2. Cause and Effect
3. Scale, Proportion and Quantity
4. Systems and System Models
5. Energy and Matter
6. Structure and Function
7. Stability and Change
Dr.S Govindswamy Sunder

13. Table Task
• Your goal as a team is to design and create a paper plane that will fly the farthest.
• Essential Question:
• What interdisciplinary STEAM aspects can we highlight through this activity?
• Non-Negotiables:
• Every member has to create one model.
• As a team, you will have to test the different models made by your team
members to choose the one that will best serve the purpose.
• At the end of 10 minutes one person from every team will come forward to fly
the plane.
• Another member will explain your STEAM connections.
• The team that creates the model that flies the farthest wins!
Dr.S Govindswamy Sunder

14. Inter-disciplinary Connections
• What concepts in math and other subjects can we bring about through the Paper
Plane activity?

15. Dr.S Govindswamy Sunder
Includes interactive, visual, and different learning strategies to meet the needs of all learners.

16. Science not just a body of knowledge
• The Framework emphasizes that science is not just a body of knowledge but also
a set of practices for investigating, modeling, and explaining phenomena in the
natural world.
Dr.S Govindswamy Sunder

17. Engineering Design Process
Dr.S Govindswamy Sunder

18. Engineering Design Process
• ASK: What is the problem? How have others approached it? What are your
constraints?
• IMAGINE: What are some solutions? Brainstorm ideas. Choose the best one.
• PLAN: Draw a diagram. Make lists of materials you will need.
• CREATE: Follow your plan and create something. Test it out!
• IMPROVE: What works? What doesn't? What could work better? Modify your
design to make it better. Test it out!
Dr.S Govindswamy Sunder

19. Engineering Design Cycle – How does in the
classroom?

20. Dr.S Govindswamy Sunder

21. Dr.Sudha Sunder

23. Lets do it! What is your task?
• With the given materials, your challenge is to design and build a free-standing
tower in Japan-
• The tallest free-standing and stable tower in the world
• Materials:
• 5 Marshmellows
• 20 Straws
• Toothpicks
• Tape

24. Crosscutting Concepts

25. ESS2B: Plate tectonics and large-scale system interactions
• K-2: Maps show where things are located. One can map the shapes and kinds of land and
water in any area.
• 6-8: Plate tectonics is the unifying theory that explains movements of rocks at Earth’s
surface and geological history. Maps are used to display evidence of plate movement.
• 9-12: Radioactive decay within Earth’s interior contributes to thermal convection in the
mantle.
INCREASING SOPHISTICATION OF STUDENT
THINKING

27. http://www.p21.org

28. www.eie.org

29. www.nextgenscience.org

30. www.nsta.org

31. Contact Information
Dr. Sudha Govindswamy Sunder
E-mail: sudhasunder@tlinternational.org
http://www.tlinternational.org
Dr.S Govindswamy Sunder

32. Tower Activity
• is available on page 476- Earth Science Grade 4.

33. References
Erickson, H, L. (2007). Curriculum and instruction for the thinking classroom. Corwin Press, A SAGE Company, California, USA.
Erickson, H, L. (2008). Stirring the head, heart and soul: Redefining curriculum, instruction and concept-based learning. Third Edition. Corwin
Press, A SAGE Company, California, USA.
Lois. A. Lanning (2012) Designing a concept- based curriculum for English Language Arts- mee8ng the Common Core with Intellectual
integrity.
Next Generation Science Standards: Available at http://www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards
The Common Core State Standards: Available at:
http://www.corestandards.org

34. www.smarteducation.aeFor more information about our products please visit us at:

35. Dr.S Govindswamy Sunder