Week 1: NGSS



The first activity we did in class was to draw out our vision of what we wanted our future classroom to look like. One thing that my partner and I drew was groups of desks so our students could grow connections with their peers and collaborate and work together on projects. We also decided to incorporate flexible seating so that our students could move around in the classroom when they wanted to get out of their seats. 

Another thing we talked about today in class was the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). We talked about the three different dimensions within the standards. The three different dimensions are science and engineering practices (SEP), crosscutting concepts (CCCs), and Disciplinary core ideas (DCI). I had never heard of the NGSS, so it was interesting to learn about it for the first time and really dive into all the different aspects of the standards. 

Learning about these standards today is going to make my life as a future elementary teacher so much easier. I plan on staying in Iowa, so learning about the science standards in Iowa is very applicable to my future. 

A question that I have after learning about the NGSS is what strategies can teachers implement in their classroom to help make NGSS run smoothly in a diverse classroom setting? 

 

Comments

  1. Macy BlumJanuary 22, 2025 at 2:45 PM

    Kendra, It’s great that you’re already thinking about ways to create an engaging and flexible classroom environment! Having desks arranged in groups and offering flexible seating really helps foster collaboration and gives students the freedom to learn in a way that suits them. It's also wonderful to hear that you found learning about the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) interesting, especially since they can really shape how science is taught in the classroom. Your question about strategies for implementing NGSS in a diverse classroom is an important one. A good approach could be to use differentiated instruction, where you tailor lessons to meet the needs of various learners. This could mean offering multiple ways for students to demonstrate understanding or varying the level of difficulty in assignments. Additionally, hands-on activities, real-world connections, and encouraging group work can help all students engage with the material in meaningful ways.

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  2. Audrey BiermannJanuary 22, 2025 at 5:37 PM

    Hi Kendra, I really like the layout of your classroom and the flexible seating! Especially in science class it is important to have a place students can collaborate. I also like the point you brought up about how you are staying in Iowa so learning the standards in depth would be really important and I could not agree more! Good work!

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  3. Katelyn GradyJanuary 23, 2025 at 7:35 AM

    Hello Kendra, I really enjoyed your classroom design. I would also like to have grouped seating as it promotes discussion and collaboration among students while they are learning. I loved how you incorporated flexible seating as this benefits all students in the classroom. I have also never learned about NGSS, so I learned a lot about the three dimensions of learning and how they all work together. I am excited to learn more about them through the semester, as I will be teaching in Iowa and using these standards. I am interested to hopefully learn the answer to your question. Great post!

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  4. Carly BorthJanuary 25, 2025 at 11:39 AM

    Hi Kendra! I enjoyed reading your blog and hearing your thoughts on the NGSS standards. I also enjoyed seeing your classroom layout. I agree that students should be grouped together to collaborate but also given flexible seating to create a more comfortable learning experience. Furthermore, I also had not heard of the NGSS standards and plan to stay in Iowa. This will be very beneficial for us to learn, especially as we create lesson plans in the future. By using these standards, we will help our students develop a deeper understanding of science. I also wonder how to implement these standards smoothly in diverse classrooms and how they support equity and inclusion in the classroom. Great post!

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  5. Jada's Science Methods BlogJanuary 26, 2025 at 8:32 PM

    Hi Kendra! You did a great job expressing your thoughts on the NGSS standards. I personally wasn't in class this week so it was nice to read your thoughts and also catch up on some of the in-person things that I missed. Thank you for sharing!

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