The Next Generation Science Standards ask that students are engaged in explaining a phenomenon or of solving a problem: just like scientists and engineers. But both science and engineering involve processes that unfold over time; so a student’s daily work in science happens within that context. And a classroom teacher wants to know how students are doing with core ideas and crosscutting concepts in the context of engaging in practices that help refine and support their evolving explanations and designs. That is where three-dimensional formative assessment comes in. And as we prepare for a new statewide science assessment intended for informing large-scale policies and systems, we also recognize the need for focusing on contextually relevant and informative assessments for helping to guide instruction.
The Science Learning Network (SLN) is a network of K-12 teacher practitioners, coaches, and even TOSA’s who collaborate to explore the instructional interface between the Next Generation Science Standards and classroom instruction. In the 2018-19 school year, our SLN will meet three times to delve into and experiment with formative assessment in the NGSS era. In between each meeting, participants will engage in action research with their students and will bring student artifacts back with them to study and explore with others colleagues in the SLN. And two of our meetings will involve engaging with the Math Learning Network to help us build a more holistic view of math and science as integral to each other.
If you have participated in the past, we welcome you back. And if you have never participated before, we encourage you to join us! District teams are encouraged, but are not required (it’s always nice to have someone local to talk with). This group is for anyone who wants to look closely at formative assessment in the service of student learning through the NGSS.
Dates:
October 9, 2018
December 4, 2018
February 5, 2019
All sessions are from 8:30 am – 3:30 pm at NWESD.
To register, contact Nancy Menard