In the distance, a familiar rumble fills the air and a

Transcription

1 The Next Generation Science Standards and Engineering for Young Learners: Beyond Bridges and Egg Drops By Mariel Milano In the distance, a familiar rumble fills the air and a plume of white smoke rises through the morning sky as a rocket launches near the coast. Students clamor to the window, eager to get closer to the action, craning their necks skyward as the rocket races toward the horizon. Suddenly, a parachute deploys and safely carries a rocket booster gracefully toward Earth. The students, inspired by the morning s events, race back to their seats and are eager to use knowledge from the week s lessons on balanced forces and gravity to design and build technological solutions that will safely carry cargo to the ground. While elementary school classrooms have long been a hub of curiosity and innovation, it is time for a more focused approach to the inclusion of engineering. In the next generation of elementary classrooms, students are actively engaged in the practices of science and engineering, using design as a vehicle to build and revise knowledge of key disciplinary core ideas. In some ways, children are natural engineers. They spontaneously build sand castles, dollhouses, and hamster enclosures, and they use a variety of tools and materials for their own playful purposes. (Achieve Inc. 2013) The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) represent an opportunity to introduce students to systematic problem-solving processes, which over time will transform a generation from consumers of technology to producers of technological solutions. This article aims to engage elementary teachers with key engineering components in the NGSS, including conceptual shifts, disciplinary core ideas, and practices to effectively wield the standards as a transformative tool for classroom instruction. Conceptual Shifts in the NGSS and Engineering The vision of A Framework for K 12 Science Education (NRC 2012), through the enduring and successful implementation of the NGSS, will launch a new generation of innovators. As shown in Figure 1, the NGSS will shift the focus of science education in seven distinct conceptual shifts. The conceptual shifts represent fundamental differences from previous generations of standards and capture key advancements in the field of science education. The shift highlighted in green establishes the basis for the new position of engineering in science education. The Next Generation Science Standards were developed with fidelity to the National Research Council s A Framework for K 12 Science Education (NRC 2012). The vision presented in the Framework is unique in that it requires students to be engaged at the nexus of the three dimensions: science and engineering practices, crosscutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas. Currently, many existing standards include these three dimensions in their standards, but in most cases, they are not well integrated. Beginning in kindergarten, the NGSS requires that students engage in a specific practice in each performance to demonstrate understanding of key content, and that students are able to connect different core ideas in different science disciplines through crosscutting concepts. The NGSS demonstrates a commitment to fully integrating engineering and technology into the structure of 10

2 science education by elevating engineering design to the same level as scientific inquiry in classroom instruction. Students entering kindergarten this year will likely enter job fields upon graduation that have not yet been developed, using knowledge that has not yet been discovered and tools that have not yet been engineered. It will be the responsibility of elementary teachers to prepare their students for a changing world by arming them with the science and engineering background necessary to one day make informed choices and decisions. At the elementary level, engineering is integrated throughout the NGSS within the science and engineering practices and disciplinary core ideas, and as connections between engineering, science, technology, and society. Understanding the role of technology and engineering in the NGSS will be the first critical step educators can take in the preparation of a 21st-century workforce. Technology in the NGSS The NGSS proposes clear definitions for the terms engineering and technology. First, consider the images in Figure 2 (p. 12). Which of these images would young students consider an example of technology? Likely, they would choose the left-justified image filled with computers and mobile devices. According to Appendix I Engineering Design in the NGSS, technology is, all the ways that people have modified the natural world to meet their needs and wants (Achieve Inc. 2013). Using that definition, all of the items, from laptops to fountain pens, to soccer balls and lumber, are examples of technology. Technologies like the fountain pen, which may seem antiquated, were revolutionary innovations at the time they were developed. A similar case can be made for the soccer ball and lumber. Even the picture with palm trees includes at least one technology a stone wall. And it is very likely that the palm trees were intentionally planted along the path. Many teachers often imagine it is impossible to incorporate engineering and technology in the classroom because they do not have the latest computers or highspeed internet access. Understanding the relationship between science, engineering, and technology will help you to understand what the engineering practices may look like in the elementary science classroom. A Framework for K 12 Science Education has defined the terms science, engineering, and technology as follows: Figure 1. Seven fundamental shifts in the Next Generation Science Standards. 1. K 12 Science Education Should Reflect the Interconnected Nature of Science as it is Practiced and Experienced in the Real World. 2. The NGSS are student performance expectations NOT curriculum. 3. The Science Concepts in the NGSS Build Coherently from K The NGSS Focus on Deeper Understanding of Content as well as Application of Context. 5. Science and Engineering are Integrated in the NGSS, from K The NGSS are designed to prepare students for college, career, and citizenship. 7. The NGSS and Common Core State Standards, in English Language Arts and Mathematics are Aligned. October

3 In the K 12 context, science is generally taken to mean the traditional natural sciences: physics, chemistry, biology, and (more recently) earth, space, and environmental sciences.... We use the term engineering in a very broad sense to mean any engagement in a systematic practice of design to achieve solutions to particular human problems. Likewise, we broadly use the term technology to include all types of human-made systems and processes not in the limited sense often used in schools that equates technology with modern computational and communications devices. Technologies result when engineers apply their understanding of the natural world and of human behavior to design ways to satisfy human needs and wants. (NRC 2012, pp ) Figure 2. Examples of technology. Simply put, engineering and technology deal with human-made products and science deals with natural phenomena. Engineering Design as a Disciplinary Core Idea In the NGSS, engineering is present within the science and engineering practices, disciplinary core ideas, and as crosscutting concepts. The integration of all engineering practices and science content is explicit in the performance expectations. Over all of the standards, the treatment of engineering is comparable to the treatment of traditional science. In keeping with the vision of the Framework, there are separate engineering design performances expectations, which are present at each elementary grade band (K 2, 3 5), in addition to performances, which integrate science and engineering. Unlike the grade specific per- Figure 3. Next Generation Science Standards K 2 Engineering Design Appendix I. Define Specify criteria and constraints that a possible solution to a simple problem must meet Figure 4. Next Generation Science Standards 3 5 Engineering Design Appendix I. Define Identify solutions that people want to change as problems that can be solved through engineering Optimize Improve a solution based on results of simple tests, including failure points Develop solutions Research and explore multiple possible solutions Optimize Compare solutions, test them, and evaluate each Develop solutions Convey possible solutions through visual or physical representations 12

4 Beyond Bridges and Egg Drops formance expectations, these engineering design performances explicitly target the disciplinary core ideas of engineering design. There are three disciplinary core ideas associated with performances of engineering design. ETS1.A: Defining and delimiting engineering problems ETS1.B: Designing solutions to engineering problems ETS1.C: Optimizing the design solution These three ideas encompass what is commonly referred to as the engineering design process, though it should be noted that the engineering design core ideas are not designed to necessarily be sequential. Elementary students should be encouraged to use the phases fluidly, in order to avoid the misinterpretation that engineering design is a formulaic, rigid process. Many educators who view the engineering performance expectations in the NGSS are not sure what is meant by asking for students to design and build a technological device. Performance expectations requiring the design of technology in the early grades imply the design is novel to the student, although it may have been formally developed by industry in the past. For example, students may design and build a windmill to demonstrate understanding of energy conversion. The windmill design may be a commonly used design in industry but a novel innovation to that student. The focus is on the development of technology through the systematic process of engineering design, which uses the result of scientific investigation to solve a problem. In the primary K 2 grades, students are introduced to engineering design as process to solve a situation people want to change. The emphasis is on identifying problems, brainstorming solutions, and comparing solutions to see which is the most successful (Figure 3). This is evident when second-grade students are asked to demonstrate their understanding of how wind and water shape the land by Comparing multiple solutions designed to slow or prevent wind or water from changing the shape of the land in an engineering-related performance expectation within a specific science standard. In the intermediate grades 3 5, students begin to transition into the more formalized process for engineering by developing multiple solutions to a problem and identifying the criteria for success and constraints to consider (Figure 4). For example, in fourth grade, students are asked to demonstrate their knowledge of how to develop solutions using technology by Generating and comparing multiple solutions that use patterns to transfer information. Student understanding of science and engineering Table 1. Weather, climate, and engineering design bundle with instructional questions. Weather, Climate, and Engineering Design Bundle K-PS3-1. K-2-ETS1-1. K-PS3-2. Make observations to determine the effect of sunlight on Earth s surface. [Clarification Statement: Examples of Earth s surface could include sand, soil, rocks, and water] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment of temperature is limited to relative measures such as warmer/cooler.] Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool. Use tools and materials to design and build a structure that will reduce the warming effect of sunlight on an area.* [Clarification Statement: Examples of structures could include umbrellas, canopies, and tents that minimize the warming effect of the sun.] Instructional Questions What happens to the sand in the sandbox when the sun shines on it all morning? Students cannot sit in the sandbox because the sand is too warm. What do we need to know to help solve this problem? What type of structure will keep the sand in the sandbox the coolest? October

5 Table 2. Inquiry unpacked. Next Generation Science Standards: Inquiry Unpacked Science Practices Engineering Practices 1. Asking questions 1. Defining problems 2. Developing and using models to understand natural phenomena. 3. Planning and carrying out investigations to answer a question about the natural world. 4. Analyzing and interpreting data from an investigation to identify patterns and derive meaning. 5. Using mathematics and computational thinking to represent variables and their relationships and to predict natural phenomena. 6. Constricting explanations of natural phenomena. 7. Engaging in argument from evidence to evaluate different lines of reasoning in searching for an explanation of a natural phenomenon. 8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information by listing and reading others ideas critically and communicating one s own ideas clearly. 2. Developing and using models to analyze systems and test solutions. 3. Planning and carrying out investigations to collect data to specify design criteria or test a solution. 4. Analyzing and interpreting data from an investigation to compare different solutions to see which best solves the problem. 5. Using mathematics and computational thinking to calculate and simulate different designs to see which are best. 6. Designing solutions to solve problems. 7. Engaging in argument from evidence, using a systematic method to find the best solution for a problem. 8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information to learn how others have solved a problem and to present persuasive arguments in favor of a given solution. disciplinary core ideas is enhanced when engineering performances are bundled to develop robust, interconnected lessons. Viewing the NGSS in topic view at the elementary level provides a window into the storylines designed by the writing team. Each topic bundles key disciplinary core ideas, practices, and crosscutting concepts designed to have students experience the disciplinary core ideas the way they live it integrated. In Table 1 (p. 13), I have combined performances from the kindergarten standard topic, Weather and Climate, with the K 2 standard of Engineering Design. By bundling these three performances together, students would have the ability to observe the natural phenomenon of sunlight warming Earth s surface, then generate questions about what kinds of problems that might cause in their everyday life, and finally apply their acquired knowledge of the effects of sunlight to the design of structure that will solve their problem. In this example, the use of bundling could easily increase the Table 3. Designing solutions: A metapractice. Designing Solutions Defining problems Developing and using models Planning and carrying out investigations Analyzing and interpreting data Using mathematical and computational thinking Engaging in argument from evidence Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information 14

6 Beyond Bridges and Egg Drops relevance of the science and engineering content teachers present to students by bundling converging practices and disciplinary core ideas. Engineering Design as a Practice Many elementary educators continue to look at the science and engineering practices and ask the questions Isn t this just inquiry? or Don t we do all of this when we do an experiment anyway? One of the instructional shifts in the NGSS is the use of all practices, with all content, all year long. This represents a marked shift from the many curriculum tools that present the scientific method or scientific processes as a separate unit and leave their implied use up to chance throughout the year. The shift from inquiry to practice implies that the learning and doing of science and engineering cannot be separated. The perspective presented in the Framework is not one of replacing inquiry; rather, it is one of expanding Table 4. Sample student-designed Device: Alarm circuit. 4-PS3-4. Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine a device that converts energy from one form to another.* Sample Student-Designed Device: Alarm Circuit Practice Applied in an Engineering Context Defining Problems Designing Solutions Developing and Using Models Planning and Carrying Out Investigations Analyzing and Interpreting Data Using Mathematical and Computational Thinking Engaging in Argument from Evidence Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information Sample Student Behaviors Demonstrating Proficiency Ask questions to determine criteria for a successful alarm circuit and constraints on the design including time, money, and resources Sample criteria: Design an electric circuit that includes a buzzer and light Sample constraints: Design an electric circuit within 30 minutes at a cost of less than $10.00 Discuss various solutions based on previous scientific investigations on energy conversion Decide on a design that best meets the criteria and constraints Develop a design blueprint of the alarm circuit Construct the alarm circuit Use model of an alarm circuit to test its ability to convert energy from one form to another Identify and control variables when testing the circuit to see if it converts energy from electric to light and sound energy If energy is not converted, identify what could be done to improve the alarm circuit Analyze the data from the tests of several models of alarm circuits to see which best meets the criteria of converting energy and the constraints of time and cost Use a simulation of an electric circuit to predict how well the alarm circuit will perform Use evidence from tests to construct an argument for which design best meets the criteria and constraints Communicate in oral, written, or digital form about the most effective design solution Obtain information about energy conversion considerations in alarm design October

7 Beyond Bridges and Egg Drops and enriching the teaching and learning of science and engineering. The practices, as shown in Table 2, are in some ways inquiry unpacked. In Table 3 (p. 14), you can see that when viewed from the angle of inquiry as hands-on experimentation, it might be evident that all of the other practices will inherently occur in the designing solutions, inherently encompassing all of the other practices as the design process occurs. The practice of designing solutions is in some ways a meta-practice, meaning that the true practice of design overlaps or encompasses many of the other practices. It is important to remember, however, that teachers must avoid the idea that asking students to design is enough. Looking at the science and engineering practices in such a limited fashion is like suggesting a student can read and comprehend a text just because you have listened to them read a story aloud once at the beginning of the year. How can you ensure that they can make inferences? Identify the main idea? Or perform other critical tasks to develop understanding from text? Not all students, through sheer immersion in random acts of invention, may accomplish proficiency in engineering design. Targeted performances using specific practice(s) to demonstrate understanding of a specific disciplinary core idea ensures students are accountable for all experiences, promoting behavior indicative of college and career readiness. The science and engineering interpretations of each practice serve to provide students with the tools they need to demonstrate understanding of scientific concepts and applications. Table 4 (p. 15) uses a fourth-grade performance expectation and a sample technological solution to demonstrate how the engineering practices manifest themselves in the NGSS. While the performance calls for the use of only one practice for demonstrating proficiency, it is recommended that multiple practices are used in instruction, thus all practices are used in this example demonstrate instructional planning potential. Next Steps The Next Generation Science Standards represent an opportunity to introduce students to systematic problemsolving processes, which over time will transform a generation from consumers of technology to producers of technological solutions. Using knowledge of engineering from the conceptual shifts, disciplinary core ideas, and practices, elementary teachers can begin to transform their classroom environment by making four critical moves. 1. Adjust current classroom tasks to hold students accountable for not just showing us what they know but showing us what they can do with what they know by including the science and engineering practices. 2. Identify the engineering design performance expectations in your grade band that can be bundled with other performances at each grade level. 3. Identify the grade level specific performance expectations that integrate engineering as a means to assess student knowledge of science and engineering content after instruction. 4. Develop units that carefully scaffold student knowledge and experiences and culminate in the engineering performances in the NGSS. Key Questions to Deepen Understanding of Engineering in the NGSS What is the role of engineering in each practice? How do each of the engineering practices relate to one another? How do the engineering practices progress vertically from K 5? Engineering is present in the science and engineering practices, disciplinary core ideas, and crosscutting concepts. How do they relate to one another? Elementary classrooms have long been places of discovery and inspiration for our youngest learners. Every young student deserves the opportunity to experience such awe-inspiring moments as watching a rocket race toward the sky and feel empowered to develop solutions to our world s most daunting problems. As the school year begins, we must ask ourselves: What we are doing to develop tomorrow s solutions today? n Mariel Milano (mariel.milano@ocps.net) is Director of Digital Curriculum and Instructional Design at Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) in Orlando, Florida. Ms. Milano is a part of the 41-member Next Generation Science Standards writing team. She worked on the teams responsible for the elementary science and engineering standards. References Achieve Inc Next generation science standards. www. nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards. National Research Council (NRC) A framework for K 12 science education: Practices, crosscutting concepts, and core ideas. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. 16