Center for Standards, Assessment, and Accountability

Subject Area: Science

NSTA Quick-Reference Guides to the NGSS: Elementary, Middle, and High School

This resource is a compilation of workbooks by grade-level span, put together in response to educators’ need for assistance in implementing the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in their learning communities.  Each guide includes resources addressing the grade level span (i.e. elementary, middle, high school, and K-12) including: a two-page “cheat sheet” that describes the […]

Why Are There So Many Words in Math?: Planning for Content-Area Vocabulary Instruction

This article, published by the National Council of Teachers of English, describes a planning tool for vocabulary instruction called the 5 Cs. It was developed to help teachers consider which words to teach in content-area classes such as mathematics, science, and social studies. The tool supports using a thoughtful process to select words to emphasize […]

Leaping the College-Ready Gap: What Can Be Learned from Schools That Focus on Deeper Learning

This guidance document identifies, eight public schools that focus on Deeper Learning strategies in implementing practices to ensure that students are college ready. It provides a brief overview of all the identified schools and profiles one in further detail, describing school activities that focus on creating a college-going culture and academic mind-set where teachers engage […]

Next Generation Science Assessments

In this Policy Update, NASBE’s Deputy Executive Director, Francis Eberle, provides policy considerations for state boards of education around creating comprehensive approaches to monitor and assess students’ progress towards the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Given that the NGSS specifies what students should know and be able to do across three dimensions (scientific and engineering […]

Teaching Academic Content and Literacy to English Learners in Elementary and Middle School

This educator practice guide is part of the What Works Clearinghouse. From the IES abstract: “This practice guide provides four recommendations that address what works for English learners during reading and content area instruction. Each recommendation includes extensive examples of activities that can be used to support students as they build the language and literacy skills […]

Engineering is Elementary: Elementary Teachers Professional Development & Curricula for Engineering Literacy

This resource is an online organization dedicated to supporting educators, administrators, and advocates of engineering education at grades K-8. The mission of Engineering is Elementary (EiE) is to support all educators in formal and informal settings, providing opportunities for children to engage with engineering practices, and to offer curricula and professional development that develop engineering […]