Our Programs

NextGen Science Exemplar System

October 12, 2018 | by admin

Ready to take your work with NGSS to the next level?

NGSX Pathway 1

In NGSX Pathway 1 participants will:

• Receive professional development and support in a learning community that focuses on three-dimensional teaching and learning.
• Learn how to apply the pedagogical shifts required to teach Next Generation Science Standards.
• Be immersed as learners and teachers in three-dimensional learning.
• Participate in: first-hand science investigations, videotaped expert commentary, classroom case studies, facilitated individual, small group, and whole group discussions.
• Engage in modeling and constructing explanations of complex phenomena, hallmarks of Next Generation Science.
• Learn to use questioning strategies, or “Talk Moves”, to create a culture in which students explain their thinking, listen to and build on the idea of others and function as critical thinkers.

What is the NGSX Professional Development System (NGSX)?:

The NGSX is a blended model of professional learning. Participants meet in a study group and draw upon a high functioning web platform designed to support K-12 science educators in applying the pedagogical shifts (moving from “learning about” to “figuring out”) described in the Framework for K-12 Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards to their own teaching. NGSX brings the expertise of NRC Framework developers, experts in teacher learning, and expert professional development facilitators to science educators in New England.

Program Information:

$850 cost per participant
Optional graduate/CEU credit
Audience: Science teachers and leaders, science coordinators, and higher education faculty, pre-service teachers

RI Locations/Dates/Times:

CT Locations/Dates/Times:

Marine Science Magnet High School
130 Shennencossett Road
Groton, CT
October 17-19 and November 1-2
8:00 am – 3:30 pm

NGSX Pathway 2

Looking for more support in how to bring three-dimensional teaching and learning into your own classroom? Join us for NGSX 3DL2 to learn more about tools and approaches to help evaluate, adapt, and teach NGSS aligned storylines.

3DL2 is a 4-day workshop that builds on Pathway 1 and familiarizes participants with a set of classroom routines that support the enactment of 3D learning sequences. Participants will learn how to analyze lesson sequences to identify or adapt “storylines” by working with a variety of tools, instructional materials, and teaching examples in various tasks.

The pathway is centered around 5 key questions to answer in order to support a culture of figuring out using storylines.

• How do we kick off investigations in a unit?
• How do we work with students to motivate the next step in an investigation?
• How do we help students use practices to figure out pieces of the science ideas?
• How do we push students to go deeper and revise the science ideas we have built together so far?
• How do we help students put together pieces of the disciplinary core ideas and crosscutting concepts?

Program Information:

$800 cost per participant
Optional graduate/CEU credit
Audience: Prior NGSX participants K-12

RI Locations/Dates/Times:

CT Locations/Dates/Times:

Ocean Avenue LEARNing
Address TBD
February 5-8
8:00 am – 4:00 pm

NGSX PLANS

TIMES2 Institute has been collaborating with the highly regarded Next Generation Science Exemplar (NGSX) System project team to implement a professional development series for teachers and teacher leaders throughout Rhode Island and Connecticut. This NGSX program is helping RI and CT scale up school district capacity to support NGSS-centered science instruction that challenges students to develop transferable skills through arguing with evidence to develop and use explanatory models of how our world works.

Now, the NGSX team is launching a 1.5-day institute for instructional leaders called Principals Learning About Networking and Supporting 3-Dimensional Science Learning (PLANS). The PLANS pathway will support instructional leaders in learning about NGSS aligned instruction and developing constructive strategies for supporting teachers as they implement NGSS. We highly recommend that district teams of two or three attend together, for example, principals, curriculum leaders, and department chairs.

What are the goals of PLANS?

• Build an awareness of 3D science teaching and learning (as described in the K-12 Framework for Science Education and NGSS), your role as an instructional leader, and what that entails for the classroom K-12.
• Develop a shared language around the elements of NGSS and the Framework to work collaboratively with teachers of science.
• Understand the necessary journey of professional learning required for teachers to enact the new vision of science in their classroom.
• Understand the journey required for instructional leaders to enact the new vision of science in their school/district.
• Identify strategies to build a community of NGSS-ready instructional leaders who can support excellent science teaching in their building/district.

What will I be doing?

This seminar is designed as an interactive, face-to-face experience of 3-dimensional science. As adult learners you will build your knowledge of the core practices – modeling, argument, and explanation.

Participants will:

• Experience doing science in an NGSS-aligned way using video cases of science classrooms, hands-on engagement in sense-making activities, and exploring academically productive talk.
• Watch teachers engaging in collaborative knowledge building with their students, as they participate in core scientific practices.

What will I get from this seminar?

• Tools and strategies to support teachers who are committed to shifting their teaching practice to align with the Framework and NGSS.
• Strategies to participate with teachers as they are moving through the various phases of changing their teaching practice.

Who will the participants be?

Your fellow participants will be building principals (K-12), building and district-based instructional coaches, and curriculum coordinators.

NGSX PLANS

Program Information:

$300 cost per participant
Optional graduate/CEU credit
Audience: Curriculum coordinators, principals, coaches, and teacher leaders.

RI Locations/Dates/Times:

CT Locations/Dates/Times:

Marine Science Magnet High School
130 Shennencossett Road
Groton, CT
November 8-9
8:00 am – 3:30 pm, 8:00 am – 12:00 pm

Testimonials

“NGSX changed the way I look at three-dimensional learning. I was always concerned with how we were communicating grade-level content, I never stopped to think if we were building knowledge so that students can expand their understanding for themselves.”
Coordinator of Teaching and Learning, Warwick, RI

This best thing about this program is being able to work with other educators, build on each other’s strengths within the K-12 science teacher continuum. I would absolutely recommend this experience to all teachers, new and experienced because it demonstrates the practices of NGSS to teachers in the true pedagogy of constructivism having teachers learn as students. After taking this I was prepared to teach my new science units with the NGSS practices because of all of the resources shared with us.
Burlington, VT NGSX Facilitators

The teachers in our study group report that NGSX is extremely valuable. They have gone back to their schools and bragged about it so that there is high demand for more study groups among teachers in our schools, now. The best part is, as a science coach, watching good science planning and instruction unfold in the classroom. It makes a difference to students! I see it first hand.
CSSU Science Coach, MS Teacher and NGSX Facilitator

I hope all educators have the opportunity to participate in this training. It will impact their teaching across all content areas and the culture of their classrooms to best meet the needs of students. It truly capitalizes on 21st century skills.
Norwich, CT School District NGSX Study Group Participant