Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
The Next Generation Science Standards have been finalized and are now available. NAGT followed the development process closely and relayed members' input to the NGSS team. The purpose of the NGSS is to guide science education in our schools and teacher preparation courses, and to provide an opportunity to place geosciences on an equal footing with other scientific disciplines in our schools.
Explore the Standards at NextGenScience.org ยป
Implementing the Next Generation Science Standards
The American Geosciences Institute's Center for Geoscience and Society and the National Association of Geoscience Teachers are collaborating with other organizations and member societies to support implementation of the Earth and space science Next Generation Science Standards. The Earth and Space Science (ESS) community will need to work together to help states, school systems, and teachers implement the Next Generation Science Standards (more info) and, more broadly, the principles in the Framework for K-12 Science Education . Activities to further this aim include webinars, sessions at professional meetings, Town Hall discussions, workshops and collection of resources.
NAGT's role in the development of NGSS
NAGT sponsored two events to inform community members about the draft Standards and give them a chance to comment and provide feedback.
Informational Webinar
12:30pm PT / 1:30pm MT / 2:30pm CT/ 3:30pm ET
Dr. Michael Wysession, Associate Professor of Geophysics in the Department of Earth and Planetary Science at Washington University, St. Louis, and NGSS Writing Team Leader, led the webinar. Dr. Wysession gave a 30 minute presentation (PowerPoint 2007 (.pptx) 22.3MB Jan24 13) on the 2nd draft and how it differs from the 1st followed by a question and answer period.
Those who took part in the webinar were asked to read the Framework and the January 2013 draft Standards before the event. These documents can be found at:
- A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas
- Next Generation Science Standards - 2nd draft
NAGT Stakeholder Discussion Forum
Thursday, January 24, 2013 - This event has already taken place
10:30am PT / 11:30am MT / 12:30pm CT / 1:30pm ET
This forum (PowerPoint 2007 (.pptx) 194kB Jan24 13) allowed community members to provide comments and reviews to inform the NAGT Critical Stakeholder Review of the 2nd draft of the Standards. NAGT organizers synthesized the input provided through the forum and sent it to the NGSS team.
Those who wanted to provide feedback on the draft Standards, but were unable to attend the forum, were asked to send written comments or use the comment thread below. The deadline for comments was Sunday, January 27, 2013.