In our last blog post on NGSS challenges, we discussed some of the issues facing teachers trying to implement NGSS in the classroom.
In this post, teachers will find three primary groups of NGSS resources to help them in the classroom. Two groups focus on those classroom resources with lesson plans and those without. The third group offers teacher tutorials to help educators deliver an NGSS curriculum.
These curated resources work with Legends of Learning’s 90 lessons, 800 games, and thousands of assessment items based on NGSS and state standards. In addition, our Earth and Space lessons also have lesson plans. Check them out today!
And with that, please find the NGSS resources below.
Resources With Lesson Plans
1) eGFI
Engineering Go For It (eGFI) offers a wide variety of lesson plans for middle school science. These lessons help teachers meet the required science and engineering practices (SEP) aspect of NGSS implementation.
2) NGSS on the NSTA Site
Is it crazy to think that the curator of the NGSS standards would also have a great series of NGSS resources, too? Of course not. The NSTA provides an excellent source of lesson plans and content for their classrooms.
3) OpenEd
It will take some sifting, but OpenEd has an incredible amount of NGSS-aligned lesson plans, quizzes, homework assignments, videos, and games. Most of the content covers the DCI (Disciplinary Core Ideas) as well as crosscutting concepts (CCC). Search away!
4) PBS Learning Media
Like GLOBE (below), PBS Learning Media offers plenty of content in a wide variety of formats, from video to traditional documents and everything in between. The search feature allows you to sift through the content by topic or standard, and even find lesson plans. Enjoy this great series of NGSS resources!
5) Q?rius from the Smithsonian
The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History offers Q?rius resources for teachers seeking to bring the Smithsonian into their classroom. Q?rius delivers 30 Earth and Life Science topics, all of which include printable lessons.
Resources Without Lesson Plans
6) The GLOBE Program
This resource provides content based on education standards from across the world, with a focus on the National Science Education Standards in the United States. While NGSS was not the focal point for the United States, GLOBE does focus on data collection and the scientific process, which meets the SEP component of the NGSS. You will need to use Teacher’s Guide search to find NGSS compliant content, but there is plenty to find.
7) SERC K-8 Activities
The ultimate curated source of SERC activities, this site gives teachers access to hundreds of Earth and Space, Life, and Physical Science tools. You will find classroom activities, field activities, lab activities and more here.
8) Science Snacks
Science Snacks from the Exploratorium Teacher Institute offer a wide variety of hands-on science activities based on museum exhibits. A (linked) guide helps teachers align the activities to the NGSS standard set they are working on.
9) Sophia for Teachers
This site offers a series of NGSS lesson content, usually a video or written tutorial followed by a quiz. The library of NGSS content is far from complete here, but you can find some good complimentary resources.
10) Understanding Science
Offered by UC Berkeley, Understanding Science offers a group of 18 science sources for middle school. Content ranges from classroom resources, field resources, videos, and articles.
Teacher Tutorials
11) Bozeman
If you like video tutorials, this site is for you. Featuring Hamish Todd, the Bozeman site offers short tutorials for teachers to help them implement individual lessons as well as SEPs and CCCs. Check it out!
12) A Framework for K-12 Science Education
This book presents the logic behind the implementation of NGSS. It is a useful read for teachers trying to understand the new standards.
13) Inquiry-Based Learning Tutorial
If you are looking to expand beyond content and want to incorporate the scientific inquiry aspect of SEP into your classroom, then check out this video tutorial from the Ontario Science Centre. Find the first of four videos below!
14) Teaching the Next Generation’s Science
Created by the Lewis Center’s Academy for Academic Excellence, this online tutorial seeks to help teachers understand the NGSS.
Follow Legends of Learning On Pinterest
Legends of Learning also maintains a Pinterest Board filled with NGSS resources. Follow it to be updated when we add something new!
