Five Tools and Processes for Translating the NGSS Into Instruction and Classroom Assessment

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) challenge teachers to think deeply about learning and teaching with the goal of developing a clear vision of science education that is coherent, focused, and rigorous. The Five Tools and Processes for Translating the NGSS are designed to help professional development leaders work with teachers on curriculum, instruction, and assessment as they achieve this vision.

At the heart of the Five Tools and Processes is the translation of science concepts, practices, and performance expectations into multiple instructional sequences that form an NGSS unit. This is followed by a more in-depth plan for one instructional sequence and assessment task to provide evidence of student learning focused on performance expectations. These processes help teachers plan for conceptual coherence.  

Five Tools and Processes for NGSS

Introduction to the Five Tools and Processes

Tool 1: Using the NGSS to plan a unit of instruction

Tool 2: Using Performance Expectations to plan classroom assessments

Tool 3: Using the 5E Instructional Model to develop a conceptual flow

Tool 4: Using the 5E instructional model to develop learning sequences

Tool 5: Using Evidence of Learning Specifications to develop performance tasks

Five Tools Implementation Models

The development of The Five Tools and Processes for NGSS was a project of the American Museum of Natural History in collaboration with BSCS and the K-12 Alliance at WestEd.

The Project was made possible by a grant from The Carnegie Corporation of New York.