Lexie Williams

Welcome to my personal page!

Return to: ETAP 623 Spring 2017 | Lexie's Mini-Course

About me

The 2017-2018 school year will be my third year teaching. I started out teaching in Dryden, NY, commuting an hour there and back every day. At Dryden I was a long term substitute in an 8th grade Physical Science class; I really enjoyed the school and my colleagues but had an opportunity to work closer to home and teach Earth Science the following school year when I was hired in Solvay, NY. I taught at Solvay for the 2016-2017 school year and yet another wonderful opportunity arose for me in Baldwinsville, NY. This will be my first year teaching Earth Science at Baldwinsville and I am looking forward to many years there. On the side, I teach dance classes in the evenings at a local dance studio.

Oh, all of this and still preparing for my wedding in June!

My Topic/Purpose

I will be completing a mini course on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). In this course I will be discussing what the standards are and where they can be found, how to create 3-dimensional units and how to create 3-dimensional assessments.

Needs Assessment

What is: According to a short survey, 2 out of 7 people have heard of the NGSS but do not know what they are, and 3 out of 7 people have completed some professional development on the standards but still feel they need more information to fully understand them. 83%of participants in this survey did not know what it meant assessments to be 3-dimensional. Most participants would like to further learn about 3-dimensional assessments, the 3-dimensions of the NGSS, and examples of lessons in their content area.

What should be: All teachers who teach k-6 and secondary science classes need to become experts on the NGSS in the next 5 years, because as of now that is the rollout period for the next assessment. The major change from the current science standards to the NGSS is the fact that the curriculum and the assessments all need to be 3-dimensional, so it is imperative that teachers understand the value of having 3-dimensional instruction as well as 3-dimensional assessments.

• Instructional Problem:

What do the NGSS look like implemented in science classrooms?

• The Nature of What is to be Learned:

Teachers will become proficient in the following areas:

• • The 3 dimensions of learning
  • 3-dimensional assessments
  • The 5E model of instruction

• Targeted Learner and Stakeholders:

The majority of learners will be teachers and/or preservice teachers who work in the areas of k-6 instruction or a specialized secondary science content. Learners have mostly attended some professional development and have heard of the NGSS, but are not familiar with their 3 dimensions. Learners would like to learn more about how to make assessments and lessons 3-dimensional. Stakeholders in this scenario are administrators, both building and district level, community members, students, and parents.

• Intended Change

Teachers will discuss with peers small ways in which they can make gradual changes to their classrooms and curriculums as we near the rollout of the NGSS. Teachers will research different models of instruction in order to better guide their curriculum.

Analysis of the Learner and Context

Learner Profile

Primary Audience: Teachers of Science

• Secondary level science teachers
• Middle level science teachers
• Elementary teachers k-6 who teach science throughout their day

Secondary Audience: Administration, Parents, Community Members

• District and Building Level Administrators
• Parents of school-age children
• Community members

Learning Context

• Online instructional videos
• Online educational texts
• Google Classroom collaborative space

Performance Objectives

Course-level objectives

Following the completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• describe the 3 major platforms of the NYSSLS
• analyze various teaching methods to address the NYSSLS
• create an assessment based on the NYSSLS

• create a unit designed around the NYSSLS and their chosen assessment

Task Analysis

Pre Requisite Skills

Participants of this course will need to have a general understanding of the following:

• Edpuzzle
• Google Drive (including but not limited to):
  • Google Classroom
  • Google Docs
  • Google Slides
  • Google Forms

• General computer skills such as:
  • Downloading files from the web
  • Reading documents from the web
  • Creating files and videos

Curriculum Map

Unit 1: "How and What": 3-Dimensional?

This unit will delve into exploring what the 3 major platforms are of the NGSS, and how a classroom could be run 3-dimensionally.

Unit 2: How to Teach Using a 3-Dimensional Model of Instruction

This unit will offer a suggested teaching method for 3-dimensional instruction, and allow participants to see how their current lessons could fit into its sequence.

Unit 3: How to Create a 3-Dimensional Unit

This unit will go through a suggested process of how to create a truly 3-dimensional unit.

Unit 4: How to Create a 3-Dimensional Assessment

This unit will go through a suggested process of how to create a truly 3-dimensional assessment.