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Unit 1: Unpacking and Understanding the Standard

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Unit 1: Unpacking and Understanding the Standard

Case Study

Ms. Andi Graphen is a passionate science teacher who loves to engage her students in inquiry-based learning and thinking like scientists. One day, her students come into science class talking about how they have noticed less bees in the school's garden over the past few years. Ms. Graphen decides to channel their curiosity into a problem-based learning unit centered around what's happening with the local bee population. She will use public datasets as part of the investigation, but realizes that she needs to clarify what “analyzing and interpreting data” really means at her grade level. She wants to make sure she’s not asking too much (or too little), and that her students are engaging in meaningful data analysis.

In this unit, you will learn about SEP4: Analyzing and Interpreting Data to help out Ms. Graphen.

Performance Objectives

At the end of this unit, learners will be able to:

  1. Explain the importance of teaching P-12 students how to analyze and interpret data
  2. Identify the skills associated with analyzing and interpreting data that are appropriate for each grade band
  3. Describe the ways that analyzing and interpreting data can enrich science education

Mini-Lecture

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) were published in 2013 and established a foundation of science learning centered around three main pillars: Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCI), Crosscutting Concepts (CCC), and Science and Engineering Practices (SEP).[1] The goal of the NGSS is to get students involved in true science through inquiry, discovery, and analysis of real-life phenomena through the DCI, CCC, and SEP. New York State adopted these pillars for their New York State Science Learning Standards (NYSSLS) which began implementation in 2023 and science educators must feel confident in their ability to teach core concepts through the CCC and SEP.[2]

One of the SEP that can be challenging to teach is SEP4: Analyzing and Interpreting Data. All data sets look different, contain their own trends and variability, and are presented in diverse formats with varying complexity. It can be difficult for trained scientists and science educators to wrap their brains around new data sets, yet we still need to equip our students with the tools to do so.

Let's dive into the skills and practices that the NYSSLS require students to be proficient in under SEP#4.

Before You Start...

  • Make a copy of this KWL Google Doc Template. Fill out at least 2 bullets in the "Know" and "Want to know" columns. Leave the "Learned column blank for now. You will come back to it at the end of the unit.

Activity

Work through the following materials in order and click the links when applicable.

  • Read the section on "Practice 4: Analyzing and Interpreting Data" (pages 61-64) in the NGSS resource: A FRAMEWORK FOR K-12 SCIENCE EDUCATION.[3]
  • Investigate the K-12 Progressions for SEP4. Identify the grade band that applies to you and read through the expectations for your students. Check out the grade bands before yours to see what skills your students should come to you with. Check out the grade bands following yours to see how your teaching will prepare them for continued science learning.
  • Reflect on what you have learned so far by filling out the "Learned" column of your KWL Google Doc. Change the share settings to "Anyone with the link" and paste the link this Google Form.
    • The Google Form includes reflection questions and connects back to Ms. Graphen's problem.

Extended Resources

  1. Next Generation Science Standards. (2013). Retrieved February 21, 2025, from https://www.nextgenscience.org/
  2. New York State Education Department [NYSED]. (2016, December). New York state P-12 science learning standards implementation roadmap. Retrieved February 21, 2025, from https://www.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/programs/standards-instruction/nysedimplementation-roadmapv13.pdf
  3. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2012). A framework for K-12 science education: Practices, crosscutting concepts, and core ideas. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/13165.

Navigation: Course Home → Unit 2: Testing Tools & Learning Strategies

  1. ↑ Next Generation Science Standards. (2013). Retrieved February 21, 2025, from https://www.nextgenscience.org/
  2. ↑ New York State Education Department [NYSED]. (2016, December). New York state P-12 science learning standards implementation roadmap. Retrieved February 21, 2025, from https://www.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/programs/standards-instruction/nysedimplementation-roadmapv13.pdf
  3. ↑ National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2012). A framework for K-12 science education: Practices, crosscutting concepts, and core ideas. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/13165.
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