7 things to know about quality K–12 science education in July 2022 1
Two New Quality Units Posted Seeds, Scat, Habitat
In this Portland Public Schools Grade 2 unit, students begin by observing a phenomenon of a picture of scat containing seeds. Students create a model that is continuously revised throughout the unit to explain multiple relationships between plants and animals, observe plants growing, learn about pollination and seed dispersal, and apply their learning to design a hand pollinator. The unit earned a rating of High Quality NGSS Design if Improved by NextGenScience's cadre of expert reviewers. See the unit and the corresponding EQuIP Rubric for Science evaluation report here. Protect Your Body, Filter Your Water In the TeachEngineering middle school lesson recently identified as a Quality Work in Progress by the NextGenScience Peer Review Panel, students apply problem of water contamination caused by various pharmaceuticals and hormones. The lesson concludes by students writing comprehensive summary design reports while reflecting on how engineers can design solutions to help detect and effectively remove these contaminants from drinking water. See the lesson and the corresponding EQuIP Rubric for Science evaluation report here.