The Four Strands of Scientific Proficiency

Students who understand science: Know, use, and interpret scientific

explanations of the natural world Generate and evaluate scientific evidence

and explanations Understand the nature and development of

scientific knowledge Participate productively in scientific practices

and discourse

The Four Strands of Scientific Proficiency

• The four strands are interwoven in learning. Advances in one strand support advances in the others.

• The strands emphasize the idea of “knowledge in use” – that is students’ knowledge is not static and proficiency involves deploying knowledge and skills across all four strands.

• Students are more likely to advance in their understanding of science when classrooms provide learning opportunities that attend to all four strands.

Conceptual Shift in the NGSS

3-D Model = Science Performance at the Intersection

3D Student Performances

1. Instruction 2. Assessment

3. Instructional Materials4. Professional Development

Science and Engineering

Practices

Crosscutting Concepts

Disciplinary Core Ideas

1. Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)

2. Developing and using models

3. Planning and carrying out investigations

4. Analyzing and interpreting data

5. Using mathematics and computational thinking

6. Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering)

7. Engaging in argument from evidence

8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Scientific and Engineering Practices

5

Appendix F

Gathering

Reasoning

Communicating

• Obtain Information• Ask Questions/Define Problems• Plan & Carry Out Investigations• Use Models to Gather Data• Use Mathematics/Computational

Thinking

• Evaluate Information• Analyze Data • Use Mathematics/Computational Thinking • Developing Evidence• Construct Explanations/Solve Problems• Use Models to Predict & Develop Evidence

• Communicate Information• Argue from Evidence (written & oral)• Use Models to Communicate

Crosscutting Concepts

1. Patterns

2. Cause and effect: Mechanism and explanation

3. Scale, proportion, and quantity

4. Systems and system models

5. Energy and matter: Flows, cycles, and

conservation

6. Structure and function

7. Stability and change

7

Appendix G

Crosscutting Concepts

Cause and Effect

Patterns

SystemsScale

Change and Stability

Structure and

Function

Matter and Energy

The Framework has identified seven key Crosscutting Concepts that serve a variety of purposes in science. This is one way to organize them for instruction.

SystemsScale and Proportion Stability and ChangeMatter and EnergyStructure and Function

Causality Cause and EffectStructure and Function

Patterns

Investigations/Experiences

Learning Outcomes/Tar

gets

Getting to the Intent: Protocol

• Science is fundamentally about explaining phenomena by determining how or why they occur and the conditions and consequences of the observed phenomena. – McNeill and Krajcik, 2008