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Although there are some variations between the Minnesota Academic Standards in Science and the NGSS, they share a similar vision for science education. NGSS-aligned resources that support students in figuring out answers to their questions about phenomena will be easier to adapt for use in Minnesota than those that claim alignment to our standards, but are not rooted in student sensemaking about phenomena.
The NGSS Quality Examples of Science Lessons and Units is the most comprehensive database of units that are designed in the spirit of these new standards. The curricula listed below are all free and have had at least one unit rated as a high-quality example of NGSS-based design. OpenSciEd was selected as a particular example because the majority of its publicly available units (6-12; elementary is in development) were rated as high-quality, it is free, and I know it well.
Storylines-based units
Storylines-based units
In the storyline model, instruction is driven by students' questions about phenomena. Students figure out different pieces of the explanation for that phenomenon as they investigate their questions. Increasingly nuanced models may help students identify gaps in their understanding, which lead to new questions and investigations. These curricula are based on a storylines model, and many of their units have been highly rated by the EQuIP Peer Review Panel for Science:
OpenSciEd (6-8 available, bio/chem/physics out this summer, K-5 in development)
iHub (biology and chemistry)
Next Generation Science Storylines (various units across grade levels)
Illinois Science Storylines (biology)
Other quality units
Other quality units
These free curricula have had at least one unit rated as a Quality Example of Science Units by the EQuIP Peer Review Panel for Science.
Concord Interactions (high school physical science)
SAIL (5th grade)
New Visions (biology and Earth science; chemistry and physics are designed for NGSS alignment)
Minnesota mapping to an NGSS-aligned K-12 curriculum (OpenSciEd)
Minnesota mapping to an NGSS-aligned K-12 curriculum (OpenSciEd)
Open the spreadsheet below in a new window
Only high school is available at this time, but middle school and elementary will be added in the coming weeks.
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