Published December 2016 1
NGSS Lesson Screener
A Quick Look at Potential NGSS Lesson Design
Introduction
The purpose of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Lesson Screener is to quickly review a lesson to see: (1) whether a lesson being developed or
revised is on the right track; (2) if a lesson warrants further review using the Educators Evaluating the Quality of Instructional Products (EQuIP) Rubric
for Lessons
& Units: Science (see further detail below); and (3) to what extent a group of reviewers have a common understanding of the NGSS or designing lessons for the
NGSS. There is a recognition among educators that curriculum and instruction will need to shift with the adoption of the NGSS, but it is currently difficult to find
lessons that are truly designed for the NGSS rather than just connecting existing lessons to the standards. The power of the lesson screener is in the productive
conversations educators have while evaluating materials (i.e., the review process). Even with high-quality materials, teachers use their professional judgement in
selecting and shaping lessons in their classrooms. For the purposes of using the lesson screener, a lesson is defined as a coherent set of instructional activities
and assessments that may extend over several class periods or days; it is not just a single activity.
The directions for using the lesson screener assume an understanding of A Framework for K–12 Science Education
and the NGSS, including how the NGSS are
different from past standards as outlined in Appendix A of the NGSS. Some of these “NGSS Shifts” are described in criteria A–C of this tool, whereas criteria D–F
of this tool describe other features of high-quality lesson design. It is also very helpful to be familiar with how each of the three dimensions of the NGSS differ
between grade bands.
Users who are familiar with the EQuIP Rubric will recognize some familiar criteria. However, the NGSS Lesson Screener has fewer criteria because the intended
purpose is different and smaller in scope—it is only for lessons and not for units, and it is not intended to fully evaluate and score lessons. There are significant
aspects of what would be expected in an NGSS-designed lesson that are not addressed in this tool. The lesson screener should not be used to fully vet resources
and its use is not sufficient to claim that the lessons are fully designed for the NGSS. The EQuIP Rubric for Science should be used to evaluate NGSS design for
lessons and units and the Primary Evaluation of Essential Criteria (PEEC)
should be used for evaluating full curricula or instructional materials programs.
Using the NGSS Lesson Screener: A Quick Look at Potential NGSS Design
Providing criterion-based feedback and suggestions for improvement to the developer of the lesson under review is important to the review process. For this
purpose, a set of response forms is included for each category on the following pages. Evidence for each criterion must be identified and documented. In
addition, criterion-based feedback and suggestions for improvement should be given to help improve the lesson.
While it is possible for the rubric to be applied by an individual, the quality review process works best with a team of reviewers as a collaborative process. Just
as when using the full EQuIP Rubric for Science, users should:
1) individually record criterion-based evidence,
2) individually make suggestions for improvement, and then
3) collaboratively discuss findings with team members before checking one of the boxes under the “Evidence of Quality?” column. A rating of
“Adequate” means that the lesson meets the criterion.
Working as a group will not only result in a better lesson, but can also bring the group to a common and deeper understanding of designing lessons for the NGSS.