Evaluating Potential NGSS- Aligned Resources

Lesson 3.1 of the NGSS Virtual Crash Course --*I can evaluate the quality of potential NGSS resources.*

Step 1: Look at all 3 tools below for vetting NGSS alignment, then choose one or more vetting tools to guide your
own evaluation of the resources in steps 2 and 3:

Option 1: NGSS Vetting Tool Google Option 2: NGSS Screening Option 3. Wonder of Science Lesson
Doc (below) Tool PDF (9 pages) Screener PDF (2 pages)

This one works best when you print it.

See also: Performance Task Screener

NGSS Vetting Tool

Quick Checklist (Good to go) Red Flags (Develop, modify, or discard)

● Science and Engineering Practices present in
instruction.
● Cross Cutting Concepts present in instruction.
● Disciplinary Core Ideas present in instruction
and constructed primarily through phenomena.
● Uses phenomena to drive learning- anchoring and
investigatory.
● Relevant for students in your context and their
unique characteristics and experiences.
● The assessments also include all the criteria
above.
● Not 3D: Disciplinary Core Ideas or content is
NGSS-aligned but SEPs and/or CCC’s are loosely
connected or missing as-is.
● Not Phenomenal: Uses teacher explanations or
lower order thinking skill-based activities to
“guide.”
● Irrelevant: It might work for some students, but
maybe not (yet) your students due to differences
in context, experience, or lack of scaffolding.
● Assessment does not fit: The assessment may be:
*1 or 2D *Not phenomena-based, *Misaligned
3D, *Irrelevant

Step 2: Evaluate potential NGSS-Aligned Resources

Choose 3 resources below to evaluate. Note your findings in the table.

Note, you should be able to bypass needing to login on most sites if you are just previewing one lesson, but they all work
a little differently so please be patient with a few more clicks on some sites.
Resource: Lesson name Evaluate: Do you vet Justify your evaluation with reasons
and grade: this resource? from the tool you used.
 (K-12) Teachers Pay Teachers- ● Yes, definitely!
choose a lesson, tool, unit, or bundle ● Needs some
that claims to be NGSS aligned from work
this site. ● No way!

(K-8) Generation Genius- choose ● Yes, definitely!

any lesson from this page. Note, if ● Needs some
you change your state to WV it will work
automatically default to NGSS ● No way!
lessons.

(4-12) Brainpop Science ● Yes, definitely!

(K-3) Brainpop Jr- choose a lesson ● Needs some
or video that appears related to a work
performance expectation of your ● No way!
choice.

(K-5) Mystery Science -choose ● Yes, definitely!

anything that appears related to a ● Needs some
performance expectation of your work
choice. ● No way!

(K-12) Wonder of Science units- ● Yes, definitely!

choose the one closest to your grade ● Needs some
level: (K-5) Grade 5 work
(6-8) MS integrated (9-12) Grade 10 ● No way!

(6-8) Open Sci Ed- choose a unit ● Yes, definitely!

overview related to your scope and ● Needs some
sequence. You may want to work
download the unit to vet this ● No way!
resource.

(9-12) Khan Academy- choose a ● Yes, definitely!

lesson that would be included in your ● Needs some
scope and sequence and look at the work
assessment items and videos. ● No way!

Step 3: Add your own lesson or one from your school to evaluate here with a link or description:

Resource: Where did your lesson Lesson name Evaluate: Do you vet Justify your evaluation with reasons
come from? and grade: this lesson? from the tool you used.

● Yes, definitely!
● Needs some
work
● No way!