The Next Generation Science Standards* (NGSS) call for students to engage in science and engineering practices while applying core ideas and cross-cutting concepts. Carolina has many solutions to help you implement these rigorous standards in your classroom. This article describes 7 reasons Carolina is your “go to” source for materials that support NGSS implementation.
1. Carolina kits
Science kits are a convenient resource for teaching the NGSS and the 3 dimensions, and Carolina offers some of the best high-value kits in the business. In fact, Carolina has hundreds of science kits that facilitate the teaching of core concepts embedded in the NGSS performance expectations. The labs in these kits are an effective way to help students make sense of science concepts while they engage in science and engineering practices. If you need to teach a specific concept or content, there is a good chance we have a kit for that!
Carolina has introduced science kits that address specific NGSS performance expectations. The teacher’s manuals for these kits explain which NGSS performance expectation and dimensions are addressed and include guidance for teaching cross-cutting concepts and science practices. In addition, these kits come with a 1-year subscription to interactive digital lessons that support the labs. After you purchase a kit, you will receive a code to activate its resources on CarolinaScienceOnline.com.
Produce a refined model of photosynthesis that includes the role light wavelengths play in the photosynthesis process.
2. Living organisms
There is no better way to address many of the NGSS performance expectations in the life sciences than with living organisms. Students can study organisms to explore key NGSS concepts including life cycles, homeostasis, structure and function, heredity, and environmental concepts, just to name a few. Carolina offers a wide variety of living organisms and science kits that use living organisms for laboratory investigations.
Use evidence gathered from observations of a fruit fly population over time to argue the occurrence of natural selection.
3. Preserved organisms
Engaging your students in dissection and studying preserved organisms is an effective way to address many of the performance expectations in the life science strand. Students need to recognize the organization of systems that provide specific functions in multicellular organisms. Dissections are also an effective way to address the cross-cutting concept of structure and function and help students recognize patterns, similarities, and differences among animals.
Develop and revise a model for relationships between organ systems through an authentic forensic dissection protocol used on a preserved pig.
4. Carolina STEM Challenge®
Many of the NGSS performance expectations require students to participate in engineering practices such as designing and refining products to solve a problem. Carolina has created a line of kits specifically to address engineering problems through the lens of science concepts. Carolina STEM Challenge® kits are correlated to NGSS performance expectations in the middle and high school strands.
These kits engage and inspire students with fun, real-world engineering challenges in an exciting tournament-style format. Integrating STEM into your physical science, chemistry, environmental science, and life science curriculums has never been easier.
5. Free NGSS-aligned activities
Carolina offers Carolina Essentials™, a series of free activities that build toward NGSS performance expectations. These activities follow teaching and learning methods prescribed by 3-dimensional instructional methods, including the use of phenomena, big questions, student investigations, modeling activities, and assessment questions.
6. eLearning products
Digital resources are a valuable tool for teaching NGSS concepts, applying and extending learning, and assessing student understanding. Carolina offers a multitude of eLearning products including interactive whiteboard exercises, editable assessments, how-to and background videos, and interactive student lessons. These products can be purchased at Carolina.com, and are unlocked via an access code you receive within 24 hours of purchase. All eLearning products are housed on our teacher portal, CarolinaScienceOnline.com.
7. Models
Developing and using models is a key science practice of the NGSS. Scientists construct conceptual models to explain and illustrate phenomena. Some examples include atomic structure models, models of the cell membrane, manipulatives that model the flow of genetic information, and molecular models. If you are looking for a conceptual model, chances are Carolina has one that will fit your needs and help students visualize scientific phenomena.
Use model DNA nucleotides to complete a DNA analysis for the purposes of establishing a common ancestry and DNA kinship patterns.
