Page 143 - Career Readiness Catalog

Issues and Science: Designed for the NGSS

Designed for the NGSS to support both students and teachers.
SEPUP, at the Lawrence Hall of Science, rises to meet the high
expectations of the NGSS by carefully connecting each element
below into its middle school program, Issues and Science.
This is not a textbook. This is not a kit. This is a thoughtfully
developed program where each component is a critical part
of the intentional whole.

Program Elements

Student Sensemaking Instruction is designed NGSS/3-D Learning In the context of the unit

to promote student sensemaking by: relating concepts issue, learning objectives are meaningfully connected
to students' current knowledge and experiences, to the standards. Unit materials show how the three
engaging students in each dimension of the NGSS, dimensions, PEs, and assessments are interwoven
allowing students to reflect on new knowledge, and and how each fits into the issue context.
using assessments to build understanding. Page 41
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Unlike traditional programs Concrete Experiences Instructional design

that use add-ons to text-based curriculum, SEPUP's and unique equipment prioritize student ideas and
programing is designed for all learners from the start. learning through personal, concrete experiences
Additional supports further allow customization for related to the unit’s issue, phenomena, three-dimensions,
each unique classroom. and PEs.
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Literacy Complete Program program includes all
Our
Rather than separate literacy tools and
strategies, SEPUP embeds them into the science and the materials students need to authentically connect
engineering instruction for seamless support. This to, investigate, and understand each unit's real-world
integration creates science learning experiences issue, along with tools for teachers to guide, assess,
that also promote consistent language development. and personalize their robust NGSS instruction.
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Issue Driven Each unit's overarching issue provides Assessment Analysis, quick checks, summative, and

a common entry point and anchoring storyline for formative assessments appear within the body of unit
students to ask questions, collect evidence, and lessons to maintain strong connections to the unit issue
construct explanations around relevant phenomena and investigative phenomena. Assessments help both
and related problems that connect to the real world. teachers and students evaluate their progress towards
understanding the unit's performance expectations.
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