Evaluating Instructional Materials
As educators implement new science standards in their classrooms, one of the most important decisions they face is selecting the best instructional materials to support student learning. Achieve has worked with teachers, states, and leaders in science education research to develop a suite of tools to support educators in this effort.
The Educators Evaluating the Quality of Instructional Products (EQuIP) suite of tools includes rubrics to evaluate lessons, units, and year-long instructional materials, a professional learning facilitator's guide, and quality example lessons vetted by the Peer Review Panel. Explore the resources below for more details:
- Lesson Screener: Use this tool for a quick look at NGSS design for lessons.
- EQuIP Rubric for Science: Use this rubric for a deep dive into NGSS design for lessons or units.
- PEEC: Use this tool for a comprehensive review of NGSS design in instructional materials programs.
- EQuIP Peer Review Panel for Science (PRP): Group of educators selected to review lessons and units using the EQuIP Rubric for Science. These educators selected based on their knowledge and expertise of both the NGSS and EQuIP.
- Quality Examples of Instructional Materials: Science lessons and units that have been reviewed by the Peer Review Panel are posted here.
Instruction and Assessment Supports
Looking for resources to better understand the implications of the NGSS on classroom instruction? Explore the resources in this section to help unpack the standards and understand what the performance expectations mean for instruction and assessment.
- Evidence Statements: Statements of observable and measurable components for each grade level that, if met, will satisfy the NGSS performance expectations.
- Classroom Sample Tasks: Sample illustrations of how science, engineering, and mathematics can be integrated into middle school and high school instruction. (Elementary Sample Tasks coming soon)
- Example Bundles: Collection of sample "bundles", for each grade level, that help explain the process of organizing NGSS performance expectations for coherent instruction.
- NGSS Storylines: Storylines outline examples, for each grade level, of what students can learn in NGSS classrooms.
- "Phenomena in the NGSS": Resources that describe how phenomena can be integrated into classroom instruction to help drive teaching and learning.
- NGSS For All Students: Book portraying real teaching scenarios authored by educators and researches on the NGSS Diversity and Equity Team. Seven authentic case studies illustrate research- and standards-based classroom strategies that teachers can use to ensure that the NGSS are accessible to all students.
- A Framework for Evaluating Cognitive Complexity in Science Assessments: A new approach to capturing and communicating the complexity of summative assessment items and tasks designed for three-dimensional standards.
Search our Resource Library here.