Secondary Science

It is important to understand how to read the Next Generation Science Standards before trying to use them in your lesson and activity planning. In essence, you need to understand the following components within the components:

1. Performance Expectations:
2. Foundation Boxes
   • Disciplinary Core Ideas
   • Science and Engineering Practices
   • Crosscutting Concepts
3. Connection Boxes
   • Connections to other disciplinary core ideas in this grade level
   • Articulation of disciplinary core ideas across grade levels
   • Connections to the Common Core State Standards

To better understand how to read the standards, either read the document or watch the video linked below. 

The Next Generation Science Standards are arranged into four main areas: life science, earth & space science, physical science, and engineering. For high school, these main areas are then subdivided by Disciplinary Core Idea into the following areas of study:

Life Science

• HS. Structure and Function
• HS. Inheritance and Variation of Traits
• HS. Matter and Energy in Organisms and Ecosystems
• HS. Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
• HS. Natural Selection and Evolution

Earth & Space Science

• HS. Space Systems
• HS. History of Earth
• HS. Earth's Systems
• HS. Weather and Climate
• HS. Human Sustainability

Physical Science

• HS. Structure and Properties of Matter
• HS. Chemical Reactions
• HS. Forces and Interactions
• HS. Energy
• HS. Waves and Electromagnetic Radiation

Engineering

• HS. Engineering Design