Just about four years ago, A Framework for K-12 Science Education appeared on the scene, and just over two years ago the Next General Science Standards were published and released.  Since that time, there has been much effort put into and collective cognitive focus on the best way to educate all stakeholders about the standards, as well as implement the standards with fidelity into the K-12 classroom environment.

In the past two years, a variety of different strategies and resources have emerged on the scene that are designed to assist educators.  Some examples of these approaches, tools, and resources include:

• An Interactive Online Version of the NGSS which assists the user in searching for particular areas.
• The EQuIP NGSS Rubric is a tool for educators and education leaders to use in identifying high quality, NGSS-aligned instructional materials through a criterion-based, peer-review process. 
• State Science Education Standards Comparison Tool which supports administrators in comparing the differences, both in purpose and structure, between different sets of standards.
• Classroom Sample Tasks: (Introduction and Overview) (View and Download Tasks Here) The Classroom Sample Tasks blend content, practices, and concepts from both the NGSS and the Common Core State Standards. Teachers across the disciplines have collaborated to write sample tasks, which are the result of a vision of integrating science, engineering, and mathematics for classroom use.
• Evidence Statements provide detail on what students should know and be able to do in order to satisfy each performance expectation (PE) at the end of instruction.
• NGSS Teaching Channel Videos are intended to help educators become familiar with the three dimensions of the NGSS and how they will benefit students.
• The Discover the NGSS eBook is a new an interactive eBook that helps teachers dive into the NGSS.

As an author who regularly publishes in Science and Children there has even been a concerted effort to present information related to the NGSS in featured articles and regular columns in a consistent format to assist educators in seeing how the standards can be implemented. These tables explicitly show the performance expectations, crosscutting concepts and scientific and engineering practices that are met in an activity or investigation and specifically how they are met. Having to go through the process of discussing and considering statements, evidence, process and approach has allowed me to better understand what is meant and what that looks like in the classroom. Utilizing some of the above resources has assisted greatly in that process.

Even educators in states who have not adopted the NGSS can learn from the resources provided above as they are based on solid presentation of content and understanding of the interaction between concepts, practices and ideas.

How have you utilized one of the above resources or even describe a different resource that you have found helpful in integrating and utilizing the NGSS in your classroom?