Science Standards

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are based on the Framework for K–12 Science Education. The the NGSS are intended to reflect a new vision for American science education. The following appendix to the standards outlines some of the key conceptual shifts in these standards. 

• Appendix A - Conceptual Shifts in the Next Generation Science Standards (PDF)

The first public draft of the NGSS was posted online from May 11 to June 1, 2012, and the second public draft was posted online from January 8 to January 29, 2013. The draft standards received comments from over 10,000 individuals during each of the two public review periods. The writers then used this feedback to make substantial revisions to the draft standards. The following appendix outlines the major themes in the comments and revisions made in response to the comments. 

• Appendix B - Responses to the Public Drafts of NGSS (PDF)

The Next Generation Science Standards focus on a rigorous set of core concepts that articulated as a progression of learning appropriate for each grade band and anchored to real-world science and engineering practices. This appendix reviews the evidence for basing K–12 standards on rigorous content, science and engineering practices, mathematics, and the benefits of integrating content with practices.

• Appendix C College and Career Readiness NGSS (PDF)

The Next Generation Science Standards are grounded in the belief that when provided with equitable learning opportunities, students from diverse backgrounds are capable of engaging in scientific practices and constructing meaning in both science classroom and informal settings. The NGSS were written with the intention to be accessible to all students. This appendix discusses learning opportunities and challenges that the NGSS present to student groups that have traditionally been underserved in science classrooms, describes effective strategies for implementation of the NGSS, and provides context of changing demographics, persistent science achievement gaps, and educational policies affecting non-dominant student groups.

• Appendix D - Making NGSS Accessible to All Students (PDF)

This appendix describes the disciplinary core idea progressions across K-12, summarizing the main focus of the science disciplinary content across earth and space science, life science, physical science at each grade band.  

• Appendix E - DCI Progressions within NGSS (PDF)

This appendix describes the progression of the science and engineering practices across K-12, detailing the specific elements of each practice that are targets for students at each grade band.

• Appendix F Science and Engineering Practices in the NGSS (PDF)

 This appendix describes the progression of the Crosscutting Concepts across K-12, detailing the specific elements of each CCC that are targets for students at each grade band.

• Appendix G - Crosscutting Concepts Progression within NGSS (PDF)

The integration of scientific and engineering practices, disciplinary core ideas, and crosscutting concepts sets the stage for teaching and learning about the nature of science. This said, learning about the nature of science requires more than engaging in activities and conducting investigations. This appendix provides perspectives, a rationale and research supporting an emphasis on the nature of science in the context of the NGSS.

• Appendix H - The Nature of Science in the Next Generation Science Standards (PDF) 

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) represent a commitment to integrate engineering design into the structure of science education by raising engineering design to the same level as scientific inquiry when teaching science disciplines at all levels, from kindergarten to grade 12. This appendix describes the framing of Engineering Design concepts and practices throughout the NGSS. 

• Appendix I - Engineering Design in NGSS (PDF)

The Framework specifies two core ideas that relate science, technology, society and the environment: the interdependence of science, engineering and technology, and the influence of science, engineering and technology on society and the natural world. The document below explains how these ideas are embedded in the standards. 

• Appendix J Science Technology Society and the Environment (PDF) 

The NGSS are organized by grade level for kindergarten through grade five, but as grade banded expectations at the middle school (6–8) and high school (9–12) levels. This arrangement is due to the fact that standards at these levels are handled very differently in different states and because there is not conclusive research that identifies the ideal sequence for student learning. The following appendix provides some guidance on course mapping the standards. Additional guidance from KSDE can be found on the Educator Resources Page. 

• Appendix K - Model course mapping for NGSS (PDF) 

Science is a quantitative discipline, so it is important for educators to ensure that students’ science learning coheres well with their learning in mathematics.  The Next Generation Science Standards explicitly embeds math skills in the standards through the science and engineering practices of "Using Mathematical and Computational Thinking" and "Analyzing and Interpreting data" as well as supporting additional connections through other science and engineering practices, cross cutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas.  This appendix outlines the alignment between grade level expectations of NGSS and grade level expectations of math standards*. 

*Note: This appendix describes the alignment to Common Core Math Standards. While much of the Kansas Math Standards are aligned to the expectations of Common Core Math, there are some significant differences. This appendix may not align with the Kansas math standards.

• Appendix L - Connections to Math Standards NGSS (PDF) 

Literacy skills are critical to building knowledge in science. The Next Generation Science Standards explicitly embeds literacy skills in the standards through the science and engineering practices of "Constructing Explanations",  "Engaging in Argument from Evidence", and "Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information" and is further supported through additional connections through other science and engineering practices, cross cutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas.  This appendix outlines the alignment between grade level expectations of NGSS and grade level expectations of ELA standards*. 

*Note: This appendix describes the alignment to Common Core ELA Standards. While much of the Kansas ELA Standards are aligned to the expectations of Common Core, there are some significant differences. This appendix may not align with the Kansas ELA standards.

• Appendix M Connections ELA Standards in NGSS (PDF) 

There are many ways to bundle and sequence the Next Generation Science Standards for each grade and grade band. Below is the arrangement of the standards by the Disciplinary Core Idea. DCIs are the fundamental ideas that are necessary for understanding a given science discipline. In this arrangement standards will be grouped within the broad categories of "Earth and Space Science", "Life Science", and "Physical Science". 

• Disciplinary Core Idea Arrangement of NGSS (PDF) 

There are many ways to bundle and sequence the Next Generation Science Standards for each grade and grade band. Below is the arrangement of the standards by the Topic. The writers of the Next Generation Science Standards grouped the Disciplinary Core Ideas into topics around which to develop the standards in order to eliminate potential redundancy, seek an appropriate grain size, and seek natural connections among the DCIs. In some topics, there will be integration of standards across domains of science. 

• Topic Arrangement of NGSS (PDF)