What are the DCIs and what role do they play in the NGSS?
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are a comprehensive set of standards for K-12 science education in the United States. The NGSS outline a vision for science instruction that is based on three dimensions: Science and Engineering Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Disciplinary Core Ideas.
What are the Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCI) of the NGSS?
The Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs) are organized into four domains: Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, Earth and Space Sciences, and Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science. These DCIs help to define the content of each domain—what students should know and be able to do in each domain—and guide educators in developing meaningful learning experiences that will allow students to understand these concepts.
Physical Sciences: In this domain, the DCIs focus on topics such as matter and its interactions, motion and stability: forces and interactions, forms of energy, waves, electricity and magnetism.
Life Sciences: Topics in this domain include the structure and function of living systems; reproduction and heredity; regulation; diversity; information processing; behavior; ecology; homeostasis; evolution by natural selection.
Earth and Space Sciences: Topics here include Earth's place in the universe; Earth's systems; Earth's history; energy in the Earth system; weather and climate change.
Engineering Technology Applications of Science: These core ideas focus on topics such as designing solutions to problems through engineering design processes, using tools to improve investigation accuracy or exploring trade-offs between design solutions, or understanding how technology affects society.
Where To Find the DCI in the Propello Platform
The Propello curriculum indicates the applicable DCI in the Teacher's Guide of every chapter in the platform. The brief video below will walk you through where to find them and how to apply them to the activities in a given topic within Propello.
In Summary
Overall, understanding these Disciplinary Core Ideas is essential for students to develop the skills necessary for success in college courses related to various areas of study as they prepare for their future career paths.
For assistance in how Propello can help teachers incorporate the CCCs in classroom practice, feel free to reach out to our crew via the support page.