What “High-Quality” Science Actually Means in the NGSS Era
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Guest post by Shelby Dillman and Maranda Chung.
At MMSA, we often hear from teachers, “I want to move towards an NGSS-aligned curriculum, but I’m overwhelmed with options and not sure where to start.” This is where High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) come in. They aren’t just the latest fad in science instruction; they’re a powerful pathway to making science instruction manageable, equitable, and engaging for students.
What are High-Quality Instructional Materials?
High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) are curriculum resources that are both standards-aligned and evidence-based. In science education, this refers to materials that are designed to align with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
The NGSS represent a fundamental shift in science education. Rather than focusing exclusively on content knowledge, these standards are considered three-dimensional. They emphasize not only what students learn (Disciplinary Core Ideas), but also how they learn (Science and Engineering Practices), and how they connect those ideas across disciplines (Crosscutting Concepts).
Given this shift, small tweaks to older “traditional” science curricula are often insufficient. To truly reflect the NGSS, instructional materials must be designed to be three-dimensional from the ground up. High-quality materials create opportunities for students to engage deeply with scientific phenomena, actively practice scientific thinking and techniques, and make sense of core ideas as they learn.
What Makes Materials “High Quality”?
While many curricula claim to be “NGSS-aligned,” truly high-quality instructional materials will embody the following elements:
- Three-Dimensional: Intentionally integrate the three NGSS dimensions (DCIs, SEPs, and CCCs) within each lesson and across units.
- Phenomena-Driven: Learning is grounded in real-world contexts through anchoring phenomena and authentic problem-solving, promoting intrinsic curiosity, deeper understanding, and equitable access to science learning.
- Student-Led Sensemaking: The materials position students as active sensemakers. Instead of passively learning about a topic, students investigate phenomena, ask questions, and build explanations over time.
- Rigorously Reviewed: HQIM are developed through comprehensive review and testing processes. Many are field-tested and refined with feedback from teachers and students to ensure they are engaging, practical, and effective in real classrooms.
Educators can rely on established review processes to evaluate alignment and quality, such as EdReports(opens in a new tab) (which evaluates complete curricula) and the NGSS Design Badge(opens in a new tab) (which evaluates specific units or lessons, awarded using the EQuIP rubric(opens in a new tab)).
Examples of High-Quality Instructional Materials
MMSA strongly supports the use of OpenSciEd(opens in a new tab), a completely free and open-source K-12 curriculum that has achieved the highest level of endorsement for NGSS alignment.
Other examples of well-vetted, high-quality curricula include Amplify Science(opens in a new tab) (K-8), Smithsonian Science for the Classroom(opens in a new tab) (K-5), Next Generation Science Storylines(opens in a new tab) (K-12 units), and inquiryHub Biology(opens in a new tab) (HS).
Why the Right Materials Matter
The shift to student-centered, three-dimensional learning is rewarding, but we know it can also be incredibly overwhelming for educators. HQIM provide the necessary foundation to make this shift sustainable.
- For teachers: High-quality materials reduce the burden of creating lessons from scratch. This allows teachers to shift their energy away from lesson planning and toward facilitating and scaffolding: eliciting student thinking, fostering classroom discourse, and supporting diverse learners. Well-designed materials offer coherent lesson sequences, embedded assessments, and guidance for differentiation. Teachers use their expertise to respond to student ideas in real-time and customize lessons for their unique classroom context.
- For students: Consistent use of HQIM ensures that all students, regardless of background, have access to rigorous, engaging science. It moves science from being a collection of disconnected facts to an active process of discovery. These materials include multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate their thinking in different ways, supporting diverse learners and encouraging evidence-based reasoning.
Navigating the Transition to HQIM
Identifying high-quality materials is only the first step; the true magic happens during implementation. Because these materials represent a shift in classroom culture, we strongly believe that professional learning is key for success.
We spoke with Kyle Beeton, a 20-year veteran teacher who attended MMSA’s professional development to support his transition to OpenSciEd. He highlighted the importance of having a partner in this process: “OpenSciEd is a lot to digest on your own. Without support it feels overwhelming. What MMSA does is help you understand where to focus your energy, so you don’t burn yourself out trying to do everything the first time through.” Kyle noted that the shift in his classroom was “night and day,” observing deeper student understanding even while he was able to move through the material more efficiently.
At MMSA, our goal is to provide that same level of clarity and support for your team. Our science consulting services offer customizable pathways to meet educators where they are, whether you are just beginning your NGSS journey or looking to strengthen implementation of HQIM. Book a short conversation(opens in a new tab) with us or reach out to sdillman@mmsa.org to learn how we can support your school or district.
