Science Project-Based Learning: Getting to Know Science Standards
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Science project-based learning: Are you covering standards?
Is your school accountable to science standards, or can you focus on any aspects of science that you choose? If you’re required to follow standards—or simply looking for a place to start—the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are a great resource. Adopted or adapted by 45 states, these research-based K–12 standards ensure students don’t just learn science—they experience it in meaningful, hands-on ways.
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Are you considering project-based learning to engage students in science, but want to make sure science standards are not only touched on, but understood and applied? First, let’s understand how the NGSS standards work.
What are the NGSS standards
The NGSS framework is made up of four key components.
- Performance Expectations: What students should be able to do after instruction. The performance expectations combine one cross-cutting concept, a disciplinary core idea, and a Science and Engineering practice.
- Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs): Big ideas that connect different science disciplines, such as cause and effect or systems thinking.
- Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs): The essential building blocks of science knowledge, like physical science, life science, and Earth science.
- Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs): How students engage in the work of scientists and engineers—asking questions, designing solutions, and analyzing data.
Why the NGSS matters
At the heart of the NGSS is a commitment to helping students explore phenomena and build understanding through hands-on learning. Instead of memorizing isolated facts, students investigate real-world problems, uncover patterns, and think critically about how and why things happen. To read more about each grade level’s set of science standards visit the NGSS website.
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This approach makes science relevant and engaging. Whether designing weather instruments to predict local patterns or investigating ecosystems to understand natural balance, students connect their learning to meaningful contexts. Hands-on experiences build critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving skills, empowering students to act as scientists and engineers.
Rock by Rock supports NGSS standards with science project-based learning
Rock by Rock projects are designed to align with every aspect of the NGSS framework. They guide students through inquiry-based, real-world problem-solving that integrates the standards seamlessly. Science project-based learning is one of our specialties!
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Rock by Rock supports NGSS
- SEPs: Students ask questions, conduct investigations, and design innovative solutions.
- CCCs: They explore concepts like systems, energy flow, and cause and effect meaningfully.
- DCIs: Essential science knowledge is embedded into every project, from ecosystems to forces and motion.
- Performance Expectations: Hands-on projects help students achieve the NGSS goals while developing essential skills.
Flip the script: Build it, solve it, share it
Here’s how NGSS and science project-based learning (PBL) work together: Students can investigate weather phenomena instead of memorizing cloud types by designing tools to predict local conditions. Through this process, they connect with crosscutting concepts, apply disciplinary core ideas, and practice science and engineering skills in a real-world context.
When students present their findings to local experts or share them with the community, they experience ownership and see the relevance of their work. This fosters engagement and makes learning exciting and purposeful.
Kickstart NGSS-aligned learning
Start small. Choose one unit and reimagine it through a project-based lens. Focus on a relevant and interesting phenomenon, such as weather, ecosystems, or the water cycle. Get some ideas from the Rock by Rock library of projects or better yet… Try one of ours!
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Ideas for science project-based learning and taking action:
- Bring guest speakers or arrange a virtual field trip to inspire deeper understanding.
- Showcase student work at a Science Night or through digital portfolios.
- Celebrate their discoveries and highlight their application of NGSS concepts to solve real-world problems.
You’ll energize science learning and spark curiosity by focusing on exploration, creation, and connection. Isn’t that why you started a microschool revolution or innovative classroom in the first place? Try some of these ideas below!
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