We know from our field test that the first time that educators are using the units, they go slower. Once both the students and the teacher become comfortable with the routines in the instructional model, it moves faster. Some guidance given to field test teachers:

One thing to keep in mind is that  the first time you are teaching a storyline unit, you can expect to take 1-2 weeks longer to complete the unit than the second time you teach it. Teachers report getting more comfortable with the classroom routines and discussion strategies through their first year, and become more efficient as they become more sophisticated with these approaches over time.

It is also important to recognize that students may not not have had science experiences in NGSS classrooms, so your students may be new to practices such as modeling and argumentation in ways that future cohorts of students, going through NGSS designed units, may be more comfortable. All of these factors add to the time a unit can take. So keep that in mind when you plan using the time estimates built into the materials.

One of the challenges in writing this curriculum was the obligation to address ALL standards in a way that engages students in figuring out key ideas through engaging in practices AND meet the requirements to earn a high quality rating on the EQuIP review.

Below is a quote from one of our middle school field test teachers about pacing.

“I think that the way that the rollout in Mass is really thoughtful and mirrors what we did in the field test. It is a three-year rollout with one new unit each semester being added. This allows for the slowness of the first units and it also is a way for teachers to ease into it. You will notice that the sequence of the units differs from our scope and sequence, but you will get the point of the implementation plan.”

“The first time I taught an OpenSciEd unit, it took much longer than it was scheduled to take. Extra time was needed for students to move into a scientist circle and more time was needed to productively engage them in discussions. Students were waiting for me to do the explaining since they weren’t used to having to do the work of figuring out and sensemaking. Students who were high achievers had the hardest adjustment since they were accustomed to absorbing information in order to restate it on an assessment and move on. They felt uncomfortable with modeling without being sure their ideas were correct. As students became familiar with routines and methods of OpenSciEd, the units went faster. Recently, I have seen students from the classes that piloted OpenSciEd with me and they tell me that those units were the first time they learned science that mattered to their life.” -Carolyn Higgins