1. Performance Expectations
Module 2
Performance Expectations

2. Overview of Performance Expectations
What are the component parts of a “PERFORMANCE EXPECTATION”?
How do “PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS” exemplify three-dimensional learning in a science classroom?
How are the new Illinois Learning Standards for Science that are based on the NGSS – “PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS” different than the old Illinois Learning Standards for Science?
Talking Points
By the conclusion of this segment, all participants should be able to respond confidently to the following questions:
What are the component parts of a “PERFORMANCE EXPECTATION”?
How do “PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS” exemplify three-dimensional learning in a science classroom?
How are the new Illinois Learning Standards for Science that are based on the NGSS – Performance Expectations different than the old Illinois Learning Standards for Science?
Having a thorough conceptual understanding of Performance Expectations and their role in teaching and learning NGSS is exceedingly important when using the EQuIP Rubric to examine and evaluate NGSS learning materials and resources.

3. What Are Performance Expectations?
Performance Expectations state what students should be able to do in order to demonstrate that they have met the standard, thus providing clear and specific targets for curriculum, instruction, and assessment.
Talking Points
Essentially, a Performance Expectation states what students should be able to do in order to demonstrate understanding of the three dimensions.
Performance Expectations, however, go beyond the knowledge, skills, and understandings generally seen in previous standards documents.
NGSS Performance Expectations require students to demonstrate conceptual understanding by applying the knowledge and understandings inherent in a standard.
In addition, Performance Expectations require students to transfer knowledge and understandings to new or somewhat different situations.

4. Performance Expectations Build Across Years
9-12
6-8
3-5
HS-PS4-3. Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning behind the idea that electromagnetic radiation can be described either by a wave model or a particle model, and that for some situations one model is more useful than the other.
HS-PS4-4. Evaluate the validity and reliability of claims in published materials of the effects that different frequencies of electromagnetic radiation have when absorbed by matter.
MS-PS4-2. Develop and use a model to describe that waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials.
Talking Points
Performance Expectations are not learning tasks.  They are statements of what students should be able to do AFTER instruction.
Multiple lessons and/or multiple units of instruction experienced over time may be required for students to acquire the conceptual understanding needed to demonstrate mastery of standards via the Performance Expectations.
In addition, as represented in this slide, student learning and the Performance Expectations that demonstrate this learning will build as students move through the grades.
The “PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS” listed for each grade ban are the standards that relate to the lesson we experienced today.
Examine the standards to observe the scaffolding that takes place. This scaffolding supports the coherence that is an essential part of the NGSS.
4-PS4-2. Develop a model to describe that light reflecting from objects and entering the eye allows objects to be seen.
1-PS4-2. Make observations to construct an evidence-based account that objects in darkness can be seen only when illuminated.
1-PS4-3. Plan and conduct investigations to determine the effect of placing objects made with different materials in the path of a beam of light.
Modified from Brian Reiser

5. Who Should Meet Performance Expectations?
Talking Points
Performance Expectations are about what students are doing, so ALL students should be held accountable for demonstrating their achievement of all Performance Expectations.
This is especially important in high school where traditionally students may have taken courses in some but not all science disciplines.
Performance Expectations emphasize coherence within lessons and units and across the years and grade levels—it’s all about learning progressions. When students demonstrate achievement via Performance Expectations, we can no longer say “students didn’t get it last year, so they can’t possibly get it this year.”
NGSS takes the position that a scientifically literate person understands and is able to apply core ideas in each of the major science disciplines.
Consequently, the core ideas included in the Performance Expectations are limited to only those core ideas listed in the Framework.
The Performance Expectations should not, however, limit the curriculum.  Students interested in pursuing science further via more advanced coursework should have the opportunity to do so. Overall, it’s about what the students are doing and not what the teachers have done.

6. How Are Performance Expectations Structured?
Science & Engineering Practices
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Crosscutting Concepts
Connections to
Other science disciplines at this grade level
Other DCIs for older and younger students
Common Core State Standards in Mathematics and Language Arts
Talking Points
We’re going to look now at the foundation boxes of the Performance Expectation, but it’s important to keep in mind that these foundation boxes are not the assessed piece of the Performance Expectation.  The three-dimensional Performance Expectation overall is what is being assessed.
Irrespective of grade level or discipline of science, every Performance Expectation has the following three parts.
The statement of the actual performance expected for the identified standard.
The foundations for this performance or, in other words, the practices, disciplinary core ideas, and crosscutting concepts that constitute the three- dimensional learning inherent in this performance.  Again, it’s important to note that students are never assessed on the foundation boxes individually.
The connections to other science disciplines, other grades or older/younger students, and to CCSS in math and ELA/literacy.  These connections contribute to coherence, which will be addressed in a later segment.

7. Reading a Performance Expectation
Talking Points
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are distinct from prior science standards in that they integrate three dimensions within each standard and have intentional connections across standards. To provide guidance and clarification to all users of the standards, the writers have created a system architecture that highlights the NGSS as well as each of the three integral dimensions and connections to other grade bands and subjects. The standards are organized in a table with three main sections: 1) performance expectation(s), 2) the foundation boxes, and 3) the connection boxes.
The following video, available on the Next Generation Science Standards website, will review the process of reading a performance expectation.
You have also been provided with a handout in your packet that visually explains how to read the NGSS Performance Expectations. This handout is available on NSTA.
[Click on the image of the video to visit the-standards and play video.]

8. Reading a Performance Expectation
Example NGSS Performance Expectation
Talking Points
Now take a look at an actual Performance Expectation.
Performance Expectations may be viewed either by topic or by core ideas.  The specific example on this screen is grouped by core ideas.
As noted in the top row [Facilitator: click to animate], this Performance Expectation relates to MS-LS2-5 (Middle School, Life Science 2-5) Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics.
The actual performance expectation appears in the second row following “Students who demonstrate understanding can . . .” [Facilitator: click to animate]
The performance expectation is sometimes followed by a clarification statement and the assessment boundary, which appear in red [Facilitator: click to animate].  Here the clarification statement elaborates on what is meant by properties that could be predicted from patterns, and the assessment boundary provides specific information regarding what this performance expectation does not include.
While the Performance Expectations can stand alone, a more coherent and complete view of what students should be able to do comes when the Performance Expectations are viewed in tandem with the contents of the foundation boxes that lie just below the Performance Expectations.  
These blue, orange, and green foundation boxes delineate the three dimensions, that is the practices [Facilitator: click to animate], disciplinary core ideas [Facilitator: click to animate], and crosscutting concepts [Facilitator: click to animate] derived from the Framework that were used to construct this set of Performance Expectations.
Finally, [Facilitator: click to animate] connections are made to other disciplinary core ideas within this grade band, across grade bands, as well as to CCSS in ELA/literacy and mathematics.
Now we will look at the Performance Expectation that pertains to our lesson. [Facilitator: click to animate]
[Click on the icon “Example NGSS Performance Expectations to visit transfer and demonstrate the following actions.]
The Performance Expectation relates to MS-PS2-4 Waves and their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer
There are three Performance Expectations associated with this topic for the middle school level.
When you click on the labels at the top of the screen different portions relating to the Practice, Crosscutting Concepts, and Disciplinary Core Ideas are highlighted in different colors.
These Performance Expectations have both Clarification Statements and Assessment Boundaries.
The Foundation Boxes provide a more coherent and complete view of what students should be able to do. Each specific idea is related to the specific Performance Expectation with labels.
Different connections are made to other disciplinary core ideas within this grade band (MS.LS1.D (MS-PS4-2), across grade bands, as well as to CCSS in ELA/literacy and mathematics.
You can also click on PDF to see a printable version of these Performance Expectations.

9. Analysis: Performance Expectation
Circle the words or phrases in the Performance Expectation statements that directly relate to the specific practice/s, core idea/s, and crosscutting concept/s listed in the foundation boxes.  
Draw arrows to connect your circled words and phrases directly to the specific practice, core idea, and crosscutting concepts in the colored boxes.
When finished, share and compare at your table.  
Talking Points
The PDF version has been printed for you and placed in your packet.
We are going to work with these Performance Expectations by following the instructions on the screen.
Now, individually circle the words or phrases in the Performance Expectation statement in the second row that directly relate to the specific practice/s, core idea/s, and crosscutting concept/s listed in the blue, orange, and green boxes.  
Next, draw arrows to connect your circled words and phrases directly to the specific practice, core idea, and crosscutting concepts in the colored boxes.  
When finished, share and compare at your table.  
[Allow approximately 5 minutes for this task, and then have one or two tables to share.  Elicit responses that show how the Performance Expectation is three- dimensional.]
What general statement about Performance Expectations can you make as a result of the connections you just made?
What connections did you observe in these Performance Expectations and our lesson today?
To understand the NGSS, individuals may ask:
What is the standard?
The standard is the entire page. The standard has been broken down into all of the parts that we examined throughout the activity.

10. Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs) are Explanatory Ideas
Current IL Learning Standard - Science
New IL Learning Standard – Science
NGSS Performance Expectation
Identify and classify biotic and abiotic factors in an environment that affect population density, habitat and placement of organisms in an energy pyramid. (IL Middle School 12B.3a)
Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems. (NGSS MS-LS-2)
How do population levels change over time?
Talking Points
In this module, we have spent time examining the Performance Expectations of NGSS. These are the New Illinois Learning Standards for Science are NGSS.
For comparison sakes, how are these standards different. If we were to compare the old standards and the new standards, what differences become clear? [Allow responses from the participants.]
[Facilitator: click to animate]
One clear difference between the standards is that the old standard says students should KNOW a fact, and the new standards or Performance Expectations combines a practice and crosscutting concept with the content.
Kids not only need to know that … but have to be able to use that idea to explain phenomena and have to be able to argue why this makes sense.
How will each population increase or decrease if one population changes?
What are the factors?
Is each abiotic or biotic?

11. NGSS Explanatory Ideas versus Current Standards
Current IL Learning Standard - Science
New IL Learning Standard – Science
NGSS Performance Expectation
Compare physical, ecological and behavioral factors that influence interactions and interdependence of organisms. (IL Early HS 12B.4a)
Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem. (NGSS HS-LS2-6)
Talking Points
Now let take a look at another standard comparison. What differences become clear here? [Allow responses from the participants.]
[Facilitator: click to animate]
In this comparison, we once again see the three-dimensions. In this situation, we are using practices to gain and assess our content knowledge. Furthermore, we are gaining and assessing this knowledge through he lens of a crosscutting concept.
Notes: Clarification Statement: Examples of changes in ecosystem conditions could include modest biological or physical changes, such as moderate hunting or a seasonal flood; and extreme changes, such as volcanic eruption or sea level rise.
What are the factors?
Describe how each factor works in general terms.
Use ecosystem factors to construct and analyze arguments about the evidence in specific ecosystem cases.

12. Instruction Builds Toward Performance
Talking Points
Remember, instruction, over time, builds the structures—the practices, disciplinary core ideas, and crosscutting concepts—that students need to meet the Performance Expectations.
It is also important to note that while the practices, disciplinary core ideas, and crosscutting concepts specified in the Performance Expectations are required as part of those Performance Expectations, actual instruction is not limited to those practices, core ideas, and crosscutting concepts that are delineated in any Performance Expectations.  

13. Module 2 Reflection
What are the component parts of a “PERFORMANCE EXPECTATION”?
How do “PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS” exemplify three-dimensional learning in a science classroom?
How are the new Illinois Learning Standards for Science that are based on the NGSS – “PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS” different than the old Illinois Learning Standards for Science?
Talking Points
At your tables, quickly think about how you would respond to the three questions for Module Two to ensure your understanding before going on to Module Three.
Identify and be prepared to ask any questions you still have about Performance Expectations when we revisit our Driving Question Board.

14. Revisiting Our Driving Question Board
Talking Points
At this point, we are going to revisit the Driving Question Board. [Facilitator: click to animate]
Are any of the questions that you placed on the board answered at this point in our professional development?
What artifact could we attach to the question?