CAST and the NGSS Video

Transcript

• The Department of Education for the State of California official seal appears against a black screen. Underneath a white chalk font on a blackboard background reads, “California Science Test (CAST) and the Next Generation Standards.”

• The screen changes to show three adolescent girls around a classroom desk performing a simple experiment balancing a pronged object on strands of hard spaghetti.

• California is well on its way to building a world-class science education system that will prepare students to succeed in the global economy.

• Male high school teacher in red shirt explaining math concept at whiteboard. Students in his class room forming teams.

• With the help of California science teachers, we developed the California Science Test, or CAST. This assessment was designed not only to measure student performance in science, but also to encourage and reinforce the innovative ways science is being taught in classrooms throughout the state.

• The white-on-black screen text reads: “CA Next Generation Science Standards,” and underneath it, “CA NGSS.”

• The CAST is based on the California Next Generation Science Standards, also called California NGSS, which were adopted by the State Board of Education in 2013.

• A male high school teacher is preparing an experiment using styrofoam cups classroom balanced between two columns of physics textbooks.

• Our teachers, scientists, college professors, and business and industry leaders all took part in helping to write the standards.

• The same three female students who were doing the experiment before, and their teacher (Ben Ellis) are in a classroom looking at a computer screen.

• The California NGSS calls for students with a deep understanding of core scientific ideas and concepts, using skills like investigation, problem-solving, communication, and collaboration.

• Three much younger students, around 10, two boys and a girl, are seated at a table looking at computer tablet held by the girl, as they point at a small model of a windmill on the table next to them.

• The standards embrace young people’s innate curiosity by introducing science at an earlier age, encouraging them to ask lots of questions and emphasizing hands-on investigation and discovery. This approach is more engaging and in line with what we know about how students learn best

• A boy, around 14, examining a model of molecule. A girl and boy, around 12, wearing goggles, supervised by a female teacher also wearing goggles, in the midst of a chemistry experiment in which a beaker of liquid is producing smoke. Brian Ellis, seated next to the classroom sink, addressing the camera.

• Hi. My name is Brian Ellis, I’m a physics teacher at Natomas Charter School in Sacramento.

• “BRIAN ELLIS “appears on top of a white line. Beneath it, in a smaller font: “PHYSICS TEACHER, NATOMAS CHARTER SCHOOL.”

• Brian Ellis teaching in his class. Close-ups of students doing an experiment involving cups and dried pasta. A computer screen showing graphs.

• With the new standards coming, with NGSS, the new assessments, I’m really excited because I feel like all of the emphasis that I place on doing science and the process of science, on analyzing data and interpreting data and drawing conclusions, all of that is going to be rewarded on the new assessments and because the new standards place such an emphasis on science practices alongside science concepts.

• Three students, around 15, look at a spreadsheet on a computer. Five different students at their classroom desks, listening to a teacher and taking notes.

• The standards combine science and engineering practices to help students understand how science works in the natural world. The California NGSS integrates three-dimensional learning to help students discover how and why certain phenomena occur.

• Eric Ramirez, a teacher in his late 30s with glasses and a beard, appears on the screen and addresses the camera.

• “ERIC RAMIREZ” appears above a white line. Underneath the white line reads, in a smaller font, “INSTRUCTIONAL SPECIALIST- ALVORD UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT.”

• I’m very excited with the shift to the three-dimensional learning that NGSS brings us. I really think it connects the students to the beauty of the natural world and science in general.

• The pen-holding hand of a female student writes on a form. A female teacher hands a paper to a student at a desk, a computer behind them. A large white poster board documenting an experiment.

• It’s a real honor to be a part of the process, bringing these standards to California students and educators. And I really believe that a great science education benefits both the individual student and their community.

• In white chalk font against a blackboard background we read: Three Dimensional Learning Concepts:
Disciplinary Core Ideas, Science, and Engineering Practices Crosscutting Concepts

• The three-dimensional learning concepts in the California NGSS are made up of three distinct, but equally important, components: Disciplinary Core Ideas; Science and Engineering Practices; and Crosscutting Concepts. Disciplinary Core Ideas explain why certain phenomena occur.

• “Disciplinary Core Ideas” is at the top of the screen. Underneath it is an electric coil stretching across the screen with light. The light intensifies. Then the visual reduces to a smaller corner segment of the screen, revealing a line of windmills over a California educational seal in the faded background.

• Science and Engineering Practices give students tools to further explore and explain certain phenomena by gathering and analyzing data to find patterns or draw conclusions. Crosscutting Concepts help students make connections across the sciences and other disciplines.

• Next to the corner segment of “Disciplinary Core ideas,” a second rectangular section appears labeled “Science and Engineering Practices,” against a backdrop of windmills. Another grouping of various atmospheric photos related to science, engineering, or weather is superimposed on the other two visuals, enlarging to fill the screen as “Crosscutting Concepts” appears at its base.

• The California Science Test supports the hands-on teaching that science teachers are doing in the classroom as they help students to become college and career ready.

• Brian Ellis, teaching in the classroom. Three groups of students displaying the experiment results on large white poster boards.

• On white chalk font against a blackboard background appears:
California Science Test (CAST)
• Promotes improvements to teaching and learning Encourages science instruction in all grades Measures range and depth of the CA NGSS Provides models of high-quality questions that reflect the CA NGSS Minimizes testing time and costs while providing accessibility for all students.

• The CAST also promotes improvements to teaching and learning; encourages science instruction in every grade, not just tested grades; measures the range and depth of the California NGSS; provides high-quality questions that reflect the standards; and minimizes testing time and costs while making the test accessible for all students. In white-chalk font on a black-board backdrop reads:
California Science Test (CAST)
• CAST approximately two hours and is administered to students in grades five and eight and once in grade ten, eleven or twelve. Is computer-based. Is made up of both high-quality questions and performance tasks. Consists of questions that incorporate two of the three dimensions of CA NGSS.

• The CAST takes an average of two hours and is administered to students in grades five and eight and once in high school. Like California’s other online statewide assessments, the CAST is a computer-based test. And each test is made up of both high-quality questions and performance tasks. Each question in the CAST incorporates at least two of the three dimensions of the California NGSS.

• Brian Ellis at a computer showing something on screen to two female students. A hand, writing in blue magic marker, on a white poster board describing an experiment.

• As with any California state assessment, we will continue to take the time and care needed to make sure the CAST is valid, fair, and reliable.

• In a white-chalk font on a blackboard, we read: California Science Test (CAST) All students take the CAST in the spring in grades five and eight and once in grade ten, eleven, or twelve Parents/guardians receive Student Score Reports Summary results at school, school districts, county and state levels are provided to educators

• Students take the CAST in the spring in grades five and eight and once in grade ten, eleven, or twelve. Parents and guardians will then receive a Student Score Report. A summary of test results that shows school, school districts, county and state levels will also be provided to educators to help inform teaching and learning. You can become familiar with this test through the CAST training and practice tests, which you’ll find through the Online Practice and Training Tests Portal on CAASPP.org.

• The CAASPP portal on the website, specifically: The blue, white and green CAASPP logo is on the top left. Underneath it reads, “California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress.”
• Stretched across the page is a green banner with five categories spaced equally apart, labeled “Home,” “About,” “Test Administration,” “Resources,” “Training,” “FAQs,” “Calendar” and “System Status.”
• Underneath that, in a small font, reads: “Home> Online Practice and Training Tests Portal”
• Underneath that is a much larger green font: “Online Practice and Training Tests Portal”
• Beneath that, in a small font, reads:
• “To access the online Practice and Training Tests, please select one of these buttons.” On the left, one rectangular blue box has a picture of an apple in it, and beneath that a white caption reads: “Test Administrator and Test Examiner Practice and Training Site.”
• In the center, a light brown rectangular box has drawing of an open book. Beneath that a white caption reads: “Test Administrator and Test Examiner Resources for Practice and Training Tests.”
• On the right, a green rectangular box has a drawing of a male parent and a male child on his lap, in front of a computer. Underneath that a white caption that reads: “Student Interface Practice and Training Tests.”
• The next screen is of the State of California Department of Education Seal in blue, lavender and grey. Underneath that in the white chalk font against a blackboard background reads www.caaspp.org.
• The seal becomes brighter and underneath it, replacing the web address, it reads, “Special thanks to Natomas Charter School.”

Last Reviewed: Thursday, March 26, 2020