Inspire Biology
Core Code Alignment
Science
Biological Science
08020000010: Biology
Biological Science
08020000010: Biology
Recommendation
Reviewed, Not Recommended
Evaluation
Has some 3 Dimension opportunities but lacks the depth necessary to lead students in their own discoveries or to meet the same level that the Seed Standards are at.
Educators Using These Materials
No educators found.
Rubric : Science 2025
Compliance with State Law (Required)
| Item | 3 - Extensive | 2 - Adequate | 1 - Inadequate | 0 - None | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sensitive Materials and Prohibited Submission 53G-10-103, R277-628 | This item has not been graded. | |||||
| Prohibited discriminatory practices 53G-2-103-5, 53B-1-118 and 67-27-107 | This item has not been graded. | |||||
| Maintaining constitutional freedom in the public schools. 53G-10-202 | This item has not been graded. | |||||
| Free from advertising, e-commerce, or political interest | This item has not been graded. | |||||
Standards
| Item | 3 - Extensive | 2 - Adequate | 1 - Inadequate | 0 - None | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Presence of Three Dimensions of Science: Builds understanding of the science and engineering practices (SEPs), disciplinary core ideas (DCIs), and crosscutting concepts (CCCs). i. Provides opportunities to develop and use specific elements of the SEP(s) ii. Provides opportunities to develop and use specific elements of the DCI(s) iii. Provides opportunities to develop and use specific elements of the CCC(s) | 3 of the Criteria Indicators are met | 2 of the Criteria Indicators are met | 1 of the Criteria Indicators are met | None of the Criteria Indicators are met | ||
| The 3 Dimensions are mentioned and 5E-model was applied. i. Most of the DCIs are present somewhere in the modules, but have a heavy emphasis on just a couple of them. ii. Many opportunities with the specific DCIs iii. CCCs may be there, but weren't explicit. Didn't find many activities that focused on the CCCs. iv. The understanding of 3D is weak and sometimes it is hard to find SEP or CCCs. | ||||||
| Integration of Three Dimensions of Science: Materials integrate elements of the SEPs, CCCs, and DCIs for student sense‐making: Three dimensions of science (SEPs, CCCs, and DCIs) are integrated (consistently utilized in conjunction with each other) to help students make sense of phenomenon and solve problems. | Three dimensions of science (SEPs, CCCs, and DCIs) are consistently integrated. | Three dimensions of science are integrated in certain portions of the instructional material. | Three dimensions of science are rarely integrated in the instructional material. | Three dimensions of science (SEPs, CCCs, and DCIs) are separated and not integrated for student sense making. | ||
| The 3 Dimensions were present, but the development of some of the SEPs were weak. SEPs like asking questions and interpreting data were heavily emphasized. For example, if the SEP is "develop an argument from collected evidence". The emphasis can be on "collecting evidence" but the developing an argument is missing. | ||||||
| Alignment to Standards: The DCI Concepts (science content) in the instructional materials align to the Utah Science with Engineering Education (SEEd) Standards | DCI concepts (science content) in the instructional material align to 100% the SEEd Standards for the Grade/Course. | DCI concepts (science content) in the instructional material align to 75% the SEEd Standards for the Grade/Course. | DCI concepts (science content) in the instructional material align to 50% the SEEd Standards for the Grade/Course. | DCI concepts (science content) in the instructional material align to less than 50% the SEEd Standards for the Grade/Course. | ||
| Many of the modules won't be a good fit with the Seed Standards with their focus on mostly analyzing and interpreting data. Only a few opportunities are given to design an experiment, construct models, engage in arguments, or design solutions. Similarly, if the SEP is "Ask questions to plan and carry out an investigation", asking question is there but planning an investigation is missing. | ||||||
| Scientific Accuracy: Uses scientifically accurate and grade‐appropriate scientific information, phenomena, and representations to support students’ three‐dimensional learning. | Instructional materials are scientifically accurate and grade appropriate. | N/A | N/A | Instructional materials are NOT scientifically accurate and grade appropriate. | ||
| All materials seemed to be accurate and grade appropriate. The simulations and experiments are also grade and content appropriate. | ||||||
Pedagogy
| Item | 3 - Extensive | 2 - Adequate | 1 - Inadequate | 0 - None | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focus on Phenomena (Science) or Problems (Engineering): Making sense of phenomena and/or designing solutions to a problem drive student learning. i. Student questions and prior experiences related to the phenomenon or problem motivate sense‐making and/or problem solving ii. The focus of the lesson is to support students in making sense of phenomena and/or designing solutions to problems iii. When engineering is a learning focus, it is integrated with developing disciplinary core ideas from physical, life, and/or earth and space sciences | 3 of the Criteria Indicators are met | 2 of the Criteria Indicators are met | 1 of the Criteria Indicators are met | None of the Criteria Indicators are met | ||
| i. Couldn't really find much engagement of student's prior knowledge. ii. Has a phenomenon video at the start of each unit, but not all the videos actually focus on the phenomenon. They often go off on other topics completely. Later parts when it gets to the module level do a better job of showing the phenomenon. The phenomenon is shown with multiple examples. A question is given at the start of the unit, but the modules don't seem to refer back to that question nor are there opportunities in the modules to really go outside that question. iii. The few times they had engineering focuses they were based in life sciences. iv. Not all phenomenon is observable or interesting enough to pull the students' attention. | ||||||
| Scaffolding: Identifies and builds on students’ prior learning in all three dimensions i. Provides supports to help students engage in the practices and gradually adjusts supports over time so that students are increasingly responsible for making sense of phenomena and/or designing solutions to problems (Required) ii. Explicitly identifies prior student learning expected for all three dimensions iii. Clearly explains how the prior learning will be built upon | 3 of the Criteria Indicators are met | 2 of the Criteria Indicators are met (i MUST BE MET) | Only Criteria Indicator i has been met | None of the Criteria Indicators are met | ||
| i. Each of the units are exactly the same structure from the first to the last one. While they gave appropriate support at the start of the units that support was never removed or expectations increased over time. ii. Didn't seem to test student prior knowledge very much outside of a pretest focused on DCI. iii. Didn't see any clear explanations on how learning will be built upon. | ||||||
| Teacher Supports: Supports teachers in facilitating coherent student learning experiences over time i. Provides strategies for linking student engagement across lessons (e.g. cultivating new student questions at the end of a lesson in a way that leads to future lessons) ii. Providing strategies for ensuring student sense‐making and/or problem‐solving is linked to learning in all three dimensions (e.g. Claim Evidence Reasoning-CER Framework for communicating sense-making, teacher probing questions) iii. Provides additional resources for student learning (e.g. Models, simulations, and/or data sets for students investigation) | 3 of the Criteria Indicators are met | 2 of the Criteria Indicators are met | 1 of the Criteria Indicators are met | None of the Criteria Indicators are met | ||
| i. Modules inside Units seem to be linked by only DCI relatedness. It lacks resources to lead students once they have a new question or one that doesn't match the given question at the beginning of the unit. ii. CER is used at the start of each unit, but isn't developed very much in the unit modules. No teacher probing questions are given. iii. It provides additional resources as long as the student question matches the original question. Includes powerpoints for each module that often seem like they wouldn't actually be very useful or engaging. | ||||||
| Assessments: Includes formative, summative, and guidance measures for interpreting student performances that assess three‐dimensional science learning. i. Embeds formative assessment processes throughout conceptual development that surfaces student understanding to inform instruction ii. Embeds summative assessment processes following conceptual development that evaluate student learning and measure understanding iii. Includes aligned rubrics or scoring guidelines that provide guidance for interpreting student performance | 3 of the Criteria Indicators are met | 2 of the Criteria Indicators are met | 1 of the Criteria Indicators are met | None of the Criteria Indicators are met | ||
| i. Pre-test material is available to understand the level of the students. There are formative assessments available but they are not in high number and weak. ii. Many of the summative quiz questions include questions that focus on specific bits of information that aren't meaningful for learning the topic. The questions focus on DCIs with few asking about CCCs or SEPs. iii. Basic rubrics are included for lab activities. | ||||||
Accessibility
| Item | 3 - Extensive | 2 - Adequate | 1 - Inadequate | 0 - None | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Relevant and Authentic: Engages students in authentic and meaningful scenarios that reflect the practice of science and engineering as experienced in the real world. i. Students experience phenomena or design problems as directly as possible (first-hand or through media representations) ii. Includes suggestions for how to connect instruction to the students' home, neighborhood, community and/or culture as appropriate iii. Provides opportunities for students to connect their explanation of a phenomenon and/or their design solution to a problem to questions from their own experience | 3 of the 4 Criteria Indicators are met | 2 of the 4 Criteria Indicators are met | 1 of the 4 Criteria Indicators are met | None of the 4 Criteria Indicators are met | ||
| i. Some of the labs just ask questions without having the student actually do any science or engage with the phenomenon outside of thinking about the topic. Many labs were hands on, but more representative than real world (ex. walking around the classroom with cut out paper squares to represent genetics rather than use a simulation shows a real like example). There were some resources that were both hands on and real world. ii. Few if any suggestions to connect past the DCI iii. Few if any opportunities to connect to their own experience. | ||||||
| Teacher Supports for Diverse Learners: Provides guidance for teachers to support differentiated instruction i. Includes appropriate reading, writing, listening, and/or speaking alternatives (e.g., translations, picture support, graphic organizers, etc.) for students who are English language learners, have special needs, or read well below grade level ii. Provides extra support (e.g., phenomena, representations, tasks) for students who are struggling to meet the targeted expectations iii. Provides extensions for students with high interest or who have already met the performance expectations to develop a deeper understanding of the practices, disciplinary core ideas, and crosscutting concepts | 3 of the Criteria Indicators are met | 2 of the Criteria Indicators are met | 1 of the Criteria Indicators are met | None of the Criteria Indicators are met | ||
| i. A couple organizers mainly for vocabulary and definitions of terms are provided. Spanish translations of some readings are provided. There is teacher support for ELL or ELD students. ii. Students that miss multiple questions on a quiz are referred back to specific areas of the content that covered that question before they can continue with the quiz. iii. Some modules did have 1 extension activity. | ||||||
| Accessible for all students: Engages students using methods, vocabulary, representations, and examples that are accessible and unbiased for all learners (e.g., Deaf and Blind, English Learners, Gifted and Talented, Special Education). | Instructional Materials are accessible for all students | N/A | N/A | Instructional Materials are NOT accessible for all students | ||
| All text is able to be highlighted and read by the system. Included Spanish translations for the readings/textbook. However, there is no glossary or translator is available. In the Teacher resources, there is Multilingual Glossary available for different languages. However, this resource is very limited. It does not include pictures or videos. There are some recommendations for impaired students. However, it just gives direction to the teacher "make sure you write the vocabulary on the board." | ||||||
| Physical Characteristics | This item has not been graded. | |||||
| Technical Standards | This item has not been graded. | |||||
| Ethnic Studies- (Ethnic studies in core standards and curriculum should be a narrowly tailored incorporation of age-appropriate opportunities that naturally arise through education without pretextual effort in courses, programs, or activities where ethnic studies is not a primary focus. The material should incorporate a curriculum of people and cultures that reflect the state’s various demographics without commentary that seeks to violate the neutrality standard established in codes: 53B-1-118, 53G-2-103, 53G-2-104, 53G-2-105, 67-27-107, | This item has not been graded. | |||||
| Shared Values and Character Traits | This item has not been graded. | |||||
UTAH STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
250 East 500 South
Salt Lake City, UT 84111-3204
Phone: 801.538.7807