STEELS Hub
Science, Technology & Engineering, Environmental Literacy and Sustainability (STEELS) Standards
The newly adopted Pennsylvania Integrated Standards for Science, Technology & Engineering, and Environmental Literacy and Sustainability, and Pennsylvania Technology and Engineering Standards were developed jointly to ensure consistency, coherence and a cohesive K—12 integrated approach to science education in the Commonwealth. On July 16, 2022, the Pennsylvania Bulletin published the new standards, designed for implementation July 1, 2025.
This STEELS Hub provides educators resources to implement and support the new standards. An implementation plan, developed by PDE, aims to ensure that all students have access to an education that prepares them to succeed and become life-long learners.
- Add New and Noteworthy Content Item
- New and Noteworthy
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New and Noteworthy
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New and Noteworthy - May 2023
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New and Noteworthy - April 2023
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New and Noteworthy - March 2023
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- Add Communication Content Item
- Communication
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Communication
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LEAs should make a concerted effort to ensure students, parents, and guardians are aware of the new standards and their impact on classroom instruction. Communicating the new standards and implications for instruction is critical to ensuring strong support for the changes.
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Implementation Guide
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- Add STEELS Standards Content Item
- STEELS Standards
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STEELS Standards
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This standards document includes the new STEELS standards; each standard is hyperlinked to its relevant Foundation Box.
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STEELS Standards Revised May 2023
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- Foundation Boxes
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Foundation Boxes
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Foundation Boxes provide detail for each standard: Clarifying Statements, Disciplinary Core Ideas, Science and Engineering Practices, and Crosscutting Concepts or Technology and Engineering Practices. Foundation boxes also include a PA context, linkage to PA Career Ready Skills, and connections to other PA standards.
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Foundation Boxes
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- Add Curriculum Frameworks: Technology & Engineering Content Item
- Curriculum Frameworks: Technology & Engineering
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Curriculum Framework
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The two Curriculum Framework documents may assist LEAs in designing a standards-based T&E curriculum. The Frameworks are organized by strand and standard - and include essential elements necessary to deepen understanding. -
Technology & Engineering Long Term Transfer Goals
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Technology & Engineering Curriculum Framework K-12
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- Add Curriculum Frameworks: Science Content Item
- Curriculum Frameworks: Science
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Curriculum Framework
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The Curriculum Framework documents are organized by grade level and/or discipline and may assist LEAs in designing a standards-based Science curriculum.
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Science Long Term Transfer Goals
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Kindergarten Science Curriculum Framework
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Grade 1 Science Curriculum Framework
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Grade 2 Science Curriculum Framework
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Grade 3 Science Curriculum Framework
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Grade 4 Science Curriculum Framework
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Grade 5 Science Curriculum Framework
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Middle School Earth and Space Science Curriculum Framework
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Middle School Life Science Curriculum Framework
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Middle School Physical Science Curriculum Framework
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High School Earth Science Curriculum Framework
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High School Life Science Curriculum Framework
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High School Physical Science Curriculum Framework
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- Add Curriculum Frameworks: Environmental Literacy & Sustainability: Coming Soon! Content Item
- Curriculum Frameworks: Environmental Literacy & Sustainability: Coming Soon!
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Curriculum Framework
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Curriculum Frameworks: Environmental Literacy & Sustainability Coming Soon!
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- Instructional Resources
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Instructional Resources
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Instructional resources offer recommendations for selection of instructional materials, strategies for instruction, development of assessments, connections to other content areas, and utilization of anchor phenomena.
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Technology and Engineering Practices
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Examining Factors Associated with Accidents in CTE and STEM Education Labs:
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A National Safety Study -
PBS Design Squad Engineering Design Process Resources
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STEL Lesson Plans
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Helping Students Make Sense of the World Using Next Generation Science and Engineering Practices
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NSTA Classroom Resources
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Phenomena for NGSS
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The Wonder of Science
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Qualities of a Good Anchor Phenomenon for a Coherent Sequence of Science Lessons
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EQuIP Rubric: Using Phenomena (Video)
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Creating a Supportive Context for Teacher Learning
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Science Professional Learning Standards (Council of State Science Supervisors)
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Bozeman NGSS Teaching
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Ambitious Science Teaching
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- Add Curriculum Resources Content Item
- Curriculum Resources
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Curriculum Resources
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Pennsylvania educators developed a set of vetted resources to support curriculum development.
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The National Assessment for Education Progress Technology & Engineering Literacy Framework
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Standards for Technological and Engineering Literacy (STEL)
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Evidence Statements
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NGSS Lesson Screener
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EQUIP Rubric for Science
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NextGen Time
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NGSS Alignment Claims: How Publishers Talk About the Next Generation Science Standards
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NGSS Innovations and Instructional Materials
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A Framework for K-12 Science Education
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Taking Stock of Science Standards Implementation: Proceedings of a Virtual Summit. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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Design, Selection, and Implementation of Instructional Materials for the Next Generation Science Standards: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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Guide to Implementing the Next Generation Science Standards. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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NSTA NGSS Hub
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Taking Stock of Science Standards Implementation: A Summit -- Rural Science Standards Implementation Coffee Talk
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Taking Stock of Science Standards Implementation: A Summit -- Implementation by the Numbers Coffee Talk
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STEM Teaching Tools
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Research
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North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) Research Repository
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National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) Benefits of Environmental Education - (reference list at bottom of page)
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STEL-Based Articles
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An Overview of State Developed P-12 Standards for Technological and Engineering Literacy
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- Add Professional Learning Content Item
- Professional Learning
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Professional Learning
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Recorded training sessions include standards overview, unpacking the standards, structure of the foundation boxes, 3-D teaching & learning, science & engineering practices, cross cutting concepts, cross content connections, integration of environmental literacy and sustainability, phenomena driven instruction, and assessment.
- PDE Training
- Technology & Engineering (T&E) Advisor Brandt Hutzel unpacks the T&E Foundation Boxes and explains how they support instruction and curriculum development.
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- Technology & Engineering (T&E) Advisor Brandt Hutzel unpacks the T&E Standards organization and structure. Brief vignettes illustrate the relationship of the standards to the strands, the related practices, and the contexts.
- Unpacking the Technology and Engineering Standards leads to file
- Unpacking the Technology and Engineering Standards Recorded Webinar opens in new window
- Environment & Ecology Content Advisor Tamara Peffer unpacks the Environmental Literacy & Sustainability Standards organization and structure.
- Unpacking the Environmental Literacy & Sustainability Standards leads to file
- Unpacking the Environmental Literacy & Sustainability Standards Recorded Webinar opens in new window
- Science Content Advisor David Bauman shares the process and progress currently underway in the development and implementation of the new PSSA and Biology Keystone Exam.
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PDE Science Advisor David Bauman unpacks the Foundation Boxes and explains how they support Science, Technology & Engineering, and Environmental Literacy & Sustainability instruction and curriculum development.
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Foundation Boxes Webinar
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STEELS Foundation Boxes Recorded Webinar
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- Add Assessment Content Item
- Assessment
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Assessment Resources
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Access resources for local assessment development as well as updates on state assessments.
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Classroom Science Assessment Examples
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Tennessee District Science Network (TDSciN)
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Steps to Designing a Three Dimensional Assessment
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NGSS 3D Assessment Implementation Modules
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Science Task Prescreen
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Science Task Screener
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A Framework to Evaluate Cognitive Complexity in Science Assessments
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Seeing Students Learn Science: Integrating Assessment and Instruction in the Classroom. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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Developing Assessments for the Next Generation Science Standards. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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Design, Selection, and Implementation of Instructional Materials for the Next Generation Science Standards: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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- Add Safety Guides - Coming Soon! Content Item
- Safety Guides - Coming Soon!
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Safety Guides
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The Pennsylvania Safety Guides provide a convenient reference for Science, Technology & Engineering, and Environmental Literacy & Sustainability (STEELS) educators. The guides include recommended safety practices for classroom, laboratory, and field experiences.
