How do I know which Performance Expectations are most important for the Regents exam?

While all PEs are part of the curriculum, the Educator Guides for each specific Regents exam often highlight the most frequently assessed or foundational PEs. Additionally, reviewing the course maps for your subject (e.g., Biology, Chemistry, Physics) can help identify the core PEs that form the backbone of the high school science curriculum.

Should I focus more on content (DCIs) or skills (SEPs) during review?

Effective Regents review requires a balanced approach. Students need a solid understanding of Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs) to answer content-based questions, but they also must be proficient in Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs) to analyze data, construct explanations, and solve problems. The NYSSLS exams assess both, so integrate activities that require students to apply their content knowledge using scientific skills.

How can I make review engaging when focusing on PEs?

Move beyond traditional lecture and recall. Incorporate inquiry-based activities, hands-on investigations, data analysis tasks, and collaborative problem-solving. Use real-world scenarios or phenomena to make the PEs relevant. For example, instead of just defining 'natural selection,' have students analyze data from a simulated population to explain how it occurs (HS-LS4-2).

NYSSLS Regents preparation

How to Use NYSSLS Performance Expectations for Regents Review

Short answer

To effectively use NYSSLS Performance Expectations (PEs) for Regents review, teachers should break down each PE into its core components: Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs), Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs), and Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs). This approach allows for targeted review that addresses both content knowledge and the scientific skills students need to demonstrate on the exam, fostering deeper understanding beyond rote memorization.

Deconstruct Performance Expectations

Each NYSSLS Performance Expectation (PE) is a three-dimensional statement combining a Science and Engineering Practice (SEP), a Disciplinary Core Idea (DCI), and a Crosscutting Concept (CCC). For Regents review, begin by deconstructing each relevant PE. Identify the specific scientific concept (DCI), the skill students must demonstrate (SEP), and the overarching theme connecting different science disciplines (CCC). This breakdown helps clarify what students are expected to know and be able to do, moving beyond simple recall to a deeper understanding of scientific inquiry and principles.

For example, a PE like HS-LS1-5 (Photosynthesis) requires students to construct and revise an explanation (SEP) based on evidence for how carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen from sugar molecules may combine with other elements to form amino acids and/or other large carbon-based molecules (DCI) through the cycling of matter and flow of energy (CCC). A review activity should therefore not just cover the steps of photosynthesis, but also require students to explain the process using evidence and connect it to broader concepts of matter and energy cycling. This ensures students are prepared to tackle questions that demand both content knowledge and the application of scientific practices.

Another example could be HS-PS1-2, which asks students to construct and revise an explanation for the outcome of a simple chemical reaction based on the outermost electron states of atoms, trends in the periodic table, and knowledge of the patterns of chemical properties. Here, students must use the SEP of 'Constructing Explanations,' the DCI related to 'Structure and Properties of Matter,' and the CCC of 'Patterns' to predict and explain chemical behavior, rather than just memorizing reaction types.

Align Review Activities to Each Dimension

Once PEs are deconstructed, design review activities that explicitly target each of the three dimensions. For SEPs, incorporate tasks that require students to analyze data, construct explanations, or engage in argumentation. Instead of simply recalling facts, students should apply their knowledge to solve problems or interpret scientific phenomena. This active engagement mirrors the demands of the Regents exam, where students must demonstrate scientific reasoning and problem-solving skills, not just factual recall.

For DCIs, focus on conceptual understanding rather than isolated facts. Use graphic organizers, concept mapping, or summary writing to help students connect related ideas within a DCI. For CCCs, prompt students to identify patterns, cause and effect relationships, or systems and system models across different topics. For instance, when reviewing HS-LS2-5 (The Carbon Cycle), emphasize how carbon cycles through various reservoirs (DCI), requiring students to model the process (SEP) and recognize it as a system (CCC). This integrated approach ensures that students develop a holistic understanding of scientific concepts and their interconnections.

Practical examples for aligning activities include having students design an experiment to test a hypothesis (SEP), explain the process of natural selection using evidence from a provided dataset (DCI and SEP), or identify how energy flows through an ecosystem as a system (CCC). These types of activities move beyond traditional multiple-choice questions and encourage deeper cognitive engagement, preparing students for the complex tasks found on the Regents exam.

Utilize Educator Guides for Specific Exam Insights

New York State Education Department (NYSED) provides Educator Guides for each science Regents examination. These guides offer invaluable insights into the structure, content, and types of questions students can expect. They often include sample questions that directly illustrate how PEs are assessed, providing concrete examples of how the three dimensions are integrated into exam items. Teachers should consult these guides to understand the specific nuances of how each PE might be tested and to align their review strategies accordingly.

For example, the Educator Guide for the Regents Examination in Life Science: Biology might provide examples of how students are expected to use models to explain complex biological processes, directly linking to SEPs like 'Developing and Using Models.' By reviewing these examples, teachers can refine their review strategies to better prepare students for the format and rigor of the actual exam, ensuring that students are familiar with the types of evidence and reasoning required.

Similarly, the Educator Guide for Physical Science: Chemistry might showcase how students are expected to analyze data from an experiment to draw conclusions about chemical reactions, directly addressing the SEP of 'Analyzing and Interpreting Data.' These guides are essential resources for understanding the assessment expectations and for designing targeted review sessions that address the specific skills and knowledge students need to demonstrate for success on the Regents examinations.

Integrate Cross-Disciplinary Connections

The NYSSLS emphasizes the interconnectedness of scientific disciplines through Crosscutting Concepts. During Regents review, highlight how concepts learned in one area, such as energy transfer, apply across biology, chemistry, and physics. This helps students build a more cohesive understanding of science and prepares them for questions that may draw on knowledge from multiple domains, reflecting the integrated nature of scientific inquiry.

For example, the concept of 'Energy and Matter' (a CCC) is central to understanding photosynthesis in biology (HS-LS1-5), chemical reactions in chemistry (HS-PS1-4), and energy transformations in physics (HS-PS3-1). Designing review tasks that explicitly ask students to identify and explain these connections will strengthen their ability to apply CCCs, a key aspect of the NYSSLS framework and a common feature of Regents exam questions that require students to synthesize information across disciplines.

Another powerful CCC is 'Systems and System Models.' When reviewing the human body in biology, students can model it as a system with interacting components. In chemistry, they can view a chemical reaction as a system where matter and energy are conserved. In Earth science, the climate can be understood as a complex system. Encouraging students to identify and analyze these systems across different scientific contexts fosters a deeper, more transferable understanding of scientific principles.

Practice with Regents-Style Questions and Tasks

Beyond conceptual review, it is crucial to provide students with ample practice using Regents-style questions and tasks. This familiarizes them with the format, language, and expectations of the actual exam. Incorporate questions that require multi-step reasoning, data analysis, and the construction of evidence-based arguments, rather than just simple recall. This type of practice helps students develop the stamina and critical thinking skills necessary for success.

Utilize released Regents exam questions and sample items from the NYSED Educator Guides to create practice tests or targeted review assignments. Focus on questions that explicitly assess the three dimensions of the NYSSLS. For instance, a question might present a graph of experimental data and ask students to interpret the patterns (CCC), draw a conclusion (SEP), and relate it to a specific biological process (DCI). This integrated approach to practice reinforces the connections between content and skills.

Encourage students to articulate their reasoning and justify their answers, even for multiple-choice questions. This can be done through peer discussions, written explanations, or think-aloud strategies. Providing feedback on their reasoning, not just the correctness of their answers, helps students refine their scientific communication and argumentation skills, which are vital for demonstrating proficiency on the Regents exam.

Related NYSSLS standards

Common questions

How do I know which Performance Expectations are most important for the Regents exam?: While all PEs are part of the curriculum, the Educator Guides for each specific Regents exam often highlight the most frequently assessed or foundational PEs. Additionally, reviewing the course maps for your subject (e.g., Biology, Chemistry, Physics) can help identify the core PEs that form the backbone of the high school science curriculum.
Should I focus more on content (DCIs) or skills (SEPs) during review?: Effective Regents review requires a balanced approach. Students need a solid understanding of Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs) to answer content-based questions, but they also must be proficient in Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs) to analyze data, construct explanations, and solve problems. The NYSSLS exams assess both, so integrate activities that require students to apply their content knowledge using scientific skills.
How can I make review engaging when focusing on PEs?: Move beyond traditional lecture and recall. Incorporate inquiry-based activities, hands-on investigations, data analysis tasks, and collaborative problem-solving. Use real-world scenarios or phenomena to make the PEs relevant. For example, instead of just defining 'natural selection,' have students analyze data from a simulated population to explain how it occurs (HS-LS4-2).