The New York State P-12 Science Learning Standards, adopted in 2016, are based on guiding documents (A Framework for K-12 Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards) grounded in the most current research in science and scientific learning. They reflect the importance of every student’s engagement with natural scientific phenomena at the nexus of three dimensions of learning: Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs), Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs), and Cross-Cutting Concepts (CCCs). Performance expectations are the way to integrate the three dimensions guiding student sense-making of science as discussed in the New York State P-12 Science Learning Standards Introduction. 

Science and Engineering Practices

Science and Engineering Practices describe what scientists do to investigate the natural world and what engineers do to design and build systems. The practices better explain and extend what is meant by “inquiry” in science and the range of cognitive, social, and physical practices that it requires. Students engage in practices to build, deepen, and apply their knowledge of core ideas and crosscutting concepts.

Disciplinary Core Ideas

Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs) are the key ideas in science that have broad importance within or across multiple science or engineering disciplines. These core ideas build on each other as students progress through grade levels and are grouped into the following four domains: Physical Science, Life Science, Earth and Space Science, and Engineering.

Crosscutting Concepts

Crosscutting Concepts help students explore connections across the four domains of science, including Physical Science, Life Science, Earth and Space Science, and Engineering Design.

When these concepts, such as “cause and effect”, are made explicit for students, they can help students develop a coherent and scientifically-based view of the world around them.

The NYSSLS Quick Guide is a concise tool designed to help educators decode the structure of the NYS P-12 Science Learning Standards. It breaks down each section of the document, explaining how to read and interpret the Performance Expectations to ensure a clear understanding of the three dimensions of learning in addition to finding the alignment of ELA and math standards.