What are the 3 Dimensions of Learning that appear in NYSSLS?

NYSSLS is driving students to understand how to work with science and communicate their ideas. We are no longer looking for fact memorization, but for conceptual understanding. Therefore, students will need instruction on three primary areas:



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• Disciplinary Core Ideas: The scientific concepts that students need to be able to understand, explain, and communicate. The DCIs are the fundamental ideas needed to understand science disciplines. 
• Science and Engineering Practices: The methods students use to understand the DCIs including asking questions, developing models, planning and carrying out investigations, analyzing and interpreting data, mathematical and computational thinking, constructing explanations and designing solutions, and arguing with evidence. These SEPs are the ways students interact with science. They are behaviors or skills scientists, and in turn, students, use to investigate and solve problems. 
• Cross Cutting Concepts: These concepts are a way of relating all of the sciences together. These CCCs can show students that all science has fundamental building blocks and questions that need to be asked. These CCCs help students investigate science and find solutions. The CCCs include cause and effect; structure and function; systems and system models; scale, proportion and quantity; stability and change; energy and matter; and patterns. Students will use these to better engage with science and find connections between multiple courses and year of science study.

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