This workshop builds on the Fall 2025 "What Now" session and is designed for educators who have transitioned to an NYSSLS-aligned Biology course and are seeking deeper support for curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Version 2 expands the work to focus on curriculum and instructional design, the fundamentals of classroom versus Regents assessment, and the strategic use of AI to support teacher implementation.

Regardless of the curriculum your district uses to meet NYSSLS Biology expectations, we will unpack the why, how, and what behind the instructional shifts. The emphasis is on clarity, purpose, and the rationale for these standards and how they shape coherent science learning across K-12.

NYSSLS raises expectations for both students and educators. Today's learners are expected to learn science by actively engaging in the practices of science: asking questions, developing models, analyzing data, and applying core ideas to real-world phenomena. This work moves beyond memorization toward sense-making grounded in evidence and explanation.

Participants will leave with practical, three-dimensional strategies that can be implemented immediately.

Included:

• -Collaborating using AI tools to design units and lessons aligned to NYSSLS performance expectations
• -Reviewing core principles behind the instructional shifts required by NYSSLS
• -Exploring how NYSED assessment clusters are built around novel phenomena
• -Analyzing an LS: Biology Regents Exam cluster
• -Applying strategies that support learners across a wide range of abilities

B.Y.O.D. - Bring a fully charged laptop, iPad, or tablet.

Note: Participants must drop their registration on Frontline/MLP at least 7 days prior to the start date. Failure to cancel within this timeframe will result in billing to the participant/district.

The NYSSLS-based Earth and Space Sciences Regents exam has raised the bar for students, posing challenges far beyond the former MST Physical Setting/Earth Science Regents exams. Designed around three-dimensional learning, the ESS Regents exam requires students not only to know science content, but to think like scientists and make sense of novel scientific scenarios.

In this workshop, we'll take a clear, practical look at New York State's assessment system and unpack how ESS Regents question clusters are structured and how they differ from classroom assessments. We'll examine the ESS Reference Tables through real exam examples to show how students are expected to use them as sense-making tools rather than for simple look-ups.

Participants will explore effective, classroom-ready strategies to strengthen students' test-taking skills and confidence.

Included:

• -Identifying how the NYSSLS-based ESS Regents exam assesses students differently than prior exams
• -How student assessment is a component of curriculum and instruction
• -Principles of Regents question clusters and how they differ from classroom assessments
• -Differences in how the ESS Reference Tables are used in assessments
• -How Performance Level Descriptions align with performance expectations
• -Using AI to assist in constructing classroom and Regents-style assessments
• -Collaboratively constructing a Regents-style question cluster
• -Reviewing strategies to improve testing skills
• -Developing a presentation to help students apply these strategies

B.Y.O.D. - Bring a fully charged laptop, iPad, or tablet.

Note: Participants must drop registration on Frontline/MLP at least 7 days prior. Failure to cancel will result in billing.

The NYSSLS-based LS: Biology Regents exam has raised the bar for students, presenting challenges well beyond those of the former Living Environment Regents. This exam is designed to meet the expectations of three-dimensional (3D) learning, requiring students not only to acquire scientific knowledge but also to think like scientists and make sense of novel scientific scenarios.

We will take a clear, practical look at New York State's Educational Assessment Strategy and how it can build 3D skills. This approach uses multiple types of assessments to gauge student progress, tailor instruction, identify strengths and weaknesses, and evaluate mastery. We will discuss the student skills needed to break down and understand the LS: Biology clusters on the Regents exam.

Participants will explore how the clusters in the Biology Regents exam are structured and developed, and how they differ from classroom techniques used to assess 3D learning.

Topics include:

• -How the Regents exams are based on the NYSSLS and Performance Level Descriptions (PLDs)
• -The role of assessment as a component of curriculum and instruction
• -Using AI to construct Regents-style classroom assessments
• -Reviewing past Regents clusters to demonstrate how they are developed
• -Strategies to enhance the testing skills necessary to navigate Regents question clusters
• -Developing a Google Slides presentation to help students practice skills using released clusters
• -Collaboratively constructing a Regents-style question cluster using PLDs

B.Y.O.D. - Bring a fully charged laptop, iPad, or tablet.

Note: Participants must drop their registration on Frontline/MLP at least 7 days prior. Failure to cancel will result in billing to the participant/district.