NY High School Earth and Space Science Learning Standards
The first administration of the new NYS Regents earth and space science exam, which assesses students on the performance expectations below, is planned for June 2025 (per the NYSED science implementation roadmap).
The performance expectations are listed as they appear on the course map for courses that culminate in an earth and space science Regents exam. There are a total of 25 performance expectations on the course map.
The performance expectations are listed in the exact order they appear on the course map. However, the course map notes that "instructional sequences are not assumed" and "student performance expectations (PEs) may be taught in any sequence or grouping within a course".
HS. Space Systems
HS-ESS1-1 | Nuclear fusion and the Sun's energy
Develop a model based on evidence to illustrate the life span of the Sun and the role of nuclear fusion in the Sun’s core to release energy that eventually reaches Earth in the form of radiation.
Clarification statement: Emphasis is on the energy transfer mechanisms that allow energy from nuclear fusion in the Sun’s core to reach Earth. Examples of evidence for the model could include observations of the masses and lifetimes of other stars, as well as the ways that the Sun’s radiation varies due to sudden solar flares (“space weather”), the 11-year sunspot cycle, and non-cyclic variations over centuries.
Assessment boundary: Assessment does not include details of the atomic and sub-atomic processes involved with the Sun’s nuclear fusion.
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HS-ESS1-2 | The Big Bang Theory
Construct an explanation of the Big Bang theory based on astronomical evidence of light spectra,
motion of distant galaxies, and composition of matter in the universe.
Clarification statement: Emphasis is on the astronomical evidence of the red shift of light from galaxies as an indication that the universe is currently expanding at an accelerated rate, the cosmic microwave background as the remnant radiation from the Big Bang, and the observed composition of ordinary matter of the universe, primarily found in stars and interstellar gases (from the spectra of electromagnetic radiation from stars), which matches that predicted by the Big Bang theory (3/4 hydrogen and 1/4 helium).
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HS-ESS1-3 | Stellar nucleosynthesis
Communicate scientific ideas about the way stars, over their life cycle, produce elements.
Clarification statement: Emphasis is on how nucleosynthesis varies as a function of the mass of a star and the stage of its lifetime.
Assessment boundary: Details of the many different nucleosynthesis pathways for stars of differing masses are not assessed.
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HS-ESS1-4 | Orbital motions
Use mathematical or computational representations to predict the motion of orbiting objects in the
solar system.
Clarification statement: Emphasis is on Newtonian gravitational laws governing orbital motions, which apply to human-made satellites as well as planets and moons.
Assessment boundary: Mathematical representations for the gravitational attraction of bodies and Kepler’s Laws of orbital motions should not deal with more than two bodies, nor involve calculus.
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HS. History of Earth
HS-ESS1-5 | Evidence of plate tectonics
Evaluate evidence of the past and current movements of continental and oceanic crust and the theory of
plate tectonics to explain the ages of crustal rocks.
Clarification statement: Emphasis is on the ability of plate tectonics to explain the ages of crustal rocks. Examples include evidence of the ages of oceanic crust increasing with distance from mid-ocean ridges as a result of plate spreading and that the North American continental crust contains a much older central ancient core compared to the surrounding continental crust as a result of complex and numerous plate interactions.
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HS-ESS1-6 | Orbital motions
Apply scientific reasoning and evidence from ancient Earth materials, meteorites, and other planetary
surfaces to construct an account of Earth’s formation and early history.
Clarification statement: Emphasis is on using available evidence within the solar system to reconstruct the early history of Earth, which formed along with the rest of the solar system 4.6 billion years ago. Examples of evidence include the absolute ages of ancient materials (obtained by radiometric dating of meteorites, moon rocks, and Earth’s rocks and minerals), the sizes and compositions of solar system objects, and the impact cratering record of planetary surfaces.
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HS. Space Systems (cont.)
HS-ESS1-7 | Cyclic changes
Construct an explanation using evidence to support the claim that the phases of the moon, eclipses, tides and seasons change cyclically.
Clarification statement: Emphasis of the explanation should include how the relative positions of the moon in its orbit, Earth, and the Sun cause different phases, types of eclipses or strength of tides. Examples of evidence could include various representations of relative positions of the Sun, Earth and moon.
Assessment boundary: Assessment does not include mathematical computations to support explanations but rather relies on conceptual modeling using diagrams to show how celestial bodies interact to create these cyclical changes.
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HS. History of Earth (cont.)
HS-ESS2-1 | Creation of landforms
Develop a model to illustrate how Earth’s internal and surface processes operate at different spatial and
temporal scales to form continental and ocean-floor features.
Clarification statement: Emphasis is on how the appearance of land features (such as mountains, valleys, and plateaus) and sea-floor features (such as trenches, ridges, and seamounts) are a result of both constructive processes (such as volcanism, tectonic uplift, and deposition) and destructive processes (such as weathering, subduction, and coastal erosion).
Assessment boundary: Assessment does not include recalling the details of the formation of specific geographic features of Earth’s surface.
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HS. Earth’s Systems
HS-ESS2-2 | Feedback in Earth's systems
Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth’s surface can create feedbacks that
cause changes to Earth’s systems.
Clarification statement: Examples should include climate feedbacks, such as how an increase in greenhouse gases causes a rise in global temperatures that melts glacial ice, which reduces the amount of sunlight reflected from Earth’s surface, increasing surface temperatures and further reducing the amount of ice. Examples could also be taken from other system interactions, such as how the loss of ground vegetation causes an increase in water runoff and soil erosion; how dammed rivers increase groundwater recharge, decrease sediment transport, and increase coastal erosion; or how the loss of wetlands causes a decrease in local humidity that further reduces the wetland extent.
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HS-ESS2-3 | Cycling of matter in the Earth's interior
Develop a model based on evidence of Earth’s interior to describe the cycling of matter by thermal
convection.
Clarification statement: Emphasis is on both a one-dimensional model of Earth, with radial layers determined by density, and a three- dimensional model, which is controlled by mantle convection and the resulting plate tectonics. Rocks and minerals can be identified and classified using various tests and protocols that determine their physical and chemical properties. Examples of evidence include maps of Earth’s three-dimensional structure obtained from seismic waves, records of the rate of change of Earth’s magnetic field (as constraints on convection in the outer core), and identification of the composition of Earth’s layers from high-pressure laboratory experiments.
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HS-ESS2-5 | Interactions of the hydrologic and rock cycles
Plan and conduct an investigation of the properties of water and its effects on Earth materials and
surface processes.
Clarification statement: Emphasis is on mechanical and chemical investigations with water and a variety of solid materials to provide the evidence for connections between the hydrologic cycle and system interactions commonly known as the rock cycle. Examples of mechanical investigations include stream transportation (erosion) and deposition using a stream table, infiltration and runoff by measuring permeability and porosity of different materials, or frost wedging by the expansion of water as it freezes. Examples of chemical investigations include chemical weathering and recrystallization (by testing the solubility of different materials) or melt generation (by examining how water lowers the melting temperature of most solids).
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HS-ESS2-6 | Carbon cycling in Earth's systems
Develop a quantitative model to describe the cycling of carbon among the hydrosphere, atmosphere,
geosphere, and biosphere.
Clarification statement: Emphasis is on modeling biogeochemical cycles that include the cycling of carbon through the ocean, atmosphere, soil, and biosphere (including humans), providing the foundation for living organisms.
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HS-ESS2-7 | Coevolution of life and Earth's systems
Construct an argument based on evidence about the coevolution of Earth’s systems and life on Earth.
Clarification statement: Emphasis is on the dynamic causes, effects, and feedbacks between the biosphere and Earth’s other systems, whereby geoscience factors control the evolution of life, which in turn continuously alters Earth’s surface. Examples include how the outgassing of water from Earth’s interior caused the development of Earth’s early oceans leading to the evolution of microorganisms and stromatolites; how photosynthetic life altered the atmosphere through the production of oxygen, which in turn increased weathering rates and allowed for the evolution of animal life; how microbial life on land increased the formation of soil, which in turn allowed for the evolution of land plants; or how the evolution of corals created reefs that altered patterns of erosion and deposition along coastlines and provided habitats for the evolution of new life forms.
Assessment boundary: Assessment does not include a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms of how the biosphere interacts with all of Earth’s other systems.
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HS. Weather and Climate
HS-ESS2-4 | Energy variation and climate change
Use a model to describe how variations in the flow of energy into and out of Earth’s systems result in
changes in climate.
Clarification statement: Examples of the causes of climate change differ by timescale, over 1-10 years: large volcanic eruption, ocean circulation; 10-100s of years: changes in human activity, ocean circulation, solar output; 10-100s of thousands of years: changes to Earth's orbit and the orientation of its axis; and 10-100s of millions of years: long-term changes in atmospheric composition and plate tectonic movement.
Assessment boundary: Assessment of the results of changes in climate is limited to changes in surface temperatures, precipitation patterns, glacial ice volumes, sea levels, and biosphere distribution.
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HS-ESS2-8 | Air masses, fronts, and weather
Evaluate data and communicate information to explain how the movement and interactions of air masses
result in changes in weather conditions.
Clarification statement: Examples of evidence sources could include station models, surface weather maps, satellite images, radar, and accepted forecast models. Emphasis should focus on communicating how the uneven heating of Earth’s surface and prevailing global winds drive the movement of air masses and their corresponding circulation patterns, the interaction of different air masses at frontal boundaries, and resulting weather phenomena.
Assessment boundary: Analysis is limited to surface weather maps and general weather patterns associated with high and low pressure systems.
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HS-ESS3-5 | Climate change and future impacts
Analyze geoscience data and the results from global climate models to make an evidence-based
forecast of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth
systems.
Clarification statement: Examples of evidence, for both data and climate model outputs, are for climate changes (such as precipitation and temperature) and their associated impacts (such as on sea level, glacial ice volumes, or atmosphere and ocean composition).
Assessment boundary: Assessment is limited to one example of a climate change and its associated impacts.
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HS. Human Sustainability
HS-ESS3-1 | Global impacts on human activity
Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of
natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.
Clarification statement: Examples of key natural resources include access to fresh water (such as rivers, lakes, and groundwater), regions of fertile soils such as river deltas, and high concentrations of minerals and fossil fuels. Examples of natural hazards can be from interior processes (such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes), surface processes (such as tsunamis, mass wasting and soil erosion), and severe weather (such as blizzards, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and droughts). Examples of the results of changes in climate that can affect populations or drive mass migrations include changes to sea level, regional patterns of temperature and precipitation, and the types of crops and livestock that can be raised.
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HS-ESS3-2 | Cost-benefit ratio design solutions
Evaluate competing design solutions for developing, managing, and utilizing energy and mineral
resources based on cost-benefit ratios.
Clarification statement: Emphasis is on the conservation, recycling, and reuse of resources (such as minerals and metals) where possible, and on minimizing impacts where it is not. Examples include developing best practices for agricultural soil use, mining (for coal, tar sands, and oil shales), and pumping (for petroleum and natural gas). Science knowledge indicates what can happen in natural systems—not what should happen.
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HS-ESS3-3 | Biodiversity, natural resources, and human sustainability
Create a computational simulation to illustrate the relationships among management of natural
resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity.
Clarification statement: Examples of factors that affect the management of natural resources include costs of resource extraction and waste management, per-capita consumption, and the development of new technologies. Examples of factors that affect human sustainability include agricultural efficiency, levels of conservation, and urban planning.
Assessment boundary: Assessment for computational simulations is limited to using provided multi-parameter programs or constructing simplified spreadsheet calculations.
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HS-ESS3-4 | Reducing human impact design solutions
Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems.
Clarification statement: Examples of data on the impacts of human activities could include the quantities and types of pollutants released, changes to biomass and species diversity, or areal changes in land surface use (such as for urban development, agriculture and livestock, or surface mining). Examples for limiting future impacts could range from local efforts (such as reducing, reusing, and recycling resources) to large-scale geoengineering design solutions (such as altering global temperatures by making large changes to the atmosphere or ocean).
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HS-ESS3-6 | Human impacts on Earth systems
Use a computational representation to illustrate the relationships among Earth systems and how those
relationships are being modified due to human activity.
Clarification statement: Examples of Earth systems to be considered are the hydrosphere, atmosphere, cryosphere, geosphere, and/or biosphere. An example of the far-reaching impacts from a human activity is how an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide results in an increase in photosynthetic biomass on land and an increase in ocean acidification, with resulting impacts on sea organism health and marine populations.
Assessment boundary: Assessment does not include running computational representations but is limited to using the published results of scientific computational models.
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HS. Engineering Design
HS-ETS1-1
Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.
HS-ETS1-2
Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable problems that can be solved through engineering.
HS-ETS1-3
Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts.
HS-ETS1-4
Use a computer simulation to model the impact of proposed solutions to a complex real-world problem with numerous criteria and constraints on interactions within and between systems relevant to the problem.