The Living Environment Regents is the New York State Regents examination that culminates after one year of the study of secondary-level high school Biology.
The format of the exam tends to be structured as follows:
- Part A: 30 multiple choice (general biology content)
- Part B-1: 13 multiple choice (general lab skills & general biology content)
- Part B-2: 12 short answer (general lab skills & general biology content)
- Part C: 15 short answer (general biology content applied to real world)
- Part D: 15 multiple choice & short answer (4 required labs)
Total points available (raw score): 85 points
Total points available (raw score): 85 points: This exam is known for having a negative curve at the mastery grades (85 – 89). This means that more than for every one point of raw score missed, more than one point of scaled score is lost.
Recent (January 2016) raw-to-scaled score conversions:
- 74 – 85 points: 90 – 100
- 67 – 73 points: 85 – 89
- 59 – 66 points: 80 – 84
- 46 – 58 points: 70 – 79
- 40 – 45 points: 65 – 69
- Below 40 points: failing
Required Units for the Living Environment Regents
Unit 1: Science and the Living Environment:
- Scientific method
- Controlled experiments
- Graphing
- Characteristics of good experimentation
Unit 2: Characteristics of Living Things
- Chemistry (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, enzymes, acids and bases)
- Homeostasis, metabolism, and life processes (including photosynthesis and respiration)
- Cells
Unit 3: Homeostasis and the Human Body
- Organization
- Human body systems
- Diseases and disorders
Unit 4: Reproduction
- Mitosis and meiosis
- Asexual and sexual reproduction
- Human reproduction and development
Unit 5: Genetics
- Genetic code and protein synthesis
- Genetic technology
Unit 6: Evolution
- Natural selection
- Speciation
- Gradualism vs Punctuated Equilibrium
- Evidence for evolution
- Classification
Unit 7: Ecology
- Interactions between organisms
- Food chains and food webs
- Biodiversity
- Human impact on the environment
Unit 8: State Required Labs
- Making Connections (Clothespin Lab)
- Relationships and Biodiversity (Botana curus lab)
- Beaks of Finches
- Diffusion Through a Membrane