Boost your school's regents average where it's slumping: The reference tables questions.
Make the reference tables accessible to all your students with these easily-digestible, teen-friendly guides.
- Step-by-step instructions in clear, teen-friendly terms explaining how to read each one of the charts on the Earth Science and Chemistry reference tables.
- Important instructions on how to answer the regents questions (like not to write ° F on the station model, and although Table G works with 100g of water, the regents might ask about 50g or 200g and how students should handle that).
- Notes on keyword recognition - so students know when to use a reference table even if it's not explicitly mentioned in the exam.
- Sample regents questions on each of the tables at the end of each section, along with answers and brief explanations.
- A table listing hundreds of further practice questions by date of appearance and reference table used.
What's inside?
21,454 students in over 100 schools across New York State
are currently using the
Clear & Simple Reference Tables Guides!
"I order new class sets at the start of every school year."
“Ms. Finkel's resources are great. Not only are the tables clearly and precisely explained, but there are plenty of practice questions on each table for students to attempt. "I order new class sets of both books at the start of every school year. We allow the students to keep their own copies and write all over them. The feedback from the teachers has always been extremely positive; they find the books very useful.” - Ms. Petra Frantova, Assistant Principal of Harry S. Truman High School; Bronx, NY.NYSTL Approved
Find the guides on ShopDOE.
Are you from outside NYC?
Get them with purchase orders via your state funding.
Going Digital?
Both guides are available as ebooks.- Straight-forward online reader (It will take you and your students minutes to figure out how to use it.)
- Note-taking area (Your students can type quick summaries, explanations and points they want to return to later.)
- Bookmarks (No frustrating flipping or wondering "Where did we leave off last time?")
- Highlighting (Your students can color-code words or phrases for added clarity.)
- Zoom function and screen reader (Students with visual or auditory challenges can adjust the experience to suit them.)
How do the guides also help special education students?
Scant Surprises
Literal learners are often thrown by the different ways reference tables questions present themselves on the test. The guides present multiple ways students can be tested on the same material. Literal learners who study with the guides will have far fewer surprises.
Just One Job
Unlike most textbooks which focus on the reference tables in a general way and then move on to other material, the guides are exclusively focused on one task: making the reference tables crystal-clear for your students.
Bite-sized Bits
The tables are broken down into tiny bite-sized bits and step-by-step instructions. Your students will finally be able to process the reference tables one small piece of information at a time.
Teen Talk
Figuring out the reference tables is hard enough for a special-ed student. The LAST thing they need are explanations with difficult words that they don't understand. The guides are written in teen-friendly, conversational English, making the reference tables easier to comprehend, not harder.
Eliminate Errors
Important notes are inserted, pointing out where the chart is presented differently from the way students are used to seeing it. For example: Your students are accustomed to finding 0° longitude in the center of world maps. In the reference tables, 0° longitude is not in the center of the world maps depicting ocean currents and tectonic plates.
Practice Plenty
There are plenty of practice questions, presenting the information in a myriad of different formats. You won't have to search your way through past papers to locate the questions you need. And if you still need more questions for practice, there is a handy chart listing hundreds of questions sorted by reference table and date they appeared in the regents, so you know right away where to find them.
Invaluable Aid
“Unearthing the Reference Tables is an invaluable aid in deciphering the Earth Science reference tables - a key part in doing well on the New York State Earth Science regents.”- Ms. Fay Lipson, Earth Science teacher; BY High School of Spring Valley, NY
Couldn't Have Succeeded Without
"Without Bonding with the Reference Tables, I would not have understood the tables well enough to get good marks on the questions that use them." - Molly Finley, Chemistry student; Vichna K. High School; Brooklyn, NY
Have a classroom full of high-achievers?
Even teachers with students who are high achievers report that the Clear & Simple Reference Tables Guides significantly improve their classes by shifting the focus from teacher-centric to student-centric learning: "Although I've taught for many years, can teach use of the reference tables successfully, and my students are high-performers, I have still found Ms. Finkel's books extremely valuable. "Before we used them, my teaching of the reference tables would be very teacher-centric. I'd model the questions and explain how to dissect them. But now, my students are far more independent. They learn to navigate and explain the tables with far less spoon-feeding from me. "The Clear & Simple Reference Tables Guides are student-friendly resources that help to build skill and capacity to answer the reference tables questions." - Mr. Lourdiny Exume, Robert H. Goddard High School of Communications Arts and Technology; Queens, NYHi, I'm Yocheved Finkel 👋
Several years ago, a month before the regents, I was stuck in a car for the nine hour drive between New York and Toronto. It was almost June, so I decided to start putting together a review booklet for my students. I had noticed on tests that, for some reason, many of my students tended to get reference tables-based questions wrong. It seemed such a pity - the answers were right there in front of them during the test! So, I took out my laptop and my Earth Science reference tables and began to work on a reference tables guide. I typed... and typed… and typed. I had originally intended to make a brief, 4-5 page booklet. But I did not realize just how much there was to explain on each table until I got down to it. Three hours and 4 tables later, my laptop died. When I arrived back home, I finished the task I had begun. I named it Unearthing the Reference Tables. I sold thousands of copies across New York State over a short period of time! The terrific feedback from teachers and their requests of "the same for Chemistry!" encouraged me to create the Chemistry reference tables guide. I called it Bonding with the Reference Tables. This is how the Clear & Simple Reference Tables Guides were born.
