The "Next Generation Science Standards'" three dimensions--disciplinary core ideas (DCIs), science and engineering practices (SEPs), and crosscutting concepts (CCs)--were headliners at NSTA's national conference in Chicago and featured in many of the organization's other professional-development efforts this year (NGSS Lead States 2013). To some, the idea of DCIs, SEPs, and CCs may seem obvious and not all that new. There are, in fact, however several major differences in how the new standards portray science education. These differences call for substantial shifts in terms of learning goals, instructional strategies, and assessment. This article highlights what is new and different about each dimension. Much of what is discussed in this article draws directly from "A Framework for K-12 Science Education (NRC 2012)," which guided the development of the NGSS and is the foundation for the new standards. Readers are urged to turn to the Framework when trying to understand the three dimensions and the standards.