"Whether your state has adopted the Next Generation Science Standards or will soon revise its own science standards, one thing is clear," writes noted science educator Jeff Marshall. "Change is underway--in what is learned, in how we teach, and in how we assess." This article offers five realizations that point to the potential power of the new science standards. For example, the kind of learning that the standards envision builds toward mastery of challenging performance expectations instead of merely conforming to a checklist of material to cover. Five recommendations can help ensure success as teachers begin to use the new standards in their classrooms. These include starting small, scaffolding change, and giving students opportunities to explore ideas before the formal explanation occurs. Although this new approach to teaching science is not without its challenges, the author affirms that "the success that teachers can experience with all groups of students at all ability levels makes this effort toward transformation worthwhile."