Life Science: Biology · Structure and Function

HS-LS1-2Hierarchical Body Systems

Performance expectation

Develop and use a model to illustrate the hierarchical organization of interacting systems that provide specific functions within multicellular organisms.

What NYSED says about assessing it

Clarification statement

Emphasis is on functions at the organism's system level such as nutrient uptake, water delivery, immune response, and organism response to stimuli. An example of an interacting system could be an artery depending on the proper function of elastic tissue and smooth muscle to regulate and deliver the proper amount of blood within the circulatory system.

Assessment boundary

Assessment does not include interactions and functions at the molecular or chemical reaction level.

The three dimensions

Every item written to HS-LS1-2 has to assess all three dimensions together, not the content alone. This is the structural change that made older practice material stop matching the exam.

Science & engineering practice

Developing and Using Models

Disciplinary core ideas
  • LS1.A: Structure and Function
Crosscutting concepts
  • Systems and System Models

Related performance expectations

Generate a cluster for HS-LS1-2

Phenomenon stimulus, connected items across the required types, answer key, rubric and figures drawn deterministically from a structured spec — in the format your students will sit.