Life Science: Biology · Natural Selection and Evolution

HS-LS4-4Adaptation of Populations

Performance expectation

Construct an explanation based on evidence for how natural selection leads to adaptation of populations.

What NYSED says about assessing it

Clarification statement

Emphasis is on using data to provide evidence for how specific biotic and abiotic differences in ecosystems (such as ranges of seasonal temperature, long-term climate change, acidity, light, geographic barriers, or evolution of other organisms) contribute to a change in gene frequency over time, leading to adaptation of populations.

The three dimensions

Every item written to HS-LS4-4 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

Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions

Disciplinary core ideas
  • LS4.C: Adaptation
Crosscutting concepts
  • Cause and Effect

Related performance expectations

Generate a cluster for HS-LS4-4

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.