Life Science: Biology · Natural Selection and Evolution

HS-LS4-5Environmental Change and Speciation

Performance expectation

Evaluate the evidence supporting claims that changes in environmental conditions may result in: (1) increases in the number of individuals of some species, (2) the emergence of new species over time, and (3) the extinction of other species.

What NYSED says about assessing it

Clarification statement

Emphasis is on determining cause and effect relationships for how changes to the environment such as deforestation, fishing, introduction of invasive species, application of fertilizers, drought, flood, and the rate of change of the environment affect distribution or disappearance of traits in species.

The three dimensions

Every item written to HS-LS4-5 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

Engaging in Argument from Evidence

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

Related performance expectations

Generate a cluster for HS-LS4-5

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.