HS-LS1-3 | Homeostasis and Feedback
Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that feedback mechanisms maintain homeostasis
Clarification statement: Examples of investigations could include heart rate response to exercise, stomate response to moisture and temperature, and root development in response to water levels.
Assessment boundary: Assessment does not include the cellular processes involved in the feedback mechanism.
Assessment
What assessment of HS-LS1-3 might look like on a NY state exam.
Performance Level Descriptions
PLDs communicate the knowledge and skills expected of students to demonstrate proficiency in each Learning Standard. NYS assessments classify student performance into one of five levels.
Vocabulary
Terms from the Biology Glossary that come from this standard or from the released exam questions that assess it.
- antibiotic
- behavior
- claim
- disease
- feedback mechanism
- heart rate
- homeostasis
- internal and external conditions
- investigation
- living system
- negative feedback
- positive feedback
- root development
- stability and change
- stomata response
- stomate
- structure and function
- vaccination
- average – Aug 2026
- blood – June 2026, Jan 2026, June 2025
- body temperature – June 2026
- breathing rate – June 2026
- carbon – Aug 2025
- carrying capacity – June 2025
- cell – June 2026, Jan 2026, Aug 2025, June 2025
- cell membrane – June 2025
- cellular respiration – Aug 2025
- compound – Aug 2025
- conservation of energy – June 2026
- dependent variable – Aug 2026
- egg (egg cell) – June 2026
- epidermis – Aug 2026
- feedback loop – Jan 2026
- follicle – June 2026
- hibernation – June 2026
- hormone – June 2026
- immune system – June 2026
- independent variable – Aug 2026
- kidney – June 2025
- leaf – Aug 2026
- mammal – June 2026
- menstrual cycle – June 2026
- metabolism – June 2026
- ovulation – June 2026
- oxygen – Aug 2025, June 2025
- photosynthesis – Aug 2025
- plant cell – Aug 2025
- protein – June 2025
- red blood cell – June 2025
- root – Aug 2025
- root hair – Aug 2025
- set point – Jan 2026, June 2025
- soil – Aug 2025
- sugar – Aug 2025
- white blood cell – June 2026
Resources
Examples and discussion of resources for the learning, teaching, and assessment of HS-LS1-3.
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NGSS Dimensions
Performance expectation HS-LS1-3 was developed using the following elements from the NRC document A Framework for K-12 Science Education:
- Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
- Plan and conduct an investigation individually and collaboratively to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence, and in the design: decide on types, how much, and accuracy of data needed to produce reliable measurements and consider limitations on the precision of the data (e.g., number of trials, cost, risk, time), and refine the design accordingly
- LS1.A: Structure and Function
- Feedback mechanisms maintain a living system’s internal conditions within certain limits and mediate behaviors, allowing it to remain alive and functional even as external conditions change within some range. Feedback mechanisms can encourage (through positive feedback) or discourage (negative feedback) what is going on inside the living system.
- (NYSED) Disease is a failure of homeostasis. Organisms have a variety of mechanisms to prevent and combat disease. Technological advances including vaccinations and antibiotics have contributed to the prevention and treatment of disease.
- Stability and Change
- Feedback (negative or positive) can stabilize or destabilize a system.