Difference between revisions of "HS-LS4-5"
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| Level5 = Evaluate the evidence and generate an argument defending/refuting a claim that changes in environmental conditions may cause situations which 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. | | Level5 = Evaluate the evidence and generate an argument defending/refuting a claim that changes in environmental conditions may cause situations which 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. | ||
| Level4 = 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. | | Level4 = 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. | ||
| + | | Example4 = [[Questions:Dinosaurs Evolution Sample Cluster#q5|August 2025 Question 5]] | ||
| Level3 = Explain how the provided evidence supports a claim that environmental conditions may cause a change in species such as (1) increases in the number of individuals, and/or (2) the emergence of new species over time, and/or (3) the extinction of species. | | Level3 = Explain how the provided evidence supports a claim that environmental conditions may cause a change in species such as (1) increases in the number of individuals, and/or (2) the emergence of new species over time, and/or (3) the extinction of species. | ||
| + | | Example3 = [[Questions:Dinosaurs Evolution Sample Cluster#q2|August 2025 Question 2]] | ||
| Level2 = Identify a claim supported by evidence that a change in an environmental condition may cause changes in a species or justify if the provided evidence supports or does not support a claim that conditions may cause changes in species. | | Level2 = Identify a claim supported by evidence that a change in an environmental condition may cause changes in a species or justify if the provided evidence supports or does not support a claim that conditions may cause changes in species. | ||
| + | | Example2 = [[Questions:Australian Adaptations#q2|June 2026 Question 43]] | ||
| Level1 = Identify the evidence that supports that a change in an environmental condition may cause changes in species. | | Level1 = Identify the evidence that supports that a change in an environmental condition may cause changes in species. | ||
| + | | Example1 = [[Questions:Driving the Florida Panther to Extinction#q3|August 2025 Question 44]] | ||
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Revision as of 02:38, 16 October 2026
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.
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.
Regents Exam Questions
Released New York State Regents exam questions that assess HS-LS4-5 are listed here by exam and question cluster. Each link opens the question with its answer key.
Vocabulary
Terms from the Biology Glossary that come from this standard or from the released exam questions that assess it.
- adaptation
- argument
- claim
- correlation (versus cause)
- deforestation
- diverge
- drought
- ecosystem disruption
- empirical evidence
- environmental change
- evolution
- extinction
- fertilizer
- fishing
- flood
- habitat loss
- invasive species
- population
- rate of change
- species
- species emergence
- trait
- abiotic factors – Sample 2024
- amphibian – Sample 2024
- asteroid impact – Sample 2024
- Australia – June 2026
- biodiversity – Aug 2025
- carbon – Sample 2024
- climate – Aug 2026
- colony – June 2026
- Colorado – Aug 2026
- coloration – Aug 2026
- competition – Aug 2025
- Devonian period – Sample 2024
- extinction rate – Sample 2024
- food web – Sample 2024
- gene – Aug 2026
- generation – Aug 2026
- genetic combination – Aug 2026
- genetic diversity – June 2026
- genetic variation – Aug 2026, June 2026
- habitat – June 2026, Aug 2025
- habitat fragmentation – Aug 2025
- isolation (of populations) – June 2026
- K-T extinction – Sample 2024
- mammal – June 2026, Sample 2024
- marsupial – June 2026
- mass extinction – June 2026, Sample 2024
- mate preference – Aug 2026
- migration – Aug 2025
- mutation – Aug 2026
- New Mexico – Aug 2026
- niche – June 2026
- outcompete – Aug 2026
- oxygen – Sample 2024
- photosynthesis – Sample 2024
- placental mammal – June 2026
- population size – June 2026
- predator – Aug 2026
- range (of a population) – Aug 2026
- resources – Aug 2025
- spore – Sample 2024
- survival – Aug 2026
- taxonomic ranks (species, genus, family, order) – Sample 2024
- trend – Sample 2024
- urbanization – Aug 2025
- variability – Aug 2026
- variation – June 2026
Performance Level Descriptions
Every Regents exam question on HS-LS4-5 is written to match one of the performance level descriptions (PLDs) below.
Resources
Examples and discussion of resources for the learning, teaching, and assessment of HS-LS4-5.
NGSS Dimensions
Performance expectation HS-LS4-5 was developed using the following elements from the NRC document A Framework for K-12 Science Education:
- Engaging in Argument from Evidence
- Evaluate the evidence behind currently accepted explanations or solutions to determine the merits of arguments.
- LS4.C: Adaptation
- Changes in the physical environment, whether naturally occurring or human induced, have thus contributed to the expansion of some species, the emergence of new distict species as populations diverge under different conditions, and the decline – and sometimes the extinction – of some species.
- Species become extinct because they can no longer survive and reproduce in their altered environment. If members cannot adjust to change that is too fast or drastic, the opportunity for the species' evolution is lost.
- Cause and Effect
- Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation and make claims about specific causes and effects.