Clarification Statement - S.HS.LS.4.2.CS:
Emphasis is on using evidence to explain the influence each of the four factors has on number of organisms, behaviors, morphology , or physiology in terms of ability to compete for limited resources and subsequent survival of individuals and da

Assessment Boundary - S.HS.LS.4.2.AB:
Assessment does not include other mechanisms of evolution, such as genetic drift, gene flow through migration, and co-evolution.

Science and Engineering Practices - 9-12.SEP6.2:
Construct and revise an explanation based on valid and reliable evidence obtained from a variety of sources (including students’ own investigations, models, theories, simulations, peer review) and the assumption that theories and laws that describe the na

Disciplinary Core Ideas - S.HS.LS.4.2.DCI:
LS4.B: Natural Selection •Natural selection occurs only if there is both (1) variation in the genetic information between organisms in a population and (2) variation in the expression of that genetic information—that is, trait variation—that leads to differences in performance among individuals. LS4.C: Adaptation •Evolution is a consequence of the interaction of four factors: (1) the potential for a species to increase in number, (2) the genetic variation of individuals in a species due to mutation and sexual reproduction, (3) competition for an environment’s limited supply of the resources that individuals need in order to survive and reproduce, and (4) the ensuing proliferation of those organisms that are better able to survive and reproduce in that environment.

Crosscutting Concepts - CC2.8:
Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation and make claims about specific causes and effects.