Science and Technology/Engineering | Grade : High School
Discipline - Biology
Core Idea - Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
[HS.LS.2.6] - Analyze data to show ecosystems tend to maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms even when small changes in conditions occur but that extreme fluctuations in conditions may result in a new ecosystem. Construct an argument supported by evidence that ecosystems with greater biodiversity tend to have greater resistance to change and resilience. Clarification Statement: Examples of changes in ecosystem conditions could include modest biological or physical changes, such as moderate hunting or a seasonal flood; and extreme changes, such as volcanic eruption, fires, the decline or loss of a keystone species, climate changes, ocean acidification, or sea level rise.
[RCA-ST.9-10.8] -
Assess the extent to which the reasoning and evidence in a text support the author’s claim or a recommendation for solving a scientific or technical problem.
[WCA.9-10.1] -
Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
[RCA-ST.11-12.1] -
Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to important distinctions the author makes and to any gaps or inconsistencies in the account.
[RCA-ST.11-12.7] -
Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., quantitative data, video, multimedia) in order to address a question or solve a problem.
[AI.S-ID.A.2] -
Use statistics appropriate to the shape of the data distribution to compare center (median, mean) and spread (interquartile range, standard deviation) of two or more different data sets.*
[AI.S-ID.A.3] -
Interpret differences in shape, center, and spread in the context of the data sets, accounting for possible effects of extreme data points (outliers).*
[AII.S-IC.A.1] -
Understand statistics as a process for making inferences to be made about population parameters based on a random sample from that population.*
[AII.S-IC.B.6] -
Evaluate reports based on data.*
[HS.LS.2.2] -
Use mathematical representations to support explanations that biotic and abiotic factors affect biodiversity, including genetic diversity within a population and species diversity within an ecosystem. Clarification Statements: Examples of biotic factors could include relationships among individuals (feeding relationships, symbiosis, competition) and disease. Examples of abiotic factors could include climate and weather conditions, natural disasters, and availability of resources. Examples of mathematical representations include finding the average, determining trends, and using graphical comparisons of multiple sets of data.
[HS.LS.2.7] -
Analyze direct and indirect effects of human activities on biodiversity and ecosystem health, specifically habitat fragmentation, introduction of non-native or invasive species, overharvesting, pollution, and climate change. Evaluate and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on biodiversity and ecosystem health.* Clarification Statement: Examples of solutions can include captive breeding programs, habitat restoration, pollution mitigation, energy conservation, and ecotourism.