Difference between revisions of "HS-LS2-7"

Latest revision as of 22:35, 20 September 2026

Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.

Clarification statement: Examples of human activities could include urbanization, building dams, and dissemination of invasive species. Examples of solutions could include simulations, product development, technological innovations, and/or legislation.

Assessment

What assessment of HS-LS2-7 might look like on a NY state exam.

Exam	Cluster	Question
August 2026	Star of the Tide Pool	Question 4
August 2026	A Tale of Two Squirrels	Question 25
June 2026	The Forest Gardener	Question 34
	Mercury Rising	Question 46
	Mercury Rising	Question 49
January 2026	Keystone Species Rule	Question 12
January 2026	Zebra Coat Patterns	Question 45

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.

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Level 1: Identify, from those provided, the best design solution for reducing the impact(s) of human activity on the environment and biodiversity.

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Level 2: Evaluate a given design solution for how well it reduces the impact(s) of a human activity on the environment and/or biodiversity.

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Level 3: Refine a design solution for reducing the impact(s) of a human activity on the environment and/or biodiversity.

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Level 4: Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.

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Level 5: Design, evaluate, and refine solutions, including tradeoffs, for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.

Resources

Examples and discussion of resources for the learning, teaching, and assessment of HS-LS2-7.

This section could be expanded upon. You can help out by adding to this section.

NGSS Dimensions

Performance expectation HS-LS2-7 was developed using the following elements from the NRC document A Framework for K-12 Science Education:

Science and Engineering Practices

Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking
- Create or revise a simulation of a phenomenon, designed device, process, or system.
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions:
- Design, evaluate, and refine a solution to a complex real-world problem, based on scientific knowledge, student-generated sources of evidence, prioritized criteria, and tradeoff considerations.

Disciplinary Core Ideas

LS2.C: Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning, and Resilience
- Moreover, anthropogenic changes (induced by human activity) in the environment – including habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, overexplotation, and climate change – can distrupt an ecosystem and threaten the survival of some species.
LS4.D: Biodiversity and Humans
- Biodiversity is increased by the formation of new species (speciation) and decreased by the loss of species (extinction). (secondary to HS-LS2-7)
- Humans depend on the living world for the resources and other benefits provided by biodiversity. But human activity is also having adverse impacts on biodiversity through overpopulation, overexploitation, habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, and climate change. Thus sustaining biodiversity so that ecosystem functioning and productivity are maintained is essential to supporting and enhancing life on Earth. Sustaining biodiversity also aids humanity by preserving landscapes of recreational or inspirational value. (secondary to HS-LS2-7)
ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions
- When evaluating solutions, it is important to take into account a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, and to consider social, cultural, and environmental impacts. (secondary to HS-LS2-7)

Crosscutting Concepts

Cause and Effect
- Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation and make claims about specific causes and effects.
Stability and Change
- Much of science deals with constructing explanations of how things change and how they remain stable.

Page contributors: Conrad Richman, Caroline Leonard

Biology | HS. Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{DISPLAYTITLE:HS-LS2-7 {{!}} Human Impacts on Biodiversity}}
 {{Navlinks|HS-LS2-6|HS-LS2-8|← HS-LS2-6|HS-LS2-8 →}}
 {{learningstandard
@@ Line 5: / Line 6: @@
 | cs = Examples of human activities could include urbanization, building dams, and dissemination of invasive species. Examples of solutions could include simulations, product development, technological innovations, and/or legislation.
 | ab =
+}}
+== {{Assessmentheading}} ==
+{{assessmentmessage}}
+{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; text-align:center"
+! style="padding: 0.5em 1.5em;" | Exam
+! style="padding: 0.5em 1.5em;" | Cluster
+! style="padding: 0.5em 1.5em;" | Question
+|-
+| rowspan="2" style="background-color:white;" | [[August 2026 Life Science: Biology Exam|August 2026]]
+| style="background-color:white;" | [[Questions:Star of the Tide Pool|Star of the Tide Pool]]
+| style="background-color:white;" | [[Questions:Star of the Tide Pool#q4|Question 4]]
+|-
+| style="background-color:white;" | [[Questions:A Tale of Two Squirrels|A Tale of Two Squirrels]]
+| style="background-color:white;" | [[Questions:A Tale of Two Squirrels#q4|Question 25]]
+|-
+| rowspan="3" style="background-color:white;" | [[June 2026 Life Science: Biology Exam|June 2026]]
+| style="background-color:white;" | [[Questions:The Forest Gardener|The Forest Gardener]]
+| style="background-color:white;" | [[Questions:The Forest Gardener#q2|Question 34]]
+|-
+| style="background-color:white;" | [[Questions:Mercury Rising|Mercury Rising]]
+| style="background-color:white;" | [[Questions:Mercury Rising#q1|Question 46]]
+|-
+| style="background-color:white;" | [[Questions:Mercury Rising|Mercury Rising]]
+| style="background-color:white;" | [[Questions:Mercury Rising#q4|Question 49]]
+|-
+| rowspan="2" style="background-color:white;" | [[January 2026 Life Science: Biology Exam|January 2026]]
+| style="background-color:white;" | [[Questions:Keystone Species Rule|Keystone Species Rule]]
+| style="background-color:white;" | [[Questions:Keystone Species Rule#q3|Question 12]]
+|-
+| style="background-color:white;" | [[Questions:Zebra Coat Patterns|Zebra Coat Patterns]]
+| style="background-color:white;" | [[Questions:Zebra Coat Patterns#q5|Question 45]]
+|}
+{{PerformanceLevel}}
+{{PLTable
+| Level5 = Design, evaluate, and refine solutions, including tradeoffs, for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.
+| Level4 = Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.
+| Level3 = Refine a design solution for reducing the impact(s) of a human activity on the environment and/or biodiversity.
+| Level2 = Evaluate a given design solution for how well it reduces the impact(s) of a human activity on the environment and/or biodiversity.
+| Level1 = Identify, from those provided, the best design solution for reducing the impact(s) of human activity on the environment and biodiversity.
 }}
@@ Line 11: / Line 54: @@
 {{expandthissection}} <!-- Remove this after this section has been expanded upon -->
-== {{Assessmentheading}} ==
-{{assessmentmessage}}
-{{expandthissection2}} <!-- Remove this after this section has been expanded upon -->
 == {{Dimensionsheading}} ==
@@ Line 21: / Line 59: @@
 {{Dimensionstable
-| SEP1 = Using mathematics and computational thinking: Create or revise a simulation of a phenomenon, designed device, process, or system.
+| SEP1 = Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking
-| SEP2 = Constructing explanations and designing solutions: Design, evaluate, and refine a solution to a complex real-world problem, based on scientific knowledge, student-generated sources of evidence, prioritized criteria, and tradeoff considerations.
+* Create or revise a simulation of a phenomenon, designed device, process, or system.
-| DCI1 = Ecosystem dynamics, functioning, and resilience: anthropogenic changes (induced by human activity) in the environment—including habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, overexploitation, and climate change—can disrupt an ecosystem and threaten the survival of some species.
+| SEP2 = Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions:
-| DCI2 = Biodiversity and humans: Biodiversity is increased by the formation of new species (speciation) and decreased by the loss of species (extinction).
+* Design, evaluate, and refine a solution to a complex real-world problem, based on scientific knowledge, student-generated sources of evidence, prioritized criteria, and tradeoff considerations.
-| DCI3 = Biodiversity and humans: Humans depend on the living world for the resources and other benefits provided by biodiversity. But human activity is also having adverse impacts on biodiversity through overpopulation, overexploitation, habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, and climate change. Thus sustaining biodiversity so that ecosystem functioning and productivity are maintained is essential to supporting and enhancing life on Earth. Sustaining biodiversity also aids humanity by preserving landscapes of recreational or inspirational value.
+| DCI1 = LS2.C: Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning, and Resilience
-| DCI4 = Developing possible solutions: When evaluating solutions, it is important to take into account a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, and to consider social, cultural, and environmental impacts.
+* Moreover, anthropogenic changes (induced by human activity) in the environment – including habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, overexplotation, and climate change – can distrupt an ecosystem and threaten the survival of some species.
-| CC1 = Cause and effect: Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation and make claims about specific causes and effects.
+| DCI2 = LS4.D: Biodiversity and Humans
-| CC2 = Much of science deals with constructing explanations of how things change and how they remain stable.
+* Biodiversity is increased by the formation of new species (speciation) and decreased by the loss of species (extinction). (secondary to HS-LS2-7)
+* Humans depend on the living world for the resources and other benefits provided by biodiversity. But human activity is also having adverse impacts on biodiversity through overpopulation, overexploitation, habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, and climate change. Thus sustaining biodiversity so that ecosystem functioning and productivity are maintained is essential to supporting and enhancing life on Earth. Sustaining biodiversity also aids humanity by preserving landscapes of recreational or inspirational value. (secondary to HS-LS2-7)
+| DCI3 = ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions
+* When evaluating solutions, it is important to take into account a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, and to consider social, cultural, and environmental impacts. (secondary to HS-LS2-7)
+| CC1 = Cause and Effect
+* Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation and make claims about specific causes and effects.
+| CC2 = Stability and Change
+* Much of science deals with constructing explanations of how things change and how they remain stable.
 }}
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