The NGSS high school standards for Natural Selection and Evolution focus on understanding the processes that drive the diversity of life on Earth. This area of study emphasizes the mechanisms of evolution, particularly natural selection, and how these processes lead to changes in species over time. Students explore how genetic variations in populations can result in different traits that influence an organism's survival and reproduction.
Through the study of natural selection and evolution, students gain insights into the scientific evidence supporting the theory of evolution, including fossil records, comparative anatomy, and molecular biology. They also examine how environmental factors and genetic mutations contribute to the evolution of species, leading to the vast diversity of life observed today. The standards aim to build a comprehensive understanding of how life on Earth has changed and continues to change over time through evolutionary processes.
HS. Natural Selection and Evolution Review Sheets: HS-LS4-1: Evidence of Common Ancestry and Diversity : HS-LS4-2: Four Factors of Natural Selection : HS-LS4-3: Adaptation of Populations : HS-LS4-4: Natural Selection Leads to Adaptation : HS-LS4-5: Environmental Change - Speciation and Extinction