MS - LS4.B (A) - Natural Selection and Populations - FINAL (WND)

Module: Natural Selection and Populations

DCI: LS4.B (A) Natural selection leads to the predominance of certain traits in a population, and the suppression of others.

Connections to Nature of Science: Scientific Knowledge Assumes and Order and Consistency in Natural Systems: Sciences assumes that objects and events in natural systems occur in consistent patterns that are understandable through measurement and observation.

Connections to Nature of Science: Science Addresses Questions About the Natural and Material World: Science knowledge can describe consequences of actions but does not make the decisions that society takes.

PE: MS-LS4-4 Construct an explanation based on evidence that describes how genetic variations of traits in a population increase some individuals’ probability of surviving and reproducing in a specific environment.

Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on using simple probability statements and proportional reasoning to construct explanations.]

Ideas in this standard are: 

- natural selection leads to the predominance of certain traits in a population

- natural selection leads to the suppression of other traits in a population 

The previous batch was more about correlating a change in a population (mathematically) to an environmental change... this batch seems to be more about the simplistic idea that some individuals survive and others don't in a specific environment.  So, this batch can be more general than the last.