Engaging in Argument from Evidence

Evaluate competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services.*

Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.

Use argument based on empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support an explanation for how characteristic animal behaviors and specialized plant structures affect the probability of successful reproduction of animals and plants respectively.

Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells.

Construct, use, and present arguments to support the claim that when the kinetic energy of an object changes, energy is transferred to or from the object.

Construct and present arguments using evidence to support the claim that gravitational interactions are attractive and depend on the masses of interacting objects.

Support an argument that the apparent brightness of the sun and stars is due to their relative distances from the Earth.

Support an argument that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly from air and water.

Support an argument that the gravitational force exerted by Earth on objects is directed down.

Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.