Clarification Statement - S.3.LS.1.1.CS:
Changes organisms go through during their lifeform a pattern.

Assessment Boundary - S.3.LS.1.1.AB:
Assessment of plant life cycles is limited to those of flowering plants. Assessment does not include details of human reproduction.

Science and Engineering Practices - 3-5.SEP2.1:
Develop models to describe phenomena

Disciplinary Core Ideas - S.3.LS.1.1.DCI:
LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms •Reproduction is essential to the continued existence of every kind of organism. Plants and animals have unique and diverse life cycles.

Crosscutting Concepts - CC1.4:
Patterns of change can be used to make predictions.

Clarification Statement - S.3.LS.3.1.CS:
Patterns are the similarities and differences in traits shared between offspring and their parents, or among siblings. Emphasis is on organisms other than humans

Assessment Boundary - S.3.LS.3.1.AB:
Assessment does not include genetic mechanisms of inheritance and prediction of traits. Assessment is limited to non-human examples.

Science and Engineering Practices - 3-5.SEP4.1:
Analyze and interpret data to make sense of phenomena using logical reasoning.

Disciplinary Core Ideas - S.3.LS.3.1.DCI:
LS3.A: Inheritance of Traits •Many characteristics of organisms are inherited from their parents. LS3.B: Variation of Traits •Different organisms vary in how they look and function because they have different inherited information.

Crosscutting Concepts - CC1.5:
Similarities and differences in patterns can be used to sort and classify natural phenomena

Clarification Statement - S.3.LS.3.2.CS:
Examples of the environment affecting a trait could include normally tall plants grown with insufficient water are stunted; and, a pet dog that is given too much food and little exercise may become overweight

Science and Engineering Practices - 3-5.SEP6.1:
Use evidence (e.g., observations, patterns) to support an explanation.

Disciplinary Core Ideas - S.3.LS.3.2.DCI:
LS3.A: Inheritance of Traits •Other characteristics result from individuals’ interactions with the environment, which can range from diet to learning. •(NYSED) Some characteristics result from the interactions of both inheritance and the effect of the environment. LS3.B: Variation of Traits •The environment also affects the traits that an organism develops.

Crosscutting Concepts - CC2.4:
Cause and effect relationships are routinely identified, tested, and used to explain change.

Clarification Statement - S.3.LS.4.2.CS:
Examples of cause and effect relationships could be plants that have larger thorns than other plants may be less likely to be eaten by predators; and, animals that have better camouflage coloration than other animals may be more likely to survive and ther

Science and Engineering Practices - 3-5.SEP6.2:
Use evidence (e.g., observations, patterns) to construct an explanation.

Disciplinary Core Ideas - S.3.LS.4.2.DCI:
LS4.B: Natural Selection •Sometimes the differences in characteristics between individuals of the same species provide advantages in surviving, finding mates, and reproducing.

Crosscutting Concepts - CC2.4:
Cause and effect relationships are routinely identified, tested, and used to explain change.