Original Project
Evolution and Natural Selection
Environmental conditions have changed in the past and continue to change today.
Item EN017002: Conditions have changed in significant ways everywhere on earth, with some of these changes happening suddenly and others more gradually.
Which of the following is TRUE about how environmental conditions have changed since the time life began on earth?
- Conditions have remained about the same everywhere on earth, with only minor changes from year to year.
- Conditions have remained the same in the oceans but have changed on land.
- Conditions have remained the same except for a few sudden changes in certain locations due to disasters, such as a meteorite striking the earth.
- Conditions have changed in significant ways everywhere on earth, with some of these changes happening suddenly and others more gradually.
- Distribution of Responses
- Students Responding Correctly
| Group | Correct | Total | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 3015 | 4671 | 65% |
| Grades | |||
| 6–8 | 1802 | 2918 | 62% |
| 9–12 | 1213 | 1753 | 69% |
| Gender | |||
| Male | 1343 | 2217 | 61% |
| Female | 1609 | 2345 | 69% |
| Primary Language | |||
| English | 2738 | 4172 | 66% |
| Other | 207 | 371 | 56% |
- Disciplinary Core Ideas
- ESS2.A The planet's systems interact over scales that range from microscopic to global in size, and they operate over fractions of a second to billions of years. These interactions have shaped Earth's history and will determine its future.
- NRC Framework
- ESS1.C The rock record reveals that events on Earth can be catastrophic, occurring over hours to years, or gradual, occurring over thousands to millions of years.