C Curriculum Explorer
Science·Ecosystems & Habitats·conceptual

How Natural Selection Works

Explain natural selection as the mechanism of evolution: heritable variation + competition for resources + differential survival and reproduction = change in allele frequency over generations

Suggested ages 12–14

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Evidence of understanding

  • Describes the four conditions required for natural selection to operate (variation, heritability, competition, selection)
  • Applies the concept to a specific example (e.g. antibiotic resistance in bacteria, peppered moth)
  • Explains why individuals with advantageous traits leave more offspring
  • Distinguishes natural selection from evolution (selection is the mechanism; evolution is the result over many generations)

Assessment prompt

If How Natural Selection Works heard about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics, could they explain how that happened using natural selection — without the bacteria ‘choosing’ to change?

Standards alignment

MS-LS4-4US · ngss-ms

MS-LS4-4

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Middle School

KS3.Sci.Bio.Adaptation.1GB · uk-nc-2013

Variation and natural selection

The national curriculum in England: Key stages 1 and 2 framework document · KS3

KS3.Sci.Bio.Adaptation.4GB · uk-nc-2013

Genetic variation and evolution

The national curriculum in England: Key stages 1 and 2 framework document · KS3