Earth and Space Science High School Learning Standards

Earth and Space Science High School Learning Standards

Introduction

The Earth and space science high school standards address the following topics: Matter and Energy in the Earth System, Energy in the Earth’s System, Earth’s Processes and Cycles, and The Origin and Evolution of the Universe.

Content Standards

1. Matter and Energy in the Earth System

Broad Concepts: The entire Earth system and its various cycles are driven by energy. Earth has both internal and external sources of energy. Two fundamental energy concepts included in the Earth system are gravity and electromagnetism.

1.1  Identify Earth’s principal sources of internal and external energy, such as, radioactive decay, gravity, solar energy. Describe the components of the electromagnetic spectrum and give examples of its impact on human life.

1.2  Explain how the transfer of energy through radiation, conduction, and convection contributes to global atmospheric processes, such as, storms, winds.

1.3  Explain how the layers of the atmosphere affect the dispersal of incoming radiation through reflection, absorption, and reradiation.

1.4  Provide examples of how the unequal heating of Earth and the Coriolis effect influence global circulation patterns, and show how they impact Massachusetts weather and climate, such as, global winds, convection cells, land/sea breezes, and mountain/valley breezes.

1.5  Explain how the revolution of Earth around the Sun and the inclination of Earth on its axis cause Earth’s seasonal variations (equinoxes and solstices).

1.6  Describe the various conditions associated with frontal boundaries and cyclonic storms (such as, thunderstorms, winter storms [nor’easters], hurricanes, and tornadoes) and their impact on human affairs, including storm preparations. Use satellite and radar images and weather maps to illustrate these conditions and to understand weather forecasts.

1.7  Explain the dynamics of oceanic currents, including upwelling, deep-water currents, the Labrador Current and the Gulf Stream, and their relationship to global circulation within the marine environment and climate. Use satellite images to illustrate these circulation patterns.

1.8  Describe the effects of longshore currents, storms, and artificial structures (such as, jetties, sea walls) on coastal erosion in Massachusetts.

1.9  Explain what causes tides and describe how they affect the coastal environment.

1.10  Use a combination of ground-based observations, satellite data, and computer models to demonstrate Earth systems and their interconnections. Explain why it is necessary to use all of these tools together.

2. Energy Resources in the Earth System

Broad Concept: Numerous Earth resources are used to sustain human civilization. The abundance and accessibility of these resources dramatically influences consumption.

2.1  Recognize, describe, and compare renewable (such as, solar, wind, water, biomass) and nonrenewable (such as, fossil fuels, nuclear [U-235]) energy resources.

2.2  Describe the effects on the environment and on the carbon cycle of using both renewable and nonrenewable sources of energy.

3. Earth Processes and Cycles

Broad Concepts: The evolution of Earth has been driven by interactions between the lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. Over geologic time the internal motions of Earth have continuously altered the topography and geography of the continents and ocean basins by both constructive and destructive processes.

3.1  Explain how physical and chemical weathering leads to erosion and the formation of soils and sediments, and creates the various types of landscapes. Give examples that show the effects of physical and chemical weathering on the environment. Use satellite images to illustrate the effects of these processes.

3.2  Describe the nitrogen and carbon cycles.

3.3  Explain how water flows into and through a watershed. Explain the role of aquifers, wells, porosity, permeability, water table, capillary water, and runoff.

3.4  Describe the processes of the hydrologic cycle including evaporation, condensation, precipitation, surface runoff and groundwater percolation, infiltration, and transpiration.

3.5  Describe the rock cycle, and the processes that are responsible for the formation of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. Compare the physical properties of these rock types and the physical properties of common rock-forming minerals.

3.6  Describe the absolute and relative dating methods used to measure geologic time, such as, index fossils, radioactive dating, law of superposition, and cross-cutting relationships.

3.7  Describe life forms associated with each of the major geologic eras.

3.8  Explain how seismic data are used to reveal Earth’s interior structure and to locate earthquake epicenters. Use current seismic data to identify regions of seismic activity.

3.9  Describe the Richter scale of earthquake magnitude and the relative damage that is incurred by earthquakes of a given magnitude.

3.10 Understand that the force of gravity between two objects depends on their masses and on the distance between them. Gravity influences objects of all sizes from celestial objects to soil particles.

3.11 Trace the development of a lithospheric plate from its growth at a divergent boundary (mid-ocean ridge) to its destruction at a convergent boundary (subduction zone). Explain the relationship between convection currents in Earth’s mantle and the motion of the lithospheric plates.

3.12 Relate earthquakes, volcanic activity, tsunamis, mountain building and tectonic uplift to plate movements. Explain the evidence that supports the theory of plate tectonics such as fossils, matching rock formations, paleomagnetic patterns, and the age of the ocean floor.

4. The Origin and Evolution of the Universe

Broad Concept: The origin of the universe, between 14 and 15 billion years ago, still remains one of the greatest questions in science. Gravity influences the formation and life cycles of galaxies, including our own Milky Way Galaxy, stars, planetary systems, and residual material left from the creation of the solar system.

4.1  Explain the Big Bang Theory and discuss the evidence that supports it (background radiation, and relativistic Doppler effect ~ “red shift”).

4.2  Use the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram to explain the life cycles of stars.

4.3  Compare and contrast the rotation and revolution of orbiting bodies, such as, day, year, solar/lunar eclipses. Describe the influence of gravity and inertia on these motions.

4.4  Explain how the sun, Earth, and solar system formed from a nebula of dust and gas in a spiral arm of the Milky Way Galaxy about 4.6 billion years ago. Support these explanations about the nature of our solar system using data from spacecraft missions, such as the evidence for water on Mars as revealed by orbiters and rovers.

4.5  Use data from various instruments (such as refracting telescopes, reflecting telescopes, radio telescopes, and spectrophotometers) that are used to study deep space and the solar system.

Biology Learning Standards for a Full First-Year Course in Grade 9 or 10

1. The Chemistry of Life

Broad Concept: Living things are made of atoms bonded together to form organic molecules.

1.1 Explain the significance of carbon in organic molecules.

1.2 Recognize the six most common elements in organic molecules (C, H, N, O, P, S).

1.3 Describe the composition and functions of the four major categories of organic molecules (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids). *

1.4 Describe how dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis relate to organic molecules.

1.5 Explain the role of enzymes in biochemical reactions.

2. Structure and Function of Cells

Broad Concept: All living things are composed of cells. Life processes in a cell are based on molecular interactions.

2.1 Relate cell parts/organelles to their functions. *

2.2 Differentiate between prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic cells, in terms of their general structures and degrees of complexity. *

2.3 Distinguish between plant and animal cells. *

2.4 Describe how cells function in a narrow range of physical conditions, such as temperature and pH, to perform life functions that help to maintain homeostasis.

2.5 Explain the role of cell membranes as a highly selective barrier (diffusion, osmosis, and active transport). *

2.6 Identify the reactants and products in the general reaction of photosynthesis. Describe the use of isotopes in this identification.

2.7 Provide evidence that the organic compounds produced by plants are the primary source of energy and nutrients for most living things. *

2.8 Identify how cellular respiration is important for the production of ATP.

2.9 Explain the interrelated nature of photosynthesis and cellular respiration. *

2.10 Describe and compare the processes of mitosis and meiosis, and their role in the cell cycle. *

3. Genetics

Broad Concept: Genes are a set of instructions encoded in the DNA sequence of each organism that specify the sequence of amino acids in proteins characteristic of that organism.

3.1 Describe the structure and function of DNA, and distinguish among replication, transcription, and translation. *

3.2 Describe the processes of replication, transcription, and translation and how they relate to each other in molecular biology.

3.3 Describe the general pathway by which ribosomes synthesize proteins by using tRNAs to translate genetic information encoded in mRNAs.

3.4 Explain how mutations in the DNA sequence of a gene may be silent or result in phenotypic change in an organism and in its offspring.

3.5 Differentiate between dominant, recessive, codominant, polygenic, and sex-linked traits.

3.6 State Mendel’s laws of segregation and independent assortment.

3.7 Use a Punnett Square to determine the genotype and phenotype of monohybrid crosses. *

3.8 Explain how zygotes are produced in the fertilization process.

3.9 Recognize that while viruses lack cellular structure, they have the genetic material to invade living cells.

4. Human Anatomy and Physiology

Broad Concept: There is a relationship between structure and function in organ systems of humans.

4.1 Explain how major organ systems in humans (e.g., kidney, muscle, lung) have functional units (e.g., nephron, sarcome, alveoli) with specific anatomy that perform the function of that organ system.

4.2 Describe how the function of individual systems within humans are integrated to maintain a homeostatic balance in the body.

5. Evolution and Biodiversity

Broad Concept: Evolution and biodiversity are the result of genetic changes that occur in constantly changing environments.

5.1 Explain how the fossil record, comparative anatomy, and other evidence support the theory of evolution.

5.2 Illustrate how genetic variation is preserved or eliminated from a population through Darwinian natural selection (evolution) resulting in biodiversity.

5.3 Describe how the taxonomic system classifies living things into domains (eubacteria, archaebacteria, and eukaryotes) and kingdoms (animals, plants, fungi, etc.). * [Note: there is an ongoing scientific debate about the number of kingdoms and which organisms should be included in each. The following websites provide more information: Brave New Biosphere whyfiles.org/022critters/phylogeny.html, and The Tree of Life Project Root Page phylogeny.arizona.edu/tree/life.html.]

6. Ecology

Broad Concept: Ecology is the interaction between living organisms and their environment.

6.1 Explain how biotic and abiotic factors cycle in an ecosystem (water, carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen). *

6.2 Use a food web to identify and distinguish producers, consumers, and decomposers, and explain the transfer of energy through trophic levels. *

6.3 Identify the factors in an ecosystem that influence fluctuations in population size.

6.4 Analyze changes in an ecosystem resulting from natural causes, changes in climate, human activity, or introduction of non-native species.

6.5 Explain how symbiotic behavior produces interactions within ecosystems.

Boldface type indicates core standards for full-year courses. An asterisk (*) indicates core standards for integrated courses.