STANDARD E1: INQUIRY, REFLECTION, AND SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS

E1.1 Scientific Inquiry

E1.1A Generate new questions that can be investigated in the laboratory or field.

E1.1B Evaluate the uncertainties or validity of scientific conclusions using an understanding of sources of measurement error, the challenges of controlling variables, accuracy of data analysis, logic of argument, logic of experimental design, and/or the dependence on underlying assumptions.

E1.1C Conduct scientific investigations using appropriate tools and techniques (e.g., selecting an instrument that measures the desired quantity-length, volume, weight, temperature-with the appropriate level of precision).

E1.1D Identify patterns in data and relate them to theoretical models.

E1.1E Describe a reason for a given conclusion using evidence from an investigation.

E1.2 Scientific Reflection and Social Implications

E1.2A Critique whether of not specific questions can be answered through scientific investigations.

E1.2B Identify and critique arguments about personal or societal issues based on scientific evidence.

E1.2C Develop an understanding of a scientific concept by accessing information from multiple sources. Evaluate the scientific accuracy and significance of the information.

E1.2D Evaluate scientific explanations in a peer review process or discussion format.

E1.2E Evaluate the future career and occupational prospects of science fields.

STANDARD E2: EARTH SYSTEMS

E2.1 Earth Systems Overview

E2.1A Explain why the Earth is essentially a closed system in terms of matter

E2.1B Analyze the interactions between the major systems (geosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere) that make up the Earth.

E2.1C Explain using scientific examples, how a change in one system affects other Earth Systems.

E2.2 Energy in Earth Systems

E2.2A Describe the Earth’s principal sources of internal and external energy (e.g., radioactive decay, gravity, solar energy).

E2.2B Identify differences in the origin and use of renewable (e.g., solar, wind, water, biomass) and nonrenewable (e.g., fossil fuels, nuclear [U-235]) sources of energy.

E2.2C Describe natural processes in which heat transfer in the Earth occurs by conduction, convection, and radiation.

E2.2D Identify the main sources of energy to the climate system.

E2.3 Biochemical Cycles

E2.3A Explain how carbon exist in different forms such as limestone (rock), carbon dioxide (gas), carbonic acid (water), and animals (life) within Earth systems and how those forms can be beneficial or harmful to humans.

E2.4 Resources and Human Impacts on Earth Systems.

E2.4A Describe renewable and nonrenewable sources of energy for human consumption (electricity, fuels), compare their effects on the environment, and include overall costs and benefits.

E2.4B Explain how the impact of human activities on the environment (e.g., deforestation, air pollution, coral reef destruction) can be understood through the analysis of interactions between the four Earth systems.

STANDARD E3: THE SOLID EARTH

E3.p1 Landforms and Solids (prerequisite)

E3.p1A Explain the origin of Michigan landforms. Describe and identify surface features using maps and satellite images. (prerequisite)

E3.p1B Explain how physical and chemical weathering lead to erosion and the formation of solids and sediments.

E3.p1C Describe how costal features are formed by wave erosion and deposition. (prerequisite)

E3.p2 Rocks and Minerals (prerequisite)

E3.p2A Identify common rock forming minerals(Quartz, feldspar, biotite, calctite, hornblende).

E3p2B Identify common igneous (granite, basalt, andesite, obsidian, pumice), metamorphic (schist, gneiss, marble, slate, quartzite), and sedimentary (sandstone, limestone, shale, conglomerate) rocks and describe the process that change one kind of rock to another.

E3.p3 Basic Plate Tectonics (prerequisite)

E3.p3A Describe geologic, paleontologic, and paleoclimatalogic evidence that indicate Africa and South America were once part of a single continent.

E3.p3B Describe the three types of plate boundaries (divergent, convergent, and transform) and

geographic features associated with them(e.g.,continental rifts, and mid-ocean ridges, volcanic and island arcs, deep-sea trenches, transform faults).

E3,p3C Describe the three major types of volcanoes (shield volcanoes, stratovolcano, and cinder cones) and their relationship to the Ring of Fire.

E3.1 Advanced Rock Cycle

E3.1A Discriminate between igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks and describe the process that change one kind of rock into another.

E3.1B Explain the relationship between the rock cycle and plate tectonics theory in regard to the origins of igneous, sedimentary, and, metamorphic rocks.

E3.2 Interior of the Earth

E3.2A Describe the interior of the Earth (in terms of crust, mantle, inner and outer cores) and where the magnetic field of the Earth is generated.

E3.2B Explain how scientists infer that the Earth has interior layers with discernable properties using patterns of primary (P) and secondary(S) seismic wave arrivals.

E3.2C Describe the differences between oceanic and continental crust (including density, age, composition).

E3.3 Plate Tectonics Theory

E3.3A Explain how plate tectonics accounts for the features and processes (seafloor spreading, mid-ocean ridges, subduction zones, earthquakes and volcanoes, mountain ranges) that occur on or near the Earth’s surface.

E3.3B Explain why tectonic plates move using the concept of heat flowing through mantle convection, coupled with the cooling and sinking of agin ocean plates that result for their increased density.

E3.3C Describe the motion history of geologic features (e.g., plates, Hawaii) using equations relating rate, time, and distance

E3.4 Earthquakes and Volcanoes

E3.4A Use the distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes to locate and determine the types of plate boundaries.

E3.4B Describe how the sized of earthquakes and volcanoes are measured or characterized.

E3.4C Describe the effects of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions on humans

STANDARD E4: THE FLUID EARTH

E4.p1 Water Cycle (prerequisite)

E4.p1A Describe that the water cycle includes evaporation, transpiration, condensation,

precipitation, surface runoff, groundwater, and absorption.

E4.p1B Analyze the flow of water between the elements of a watershed, including surface features (lakes, streams, rivers, wetlands) and groundwater.

E4.p1C Describe the river and stream types, features, and process including cycles of flooding, erosion, and deposition as they occur naturally and as they are impacted by land use decisions.

E4.p1D Explain the types, process, and beneficial functions of wetlands.

E4.p2 Weather and the Atmosphere (prerequisite)

E4.p2A Describe the composition and layers of the atmosphere.

E4.p2B Describe the difference between weather and climate.

E4.p2C Explain the differences between fog and dew formation and cloud formation.

E4.p2D Describe relative humidity in terms of moisture content of the air and the moisture capacity of the air and how these depend on the temperature.

E4.p2E Describe conditions associated with frontal (cold, warm, stationary, and occluded)

E4.p2F Describe the characterizations and movement across North America of the major air masses and the jet stream.

E4.p2G Interpret a weather map and describe present weather conditions, and predict changes in weather over 24 hours.

E4.p2H Explain the primary causes of seasons.

E4.p2I Identify major global wind belts (trade winds, prevailing westerlies, and polar easterlies) and that their vertical components control the global distribution of rainforests and deserts.

E4.p3 Glaciers (prerequisite)

E4.p3A Describe how glaciers have affected the Michigan landscape and how the resulting landforms impact our state economy.

E4.p3B Explain what happens to the lithoscope when an ice sheet is removed.

E4.p3C Explain the formation of the Great Lakes.

E4.1 Hydrogeology

E4.1A Compare and contrast surface water systems (lakes, river, streams, wetlands) and groundwater in regard to their relative sizes as Earth’s freshwater reservoirs and the dynamics of water movement (inputs, and outputs, residence times, sustainability)

E4.1B Explain the features and processes of the groundwater systems and how the sustainability of North Americans aquifers has changed in recent history qualitatively using the concepts of recharge, residence time input and output.

E4.1C Explain how water quality in both groundwater and surface systems is impacted by land use decisions.

E4.2 Oceans and Climate

E4.2A Describe the major causes for the ocean’s surface and deep water currents, including the prevailing winds, the carioles effect, unequal heating of the earth, changes in water temperature and salinity in high latitudes, and basin shape.

E4.2B Explain how interactions between the oceans and atmosphere influence global and regional climate. Include the major concepts of heat transfer by ocean currents, thermohaline circulation, boundary currents, evaporation, precipitation, climate zones,

and the ocean as a major CO2 reservoir.

E4.3 Severe Weather

E4.3A Describe the various conditions of formation associated with severe weather (thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, waves, and drought).

E4.3B Describe the damage resulting from, and the social impact of thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, and floods.

E4.3C Describe severe weather and flood safety and mitigation.

E4.3D Describe the seasonal variations in severe weather.

E4.3E Describe conditions associated with frontal boundaries that result in severe weather (thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes).

E4.3F Describe how mountains, frontal wedging( including dry lines), convection, and convergence form clouds and precipitation.

STANDARD E5: THE EARTH IN SPACE AND TIME

E5.p1 Sky Observations (prerequisite)

E5.p1A Describe the motions of various celestial bodies and some of those motions

E5.p1B Explain the primary cause of seasons.

E5.p1C Explain how a light year can be used as a distance unit.

E5.p1D Describe the position and motion of our solar system in our galaxy.

E5.1 The Earth in Space

E5.1A Describe the position and motion of our solar system in our galaxy and the overall scale, structure, and age of the universe.

E5.2 The Sun

E5.2A Identify patterns in solar activities (sunspot cycle, solar flares, solar wind).

E5.2B Relate events on the Sun to Phenomena such as auroras, disruption of radio and satellite communications, and power grid disturbances.

E5.2C Describe how nuclear fusion produces energy in the Sun.

E5.2D Describe how nuclear fusion and other processes in stars have led to the formation of all the other chemical elements.

E5.3 Earth History and Geologic Time

E5.3A Explain how the solar system formed from a nebula of dust and gas in a spiral arm of the Milky Way Galaxy about 4.6 Ga (billion years ago).

E5.3B Describe the process of radioactive decay and explain how radioactive elements are used to date the rocks that contain them.

E5.3C Relate major events in the history of the Earth to the geologic time scale, including formation of the Earth, formation of an oxygen atmosphere, rise of life, Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) and Permian Extinctions, and Pleistocene ice age.

E5.3D Describe how index fossils can be used to determine time sequence.

E5.4 Climate Change

E5.4A Explain the natural mechanism of the greenhouse effect, including comparisons of

the major greenhouse gases (water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous

oxide, and ozone).

E5.4B Describe natural mechanisms that could result in significant changes in climate (e.g., major volcanic eruptions, changes in sunlight received by the earth, and meteorite impacts).

E5.4C Analyze the empirical relationship between the emissions of carbon dioxide, atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, and the average global temperature over the past 150 years.

E5.4D Based on evidence of observable changes in recent history and climate change models, explain the consequences of warmer oceans (including the results of increased evaporation, shoreline and estuarine impacts, oceanic algae growth, and coral bleaching) and changing climatic zones (including the adaptive capacity of the biosphere).