SCIENCE COURSE OF STUDY PRE-K – 12

Adopted by St. Bernard-Elmwood Place City Schools Board of Education January, 2005

Table of Contents

ST. BERNARD-ELMWOOD PLACE CITY SCHOOLS BOARD OF EDUCATION
LINDA RADTKE, President
BOB BODE, Vice President
LAURA MOSLEY
MICKI SPEARS
JOE WHEELER

DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORS
Dr. Carroll E. Roberts Superintendent
Michael Mays Treasurer
Bruce Helwagen Director, Business Affairs/Technology
Cynthia K. Leibold Director, Curriculum/Pupil Services

St. Bernard-Elmwood Place City Schools
Science Course of Study and Textbook Adoption Committee
2004-05

St. Bernard-Elmwood Place High School
Sharon Bell
Dana Dearwater
Jim Herrmann
Gayle Pope
Jamey Webb
Don Hartley, Principal

St. Bernard Elementary
Karen Develen
Rosie Evans
Melissa Margello
Joe Olding
Dave Query, Principal

Elmwood Place Elementary
Jill Colaw
Louise Gunn
Mary Kay Powell
Vivian Wright
Stephanie Kessling, Principal

Director, Curriculum/Pupil Services
Cynthia K. Leibold

St. Bernard-Elmwood Place City Schools
MISSION STATEMENT
"Where all students are challenged to learn and inspired to dream"

PHILOSOPHY
The intent of the St. Bernard-Elmwood Place City Schools’ Science Course of Study aligned with the Ohio Science Content Standards is to:
Help students develop an understanding of the unity and diversity of the natural empirical world;
Foster an understanding of the nature of science, development of science processes, the principles of science, and the connections between physical, life, and earth space sciences;
Prepare students to use appropriate scientific processes and principles in making personal decisions;
Enable students to engage intelligently in public discourse about matters of scientific and technological concern; and
Increase their future economic productivity through the use of scientific knowledge, understanding and skills in their careers.

Ohio Department of Education
Academic Content Standards
Pre-K – 12
Science

The Ohio State Board of Education unanimously adopted the science academic content standards in December 2002. This document is available in print and CD formats in the media centers in each of the three St. Bernard-Elmwood Place school buildings. It is also available online at the ODE web site www.ode.state.oh.us.ca/ci/ and the St. Bernard-Elmwood Place City Schools web site.These ODE Science Content Standards are included in their entirety in the St. Bernard-Elmwood Place City Schools science curriculum adoption. Print copies and CD-ROM versions have been distributed to teachers and administrators. Science Toolkits created by Hamilton County Education Service Center to support the implementation of the ODE Science Content Standards by grade levels have also been provided for the science and special education faculty members.

Standards, Benchmarks, and Grade-level Indicators for Science Literacy
The six standards that follow represent the science content as what students should know and be able to do in the overarching goals and themes.
Earth and Space Sciences
Life Sciences
Physical Sciences
Science and Technology
Scientific Inquiry
Scientific Ways of Knowing

The following terms are used throughout the Course of Study Document:

Standard: An overarching goal or theme in science. The standard statement describes, in broad terms, what students should know and be able to do as a result of the PreK – program.

Benchmark: A specific statement of what a student should know and be able to do at a specific time and his/her schooling. Benchmarks used to measure a student’s progress towards meeting the standard. Benchmarks are defined for grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-10, 11-12.

Grade-level Indicator: A specific statement of the knowledge and/or skills that a student demonstrates at each grade level. These indicators serve as checkpoints that monitor progress toward the benchmarks.

Pre-K Science Academic Content Standards

The science standards apply these skills and understandings to make informed personal decisions, to accurately communicate with a variety of audiences, to become lifelong learners, and to make successful transitions to postsecondary education and the work force.

Earth and Space Sciences
Students demonstrate an understanding about how Earth systems and processes interact in the geosphere resulting in the habitability of Earth. Students also demonstrate an understanding of how the concepts and principles of energy, matter, motion, and forces explain Earth systems, the solar system and the universe.

Life Sciences
Students demonstrate an understanding of how living systems function and how they interact with the physical environment.

Physical Sciences
Students demonstrate an understanding of the composition of physical systems and the concepts and principles that describe and predict physical interactions and events in the natural world.

Science and Technology
Students recognize that science and technology are interconnected and that using technology involves assessment of the benefits, risks and costs. Students should build scientific and technological knowledge, and develop the processes to solve problems and understand that problems may be solved in several ways.

Scientific Inquiry
Students develop scientific habits of mind as they use the processes of scientific inquiry to ask valid questions and to gather and analyze information. Students are also able to demonstrate the ability to communicate their findings to others.

Scientific Ways of Knowing
Students realize that the current body of scientific knowledge must be based on evidence, be predictive, logical, subject to modification and limited to the natural world.

Note:
Students demonstrate an understanding of the historical perspectives, scientific approaches and emerging scientific issues associated with the sciences addressed in each standard.

ASSESSMENT

Assessment represents a student’s demonstration of understanding. It provides evidence of what students know and are able to do. A comprehensive and thoughtful assessment system also provides needed information for instructional planning and decision-making. Four basic types of assessment, described below, have been incorporated into the K – 12 Science program.
- Achievement tests
- Diagnostic assessments
- Classroom assessments
- National and international assessments

Achievement Tests
Achievement Tests provide the broadest picture of student performance. Ohio’s achievement assessments, including the Ohio Graduation Test (OGT), are administered at specified grades and are based on the academic content standard benchmarks.

Diagnostic Assessments
Diagnostic assessments are administered annually and are designed to give teachers and parents detailed information as to the strengths and weaknesses of individual students. They provide teachers with important performance data for instructional planning.

Classroom Assessments
Teachers constantly assess student performance on an ongoing basis, using both informal and formal measures. Samples of classroom assessment employed by teachers include:
1. Projects, investigations and demonstrations
2. Portfolios
3. Tests, quizzes and short-answer questions
4. Extended response and essay questions
5. Oral presentations
6. Research reports and position papers
7. Self-assessment, student reflection, and journaling
8. Teacher observations and checklists
A variety of assessments provides a rich picture of student performance, enabling teachers to evaluate students’ performance and progress.

National and International Assessments
Through participation in national and international assessment opportunities, student performance can be compared to student performance in other states and other nations. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), and Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) are examples from this assessment category.

TECHNOLOGY
Technology, such as calculators and computers, helps students learn science and support effective science teaching. Rather than replacing the learning of basic concepts and skills, technology can connect skills and procedures to deeper science understanding.
There are three general areas of particular importance in kindergarten through 12th grade science and related technology:

Technology design and improvement. (e.g., processes for meeting changing human needs, improving on development and uses of resources, improving systems, creating new materials);

Technology in our lives. (e.g., communication, transportation, medical uses, personal care, household uses, entertainment);

Technology for learning. (e.g., information retrieval, asking questions/finding answers, computing, experimenting, data gathering/analysis/storage, networking, assessment, problem-solving, communicating).

INTERVENTION
Intervention services may be implemented to remediate, reinforce or support learning relative to the standard benchmarks and grade level indicators. Intervention must always be aligned with the standards and assessments. Intervention is a shared responsibility among all individuals who care about student achievement – students, teachers, parents, and building and district administrators. Intervention initiatives may be activated at three levels: the classroom, within the building, and throughout the district.

Science Textbook Programs and Additional Resources

Kindergarten - Science, Macmillan McGraw, c. 2005
Grade One - Science, Macmillan McGraw, c. 2005
Grade Two - Science, Macmillan McGraw, c. 2005
Grade Three - Science, Macmillan McGraw, c. 2005
Grade Four - Science, Macmillan McGraw, c. 2005
Grade Five - Science, Macmillan McGraw, c. 2005
Grade Six - Science Explorer, Prentice Hall, c. 2005
Grade Seven - Science Explorer, Prentice Hall, c. 2005
Grade Eight - Science Explorer, Prentice Hall, c. 2005
Grade Nine - Physical Science Physical Science Concepts in Action with Earth and Space Science, Prentice Hall, 2004.
Earth Science by Tarbuck & Lutgens, Prentice Hall, 2006.
Grade Ten - Physical Science Biology, by Miller and Levine, Prentice Hall, 2006.
Earth Science by Tarbuck & Lutgens, Prentice Hall, 2006.
Anatomy/Physiology- Structure and Function of the Body, by Thibodeau & Patton, 12th ed., Mosby, 2004.
Astronomy - Astronomy Today, 4th ed. , Prentice Hall, 2002.
Chemistry - Chemistry, by Wilbraham et al, Prentice Hall, 2005.
Geology - Earth: An Introduction to Physical Geology, 8th ed., Prentice Hall, 2004. Earth Science Work-Text AMSCO.
Horticulture - Introductory Horticulture, 6th ed., Delmar Thompson Learning, 2002.
Landscape Plants, 2nd ed., Delmar Thompson Learning, 2003.
Physics - Conceptual Physics, Prentice Hall, 2002.

Additional Classroom Resources

www.jasonproject.org
The Jason Project - a multi-disciplinary program that sparks the imagination of students, enhances the classroom experience, explores Planet Earth and exposes students to leading scientists who work with them to examine its biological and geological development.
www.ohiorc.org
Ohio Resource Center for Mathematics, Science, and Reading - identifies and disseminates effective instructional and professional development resources and best practices; and supports sustained professional development for teachers and administrators in the effective adoption of best practices and teaching resources.
http://ims.ode.state.oh.us/ode/ims
Ohio’s Instructional Management System - the vehicle for communicating State Board adopted model curricula.
www.project2061.org
Project 2061 - long-term initiative of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) working to reform kindergarten through grade 12 science, mathematics and technology education nationwide. This internet site offers Standards for All Americans, professional development opportunities, methodology and an analysis of middle school textbooks for mathematics and science, based on the Project 2061 Standards.
www.sciencenetlinks.com
Science Netlinks - resources for K-12 science educators and a guide to meaningful standards-based internet experiences for students.

CURRICULUM BY GRADE LEVEL AND COURSE

Grade level and course curriculum for the St. Bernard-Elmwood Place City Schools is strictly aligned to the National Science Education Standards and Ohio Department of Education Academic Standards. The corresponding benchmarks and indicators for the six identified standards are listed in the appropriate grade level. The outline coding for this alignment follows:
D The capital letter refers to the benchmark(s) for the designated strand.
3 The number refers to the grade level indicator(s) aligned to the designated standard and benchmark.
a The lower case letter is a subdivision of the grade level indicator(s).

Pre-K - 6

PRESCHOOL

EARTH AND SPACE

1. Begin to use terms such as night and day, sun and moon to describe
personal observations.

2. Observe and represent the pattern of day and night through play,
art materials or conversation.

3. Observe, explore and compare changes that animals and plants contribute
to in their surroundings (e.g., falling leaves, holes left by worms or squirrels).

4. Explore and compare changes in the environment over time (e.g., leaves
changing colors, outdoor temperature, plants growing).

5. Explore how their actions may cause changes in the environment that are
sometimes reversible (e.g., hand in flowing water changes the current) and
sometimes irreversible (e.g., picked flowers will wilt and die).

6. Demonstrate understanding of fast and slow relative to time, motion and
phenomena (e.g., ice melting, plant growth).

7. Observe and use language or drawings to describe changes in the weather
(e.g., sunny to cloudy day).

Note: There are currently no ODE Benchmarks for the preschool level.

LIFE SCIENCE

1. Identify common needs (e.g., food, air, water) of familiar living things.

2. Begin to differentiate between real and pretend through stories, illustrations, play and other media (e.g., talking flowers or animals).

3. Observe and begin to recognize the ways that environment supports life by meeting the unique needs of each organism (e.g., plant/soil, birds/air, fish/water).

4. Match familiar adult family members, plants and animals with their young (e.g., horse/colt, cow/calf).

5. Recognize physical differences among the same class of people, plants or animals (e.g., dogs come in many sizes and colors).

Note: There are currently no ODE Benchmarks for the preschool level.


PHYSICAL SCIENCE

1. Explore and identify parts and wholes of familiar objects (e.g., books, toys, furniture).

2. Explore and compare materials that provide many different sensory experiences (e.g., sand, water, wood).

3. Sort familiar objects by one or more properties (e.g., size, shape, function).

4. Demonstrate understanding of motion related words (e.g., up, down, fast, slow, rolling, jumping, backward, forward).

5. Explore ways of moving objects in different ways (e.g., pushing, pulling, kicking, rolling, throwing, dropping).

6. Explore musical instruments and objects and manipulate one’s own voice to recognize the changes in the quality of sound (e.g., talk about loud, soft, high, low, fast, slow).

7. Explore familiar sources of the range of colors and the quality of light in the environment (e.g., prism, rainbow, sun, shadow).

Note: There are currently no ODE Benchmarks for the preschool level.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1. Identify the intended purpose of familiar tools (e.g., scissors, hammer, paintbrush, cookie cutter).

2. Explore new uses for familiar materials through play, art or drama (e.g., paper towel rolls as kazoos, pan for a hat).

3. Use familiar objects to accomplish a purpose, complete a task or solve a problem (e.g., using scissors to create paper tickets for a puppet show, creating a ramp for a toy truck).

4. Demonstrate the safe use of tools, such as scissors, hammers, writing utensils, with adult guidance.

Note: There are currently no ODE Benchmarks for the preschool level.

SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

1. Ask questions about objects, organisms and events in their environment during shared stories, conversations and play (e.g., ask about how worms eat).

2. Show interest in investigating unfamiliar objects, organisms and phenomena during shared stories, conversations and play (e.g., "Where does hail come from?").

3. Predict what will happen next based on previous experience (e.g., when a glass falls off the table and hits the tile floor, it most likely will break).

4. Investigate natural laws acting upon objects, events and organisms (e.g., repeatedly dropping objects to observe the laws of gravity, observing the life cycle of insects).

5. Use one or more of the senses to observe and learn about objects, organisms and phenomena for a purpose (e.g., to record, classify, compare, talk about).

6. Explore objects, organisms and events using simple equipment (e.g., magnets, and magnifiers, standard and non-standard measuring tools).

7. Begin to make comparisons between objects or organisms based on their characteristics (e.g., animals with four legs, smooth and rough rocks).

8. Record or represent and communicate observations and findings through a variety of methods (e.g., pictures, words, graphs, dramatizations) with assistance.

Note: There are currently no ODE Benchmarks for the preschool level.

SCIENTIFIC WAYS OF KNOWING

1. Offers ideas and explanations (through drawings, emergent writing, conversation, movement) of objects, organisms and phenomena, which may be correct or incorrect.

2. Recognize the difference between helpful and harmful actions toward living things (e.g., watering or not watering plants).

3. Participate in simple, spontaneous scientific explorations with others (e.g., digging to the bottom of the sandbox, testing materials that sink or float).

Note: There are currently no ODE Benchmarks for the preschool level.

KINDERGARTEN

EARTH AND SPACE

A 1. Observe that the sun can be seen only in the daytime, but the moon can be seen
sometimes at night and sometimes during the day.

B 2. Explore that animals and plants cause changes to their surroundings.

B 3. Explore that sometimes change is too fast to see and sometimes change is
too slow to see.

C 4. Observe and describe day-to-day weather changes (e.g., today is hot, yesterday
we had rain).

C 5. Observe and describe seasonal changes in weather.

LIFE SCIENCES
A 1. Explore differences between living and non-living things (e.g., plant, rock).

A 2. Discover that stories (e.g., cartoons, movies, comics) sometimes give plants
and animals characteristics that they really do not have (e.g., talking flowers).

C 3. Describe how plants and animals usually resemble their parents.

C 4. Investigate variations that exist among individuals of the same kind of plant
or animal.

B 5. Investigate observable features of plants and animals that help them live in
different kinds of places.

B 6. Investigate the habitats of many different kinds of local plants and animals
and some of the ways in which animals depend on plants and each other in
our community.

PHYSICAL SCIENCES

A 1. Demonstrate that objects are made of parts (e.g., toys, chairs).

A 2. Examine and describe objects according to the materials that make up the
object (e.g., wood, metal, plastic and cloth).

A 3. Describe and sort objects by one or more properties (e.g., size, color, and shape).

B 4. Explore that things can be made to move in many different ways such as
straight, zigzag, up and down, round and round, back and forth, or fast and slow.

B 5. Investigate ways to change how something is moving (e.g., push, pull).

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

A 1. Explore that objects can be sorted as "natural" or "man-made".

A 2. Explore that some materials can be used over and over again (e.g., plastic
or glass containers, cardboard boxes and tubes).

B 3. Explore that each kind of tool has an intended use, which can be helpful or
harmful (e.g., scissors, can be used to cut paper but they can also hurt you).

SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

A 1. Ask "what if" questions.

B 2. Explore and pursue student-generated "what if" questions.

B 3. Use appropriate safety procedures when completing scientific investigations.

B 4. Use the five senses to make observations about the natural world.

C 5. Draw pictures that correctly portray features of the items being described.

C 6. Recognize that numbers can be used to count a collection of things.

B 7. Use appropriate tools and simple equipment/instruments to safely gather scientific
data (e.g., magnifiers and other appropriate tools).

C 8. Measure the lengths of objects using non-standard methods of measurement (e.g.,
teddy bear counters and pennies).

C 9. Make pictographs and use them to describe observations and draw conclusions.

C 10. Make new observations when people give different descriptions for the same thing.

SCIENTIFIC WAYS OF KNOWING

A 1. Recognize that scientific investigations involve asking open-ended questions
(How? What if?).

A 2. Recognize that people are more likely to accept your ideas if you can give good
reasons for them.

B 3. Interact with living things and the environment in ways that promote respect.

C 4. Demonstrate ways science is practiced by people everyday (children and adults).

GRADE ONE

EARTH AND SPACE

D 1. Identify that resources are things we get from the living (e.g., forests) and nonliving (e.g., minerals, water) environment and that resources are necessary to meet the needs and wants of a population.

D 2. Explain that the supply of many resources is limited but the supply can be extended through careful use, decreased use, reusing and/or recycling.
B 3. Explain that all organisms cause changes in the environment where they live; the changes can be very noticeable or slightly noticeable, fast or slow
(e.g., spread of grass cover slowing soil erosions, tree roots slowly breaking
sidewalks).

LIFE SCIENCES

A 1. Explore that organisms, including people, have basic needs which include air, water, food, living space and shelter.

B 2. Explain that food comes from sources other than grocery stores (e.g., farm crops, farm
animals, oceans, lakes and forests).

B 3. Explore that humans and other animals have body parts that help to seek, find and take
in food when they are hungry (e.g., sharp teeth, flat teeth, good nose and sharp vision).

B 4. Investigate that animals eat plants and/or other animals for food and may also use plants
or other animals for shelter and nesting.

B 5. Recognize that seasonal changes can influence the health, survival or activities of
organisms.

PHYSICAL SCIENCES

A 1. Classify objects according to the materials they are made of and their
physical properties.

A 2. Investigate that water can change from a liquid to solid or solid to liquid.

A 3. Explore and observe that things can be done to materials to change their
properties (e.g., heating, freezing, mixing, cutting, wetting, dissolving,
bending and exposing to light).

A 4. Explore changes that greatly change the properties of an object
(e.g., burning paper) and changes that leave the properties largely
unchanged (e.g., tearing paper).

B 5. Explore the effects some objects have on others even when the two objects
might not touch (e.g., magnets).

B 6. Investigate a variety of ways to make things move and what causes them
to change speed, direction and/or stop.

C 7. Explore how energy makes things work (e.g., batteries in a toy and electricity
turning fan blades).

C 8. Recognize that the sun is an energy source that warms the land, air and water.

C 9. Describe that energy can be obtained from many sources in many ways (e.g., food,
gasoline, electricity or batteries).

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

A 1. Explore that some kinds of materials are better suited than others for making
something new (e.g., the building materials used in the Three Little Pigs).

B 2. Explain that when trying to build something or get something to work better,
it helps to follow directions and ask someone who has done it before.

A 3. Identify some materials that can be saved for community recycling projects
(e.g., newspapers, glass and aluminum).

A 4. Explore ways people use energy to cook their food and warm their houses
(e.g., wood, coal, natural gas and electricity).

A 5. Identify how people can save energy by turning things off when they are not
using them (e.g., lights and motors).

B 6. Investigate that tools are used to help make things and some things cannot be
made without tools.

B 7. Explore that several steps are usually needed to make things (e.g., building
with blocks).

B 8. Investigate that when parts are put together they can do things that they could
not do by themselves (e.g., blocks, gears and wheels).

SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

A 1. Ask "what happens when" questions.

B 2. Explore and pursue student-generated "what happens when" questions.

B 3. Use appropriate safety procedures when completing scientific investigations.

B 4. Work in a small group to complete an investigation and then share findings
with others.

B 5. Create individual conclusions about group findings.

B 6. Make estimates to compare familiar lengths, weights and time intervals.

C 7. Use oral, written and pictorial representations to communicate work.

C 8. Describe things as accurately as possible and compare with the observations
of others.

SCIENTIFIC WAYS OF KNOWING

A 1. Discover that when a science investigation is done the same way multiple
times, one can expect to get very similar results each time it is performed.

A 2. Demonstrate good explanations based on evidence from investigations and
Observations.

C 3. Explain that everybody can do science, invent things and have scientific ideas
no matter where they live.

SECOND GRADE

EARTH AND SPACE

A 1. Recognize that there are more stars in the sky than anyone can easily count.

A 2. Observe and describe how the sun, moon and stars all appear to move slowly
across the sky.

A 3. Observe and describe how the moon appears a little different every day but looks
nearly the same again about every four weeks.

C 4. Observe and describe that some weather changes occur throughout the day and some
changes occur in a repeating seasonal pattern.

C 5. Describe weather by measurable quantities such as temperature and precipitation.

LIFE SCIENCES

A 1. Explain that animals, including people, need air, water, food, living space and shelter;
plants need air, water, nutrients (e.g., minerals), living space and light to survive.

B 2. Identify that there are many distinct environments that support different kinds of organisms.

B 3. Explain why organisms can survive only in environments that meet their needs (e.g.,
organisms that once lived on Earth have disappeared for different reasons such as natural
forces or human-caused effects).

C 4. Compare similarities and differences among individuals of the same kind of
plants and animals, including people.

A 5. Explain that food is a basic need of plants and animals (e.g., plants need sunlight to make
food and to grow, animals eat plants and/or other animals for food, food chain) and is
important because it is a source of energy (e.g., energy used to play, ride bicycles, read, etc.).

B 6. Investigate the different structures of plants and animals that help them live in different
environments (e.g., lungs, gills, leaves and roots).

B 7. Compare the habitats of many different kinds of Ohio plants and animals and some of the ways
animals depend on plants and each other.

B 8. Compare the activities of Ohio’s common animals (e.g., squirrels, chipmunks, deer, butterflies,
bees, ants, bats and frogs) during the different seasons by describing changes in their behavior
and body covering.

B 9. Compare Ohio plants during the different seasons by describing changes in their appearance.

PHYSICAL SCIENCE
B 1. Explore how things make sound (e.g., rubber bands, tuning fork and strings).

C 2. Explore and describe sounds (e.g., high, low, soft and loud) produced by vibrating
objects.

B 3. Explore with flashlights and shadows as that light travels in a straight line until it
strikes an object.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

A 1. Explain that developing and using technology involves benefits and risks.

A 2. Investigate why people make new products or invent new ways to meet their
individual wants and needs.

A 3. Predict how building or trying something new might affect other people and the
environment.

B 4. Communicate orally, pictorially, or in written form the design process used to make
something.

SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

A 1. Ask "how can I/we" questions.

A 2. Ask "how do you know" questions (not "why" questions) in appropriate
situations and attempt to give reasonable answers when others ask questions.

B 3. Explore and pursue student-generated "how" questions.

B 4. Use appropriate safety procedures when completing scientific investigations.

B 5. Use evidence to develop explanations of scientific investigations.
(What do you think? How do you know?).

B 6. Recognize that explanations are generated in response to observations, events
and phenomena.

C 7. Use appropriate tools and simple equipment/instruments to safely gather scientific
data (e.g., magnifiers, non-breakable thermometers, timers, rulers, balances and
calculators and other appropriate tools).

C 8. Measure properties of objects using tools such as rulers, balances and thermometers.

C 9. Use whole numbers to order, count, identify, measure and describe things and
experiences.

C 10. Share explanations with others to provide opportunities to ask questions, examine evidence
and suggest alternative explanations.

SCIENTIFIC WAYS OF KNOWING

A 1. Describe that scientific investigations generally work the same way under
the same conditions.

A 2. Explain why scientists review and ask questions about the results of other
scientists’ work.

B 3. Describe ways in which using the solution to a problem might affect other
people and the environment.

C 4. Demonstrate that in science it is helpful to work with a team and share findings
with others.

K-2 BENCHMARKS

EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCES

A. Observe constant and changing patterns of objects in the day and night sky.

B. Explain that living things cause changes on Earth.

C. Observe, describe and measure changes in the weather, both long term and short term.

D. Describe what resources are and recognize some are limited but can be extended through recycling or decreased use.

LIFE SCIENCES

A. Discover that there are living things, non-living things and pretend things, and describe the basic needs of living things (organisms).

B. Explain how organisms function and interact with their physical environment.

C. Describe similarities and differences that exist among individuals of the same kind of plants and animals.

PHYSICAL SCIENCES

A. Discover that many objects are made of parts that have different characteristics. Describe these characteristics and recognize ways an object may change.

B. Recognize that light, sound and objects move in different ways.

C. Describe similarities and differences that exist among individuals of the same kind of plants and animals.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

A. Explain why people, when building or making something, need to determine what it will be made of, how it will affect other people and the environment.

B. Explain that to construct something requires planning, communication, problem solving and tools.

SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

A. Ask a testable question.

B. Design and conduct a simple investigation to explore a question.

C. Gather and communicate information from careful observations and simple investigation through a variety of methods.

SCIENTIFIC WAYS OF KNOWING

A. Recognize that there are different ways to carry scientific investigations. Realize that investigations can be repeated under the same conditions with similar results and may have different explanations.

B. Recognize the importance of respect for all living things.

C. Recognize that diverse groups of people contribute to our understanding of the natural world.

THIRD GRADE

EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCES

C 1. Compare distinct properties of rocks (e.g., color, layering and texture).
C 2. Observe and investigate that rocks are often found in layers.

C 3. Describe that smaller rocks come from the breakdown of larger rocks through the actions of plants and weather.

C 4. Observe and describe the composition of soil (e.g., small pieces of rock and
decomposed pieces of plants and animals, and products of plants and animals).

C 5. Investigate the properties of soil (e.g., color, texture, capacity to retain water,
ability to support plant growth.

C 6. Investigate that soils are often found in layers and can be different from place
to place.

LIFE SCIENCES

A 1. Compare the life cycles of different animals including birth to adulthood,
reproduction and death (e.g., egg-tadpole-frog, egg-caterpillar-chrysalis-butterfly).

B 2. Relate animal structures to their specific survival functions (e.g., obtaining food,
escaping or hiding from enemies).

B 3. Classify animals according to their characteristics (e.g., body coverings, and
body structure).

C 4. Use examples to explain that extinct organisms may resemble organisms that
are alive today.

C 5. Observe and explore how fossils provide evidence about animals that lived long
ago and the nature of the environment at that time.

C 6. Describe how changes in an organism’s habitat are sometimes beneficial and
sometimes harmful.

PHYSICAL SCIENCES

C 1. Describe an objects position by locating it relative to another object or the
background.

C 2. Describe an objects motion by tracing and measuring its position over time.

C 3. Identify contact/noncontact forces that affect motion of an object (e.g., gravity,
magnetism and collision).

C 4. Predict the changes when an object experiences a force (e.g., a push or pull,
weight and friction).

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

A 1. Describe how technology can extend human abilities (e.g., to move things and
to extend senses).

A 2. Describe ways that using technology can have helpful and/or harmful results.

A. 3. Investigate ways that the results of technology may affect the individual, family
and community.

B 4. Use a simple design process to solve a problem (e.g., identify a problem, identify
possible solutions and design a solution).

B 5. Describe possible solutions to a design problem (e.g., how to hold down a paper
in the wind).

SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

A 1. Select the appropriate tools and use relevant safety procedures to measure and
record length and weight in metric and English units.

B 2. Discuss observations and measurements made by other people.

C. 3. Read and interpret simple tables and graphs produced by self/others.

C 4. Identify and apply science safety procedures.

B 5. Record and organize observations (e.g., journals, charts, and tables).

C 6. Communicate scientific findings to others through a variety of methods (e.g.,
pictures, written, oral and recorded observations).

SCIENTIFIC WAYS OF KNOWING

B 1. Describe different kinds of investigations that scientists use depending on the
questions they are trying to answer.

C 2. Keep records of investigations and observations and do not change the records
that are different from someone else’s work.

D 3. Explore through stories how men and women have contributed to the development
of science.

D 4. Identify various careers in science.

D. 5. Discuss how both men and women find science rewarding as a career and in their
everyday lives.

FOURTH GRADE

EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCES

D 1. Explain that air surrounds us, takes up space, moves around us as wind, and may
be measured using barometric pressure.

D 2. Identify how water exists in the air in different forms (e.g., in clouds, fog, rain,
snow and hail).

D 3. Investigate how water changes from one state to another (e.g., freezing, melting,
condensation and evaporation).

D 4. Describe weather by measurable quantities such as temperature, wind direction,
wind speed, precipitation and barometric pressure.

D 5. Record local weather information on a calendar or map and describe changes
over a period of time (e.g., barometric pressure, temperature, precipitation symbols
and cloud conditions).

D 6. Trace how weather patterns generally move from west to east in the United States.

D 7. Describe the weather which accompanies cumulus, cumulonimbus, cirrus and
stratus clouds.

B 8. Describe how wind, water and ice shape and reshape Earth’s land surface by eroding
rock and soil in some areas and depositing them in other areas producing characteristic
landforms (e.g., dunes, deltas and glacial moraines).

B 9. Identify and describe how freezing, thawing and plant growth reshape the land surface by
causing the weathering of rock.

B 10. Describe evidence of changes on Earth’s surface in terms of slow processes
(e.g., erosion, weather, mountain building and deposition) and rapid processes
(e.g., volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and landslides).

LIFE SCIENCES

A 1. Compare the life cycles of different plants including germination, maturity,
reproduction and death.

B 2. Relate plant structures to their specific functions (e.g., growth, survival and reproduction).

B 3. Classify common plants according to their characteristics (e.g., tree leaves, flowers, seeds,
roots and stems).

C 4. Observe and explore that fossils provide evidence about plants that lived long ago and the
nature of the environment at that time.

A 5. Describe how organisms interact with one another in various ways (e.g., many plants
depend on animals for carrying pollen or dispersing seeds).

PHYSICAL SCIENCE

A 1. Identify characteristics of a simple physical change (e.g., heating or cooling
can change water from one state to another and the change is reversible).

A 2. Identify characteristics of a simple chemical change. When a new material
is made by combining two or more materials, it has chemical properties that
are different from the original materials (e.g., burning paper, vinegar and
baking soda).

B 3. Describe objects by the properties of the materials from which they are
made and that these properties can be used to separate or sort a group of
objects (e.g., paper, glass, plastic and metal).

B 4. Explain that matter has different states (e.g., solid, liquid and gas) and that
each state has distinct physical properties.

D 5. Compare ways the temperature of an object can be changed (e.g., rubbing,
heating and bending of metal).

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

A 1. Explain how technology from different areas (e.g., transportation, communication,
nutrition, healthcare, agriculture, entertainment and manufacturing) has improved
human lives).

A 2. Investigate how technology and inventions change to meet people’s needs and wants.

B 3. Describe, illustrate and evaluate the design process used to solve a problem.

SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

A 1. Select the appropriate tools and use relevant safety procedures to measure and record
length, weight, volume, temperature and area in metric and English units.

B 2. Analyze a series of events and/or simple daily or seasonal cycles, describe the patterns
and infer the next likely occurrence.

C 3. Develop, design and conduct safe, simple investigations or experiments to answer questions.

C 4. Explain the importance of keeping conditions the same in an experiment.

C 5. Describe how comparisons may not be fair when some conditions are not kept the same
between experiments.

C 6. Formulate instructions and communicate data in a manner that allows others to understand
and repeat an investigation or experiment.

SCIENTIFIC WAYS OF KNOWING

A 1. Differentiate fact from opinion and explain that scientists do not rely on claims or
conclusions unless they are backed by observations than can be confirmed.

B 2. Record the results and data from an investigation and make a reasonable explanation.

B 3. Explain discrepancies in an investigation using evidence to support findings.

C 4. Explain why keeping records of observations and investigations is important.

FIFTH GRADE

EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCES

A 1. Describe how night and day are caused by Earth’s rotation.

A 2. Explain that Earth is one of several planets to orbit the sun, and that the moon orbits
the Earth.

A 3. Describe the characteristics of Earth and its orbit about the sun (e.g., three-fourths of
Earth’s surface is covered by a layer of water [some of it frozen], the entire planet
surrounded by a thin blanket of air, elliptical orbit, tilted axis and spherical planet).

A 4. Explain that stars are like the sun, some being smaller and some larger, but so far
away that they look like points of light.

C 5. Explain how the supply of many non-renewable resources is limited and can be
extended through reducing, reusing and recycling but cannot be extended indefinitely.

C 6. Investigate ways Earth’s renewable resources (e.g., fresh water, air, wildlife and trees)
can be maintained.

LIFE SCIENCES

B 1. Describe the role of producers in the transfer of energy entering ecosystems as
sunlight to chemical energy through photosynthesis.

B 2. Explain how almost all kinds of animals’ food can be traced back to plants.

B 3. Trace the organization of simple food chains and food webs (e.g., producers,
herbivores, carnivores, omnivores and decomposers).

C 4. Summarize that organisms can survive only in ecosystems in which their needs
can be met (e.g., food, water, shelter, air, carrying capacity and waste disposal).
The world has different ecosystems and distinct ecosystems support the lives of
different types of organisms.

C 5. Support how an organism’s patterns of behavior are related to the nature of that
organism’s ecosystem, including the kinds and numbers of other organisms present,
the availability of food and resources, and the changing physical characteristics of
the ecosystem.

C 6. Analyze how all organisms, including humans, cause changes in their ecosystems
and how these changes can be beneficial, neutral or detrimental (e.g., beaver ponds,
earthworm burrows, grasshoppers eating plants, people planting and cutting trees
and people introducing a new species).

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

A 1. Investigate positive and negative impacts of human activity and technology on
the environment.

B 2. Revise an existing design used to solve a problem based on peer review.

B 3. Explain how the solution to one problem may create other problems.

SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

A 1. Select and safely use the appropriate tool to collect data when conducting
investigations and communicating findings to others (e.g., thermometers, timers,
balances, spring scales, magnifiers, microscopes and other appropriate tools).

B 2. Evaluate observations and measurements made by other people and identify
reasons for any discrepancies.

C 3. Use evidence and observations to explain and communicate the results of investigations.

C 4. Identify one or two variables in a simple experiment.

C 5. Identify potential hazards and/or precautions involved in an investigation.

SCIENTIFIC WAYS OF KNOWING

A 1. Summarize how conclusions and ideas change as new knowledge is gained.

B 2. Develop descriptions, explanations and models using evidence to defend/support findings.
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B 3. Explain why an experiment must be repeated by different people or at different times or
places and yield consistent results before the results are accepted.

B 4. Identify how scientists use different kinds of ongoing investigations depending on the
question they are trying to answer (e.g., observations of things or events in nature, data
collections and controlled experiments).

C 5. Keep records of investigations and observations that are understandable weeks or months later.

D 6. Identify a variety of scientific and technological work that people of all ages, backgrounds
and groups perform.

3 – 5 BENCHMARKS

EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCES

A. Explain the characteristics, cycles and patterns involving Earth and its place in the solar system.

B. Summarize the processes that shape Earth’s surface and describe evidence of those processes.

C. Describe Earth’s resources including rocks, soil, water, air, animals and plants and the ways in which they can be conserved.

D. Analyze weather and changes that occur over a period of time.

LIFE SCIENCES

A. Differentiate between the life cycles of different plants and animals.

B. Analyze plant and animal structures and functions needed for survival and describe the flow of energy through a system that all organisms use to survive.

C. Compare changes in an organism’s ecosystem/habitat that affect its survival.

PHYSICAL SCIENCES

A. Compare the characteristics of simple physical and chemical changes.

B. Identify and describe the physical properties of matter in its various states.

C. Describe the forces that directly affect objects and their motion.

D. Summarize the way changes in temperature can be produced and thermal energy transferred.

E. Trace how electrical energy flows through a simple electrical circuit and describe how the electrical energy can produce thermal energy, light, sound, and magnetic forces.

F. Describe the properties of light and sound energy.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

A. Describe how technology affects human life.

B. Describe and illustrate the design process.

SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

A. Use appropriate instruments safely to observe, measure and collect data when conducting a scientific investigation.

B. Organize and evaluate observations, measurements and other data to formulate inferences and conclusions.

C. Develop, design and safely conduct scientific investigations and communicate the results.

SCIENTIFIC WAYS OF KNOWING

A. Distinguish between fact and opinion and explain how ideas and conclusions change as new knowledge is gained.

B. Describe different types of investigations and use results and data from investigations to provide the evidence to support explanations and conclusions.

C. Explain the importance of keeping records of observations and investigations that are accurate and understandable.

D. Explain that men and women of diverse countries and cultures participate in careers in all fields of science.

Sixth Grade

EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCES

D 1. Describe the rock cycle and explain that there are sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic
rocks that have distinct properties (e.g., color, texture) and are formed in different ways.

D 2. Explain that rocks are made of one or more minerals.

D 3. Identify minerals by their characteristic properties.

LIFE SCIENCES

A 1. Explain that many of the basic functions of organisms are carried out by or within cells
and are similar in all organisms.

A 2. Explain that multicellular organisms have a variety of specialized cells, tissues, organs
and organ systems that perform specialized functions.

A 3. Identify how plant cells differ from animal cells (e.g., cell wall and chloroplasts).

B 4. Recognize that an individual organism does not live forever; therefore, reproduction is
necessary for the continuation of every species and traits are passed on to the next
generation through reproduction.

B 5. Describe that in asexual reproduction all the inherited traits come from a single parent.

B 6. Describe that in sexual reproduction an egg and sperm unite and some traits come from
each parent, so the offspring is never identical to either of its parents.

B 7. Recognize that likenesses between parents and offspring (e.g., eye color, flower color)
are inherited. Other likenesses, such as table manners, are learned.

C 8. Describe how organisms may interact with one another.

PHYSICAL SCIENCES

A 1. Explain that equal volumes of different substances usually have different masses.

A 2. Describe that in chemical change new substances are formed with different properties
than the original substance (e.g., rusting, burning).

A 3. Describe that in a physical change (e.g., state, shape and size) the chemical properties
of a substance remain unchanged.

A 4. Describe that a chemical and physical changes occur all around us (e.g., in the human
body, cooking, and industry).

C 5. Explain that the energy found in nonrenewable resources such as fossil fuels (e.g., oil,
coal and natural gas) originally came from the sun and may renew slowly over millions
of years.

C 6. Explain that energy derived from renewable resources such as wind and water is assumed
to be available indefinitely.

C 7. Describe how electric energy can be produced from a variety of sources (e.g., sun, wind,
and coal).

C 8. Describe how renewable and nonrenewable energy resources can be managed (e.g., fossil
fuels, trees, and water).

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

A 1. Explain how technology influences the quality of life.

A 2. Explain how decisions about the use of products and systems can result in desirable
or undesirable consequences (e.g., social and environmental).

A 3. Describe how automation (e.g., robots) has changed manufacturing including manual
labor being replaced by highly-skilled jobs.

A 4. Explain how the usefulness of manufactured parts of an object depend on how well
their properties allow them to fit and interact with other materials.

B 5. Design and build a product or create a solution to a problem given one constraint
(e.g., limits of cost and time for design and production, supply of materials and
environmental effects).

SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

A 1. Explain that there are not fixed procedures for guiding scientific investigations; however,
the nature of an investigation determines the procedures needed.

A 2. Choose the appropriate tools or instruments and use relevant safety procedures to complete
scientific investigations.

B 3. Distinguish between observation and inference.

B 4. Explain that a single example can never prove that something is always correct, but
sometimes a single example can disprove something.

SCIENTIFIC WAYS OF KNOWING

A 1. Identify that hypotheses are valuable even when they are not supported.

B 2. Describe why it is important to keep clear, thorough and accurate records.

C 3. Identify ways scientific thinking is helpful in a variety of everyday records.

C 4. Describe how the pursuit of scientific knowledge is beneficial for any career and
for daily life.

C 5. Research how men and women of all countries and cultures have contributed to the
development of science.

Secondary Science Course Schedule

Content and instructional strategies have been researched to raise the level of student performance in preparation for the Ohio Graduation Test and other state and national assessments. The succession of mandatory courses for students in grades seven, eight, nine and ten have been constructed to prepare students for the high stakes Ohio Graduation Test (OGT). The schedule also includes several elective courses which students may incorporate into their individual programs beginning in the 10th grade. The benchmarks and indicators for all six science standards are addressed in each of the individual courses of study. Three science credits are mandatory to fulfill graduation requirements. The 9th Grade Physical Science course fulfills the physical science unit requirement. The 10th Grade Biological Science fulfills the biological science unit requirement. The third unit of credit requirement may be fulfilled by successfully completing two additional semesters of the science elective courses.

7th –8th Grade Science

The Ohio Department of Education grade level indicators and benchmarks for 7th and 8th grade students form the structure and content for these two science courses. Topics of study have been separated into three broad categories: life science, earth science and physical science. Students will learn science concepts and prepare for ODE achievement assessments through discoveries, investigations and adventures in life, earth and physical science. Students in grades seven and eight will be scheduled into heterogeneous grouped sections with consideration for past performance and teacher recommendation.

Grade 9 Physical Science

This two-semester course focuses on the context and application of the Ohio Department of Education grade level indicators to prepare students for the OGT given during the sophomore year. This course fulfills the physical science unit required by the Ohio Department of Education. Students who do not successfully complete both semesters of this course during the freshman year will be required to take the deficit year or semester the following summer session, and if necessary during the sophomore year.

Grade 10 Biological Science

This two-semester course continues the emphasis on the context and application of the Ohio Department of Education grade level indicators in preparation for the OGT. This course fulfills the biological science unit required by the Ohio Department of Education. Successfully completing this two semester course is a prerequisite for several elective science courses.

Chemistry
This two-semester course begins the first semester with investigations in: the scientific method, measurement, chemical formulas, equations, phases of matter, stoichiometry, the periodic table, gases and atomic structure. The second semester content focuses on: bonding, thermodynamics, reaction rates, equilibrium, solutions, acids and bases, oxidation-reduction reactions and organic chemistry.

Physics

This two-semester course is offered for students successful in advanced mathematics and the physical sciences. Topics included in the first semester are: systems of measurement, mechanics, properties of matter, heat and sound. The second semester content encompasses: electricity, magnetism, light, atomic and nuclear physics, and relativity.

Human Anatomy/Physiology

This one semester course focuses on the systems and complex combinations of systems in the human body. Systems will be investigated and researched through a variety of resources: written, laboratory, and computer technology. Major body systems studies will include the following: Movement (skeletal/muscular), Metabolism (digestive), Regulatory (respiratory/urinary) and Reproductive (male and female reproductive).

Astronomy

This one semester course focuses on extraterrestrial topics including the planets, moons, comets, asteroids, meteoroids, stars, galaxies and space exploration. Students will advance to the study of the composition and structure of the Earth’s atmosphere including weather forecasting followed by the composition of our solar system in the greater universe. Environmental challenges will also be addressed.

Geology

This one semester course explores the sciences relating to the formation and shaping of the Earth’s surface and the record of ancient life. This course includes the study of plate tectonics, mountain formation, volcanology, seismology, the erosional process, and environmental challenges.

Practical Horticulture

This one semester course is an upper level botany course presented from a practical, real-life perspective. Classification, characteristics, and basic plant processes will be discussed in each of the following units: lawns, nursery stock, greenhouse operations, floriculture and landscaping. Topics such as soils, fertilizers, pesticides, plant propagation and landscape design will offer a unique application-based concept of botany. A minimum of 12 hours of after-school community service project time is required for this class.

St. Bernard-Elmwood Place City Schools
Secondary 9 – 12 Science Course Schedule

Three units of science are required for graduation.

One unit of physical science required for graduation is the 9th Grade Physical Science.

One unit of biological science required for graduation is the 10th Grade Biological Science.

One unit may be selected from the elective science courses.

All 9th and 10th grade ODE grade level indicators will be covered in the two required courses in the preparation for the OGT.

SEVENTH GRADE

EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCES

C 1. Explain the biogeochemical cycles which move materials between the lithosphere (land),
hydrosphere (water) and atmosphere (air).

C 2. Explain that Earth’s capacity to absorb and recycle materials naturally (e.g., smoke, smog
and sewage) can change the environmental quality depending on the length of time involved
(e.g., global warming).

C 3. Describe the water cycle and explain the transfer of energy between the atmosphere and
hydrosphere.

C 4. Analyze data on the availability of fresh water that is essential for life and for most industrial
and agricultural processes. Describe how rivers, lakes and groundwater can be depleted or
polluted becoming less hospitable to life and even becoming unavailable or unsuitable for life.

C 5. Make simple weather predictions based on the changing cloud types associated with frontal
systems.

C 6. Determine how weather observations and measurements are combined to produce weather maps
and that data for a specific location at one point in time can be displayed in a station model.

C 7. Read a weather map to interpret local, regional and national weather.

C 8. Describe how temperature and precipitation determine climatic zones (biomes)
(e.g., deserts, grasslands, forests, tundra, and alpines).

C 9. Describe the connection between the water cycle and weather-related phenomenon
(e.g., tornadoes, floods, droughts and hurricanes).


LIFE SCIENCES

A 1. Investigate the great variety of body plans and internal structures found in
multicellular organisms.

C 2. Investigate how organisms or populations may interact with one another
through symbiotic relationships and how some species have become so
adapted to each other that neither could survive without the other (e.g.,
predator-prey, parasitism, mutualism and commensalism).

C 3. Explain how the number of organisms an ecosystem can support depends on
adequate biotic (living) resources (e.g., plants, animals) and abiotic (non-
living) resources (e.g., light, water, and soil).

C 4. Investigate how overpopulation impacts an ecosytem.

D 5. Explain that some environmental changes occur slowly while others occur
rapidly (e.g., forest and pond succession, fires and decomposition).

C 6. Summarize the ways that natural occurrences and human activity affect the
transfer of energy in Earth’s ecosystems (e.g., fires, hurricanes, roads and oil
spills).

C 7. Explain that photosynthetic cells convert solar energy into chemical energy
that is used to carry on life functions, or is transferred to consumers and used
to carry on life functions, or is transferred to consumers and used to carry on their
life functions.

B 8. Investigate the great diversity among organisms.

PHYSICAL SCIENCES

A 1. Investigate how matter can change forms but the total amount of matter remains
constant.

D. 2. Describe how an object can have potential energy due to its position or chemical
composition and can have kinetic energy due to its motion.

D 3 Identify different forms of energy (e.g., electrical, mechanical, chemical, thermal
nuclear, radiant and acoustic).

D 4. Explain how energy can change forms but the total amount of energy remains
constant.

D 5. Trace energy transformation in a simple closed system (e.g., a flashlight).

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

A 1. Explain how needs, attitudes and values influence the direction of technology
development in various cultures.

A 2. Describe how decisions to develop and use technologies often put environmental
and economic concerns in direct competition with each other.

A 3. Recognize that science can only answer some questions and technology can only
solve some human problems.

B 4. Design and build a product or create a solution to a problem given two constraints
(e.g., limits cost and time for design and production or supply of materials and
environmental effects).

SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

A 1. Explain that variables and controls can affect the results of an investigation and
that ideally one variable should be tested at a time; however, it is not always
possible to control all variables.

A 2. Identify simple independent and dependent variables.

A 3. Formulate and identify questions to guide scientific investigations that connect to
science concepts and can be answered through scientific investigations.

A 4. Choose the appropriate tools and instruments and use relevant safety procedures
to complete scientific investigations.

B 5. Analyze alternative scientific explanations and predictions and recognize that
there may be more than one good way to interpret a given set of data.

B 6. Identify faulty reasoning and statements that go beyond the evidence or misinterpret
the evidence.

B 7. Use graphs, tables and charts to study physical phenomena and infer mathematical
relationships between variables. (e.g., speed and density).

SCIENTIFIC WAYS OF KNOWING

B 1. Show that the reproducibility of results is essential to reduce bias in scientific investigations.

B 2. Describe how repetition of an experiment may reduce bias.

B 3. Describe how the work of science requires a variety of human abilities and qualities that
are helpful in daily life (e.g., reasoning, creativity, skepticism and openness).

EIGHTH GRADE

EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCES
A 1. Describe how objects in the solar system are in regular and predictable motions that explain
such phenomena as days, years, seasons, eclipses, tides and moon cycles.

A 2. Explain that gravitational force is the dominant force determining motions in the solar system
and in particular keeps the planets in orbit around the sun.

A 3. Compare the orbits and composition of comets and asteroids with that of Earth.

A 4. Describe the effect that asteroids or meteoroids have when moving through space and
sometimes entering planetary atmospheres (e.g., meteor-"shooting star" and meteorite).

B 5. Explain that the universe consists of billions of galaxies that are classified by shape.

B 6. Explain interstellar distances are measured in light years (e.g., the nearest star beyond the
sun is 4.3 light years away).

B 7. Examine the life cycle of a star and predict the next likely stage of a star.

B 8. Name and describe tools used to study the universe (e.g., telescopes, probes, satellites
and spacecraft).

E 9. Describe the interior structure of Earth and Earth’s crust as divided into tectonic plates
riding on top of the slow moving currents of magma in the mantle.

E 10. Explain that most major geological events (e.g., earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, hot spots,
mountain building) result from plate motion.

E 11. Use models to analyze the size and shape of Earth, its surface and its interior (e.g., globes,
topographic maps, satellite images).

E 12. Explain that some processes involved in the rock cycle are directly related to thermal energy
and forces in the mantle that drive plate motions.

E 13. Describe how landforms are created through a combination of destructive (e.g., weathering,
and erosion) and constructive processes (e.g., crustal deformation, volcanic eruptions, and
deposition of sediment).

E 14. Explain that folding, faulting and uplifting can rearrange the rock layers so the youngest
is not always found on top.
E 15. Illustrate how the three primary types of plate boundaries (transform, divergent and
convergent) cause different landforms (e.g., mountains, volcanoes and ocean trenches).

LIFE SCIENCES

B 1. Describe that asexual reproduction limits the spread of detrimental characteristics
through a species and allows for genetic continuity.

B 2. Recognize that in sexual reproduction new combinations of traits are produced
which may increase or decrease an organism’s chances for survival.

B 3. Explain how variations in structure, behavior or physiology allow some organisms
to enhance their reproductive success and survival in a particular environment.

D 4. Explain that diversity of species is developed through gradual processes over
many generations (e.g., fossil records).

D 5. Investigate how an organism adapted to a particular environment may become
extinct if the environment, as shown by the fossil record, changes.

PHYSICAL SCIENCES

B 1. Describe how the change in position (motion) of an object is always judged and
described in comparison to a reference point.

B 2. Explain that motion describes the change in the position of an object (characterized
by a speed and direction) as time changes.

B 3. Explain that an unbalanced force acting on an object changes that object’s speed
and/or direction.

D 4. Demonstrate that waves transfer energy.

D 5. Demonstrate that vibrations in materials may produce waves that spread away
from the source in all directions (e.g., earthquake waves and sound waves).

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

A 1. Examine how science and technology have advanced through the contributions of many
different people, cultures and times in history.

A 2. Examine how choices regarding the use of technology are influenced by constraints
caused by various unavoidable factors (e.g., geographic location, limited resources,
social, political and economic considerations).

B 3. Design and build a product or create a solution to a problem given more than two
constraints (e.g., limits of cost and time for design and production, supply of materials
and environmental effects).

B 4. Evaluate the overall effectiveness of a product design or solution.

SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

A 1. Choose the appropriate tools or instruments and use relevant safety procedures
to complete scientific investigations.

A 2. Describe the concepts of sample size and control and explain how these affect
scientific investigations.

B 3. Read, construct and interpret data in various forms produced by self and others
in both written and oral form (e.g., tables, charts, maps, graphs, diagrams, and
symbols).

B 4. Apply appropriate math skills to interpret quantitative data (e.g., mean, median
and mode).

SCIENTIFIC WAYS OF KNOWING

A 1. Identify the difference between description (e.g., observation and summary) and
explanation (e.g., inference, prediction, significance and importance).

B 2. Explain why it is important to examine data objectively and not let bias affect observations.

6 – 8 BENCHMARKS

EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCES

A. Describe how the positions and motions of the objects in the universe cause predictable and cyclic events.

B. Explain that the universe is composed of vast amounts of matter, most of which is at incomprehensible distances and held together by gravitational force. Describe how the universe is studied by the use of equipment such as telescopes, probes, satellites and spacecraft.

C. Describe interactions of matter and energy throughout the lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere (e.g., water cycle, weather and pollution).

D. Identify that the lithosphere contains rocks and minerals and that minerals make up rocks. Describe how rocks and minerals are formed and/or classified.

E. Describe the processes that contribute to the continuous changing of Earth’s surface (e.g., earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, erosion, mountain building and lithospheric plate movements).

LIFE SCIENCES

A. Explain that the basic functions of organisms are carried out in cells and groups of specialized cells form from tissues and organs; the combination of these cells make up multicellular organisms that have a variety of body plans and internal structures.

B. Describe the characteristics of an organism in terms of a combination of inherited traits and recognize reproduction as a characteristic of living organisms essential to the continuation of the species.

C. Explain how energy entering the ecosystems as sunlight supports the life of organisms through photosynthesis and the transfer of energy through the interactions of organisms and the environment.

D. Explain how extinction of a species occurs when the environment changes and its adaptive characteristics are insufficient to allow survival (as seen in evidence in the fossil record).


PHYSICAL SCIENCES

A. Relate uses, properties and chemical processes to the behavior and/or arrangement of the small particles that compose matter.

B. In simple cases, describe the motion of objects and conceptually describe the effects of forces on an object.

C. Describe renewable and nonrenewable sources of energy (e.g., solar, wind, fossil fuels, biomass, hydroelectricity, geothermal and nuclear energy) and the management of these sources.

D. Describe that energy takes many forms, some forms represent kinetic energy and some forms represent potential energy; and during energy transformations the total amount of energy remains constant.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

A. Give examples of how technological advances, influenced by scientific knowledge, affect the quality of life.

B. Design a solution or product taking into account needs and constraints (e.g., cost, time, trade-offs, properties of materials, safety and aesthetics).

SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

A. Explain that there are differing sets of procedures for guiding scientific investigations and procedures are determined by the nature of the investigation, safety considerations and appropriate tools.

B. Analyze and interpret data from scientific investigations using appropriate mathematical skills in order to draw valid conclusions.

SCIENTIFIC WAYS OF KNOWING

A. Use skills of scientific inquiry processes (e.g., hypothesis, record keeping, description and explanation).

B. Explain the importance of reproducibility and reduction of bias in scientific methods.

C. Give examples of how thinking scientifically is helpful in daily life.

NINTH GRADE
PHYSICAL SCIENCE

EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCES

A 1. Describe that stars produce energy from nuclear reactions and that processes in stars have
led to the formation of all elements beyond hydrogen and helium.

A 2. Describe the current scientific evidence that supports the theory of the explosive expansion
of the universe, the Big Bang, over 10 billion years ago.

A 3. Explain that gravitational forces govern the characteristics and movement patterns of the
planets, comets and asteroids in the solar system.

B 4. Explain the relationships of the oceans to the lithosphere and atmosphere (e.g., transfer of
energy, ocean currents and landforms).

E 5. Explain how the slow movement of material within Earth results from:
a. thermal energy transfer (conduction and convection) from the deep interior;
b. the action of gravitational forces on regions of different density.

E 6. Explain the results of plate tectonic activity (e.g., magma generation, igneous intrusion,
metamorphism, volcanic action, earthquakes, faulting and folding).

E 7. Explain sea-floor spreading and continental drift using scientific evidence (e.g., fossil
distributions, magnetic reversals and radiometric dating).

F 8. Use historical examples to explain how new ideas are limited by the context in which
they are conceived; are often initially rejected by the scientific establishment; sometimes
spring from unexpected findings; and usually grow slowly through contributions from
many different investigators (e.g., Heliocentric Theory and Plate Tectonics Theory).

LIFE SCIENCES
No indicators present for this standard.

PHYSICAL SCIENCES

A 1. Recognize that all atoms of the same element contain the same number of protons,
and elements with the same number of protons may or may not have the same mass.
Those with different masses (different numbers of neutrons) are called isotopes.

A 2. Illustrate that atoms with the same number of positively charged protons and negatively
charged electrons are electrically neutral.

F 3. Describe radioactive substances are unstable nuclei that undergo random spontaneous
nuclear decay emitting particles and/or high energy wavelike radiation.

A 4. Show that when elements are listed in order according to the number of protons
(called the atomic number), the repeating patterns of physical and chemical properties
identify families of elements. Recognize that the periodic table was formed as a result
of the repeating pattern of electron configuration.

B 5. Describe how ions are formed when an atom or a group of atoms acquire an unbalanced
charge by gaining or losing one or more electrons.

B 6. Explain that the electric force between the nucleus and the electrons hold an atom together.
Relate that on a large scale, electric forces hold solid and liquid materials together (e.g.,
salt crystals and water).

B 7. Show how atoms may be bonded together by losing, gaining, or sharing electrons and that in a
chemical reaction, the number, type of atoms and total mass must be the same before and after
the reaction (e.g., writing correct chemical formulas and writing balanced chemical equations.).

B 8. Demonstrate that the pH scale (0-14) is used to measure acidity and classify substances
or solutions as acidic, basic, or neutral.

C 9. Investigate the properties of pure substances and mixtures (e.g., density, conductivity,
hardness, properties of alloys, superconductors and semiconductors).

C 10. Compare the conductivity of different materials and explain the role of electrons in the
ability to conduct electricity.

F 11. Explain how thermal energy exists in the random motion and vibrations of atoms and
molecules. Recognize that the higher the temperature, the greater the average atomic or
molecular motion, and during changes of state the temperature remains constant.

E 12. Explain how an object’s kinetic energy depends on its mass and its speed (KE = 1/2 mv2 ).

E 13. Demonstrate that near Earth’s surface an object’s gravitational potential energy depends
upon its weight (mg where m is the object’s mass and g is the acceleration due to gravity) and
height (h) above a reference surface (PE = mgh).

F 14. Summarize how nuclear reactions convert a small amount of matter into a large amount of
energy, (Fission involves the splitting of a large nucleus into smaller nuclei; fusion is the joining
of two small nuclei into a large nucleus at extremely high energies.)

F 15. Trace the transformation of energy within a system (e.g., chemical to electrical to mechanical)
and recognize that energy is conserved. Show that these transformations involve the release
of some thermal energy.

F 16. Illustrate that chemical reactions are either endothermic or exothermic (e.g., cold
packs, hot packs, and the burning of fossil fuels).

F 17. Demonstrate that thermal energy can be transferred by conduction, convection or
radiation (e.g., through materials by the collision of particles, moving air masses or
across empty space by forms of electromagnetic radiation).

G 18. Demonstrate that electromagnetic radiation is a form of energy. Recognize that light acts
as a wave. Show that visible light is a part of the electromagnetic spectrum (e.g., radio
waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma rays).

G 19. Show how the properties of a wave depend on the properties of the medium through which
it travels. Recognize that electromagnetic waves can be propagated without a medium.

G 20. Describe how waves can superimpose on one another when propagated in the same medium.
Analyze conditions in which waves can bend around corners, reflect off surfaces, are absorbed
by materials they enter, and change direction and speed when entering a different material.

D 21. Demonstrate that motion is a measurable quantity that depends on the observer’s frame of
reference and describe the object’s motion in terms of position, velocity, acceleration and time.

D 22. Demonstrate that any object does not accelerate (remains at rest or maintains a constant speed
and direction of motion) unless an unbalanced (net) force acts on it.

D 23. Explain the change in motion (acceleration) of an object. Demonstrate that the acceleration is
proportional to the net force acting on the object and inversely proportional to the mass of the
object. (F net=ma. Note that weight is the gravitational force on a mass.)

D 24. Demonstrate that whenever one object exerts a force on another, an equal amount of force is
exerted back on the first object.

D 25. Demonstrate the ways in which frictional forces constrain the motion of objects (e.g., a car
traveling around a curve, a block on an inclined plane, a person running, an airplane in flight).

H 26. Use historical examples to explain how new ideas are limited by the context in which they are
conceived; are often initially rejected by the scientific establishment; sometimes spring from
unexpected findings; and usually grow slowly through contributions from many different
investigators (e.g., atomic theory, quantum theory and Newtonian mechanics).

H 27. Describe advances and issues in physical science that have important, long-lasting effects on
science and society (e.g., atomic theory, nanotechnology, plastics, ceramics and communication
technology).

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

B 1. Describe means of comparing the benefits with the risks of technology and how science can
inform public policy.

A 2. Identify a problem or need, propose designs and choose among alternative solutions for the
problem.

A 3. Explain why a design should be continually assessed and the ideas of the design should be
tested, adapted and refined.

SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

A 1. Distinguish between observations and inferences given a scientific situation.
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A 2. Research and apply appropriate safety precautions when designing and conducting
scientific investigations (e.g., OSHA, Material Safety Data Sheets [MSDS], eyewash,
goggles, and ventilation).

A 3. Construct, interpret and apply physical and conceptual models that represent or explain
systems, objects, events or concepts.

A 4. Decide what degree of precision based on the data is adequate and round off the results
of calculator operations to the proper number of significant figures to reasonably reflect
those of the inputs.

A 5. Develop oral and written presentations using clear language, accurate data, appropriate
graphs, tables, maps and available technology.

A 6. Draw logical conclusions based on scientific knowledge and evidence from investigations.

SCIENTIFIC WAYS OF KNOWING

A 1. Comprehend that many scientific investigations require the contributions of women and
men from different disciplines in and out of science. These people study different topics,
use different techniques and have different standards of evidence but share a common
purpose – to better understand a portion of our universe.

C 2. Illustrate that the methods and procedures used to obtain evidence must be clearly reported
to enhance opportunities for further investigations.

A 3. Demonstrate that reliable scientific evidence improves the ability of scientists to offer accurate
predictions.

C 4. Explain how support of ethical practices in science (e.g., individual observations and
confirmations, accurate reporting, peer review and publication) are required to reduce bias.

B 5. Justify that scientific theories are explanations of large bodies of information and/or observations
that withstand repeated testing.

B 6. Explain that inquiry fuels observation and experimentation that produces data that are the
foundation of scientific disciplines. Theories are explanations of these data.

B 7. Recognize that scientific knowledge and explanations have changed over time, almost always
building on earlier knowledge.

D 8. Illustrate that much can be learned about the internal workings of science and the nature of
sciences from the study of scientists, their daily work and their efforts to advance scientific
knowledge in their area of study.

D 9. Investigate how the knowledge, skills and interests learned in science class apply to the
careers students plan to pursue.

TENTH GRADE
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE

EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCES

B 1. Summarize the relationship between the climatic zone and the resultant biomes. (This
includes explaining the nature of the rainfall and temperature of the mid-latitude climatic
zone that supports the deciduous forest).

B 2. Explain climate and weather patterns associated with certain geographic locations and
features (e.g., tornado alley, tropical hurricanes and lake effect snow).

C 3. Explain how geologic time can be estimated by multiple methods (e.g., rock sequences,
fossil correlation and radiometric dating).

C 4. Describe how organisms on Earth contributed to the dramatic change in oxygen content
of Earth’s early atmosphere.

D 5. Explain how the acquisition and use of resources, urban growth and waste disposal can
accelerate natural change and impact the quality of life.

D 6. Describe ways that human activity can alter biogeochemical cycles (e.g., carbon and
nitrogen cycles) as well as food webs and energy pyramids (e.g., pest control, legume
rotation crops vs. chemical fertilizers).

F 7. Describe advances and issues in Earth and space science that have important long-lasting
effects on science and society (e.g., geologic time scales, global warming, depletion of
resources and exponential population growth).

LIFE SCIENCES

A 1. Explain that living cells

a. are composed of a small number of key chemical elements (carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur).
b. are the basic unit of structure and function of all living things.
c. come from pre-existing cells after life originated, and.
d. are different from viruses.

A 2. Compare the structure, function and interrelatedness of cell organelles in eukaryotic cells
(e.g., nucleus, chromosome, mitochondria, cell membrane, cell wall, chloroplast, cilia, flagella)
and prokaryotic cells.

B 3. Explain the characteristics of life as indicated by cellular processes including

a. homeostasis.
b. energy transfer and transformation.
c. transportation of molecules.
d. disposal of wastes.
e. synthesis of new molecules.

B 4. Summarize the general processes of cell division and differentiation, and explain why specialized
cell division and differentiation, and explain why specialized cells are useful to organisms and
explain that complex multicellular organisms are formed as highly organized arrangements of
differentiated cells.

C 5. Illustrate the relationship of the structure and function of DNA to protein synthesis
and the characteristics of an organism.

C 6. Explain that a unit of hereditary information is called a gene, and genes may occur in
different forms called alleles (e.g., gene for pea plant height has two alleles, tall and short).

C 7. Describe that spontaneous changes in DNA are mutations, which are a source of genetic
variation. When mutations occur in sex cells, they may be passed on to future generations;
mutations that occur in body cells may affect the functioning of that cell or the organism in
which that cell is found.

C 8. Use the concepts of Mendelian and non-Mendelian genetics (e.g., segregation, independent
assortment, dominant and recessive traits, sex-linked traits and jumping genes) to explain
inheritance.

D 9. Describe how matter cycles and energy flows through different levels of organization in
living systems and between living systems and the physical environment. Explain how some
energy is stored and much is dissipated into the environment as thermal energy (e.g., food webs
and energy pyramids).

D 10. Describe how cells and organisms acquire and release energy (photosynthesis, chemosynthesis,
cellular respiration and fermentation).

D 11. Explain that living organisms use matter and energy to synthesize a variety of organic molecules
(e.g., proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids) and to drive life processes (e.g., growth,
reacting to the environment, reproduction and movement).

E 12. Describe that biological classification represents how organisms are related with species being
the most fundamental unit of the classification system. Relate how biologists arrange organisms
into a hierarchy of groups and subgroups based on similarities and differences that reflect their
evolutionary relationships.

E 13. Explain that the variation of organisms within a species increases the likelihood that at least
some members of a species will survive under gradually changing environmental conditions.

E 14. Relate diversity and adaptation to structures and their functions in living organisms
(e.g., adaptive radiation).

F 15. Explain how living things interact with biotic and abiotic components of the environment
(e.g., predation, competition, natural disasters and weather).

F 16. Relate how distribution and abundance of organisms and populations in ecosystems are limited
by the ability of the ecosystem to recycle materials and the availability of matter, space and energy.

F 17. Conclude that ecosystems tend to have cyclic fluctuations around a state of approximate equilibrium
that can change when climate changes, when one or more new species appear as a result of
immigration or when one or more species disappear.

G 18. Describe ways that human activities can deliberately or inadvertently alter the equilibrium
in ecosystems. Explain how changes in technology/biotechnology can cause significant
changes, either positive or negative, in environmental quality and carry capacity.

G 19. Illustrate how uses of resources at local, state, regional, national, and global levels have
affected the quality of life (e.g., energy production and sustainable vs. nonsustainable
agriculture).

H 20. Recognize that a change in gene frequency (genetic composition) in a population over
time is a foundation of biological evolution.

H 21. Explain that natural selection provides the following mechanism for evolution; undirected
variation in inherited characteristics exist within every species. These characteristics may
give individuals an advantage or disadvantage compared to others in surviving and
reproducing. The advantaged offspring are more likely to survive and reproduce. Therefore,
the proportion of individuals that have advantageous characteristics will increase. When an
environment changes, the survival value of some inherited characteristics may change.

H 22. Describe historical scientific developments that occurred in evolutionary thought
(e.g., Lamarck, Darwin, Mendelian Genetics and modern synthesis).

H 23. Describe how scientists continue to investigate and critically analyze aspects of evolutionary
theory. (The intent of this indicator does not mandate the teaching or testing of "intelligent design".)

I 24. Analyze how natural selection and other evolutionary mechanisms (e.g., genetic drift,
immigration, emigration, mutation) and their consequences provide a scientific explanation
for the diversity and unity of past life forms, as depicted in the fossil record, and present
life forms.

I 25. Explain that life on Earth is thought to have begun as simple, one celled organisms
approximately 4 billion years ago. During most of the history of Earth only single celled
microorganisms existed, but once cells with nuclei developed about a billion years ago,
increasingly complex multicellular organisms evolved.

J 26. Use historical examples to explain how new ideas are limited by the context in which they
are conceived. These ideas are often rejected by the scientific establishment; sometimes
spring from unexpected findings; and usually grow slowly through contributions from
many different investigators (e.g., biological evolution, germ theory, biotechnology and
discovering germs).

J 27. Describe advances in life sciences that have important long-lasting effects on science and
society (e.g., biological evolution, germ theory, biotechnology and discovering germs).

J 28. Analyze and investigate emerging scientific issues (e.g., genetically modified food,
stem cell research, genetic research and cloning.

PHYSICAL SCIENCES
No indicators present for this standard.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

B 1. Cite examples of ways that scientific inquiry is driven by the desire to understand the natural
world and how technology is driven to understand the natural world and how technology is
driven by the need to meet human needs and solve human problems.

B 2. Describe examples of scientific advances and emerging technologies and how they may
impact society.

A 3. Explain that when evaluating a design for a device or process, thought should be given to
how it will be manufactured, operated, maintained, replaced and disposed of in addition to
who will sell, operate and take care of it. Explain how the costs associated with these
considerations may introduce additional constraints on the design.

SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

A 1. Research and apply appropriate safety precautions when designing and conducting scientific
investigations (e.g., OSHA, MSDS, eyewash, goggles and ventilation).

A 2. Present scientific findings using clear language, accurate data, appropriate graphs, tables,
maps and available technology.

A 3. Use mathematical models to predict and analyze natural phenomena.

A 4. Draw conclusions from inquiries based on scientific knowledge and principles, the use of
logic and evidence (data) from investigations.

A 5. Explain how new scientific data can cause any existing scientific explanation to be
supported, revised or rejected.

SCIENTIFIC WAYS OF KNOWING

A 1. Discuss science as a dynamic body of knowledge that can lead to the development of entirely
new disciplines.

A 2. Describe that scientists may disagree about explanations of phenomena, about interpretation
of data or about the value of rival theories, but they do agree that questioning, response to
criticism and open communication are integral to the process of science.

A 3. Recognize that science is a systematic method of continuing investigation, based on observation,
hypothesis testing, measurement, experimentation, and theory building, which leads to more
adequate explanations of natural phenomena.

C 4. Recognize that ethical considerations limit what scientists can do.

C 5. Recognize that research involving voluntary human subjects should be conducted only with the
informed consent of the subjects and follow rigid guidelines and/or laws.

C 6. Recognize that animal-based research must be conducted according to currently accepted
professional standards and laws.

D 7. Investigate how the knowledge, skills and interests learned in science classes apply to the careers
students plan to pursue.

9 – 10 BENCHMARKS

EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCES

A. Explain how evidence from stars and other celestial objects provide information about the processes that cause changes in the composition and scale of the physical universe.

B. Explain that many processes occur in patterns within the Earth’s systems.

C. Explain the 4.5 billion-year-history of Earth and the 4 billion-year-history of life on Earth based on observable scientific evidence in the geologic record.

D. Describe the finite nature of Earth’s resources and those human activities that can conserve or deplete Earth’s resources.

E. Explain the processes that move and shape Earth’s surface.

F. Summarize the historical development of scientific theories and ideas, and describe emerging issues in the study of Earth and space sciences.

LIFE SCIENCES

A. Explain that cells are the basic unit of structure and function of living organisms, that once life originated all cells come from pre-existing cells, and that there are a variety of cell types.

B. Explain the characteristics of life as indicated by cellular processes and describe the process of cell division and development.

C. Explain the genetic mechanisms and molecular basis of inheritance.

D. Explain the flow of energy and the cycling of matter through biological and ecological systems (cellular, organismal and ecological).

E. Explain how evolutionary relationships contribute to an understanding of the unity and diversity of life.

F. Explain the structure and function of ecosystems and relate how ecosystems change over time.

G. Describe how human activities can impact the status of natural systems.

H. Describe a foundation of biological evolution as the change in gene frequency of a population over time. Explain the historical and current scientific developments, mechanisms and processes of biological evolution. Describe how scientists continue to investigate and critically analyze aspects of evolutionary theory. (The intent of this benchmark does not mandate the teaching or testing of "intelligent design".)

I. Explain how natural selection and other evolutionary mechanisms account for the unity and diversity of past and present life forms.

J. Summarize the historical development of scientific theories and ideas, and describe emerging issues in the study of life sciences.

PHYSICAL SCIENCES

A. Describe that matter is made of minute particles called atoms and atoms are comprised of even smaller components. Explain the structure and properties of atoms.

B. Explain how atoms react with each other to form other substances and how molecules react with each other or other atoms to form even different substances.

C. Describe the identifiable physical properties of substances (e.g., color, hardness, conductivity density, concentration and ductility). Explain how changes in these properties can occur without changing the chemical nature of the substance.

D. Explain the movement of objects by applying Newton’s three laws of motion.

E. Demonstrate that energy can be considered to be either kinetic (motion) or potential (stored).

F. Explain how energy may change form or be redistributed but the total quantity of energy is conserved.

G. Demonstrate that waves (e.g., sound, seismic, water and light) have energy and waves can transfer energy when they interact with matter.

H. Trace the historical development of scientific theories and ideas, and describe emerging issues in the study of physical sciences.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

A. Explain the ways in which the processes of technological design respond to the needs of society.

B. Explain that science and technology are interdependent; each drives the other.

SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

A. Participate in and apply the processes of scientific investigations to create models and to design, conduct, evaluate and communicate the results of these investigations.

SCIENTIFIC WAYS OF KNOWING

A. Explain that scientific knowledge must be based on evidence, be predictive, logical, subject to modification and limited to the natural world.

B. Explain how scientific inquiry is guided by knowledge, observations, ideas and questions.

C. Describe the ethical practices and guidelines in which science operates.

D. Recognize that scientific literacy is part of being a knowledgeable citizen.

HIGH SCHOOL
ELECTIVE
COURSES

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCES
There are no indicators for Earth and Space Sciences.

LIFE SCIENCES

A(10) 1. Explain that living cells . . .

a. are composed of a small number of key chemical elements (carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur).
b. are the basic unit of structure and function of all living things.
c. come from pre-existing cells after life originated.
d. are different from viruses.

2. Compare the structure, function and interrelatedness of cell organelles in eukaryotic cells (e.g., nucleus, chromosome, mitochondria, cell membrane, cell wall, chloroplast, cilia, flagella) and prokaryotic cells.

A(11) 1. Describe how the maintenance