Comparison of Existing and New TEKS for SCIENCE, Grade 6 Final Version after SBOE March 2009 Meeting

Transcription

1 Comparison of Existing and New TEKS for SCIENCE, Grade 6 Final Version after SBOE March 2009 Meeting Existing TEKS, Grade 6 TEKS, Grade 6 (Beginning with School Year ) The student conducts field and laboratory investigations using safe, environmentally appropriate, and ethical practices. The student is expected to: 1.A Demonstrate safe practices during field and laboratory investigations. 1.B Make wise choices in the use and conservation of resources and the disposal or recycling of materials. 2.A Plan and implement investigative procedures including asking questions, formulating testable hypotheses, and selecting and using equipment and technology. The student, for at least 40% of instructional time, conducts field and laboratory investigations following safety procedures and environmentally appropriate and ethical practices. The student is expected to: 1.A Demonstrate safe practices during laboratory and field investigations as outlined in the Texas Safety Standards. 1.B Practice appropriate use and conservation of resources including disposal, reuse, or recycling of materials. 2.A Plan and implement comparative and descriptive investigations by making observations, asking welldefined questions, and using appropriate equipment and technology. 2.B Design and implement experimental investigations by making observations, asking well-defined questions, formulating testable hypotheses, and using appropriate equipment and technology. 2.B Collect data by observing and measuring. 2.C Collect and record data using the International System of Units (SI) and qualitative means such as labeled drawings, writing, and graphic organizers. 2.C Analyze and interpret information to construct reasonable explanations from direct and indirect evidence. 2.D Communicate valid conclusions. 2.E Analyze data to formulate reasonable explanations, communicate valid conclusions supported by the data, and predict trends. 2.E Construct graphs, tables, maps, and charts using tools including computers to organize, examine, and evaluate data. 3.A Analyze, review, and critique scientific explanations, including hypotheses and theories, as to their strengths and weaknesses using scientific evidence and information. 3.B Draw inferences based on data related to promotional materials for products and services. 3.C Represent the natural world using models and identify their limitations. 3.D Evaluate the impact of research on scientific thought, society, and the environment. 3.E Connect Grade 6 science concepts with the history of science and contributions of scientists. 4.A Collect, analyze, and record information using tools including beakers, petri dishes, meter sticks, graduated cylinders, weather instruments, timing devices, hot plates, test tubes, safety goggles, spring scales, magnets, balances, microscopes, telescopes, thermometers, calculators, field equipment, compasses, computers, and computer probes. 4.B Identify patterns in collected information using percent, average, range, and frequency. 2.D Construct tables, using repeated trials and means to organize data and identify patterns. 3.A In all fields of science, analyze, evaluate, and critique scientific explanations by using empirical evidence, logical reasoning and experimental and observational testing, including examining all sides of the scientific evidence of those scientific explanations so as to encourage critical thinking by the student. 3.B Use models to represent aspects of the natural world such as a model of Earth s layers. 3.C Identify advantages and limitations of models such as size, scale, properties, and materials. 3.D Relate the impact of research on scientific thought and society including the history of science and contributions of scientists as related to the content. 4.A Use appropriate tools to collect, record, and analyze information including: journals/notebooks, beakers, Petri dishes, meter sticks, graduated cylinders, hot plates, test tubes, triple beam balances, microscopes, thermometers, calculators, computers, timing devices, and other equipment as needed to teach the curriculum. 4.B Use preventative safety equipment including chemical splash goggles, aprons, and gloves and be prepared to use emergency safety equipment including an eye/face wash, a fire blanket, and a fire extinguisher.

2 Existing TEKS, Grade 6 TEKS, Grade 6 (Beginning with School Year ) 5.A Identify and describe a system that results from the combination of two or more systems such as in the solar system. 5.B Describe how the properties of a system are different from the properties of its parts. 8.A Compare and contrast potential and kinetic energy. 6.A Identify and describe the changes in position, direction of motion, and speed of an object when acted upon by force. 6.B Demonstrate that changes in motion can be measured and graphically represented. 6.C Identify forces that shape features of the Earth including uplifting, movement of water, and volcanic activity. 7.A Demonstrate that new substances can be made when two or more substances are chemically combined and compare the properties of the new substances to the original substances. 7.B Classify substances by their physical and chemical properties. 8.A Define matter and energy. 8.B Explain and illustrate the interactions between matter and energy in the water cycle and in the decay of biomass such as in a compost bin. 8.C Describe energy flow in living systems including food chains and food webs. 9.A Identify energy transformations occurring during the production of energy for human use such as electrical energy to heat energy or heat energy to electrical energy. 9.B Compare methods used for transforming energy in devices such as water heaters, cooling systems, or hydroelectric and wind power plants. 9.C Research and describe energy types from their source to their use and determine if the type is renewable, non-renewable, or inexhaustible. 10.A Differentiate between structure and function. 8.B Identify and describe the changes in position, direction, and speed of an object when acted upon by unbalanced forces. 8.C Calculate average speed using distance and time measurements. 8.D Measure and graph changes in motion. 8.E Investigate how inclined planes and pulleys can be used to change the amount of force to move an object. 5.A Know that an element is a pure substance represented by chemical symbols. 5.B Recognize that a limited number of the many known elements comprise the largest portion of solid Earth, living matter, oceans, and the atmosphere. 5.C Differentiate between elements and compounds on the most basic level. 5.D Identify the formation of a new substance by using the evidence of a possible chemical change such as production of a gas, change in temperature, production of a precipitate, or color change. 6.A Compare metals, nonmetals, and metalloids using physical properties such as luster, conductivity or malleability. 6.B Calculate density to identify an unknown substance. 6.C Test the physical properties of minerals including hardness, color, luster, and streak. 9.A Investigate methods of thermal energy transfer including conduction, convection, and radiation. 9.B Verify through investigations that thermal energy moves in a predictable pattern from warmer to cooler until all the substances attain the same temperature such as an ice cube melting. 9.C Demonstrate energy transformations such as the energy in a flashlight battery changes from chemical energy to electrical energy to light energy. 7.A Research and debate the advantages and disadvantages of using coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear power, biomass, wind, hydropower, geothermal, and solar resources. 7.B Design a logical plan to manage energy resources in the home, school or community.

3 Existing TEKS, Grade 6 TEKS, Grade 6 (Beginning with School Year ) 10.B Determine that all organisms are composed of cells that carry on functions to sustain life. 10.C Identify how structure complements function at different levels of organization including organs, organ systems, organisms, and populations. 11.A Identify some changes in traits that can occur over several generations through natural occurrence and selective breeding. 11.B Identify cells as structures containing genetic material. 11.C Interpret the role of genes in inheritance. 12.A Identify responses in organisms to internal stimuli such as hunger or thirst. 12.B Identify responses in organisms to external stimuli such as the presence or absence of heat or light. 12.C Identify components of an ecosystem to which organisms may respond. 13.A Identify characteristics of objects in our solar system including the Sun, planets, meteorites, comets, asteroids, and moons. 13.B Describe types of equipment and transportation needed for space travel. 12.A Understand that all organisms are composed of one or more cells. 12.B Recognize the presence of a nucleus determines whether a cell is prokaryotic or eukaryotic. 12.C Recognize the broadest taxonomic classification of living organisms is divided into currently recognized Domains. 12.D Identify the basic characteristics of organisms, including prokaryotic or eukaryotic, unicellular or multicellular, autotrophic or heterotrophic, and mode of reproduction, that further classify them in the currently recognized Kingdoms. 12.E Describe biotic and abiotic parts of an ecosystem in which organisms interact. 12.F Diagram the levels of organization within an ecosystem including organism, population, community, and ecosystem. 11.A Describe the physical properties, locations, and movements of the Sun, planets, Galilean moons, meteors, asteroids, and comets. 11.B Understand that gravity is the force that governs the motion of our solar system. 11.C Describe the history and future of space exploration including the types of equipment and transportation needed for space travel. 10.A Build a model to illustrate the structural layers of Earth including the inner core, outer core, mantle, crust, asthenosphere, and lithosphere. 14.A Summarize the rock cycle. 10.B Classify rocks as metamorphic, igneous, or sedimentary by the processes of their formation. 10.C Identify the major tectonic plates including Eurasian, African, Indo-Australian, Pacific, North American, and South American. 10.D Describe how plate tectonics causes major geological events, such as ocean basins, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and mountain building. 14.B Identify relationships between groundwater and surface water in a watershed. 14.C Describe components of the atmosphere, including oxygen, nitrogen, and water vapor, and identify the role of atmospheric movement in weather change.

4 Comparison of Existing and New TEKS for SCIENCE, Grade 7 Final Version after SBOE March 2009 Meeting Existing TEKS, Grade 7 TEKS, Grade 7 (Beginning with School Year ) The student conducts field and laboratory investigations using safe, environmentally appropriate, and ethical practices. The student is expected to: 1.A Demonstrate safe practices during field and laboratory investigations. 1.B Make wise choices in the use and conservation of resources and the disposal or recycling of materials. 2.A Plan and implement investigative procedures including asking questions, formulating testable hypotheses, and selecting and using equipment and technology. The student, for at least 40% of instructional time, conducts field and laboratory investigations following safety procedures and environmentally appropriate and ethical practices. The student is expected to: 1.A Demonstrate safe practices during laboratory and field investigations as outlined in the Texas Safety Standards. 1.B Practice appropriate use and conservation of resources including disposal, reuse, or recycling of materials. 2.A Plan and implement comparative and descriptive investigations by making observations, asking welldefined questions and using appropriate equipment and technology. 2.B Design and implement experimental investigations by making observations, asking well-defined questions, formulating testable hypotheses, and using appropriate equipment and technology. 2.B Collect data by observing and measuring. 2.C Collect and record data using the International System of Units (SI) and qualitative means such as labeled drawings, writing, and graphic organizers. 2.C Organize, analyze, make inferences, and predict trends from direct and indirect evidence. 2.D Communicate valid conclusions. 2.E Analyze data to formulate reasonable explanations, communicate valid conclusions supported by the data, and predict trends. 2.E Construct graphs, tables, maps, and charts using tools including computers to organize, examine, and evaluate data. 3.A Analyze, review, and critique scientific explanations, including hypotheses and theories, as to their strengths and weaknesses using scientific evidence and information. 3.B Draw inferences based on data related to promotional materials for products and services. 3.C Represent the natural world using models and identify their limitations. 3.D Evaluate the impact of research on scientific thought, society, and the environment. 3.E Connect Grade 7 science concepts with the history of science and contributions of scientists. 4.A Collect, analyze, and record information to explain a phenomenon using tools including beakers, petri dishes, meter sticks, graduated cylinders, weather instruments, hot plates, dissecting equipment, test tubes, safety goggles, spring scales, balances, microscopes, telescopes, thermometers, calculators, field equipment, computers, computer probes, timing devices, magnets, and compasses. 2.D Construct tables and graphs, using repeated trials and means to organize data and identify patterns. 3.A In all fields of science, analyze, evaluate, and critique scientific explanations by using empirical evidence, logical reasoning and experimental and observational testing, including examining all sides of the scientific evidence of those scientific explanations so as to encourage critical thinking by the student. 3.B Use models to represent aspects of the natural world such as human body systems, and plant and animal cells. 3.C Identify advantages and limitations of models such as size, scale, properties, and materials. 3.D Relate the impact of research on scientific thought and society, including history of science and contributions of scientists as related to the content. 4.A Use appropriate tools to collect, record, and analyze information including: life science models, hand lens, stereoscopes, microscopes, beakers, Petri dishes, microscope slides, graduated cylinders, test tubes, meter sticks, metric rulers, metric tape measures, timing devices, hot plates, balances, thermometers, calculators, water test kits, computers, temperature and ph probes, collecting nets, insect traps, globes, digital cameras and journals/notebooks and other equipment as needed to teach the curriculum. 4.B Use preventative safety equipment including chemical splash goggles, aprons and gloves and be prepared to use emergency safety equipment

5 Existing TEKS, Grade 7 TEKS, Grade 7 (Beginning with School Year ) including an eye/face wash, a fire blanket, and a fire extinguisher. 4.B Collect and analyze information to recognize patterns such as rates of change. 5.A Describe how systems may reach an equilibrium such as when a volcano erupts. 5.B Observe and describe the role of ecological succession in maintaining an equilibrium in an ecosystem. 6.A Demonstrate basic relationships between force and motion using simple machines including pulleys and levers. 6.B Demonstrate that an object will remain at rest or move at a constant speed and in a straight line if it is not being subjected to an unbalanced force. 6.C Relate forces to basic processes in living organisms including the flow of blood and the emergence of seedlings. 7.A Identify and demonstrate everyday examples of chemical phenomena such as rusting and tarnishing of metals and burning of wood. 7.B Describe physical properties of elements and identify how they are used to position an element on the periodic table. 7.C Recognize that compounds are composed of elements. 8.A Illustrate examples of potential and kinetic energy in everyday life such as objects at rest, movement of geologic faults, and falling water. 8.B Identify that radiant energy from the Sun is transferred into chemical energy through the process of photosynthesis. 7.A Contrast situations where work is done with different amounts of force to situations where no work is done such as moving a box with a ramp and without a ramp, or standing still. 7.B Illustrate the transformation of energy within an organism such as the transfer from chemical energy to heat and thermal energy in digestion. 7.C Demonstrate and illustrate forces that affect motion in everyday life, such as emergence of seedlings, turgor pressure, and geotropism. 6.A Identify that organic compounds contain carbon and other elements such as hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, nitrogen or sulfur. 6.B Distinguish between physical and chemical changes in matter in the digestive system. 6.C Recognize how large molecules are broken down into smaller molecules, such as carbohydrates can be broken down into sugars. 5.A Recognize that radiant energy from the sun is transformed into chemical energy through the process of photosynthesis. 5.B Demonstrate and explain the cycling of matter within living systems, such as in the decay of biomass in a compost bin. 5.C Diagram the flow of energy through living systems including food chains, food webs and energy pyramids. 11.A Examine organisms or their structures, such as insects or leaves, and use dichotomous keys for identification. 11.B Explain variation within a population or species by comparing external features, behaviors, or physiology of organisms that enhance their survival such as migration, hibernation, or storage of food in a bulb. 11.C Identify some changes in genetic traits that can have occurred over several generations through natural selection and selective breeding such as the

6 Existing TEKS, Grade 7 TEKS, Grade 7 (Beginning with School Year ) Galapagos Meduim Ground Finch (Geospiza fortis) or domestic animals. 12.A Investigate and explain how internal structures of organisms have adaptations that allow specific functions, such as gills in fish, hollow bones in birds, or xylem in plants. 9.A Identify the systems of the human organism and describe their functions. 9.B Describe how organisms maintain stable internal conditions while living in changing external environments. 10.A Identify that sexual reproduction results in more diverse offspring and asexual reproduction results in more uniform offspring. 10.B Compare traits of organisms of different species that enhance their survival and reproduction. 12.B Identify the main functions of the systems of the human organism including the circulatory, respiratory, skeletal, muscular, digestive, excretory, reproductive, integumentary, nervous, and endocrine systems. 12.C Recognize levels of organization in plants and animals including cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, and organisms. 12.D Differentiate between structure and function in plant and animal cell organelles including cell membrane, cell wall, nucleus, cytoplasm, mitochondrion, chloroplast, and vacuole. 12.E Compare the functions of a cell to the functions of organisms such as waste removal. 12.F Recognize that according to cell theory all organisms are composed of cells and cells carry on similar functions such as extracting energy from food to sustain life. 14.A Define heredity as the passage of genetic instructions from one generation to the next generation. 14.B Compare the results of uniform or diverse offspring from sexual reproduction or asexual reproduction. 10.C Distinguish between dominant and recessive traits and recognize that inherited traits of an individual are contained in genetic material. 11.A Analyze changes in organisms such as a fever or vomiting that may result from internal stimuli. 11.B Identify responses in organisms to external stimuli found in the environment such as the presence or absence of light. 12.A Identify components of an ecosystem. 12.B Observe and describe how organisms including producers, consumers, and decomposers live together in an environment and use existing resources. 12.C Describe how different environments support different varieties of organisms. 12.D Observe and describe the role of ecological succession in ecosystems. 14.C Recognize that inherited traits of individuals are governed in the genetic material found in the genes within the chromosomes in the nucleus. 13.B Describe and relate responses in organisms that may result from internal stimuli such as wilting in plants and fever or vomiting in animals that allow them to maintain balance. 13.A Investigate how organisms respond to external stimuli found in the environment such as phototropism and fight or flight. 10.A Observe and describe how different environments, including microhabitats in schoolyards and biomes, support different varieties of organisms. 10.B Describe how biodiversity contributes to the sustainability of an ecosystem. 10.C Observe, record, and describe the role of ecological succession such as in a microhabitat of a garden with weeds. 9.A Analyze the characteristics of objects in our solar system that allow life to exist such as the proximity of the Sun, presence of water, and composition of the atmosphere.

7 Existing TEKS, Grade 7 TEKS, Grade 7 (Beginning with School Year ) 9.B Identify the accommodations, considering the characteristics of our solar system, that enabled manned space exploration. 13.A Identify and illustrate how the tilt of the Earth on its axis as it rotates and revolves around the Sun causes changes in seasons and the length of a day. 13.B Relate the Earth's movement and the moon's orbit to the observed cyclical phases of the moon. 14.A Describe and predict the impact of different catastrophic events on the Earth. 14.B Analyze effects of regional erosional deposition and weathering. 14.C Make inferences and draw conclusions about effects of human activity on Earth's renewable, non-renewable, and inexhaustible resources. 8.A Predict and describe how different types of catastrophic events impact ecosystems, such as floods, hurricanes, or tornadoes. 8.B Analyze the effects of weathering, erosion, and deposition on the environment in ecoregions of Texas. 8.C Model the effects of human activity on ground water and surface water in a watershed.

8 Comparison of Existing and New TEKS for SCIENCE, Grade 8 Final Version after SBOE March 2009 Meeting Existing TEKS, Grade 8 TEKS, Grade 8 (Beginning with School Year ) The student conducts field and laboratory investigations using safe, environmentally appropriate, and ethical practices. The student is expected to: 1.A Demonstrate safe practices during field and laboratory investigations. 1.B Make wise choices in the use and conservation of resources and the disposal or recycling of materials. 2.A Plan and implement investigative procedures including asking questions, formulating testable hypotheses, and selecting and using equipment and technology. The student, for at least 40% of instructional time, conducts field and laboratory investigations following safety procedures and environmentally appropriate and ethical practices. The student is expected to: 1.A Demonstrate safe practices during laboratory and field investigations as outlined in the Texas Safety Standards. 1.B Practice appropriate use and conservation of resources including disposal, reuse, or recycling of materials. 2.A Plan and implement comparative and descriptive investigations by making observations, asking welldefined questions, and selecting and using appropriate equipment and technology. 2.B Design and implement comparative and experimental investigations by making observations, asking welldefined questions, formulating testable hypotheses and selecting and using appropriate equipment and technology. 2.B Collect data by observing and measuring. 2.C Collect and record data using the International System of Units (SI) and qualitative means such as labeled drawings, writing, and graphic organizers. 2.C Organize, analyze, evaluate, make inferences, and predict trends from direct and indirect evidence. 2.D Communicate valid conclusions. 2.E Construct graphs, tables, maps, and charts using tools including computers to organize, examine, and evaluate data. 3.A Analyze, review, and critique scientific explanations, including hypotheses and theories, as to their strengths and weaknesses using scientific evidence and information. 3.B Draw inferences based on data related to promotional materials for products and services. 3.C Represent the natural world using models and identify their limitations. 3.D Evaluate the impact of research on scientific thought, society, and the environment. 3.E Connect Grade 8 science concepts with the history of science and contributions of scientists. 2.E Analyze data to formulate reasonable explanations, communicate valid conclusions supported by the data, and predict trends. 2.D Construct tables and graphs, using repeated trials and means, to organize data and identify patterns. 3.A In all fields of science, analyze, evaluate, and critique scientific explanations by using empirical evidence, logical reasoning and experimental and observational testing, including examining all sides of the scientific evidence of those scientific explanations so as to encourage critical thinking by the student. 3.B Use models to represent aspects of the natural world such as an atom, a molecule, space or a geologic feature. 3.C Identify advantages and limitations of models such as size, scale, properties, and materials. 3.D Relate the impact of research on scientific thought and society including the history of science and contributions of scientists as related to the content. 4.A Collect, record, and analyze information using tools including beakers, petri dishes, meter sticks, graduated cylinders, weather instruments, hot plates, dissecting equipment, test tubes, safety goggles, spring scales, balances, microscopes, telescopes, thermometers, calculators, field equipment, computers, computer probes, water test kits, and timing devices. 4.A 4.B Use appropriate tools to collect, record, and analyze information including: lab journals/notebooks, beakers, meter sticks, graduated cylinders, anemometers, psychrometers, hot plates, test tubes, spring scales, balances, microscopes, thermometers, calculators, computers, spectroscopes, timing devices, and other equipment as needed to teach the curriculum. Use preventative safety equipment including chemical splash goggles, aprons and gloves, and be prepared to use emergency safety equipment including an eye/face wash, a fire blanket, and a fire extinguisher. 4.B Extrapolate from collected information to make predictions.

9 Existing TEKS, Grade 8 TEKS, Grade 8 (Beginning with School Year ) 5.A Identify a design problem and propose a solution. 5.B Design and test a model to solve the problem. 5.C Evaluate the model and make recommendations for improving the model. 6.A Describe interactions among systems in the human organism. 6.B Identify feedback mechanisms that maintain equilibrium of systems such as body temperature, turgor pressure, and chemical reactions. 6.C Describe interactions within ecosystems. 7.A Demonstrate how unbalanced forces cause changes in the speed or direction of an object's motion. 6.A Demonstrate and calculate how unbalanced forces change the speed or direction of an object's motion. 6.B Differentiate between speed, velocity and acceleration. 6.C Investigate and describe applications of Newton s law of inertia, law of force and acceleration and law of actionreaction, such as in vehicle restraints, sports activities, amusement park rides, Earth s tectonic activities, and rocket launches. 7.B Recognize that waves are generated and can travel through different media. 8.A Describe the structure and parts of an atom. 5.A Describe the structure of atoms including the masses, electrical charges and locations of protons and neutrons 8.B Identify the properties of an atom including mass and electrical charge. 9.A Demonstrate that substances may react chemically to form new substances. 9.B Interpret information on the periodic table to understand that physical properties are used to group elements. 9.C Recognize the importance of formulas and equations to express what happens in a chemical reaction. 9.D Identify that physical and chemical properties influence the development and application of everyday materials such as cooking surfaces, insulation, adhesives, and plastics. 10.A Illustrate interactions between matter and energy including specific heat. 10.B Describe interactions among solar, weather, and ocean systems. 10.C Identify and demonstrate that loss or gain of heat energy occurs during exothermic and endothermic chemical reactions. 11.A Identify that change in environmental conditions can affect the survival of individuals and of species. in the nucleus and electrons in the electron cloud. 5.B Identify that protons determine an element s identity, and valence electrons determine its chemical properties including reactivity. 5.E Investigate how evidence of chemical reactions indicate that new substances with different properties are formed. 5.C Interpret the arrangement of the Periodic Table including groups and periods, to explain how properties are used to classify elements. 5.D Recognize that chemical formulas are used to identify substances and determine the number of atoms of each element in chemical formulas containing subscripts. 5.F Recognize whether a chemical equation containing coefficients is balanced or not and how that relates to the law of conservation of mass. 11.A Describe producer/consumer, predator/prey, and parasite/host relationships as they occur in food webs in marine, freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems. 11.B Investigate how organisms and populations in an ecosystem depend on and may compete for biotic and abiotic factors such as quantity of light, water, range of temperatures, or soil composition. 11.C Explore how short and long-term environmental changes affect organisms and traits in subsequent populations.

10 Existing TEKS, Grade 8 TEKS, Grade 8 (Beginning with School Year ) 11.B Distinguish between inherited traits and other characteristics that result from interactions with the environment. 11.C Make predictions about possible outcomes of various genetic combinations of inherited characteristics. 10.A Recognize that the Sun provides the energy that drives convection within the atmosphere and oceans, producing winds and ocean currents. 10.B Identify how global patterns of atmospheric movement influence local weather using weather maps that show high and low pressures and fronts. 12.A Analyze and predict the sequence of events in the lunar and rock cycles. 12.B Relate the role of oceans to climatic changes. 10.C Identify the role of the oceans in the formation of weather systems, such as hurricanes. 12.C Predict the results of modifying the Earth's nitrogen, water, and carbon cycles. 7.A Model and illustrate how the tilted Earth rotates on its axis, causing day and night, and revolves around the sun causing changes in seasons. 7.B Demonstrate and predict the sequence of events in the lunar cycle. 7.C Relate the position of the Moon and Sun to their effect on ocean tides. 13.A Describe characteristics of the universe such as stars and galaxies. 13.B Explain the use of light years to describe distances in the universe. 13.C Research and describe historical scientific theories of the origin of the universe. 8.A Describe components of the universe including stars, nebulae and galaxies, and use models such as the Herztsprung-Russell diagram for classification. 8.B Recognize that the Sun is a medium-sized star near the edge of a disc-shaped galaxy of stars and that the Sun is many thousands of times closer to Earth than any other star. 8.C Explore how different wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum such as light and radio waves are used to gain information about distances and properties of components in the universe. 8.D Model and describe how light years are used to measure distances and sizes in the universe. 8.E Research how scientific data are used as evidence to develop scientific theories to describe the origin of the universe. 9.A Describe the historical development of evidence that supports plate tectonic theory. 14.A Predict land features resulting from gradual changes such as mountain building, beach erosion, land subsidence, and continental drift. 9.B 9.C Relate plate tectonics to the formation of crustal features. Interpret topographic maps and satellite views to identify land and erosional features and predict how these features may be reshaped by weathering. 14.B Analyze how natural or human events may have contributed to the extinction of some species. 14.C Describe how human activities have modified soil, water, and air quality. 11.D Recognize human dependence on ocean systems and explain how human activities such as runoff, artificial reefs, or use of resources have modified these systems.