Texas Administrative Code › Title 19 - EDUCATION › Part 2 - TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY › Chapter 112 - TEXAS ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS FOR SCIENCE › Subchapter C - HIGH SCHOOL › Section 112.36 - Earth and Space Science, Beginning with School Year 2010-2011 (One Credit)

Current through Reg. 49, No. 28; July 12, 2024
(a) General requirements. Students shall be
				  awarded one credit for successful completion of this course. Required
				  prerequisites: three units of science, one of which may be taken concurrently,
				  and three units of mathematics, one of which may be taken concurrently. This
				  course is recommended for students in Grade 12 but may be taken by students in
				  Grade 11.
(b) Introduction.
(1) Earth and Space Science (ESS). ESS is a
				  capstone course designed to build on students' prior scientific and academic
				  knowledge and skills to develop understanding of Earth's system in space and
				  time.
(2) Nature of science.
				  Science, as defined by the National Academy of Sciences, is the "use of
				  evidence to construct testable explanations and predictions of natural
				  phenomena, as well as the knowledge generated through this process." This vast
				  body of changing and increasing knowledge is described by physical,
				  mathematical, and conceptual models. Students should know that some questions
				  are outside the realm of science because they deal with phenomena that are not
				  scientifically testable.
(3)
				  Scientific inquiry. Scientific inquiry is the planned and deliberate
				  investigation of the natural world. Scientific methods of investigation can be
				  experimental, descriptive, or comparative. The method chosen should be
				  appropriate to the question being asked.
(4) Science and social ethics. Scientific
				  decision making is a way of answering questions about the natural world.
				  Students should be able to distinguish between scientific decision-making
				  methods and ethical and social decisions that involve the application of
				  scientific information.
(5) ESS
				  themes. An Earth systems approach to the themes of Earth in space and time,
				  solid Earth, and fluid Earth defined the selection and development of the
				  concepts described in this paragraph.
(A)
				  Earth in space and time. Earth has a long, complex, and dynamic history.
				  Advances in technologies continue to further our understanding of the origin,
				  evolution, and properties of Earth and planetary systems within a chronological
				  framework. The origin and distribution of resources that sustain life on Earth
				  are the result of interactions among Earth's subsystems over billions of
				  years.
(B) Solid Earth. The
				  geosphere is a collection of complex, interacting, dynamic subsystems linking
				  Earth's interior to its surface. The geosphere is composed of materials that
				  move between subsystems at various rates driven by the uneven distribution of
				  thermal energy. These dynamic processes are responsible for the origin and
				  distribution of resources as well as geologic hazards that impact
				  society.
(C) Fluid Earth. The fluid
				  Earth consists of the hydrosphere, cryosphere, and atmosphere subsystems. These
				  subsystems interact with the biosphere and geosphere resulting in complex
				  biogeochemical and geochemical cycles. The global ocean is the thermal energy
				  reservoir for surface processes and, through interactions with the atmosphere,
				  influences climate. Understanding these interactions and cycles over time has
				  implications for life on Earth.
(6) Earth and space science strands. ESS has
				  three strands used throughout each of the three themes: systems, energy, and
				  relevance.
(A) Systems. A system is a
				  collection of interacting physical, chemical, and biological processes that
				  involves the flow of matter and energy on different temporal and spatial
				  scales. Earth's system is composed of interdependent and interacting subsystems
				  of the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, cryosphere, and biosphere within a
				  larger planetary and stellar system. Change and constancy occur in Earth's
				  system and can be observed, measured as patterns and cycles, and described or
				  presented in models used to predict how Earth's system changes over
				  time.
(B) Energy. The uneven
				  distribution of Earth's internal and external thermal energy is the driving
				  force for complex, dynamic, and continuous interactions and cycles in Earth's
				  subsystems. These interactions are responsible for the movement of matter
				  within and between the subsystems resulting in, for example, plate motions and
				  ocean-atmosphere circulation.
(C)
				  Relevance. The interacting components of Earth's system change by both natural
				  and human-influenced processes. Natural processes include hazards such as
				  flooding, earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, meteorite impacts, and climate
				  change. Some human-influenced processes such as pollution and nonsustainable
				  use of Earth's natural resources may damage Earth's system. Examples include
				  climate change, soil erosion, air and water pollution, and biodiversity loss.
				  The time scale of these changes and their impact on human society must be
				  understood to make wise decisions concerning the use of the land, water, air,
				  and natural resources. Proper stewardship of Earth will prevent unnecessary
				  degradation and destruction of Earth's subsystems and diminish detrimental
				  impacts to individuals and society.