(B) know that scientific hypotheses are tentative and testable statements that must be capable of being supported or not supported by observational evidence. Hypotheses of durable explanatory power which have been tested over a wide variety of conditions are incorporated into theories; Understand Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (C) know that scientific theories are based natural and physical phenomena and are capable of being tested by multiple independent researchers. Unlike hypotheses, scientific theories are well-established and highly-reliable explanations, but may be subject to change as new areas of science and new technologies are developed; Understand Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (D) distinguish between scientific hypotheses and scientific theories; Analyze Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where:
(G) demonstrate the use of course apparatuses, equipment, techniques, and procedures, including meter sticks, rulers, pipettes, graduated cylinders, triple beam balances, timing devices, pH meters or probes, thermometers, calculators, computers, Internet access, turbidity testing devices, hand magnifiers, work and disposable gloves, compasses, first aid kits, binoculars, field guides, water quality test kits or probes, soil test kits or probes, 100-foot appraiser's tapes, tarps, shovels, trowels, screens, buckets, and rock and mineral samples; Apply Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (H) use a wide variety of additional course apparatuses, equipment, techniques, materials, and procedures as appropriate such as air quality testing devices, cameras, flow meters, Global Positioning System (GPS) units, Geographic Information System (GIS) software, computer models, densiometers, clinometers, and field journals; Apply Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where:
(I) organize, analyze, evaluate, build models, make inferences, and predict trends from data; Analyze Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (J) perform calculations using dimensional analysis, significant digits, and scientific notation; and Apply Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (K) communicate valid conclusions supported by the data through methods such as lab reports, labeled drawings, graphic organizers, journals, summaries, oral reports, and technology-based reports. Understand Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where:
(3) Scientific processes. The student uses critical thinking, scientific reasoning, and problem solving to make informed decisions within and outside the classroom. The student is expected to: (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 scientific evidence of those scientific explanations, so as to encourage critical thinking by the student; Analyze Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (B) communicate and apply scientific information extracted from various sources such as current events, news reports, published journal articles, and marketing materials; Apply Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (C) draw inferences based on data related to promotional materials for products and services; Analyze Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where:
(D) evaluate the impact of research on scientific thought, society, and the environment; Evaluate Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (E) describe the connection between environmental science and future careers; and Understand Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (F) research and describe the history of environmental science and contributions of scientists. Understand Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (4) Science concepts. The student knows the relationships of biotic and abiotic factors within habitats, ecosystems, and biomes. The student is expected to: (A) identify native plants and animals using a dichotomous key; Understand Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where:
(B) assess the role of native plants and animals within a local ecosystem and compare them to plants and animals in ecosystems within four other biomes; Analyze Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (C) diagram abiotic cycles, including the rock, hydrologic, carbon, and nitrogen cycles; Analyze Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (D) make observations and compile data about fluctuations in abiotic cycles and evaluate the effects of abiotic factors on local ecosystems and local biomes; Apply Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (E) measure the concentration of solute, solvent, and solubility of dissolved substances such as dissolved oxygen, chlorides, and nitrates and describe their impact on an ecosystem; Understand Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where:
(F) predict how the introduction or removal of an invasive species may alter the food chain and affect existing populations in an ecosystem; Apply Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (G) predict how species extinction may alter the food chain and affect existing populations in an ecosystem; and Apply Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (H) research and explain the causes of species diversity and predict changes that may occur in an ecosystem if species and genetic diversity is increased or reduced. Understand Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (5) Science concepts. The student knows the interrelationships among the resources within the local environmental system. The student is expected to: (A) summarize methods of land use and management and describe its effects on land fertility; Understand Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where:
(F) evaluate the impact of waste management methods such as reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting on resource availability. Evaluate Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (6) Science concepts. The student knows the sources and flow of energy through an environmental system. The student is expected to: (A) define and identify the components of the geosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere and the interactions among them; Understand Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (B) describe and compare renewable and non-renewable energy derived from natural and alternative sources such as oil, natural gas, coal, nuclear, solar, geothermal, hydroelectric, and wind; Analyze Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (C) explain the flow of energy in an ecosystem, including conduction, convection, and radiation; Understand Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where:
(D) investigate and explain the effects of energy transformations in terms of the laws of thermodynamics within an ecosystem; and Understand Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (E) investigate and identify energy interactions in an ecosystem. Understand Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (7) Science concepts. The student knows the relationship between carrying capacity and changes in populations and ecosystems. The student is expected to: (A) relate carrying capacity to population dynamics; Analyze Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (B) calculate birth rates and exponential growth of populations; Analyze Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where:
(C) analyze and predict the effects of non-renewable resource depletion; and Analyze Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (D) analyze and make predictions about the impact on populations of geographic locales due to diseases, birth and death rates, urbanization, and natural events such as migration and seasonal changes. Analyze Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (8) Science concepts. The student knows that environments change naturally. The student is expected to: (A) analyze and describe the effects on areas impacted by natural events such as tectonic movement, volcanic events, fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding, tsunamis, and population growth; Analyze Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (B) explain how regional changes in the environment may have a global effect; Understand Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where:
(C) examine how natural processes such as succession and feedback loops restore habitats and ecosystems; Analyze Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (D) describe how temperature inversions impact weather conditions, including El Niño and La Niña oscillations; and Understand Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (E) analyze the impact of temperature inversions on global warming, ice cap and glacial melting, and changes in ocean currents and surface temperatures. Analyze Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (9) Science concepts. The student knows the impact of human activities on the environment. The student is expected to: (A) identify causes of air, soil, and water pollution, including point and nonpoint sources; Understand Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where:
(B) investigate the types of air, soil, and water pollution such as chlorofluorocarbons, carbon dioxide, pH, pesticide runoff, thermal variations, metallic ions, heavy metals, and nuclear waste; Understand Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (C) examine the concentrations of air, soil, and water pollutants using appropriate units; Analyze Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (D) describe the effect of pollution on global warming, glacial and ice cap melting, greenhouse effect, ozone layer, and aquatic viability; Understand Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (E) evaluate the effect of human activities, including habitat restoration projects, species preservation efforts, nature conservancy groups, hunting, fishing, ecotourism, all terrain vehicles, and small personal watercraft, on the environment; Evaluate Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where:
(F) evaluate cost-benefit trade-offs of commercial activities such as municipal development, farming, deforestation, over-harvesting, and mining; Evaluate Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (G) analyze how ethical beliefs can be used to influence scientific practices such as methods for increasing food production; Analyze Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (H) analyze and evaluate different views on the existence of global warming; Analyze Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (I) discuss the impact of research and technology on social ethics and legal practices in situations such as the design of new buildings, recycling, or emission standards; Evaluate Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where:
(J) research the advantages and disadvantages of "going green" such as organic gardening and farming, natural methods of pest control, hydroponics, xeriscaping, energy-efficient homes and appliances, and hybrid cars; Understand Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (K) analyze past and present local, state, and national legislation, including Texas automobile emissions regulations, the National Park Service Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act, and the Endangered Species Act; and Analyze Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: (L) analyze past and present international treaties and protocols such as the environmental Antarctic Treaty System, Montreal Protocol, and Kyoto Protocol. Analyze Select One: Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create Select One: Observed Partially Observed Not Observed Where: Course Strengths of TEKS Alignment