California content Standards for Science 9-12
Energy in the Earth System
5. Heating of Earth's surface and atmosphere by the sun drives convection
within the atmosphere and oceans, producing winds and ocean currents. As a
basis for understanding this concept:
a. Students know how differential heating of Earth results in circulation
patterns in the atmosphere and oceans that globally distribute the heat.
b. Students know the relationship between the rotation of Earth and the
circular motions of ocean currents and air in pressure centers.
d. Students know properties of ocean water, such as temperature and
salinity, can be used to explain the layered structure of the oceans, the
generation of horizontal and vertical ocean currents, and the geographic
distribution of marine organisms.
California Geology
9. The geology of California underlies the state's wealth of natural
resources as well as its natural hazards. As a basis for understanding this
concept:
c. Students know the importance of water to society, the origins of
California's fresh water, and the relationship between supply and need.
Investigation and Experimentation
1. Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and
conducting careful investigations. As a basis for understanding this concept
and addressing the content in the other four strands, students should develop
their own questions and perform investigations. Students will:
a. Select and use appropriate tools and technology (such as computer-
linked probes, spreadsheets, and graphing calculators) to perform tests,
collect data, analyze relationships, and display data.
d. Formulate explanations by using logic and evidence.
l. Analyze situations and solve problems that require combining and
applying concepts from more than one area of science.
m. Investigate a science-based societal issue by researching the
literature, analyzing data, and communicating the findings. Examples of issues
include irradiation of food, cloning of animals by somatic cell nuclear
transfer, choice of energy sources, and land and water use decisions in
California.
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