1. (a) General requirements. Students shall be awarded one credit for successful completion of this course. Suggested prerequisite: one unit of high school science. This course is recommended for students in Grades 11 or 12.

2. (b) Introduction.

   1. (1) In Geology, Meteorology, Oceanography, students conduct field and laboratory investigations, use scientific methods during investigations, and make informed decisions using critical thinking and scientific problem solving. Students study a variety of topics that include: characteristics and conditions of the Earth; formation and history of the Earth; plate tectonics; origin and composition of minerals and rocks and the rock cycle; processes and products of weathering; natural energy resources; interactions in a watershed; characteristics of oceans; characteristics of the atmosphere; and the role of energy in weather and climate.
   2. (2) Science is a way of learning about the natural world. Students should know how science has built a vast body of changing and increasing knowledge described by physical, mathematical, and conceptual models, and also should know that science may not answer all questions.
   3. (3) A system is a collection of cycles, structures, and processes that interact. Students should understand a whole in terms of its components and how these components relate to each other and to the whole. All systems have basic properties that can be described in terms of space, time, energy, and matter. Change and constancy occur in systems and can be observed and measured as patterns. These patterns help to predict what will happen next and can change over time.
   4. (4) Investigations are used to learn about the natural world. Students should understand that certain types of questions can be answered by investigations, and that methods, models, and conclusions built from these investigations change as new observations are made. Models of objects and events are tools for understanding the natural world and can show how systems work. They have limitations and based on new discoveries are constantly being modified to more closely reflect the natural world.

3. (c) Knowledge and skills.

   1. (1) Scientific processes. The student, for at least 40% of instructional time, 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; and
      2. (B) make wise choices in the use and conservation of resources and the disposal or recycling of materials.

   2. (2) Scientific processes. The student uses scientific methods during field and laboratory investigations. The student is expected to:

      1. (A) plan and implement investigative procedures including asking questions, formulating testable hypotheses, and selecting equipment and technology;
      2. (B) collect data and make measurements with precision;
      3. (C) organize, analyze, evaluate, make inferences, and predict trends from data; and
      4. (D) communicate valid conclusions.

   3. (3) Scientific processes. The student uses critical thinking and scientific problem solving to make informed decisions. The student is expected to:

      1. (A) analyze, review, and critique scientific explanations, including hypotheses and theories, as to their strengths and weaknesses using scientific evidence and information;
      2. (B) draw inferences based on data related to promotional materials for products and services;
      3. (C) evaluate the impact of research on scientific thought, society, and the environment;
      4. (D) describe the connections between geology, meteorology, oceanography, and future careers; and
      5. (E) research and describe the history of geology, meteorology, oceanography, and contributions of scientists.

   4. (4) Science concepts. The student knows the Earth's unique characteristics and conditions. The student is expected to:

      1. (A) research and describe the Earth's unique placement in the solar system; and
      2. (B) analyze conditions on Earth that enable organisms to survive.

   5. (5) Science concepts. The student knows about the formation and history of the Earth. The student is expected to:

      1. (A) research and describe the historical development of scientific theories of the Earth's formation; and
      2. (B) use current theories to design and construct a geologic time scale.

   6. (6) Science concepts. The student knows the processes of plate tectonics. The student is expected to:

      1. (A) research and describe the historical development of the theories of plate tectonics including continental drift and sea-floor spreading;
      2. (B) analyze the processes that power the movement of the Earth's continental and oceanic plates and identify the effects of this movement including faulting, folding, earthquakes, and volcanic activity; and
      3. (C) analyze methods of tracking continental and oceanic plate movement.

   7. (7) Science concepts. The student knows the origin and composition of minerals and rocks and the significance of the rock cycle. The student is expected to:

      1. (A) demonstrate the density, hardness, streak, and cleavage of particular minerals;
      2. (B) identify common minerals and describe their economic significance;
      3. (C) classify rocks according to how they are formed during a rock cycle; and
      4. (D) examine and describe conditions such as depth of formation, rate of cooling, and mineral composition that are factors in the formation of rock types.

   8. (8) Science concepts. The student knows the processes and end products of weathering. The student is expected to:

      1. (A) distinguish chemical from mechanical weathering and identify the role of weathering agents such as wind, water, and gravity;
      2. (B) identify geologic formations that result from differing weathering processes; and
      3. (C) illustrate the role of weathering in soil formation.

   9. (9) Science concepts. The student knows the role of natural energy resources. The student is expected to:

      1. (A) research and describe the origin of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas;
      2. (B) analyze issues regarding the use of fossil fuels and other renewable, non-renewable, or alternative energy resources; and
      3. (C) analyze the significance and economic impact of the use of fossil fuels and alternative energy resources.

   10. (10) Science concepts. The student knows the interactions that occur in a watershed. The student is expected to:

       1. (A) identify the characteristics of a local watershed such as average annual rainfall, run-off patterns, aquifers, locations of river basins, and surface water reservoirs;
       2. (B) analyze the impact of floods, droughts, irrigation, and industrialization on a watershed; and
       3. (C) describe the importance and sources of surface and subsurface water.

   11. (11) Science concepts. The student knows characteristics of oceans. The student is expected to:

       1. (A) identify physical characteristics of ocean water including salinity, solubility, heat capacity, colligative properties, and density;
       2. (B) evaluate the effects of tides, tidal bores, and tsunamis; and
       3. (C) compare the topography of the ocean floor to the topography of the continents.

   12. (12) Science concepts. The student knows the characteristics of the atmosphere. The student is expected to:

       1. (A) identify the atmosphere as a mixture of gases, water vapor, and particulate matter;
       2. (B) analyze the range of atmospheric conditions that organisms will tolerate including types of gases, temperature, particulate matter, and moisture; and
       3. (C) determine the impact on the atmosphere of natural events and human activity.

   13. (13) Science concepts. The student knows the role of energy in governing weather and climate. The student is expected to:

       1. (A) describe the transfer of heat energy at the boundaries between the atmosphere, land masses, and oceans resulting in layers of different temperatures and densities in both the ocean and atmosphere;
       2. (B) identify, describe, and compare climatic zones; and
       3. (C) describe the effects of phenomena such as El Nino and the Jet Stream on local weather.

Source Note:The provisions of this §112.49 adopted to be effective September 1, 1998, 22 TexReg 7647.