Ala. Admin. Code r. 290-3-3-.28

Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 1, October 31, 2024

Section 290-3-3-.28 - General Science (Grades 6-12)

(1)Rationale. The main goal of these standards is to promote quality educator preparation programs that will lead to the development of scientific literacy among all Grade 6-12 students in Alabama. The standards include process and application skills and correlate the Alabama Course of Study: Science, the National Science Education Standards from the National Research Council, and the teacher preparation standards of the National Science Teachers Association. The standards build upon the Alabama Core Teaching Standards.

(2)Program Curriculum. In addition to meeting Rules 290-3-3-.03(6)(a)1. -4., 290-3-3-.03(6)(e)1.(i) -(iii) and 2. (i)-(iii), 290-3-3-.04, 290-3-3-.05, and 290-3-3-.14, and 290-3-3-.27, the general science program shall require an academic major that includes a minimum of 30 semester hours of credit with at least 18 semester hours of upper-division credit. Additional information is provided in the definition for academic major in Rule 290-3-3-.01(2). At a minimum, coursework must include biology, chemistry, Earth and space science, and physics, and may include coursework in other areas of science.

(a)Competency Requirements for All Science Teachers. Candidates in general science demonstrate knowledge of:

1. Multiple ways to organize perceptions of the world and how systems organize the study and knowledge of science.

2. Nature of scientific evidence and the use of models for explanation.

3. Measurement as a way of knowing and organizing observations of constancy and change.

4. Development of natural systems and factors that result in change over time or equilibrium.

5. Interrelationships of form, function, and behaviors in living and nonliving systems.

(b)Core Concepts in Biology. Candidates in general science demonstrate knowledge of:

1. Life processes in living systems including organization of matter and energy.

2. Similarities and differences among animals, plants, fungi, microorganisms, and viruses.

3. Principles and practices of biological classification.

4. Theory and principles of biological changes over time.

5. Ecological systems including the interrelationships and dependencies of organisms with each other and their environments.

6. Population dynamics and the impact of population on its environment.

7. General concepts of genetics and heredity.

8. Organizations and functions of cells and multi-cellular systems.

9. Behavior of organisms and their relationships to social systems.

10. Regulation of biological systems including homeostatic mechanisms.

11. Fundamental processes of modeling and investigating in the biological sciences.

12. Applications of biology in environmental quality and in personal and community health.

13. Issues related to living systems such as genetic modification, uses of biotechnology, cloning, and pollution from farming.

(c)Core Concepts in Chemistry. Candidates in general science demonstrate knowledge of:

1. Fundamental structures of atoms and molecules.

2. Basic principles of ionic, covalent, and metallic bonding.

3. Physical and chemical properties and classification of elements including periodicity.

4. Chemical kinetics and thermodynamics.

5. Principles of electrochemistry.

6. Mole concept, stoichiometry, and laws of composition.

7. Transition elements and coordination compounds.

8. Acids and bases, oxidation-reduction chemistry, and solutions.

9. Fundamental biochemistry.

10. Functional and polyfunctional group chemistry.

11. Environmental and atmospheric chemistry.

12. Fundamental processes of investigating in chemistry.

13. Applications of chemistry in personal and community health and environmental quality.

14. Issues related to chemistry including ground water pollution, disposal of plastics, and development of alternative fuels.

(d)Core Competencies in Earth and Space Sciences. Candidates in general science demonstrate knowledge of:

1. Characteristics of land, atmosphere, and ocean systems on Earth.

2. Properties, measurement, and classification of Earth materials.

3. Changes in the Earth including land formation and erosion.

4. Geochemical cycles including biotic and abiotic systems.

5. Energy flow and transformation in Earth systems.

6. Hydrological features of the Earth.

7. Patterns and changes in the atmosphere, weather, and climate.

8. Origin, change over time, and planetary behaviors of Earth.

9. Origin, change over time, and properties of the universe.

10. Fundamental processes of investigation in the Earth and spaces sciences.

11. Sources and limits of natural resources.

12. Application of Earth and space sciences to environmental quality and to personal and community health and welfare.

(e)Core Concepts in Physics. Candidates in general science demonstrate knowledge of:

1. Energy, work, and power.

2. Motion, major forces, and momentum.

3. Newtonian principles and laws with engineering applications.

4. Conservation of mass, momentum, energy, and charge.

5. Physical properties of matter.

6. Kinetic-molecular motion and atomic models.

7. Radioactivity, nuclear reactors, fission, and fusion.

8. Wave theory, sound, light, the electromagnetic spectrum, and optics.

9. Electricity and magnetism.

10. Fundamental processes of investigating in physics.

11. Applications of physics in environmental quality and to personal and community health.

12. Issues related to physics such as disposal of nuclear waste, light pollution, shielding communication systems and weapons development.

(3)Supporting Competencies for General Science.

(a) Mathematics at least to the pre-calculus level.

(b) Probability and statistics.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 290-3-3-.28

New Rule: December 19, 1978. Amended: December 13, 1990; effective February 1, 1991. Repealed and Replaced: January 9, 1997; effective February 13, 1997; operative July 1, 1997. Amended: Filed June 14, 1999; effective July 19, 1999. Repealed and New Rule: Filed September 11, 2003; effective October 16, 2003. Repealed and New Rule: Filed July 13, 2004; effective August 17, 2004. Repealed and New Rule: April 14, 2005; effective May 19, 2005. Repealed and New Rule: Filed August 6, 2007; effective September 10, 2007.

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXIII, Issue No. 11, August 31, 2015, eff. 9/17/2015.

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXVI, Issue No. 12, September 28, 2018, eff. 10/28/2018; operative 6/1/2019.

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXIX, Issue No. 11, August 31, 2021, eff. 10/28/2018.

Author: Dr. Eric G. Mackey

Statutory Authority:Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 16-3-16, 16-23-14.