Okla. Admin. Code § 210:15-3-83

Current through Vol. 42, No. 8, January 2, 2025

Section 210:15-3-83 - Earth and Space Science and Environmental Science standards for high school

(a)Earth and Space Science. Standards for high school students in the subject of Earth and Space Science address the following topics:

(1)Earth's place in the universe.

(A)Performance expectation one (1). Develop a model based on evidence to illustrate the life span of the sun and the role of nuclear fusion in the sun's core to convert matter to energy that eventually reaches Earth in the form of radiation.

(i)Clarification statement. Emphasis is on the energy transfer mechanisms that allow energy from nuclear fusion in the sun's core to reach Earth. Examples of evidence for the model include observations of the masses and lifetimes of other stars, as well as the ways that the sun's radiation varies due to sudden solar flares ("space weather"), the 11-year sunspot cycle, and non-cyclic variations over centuries.

(ii)Assessment Boundary. Assessment does not include details of the atomic and sub-atomic processes involved with the sun's nuclear fusion.

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(I)Develop and use models. Develop and/or use a model (including mathematical and computational) to generate data to support explanations, predict phenomena, analyze systems, and/or solve problems.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(I) The star called the sun is changing and will burn out over a lifespan of approximately 10 billion years.

(II) Nuclear Fusion processes in the center of the sun release the energy that ultimately reaches Earth as radiation.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Energy and matter. Changes of energy and matter in a system can be described in terms of energy and matter flows into, out of, and within that system.

(B)Performance expectation two (2). Construct an explanation of how the universe formed as a single point and continues to expand based on astronomical evidence of light spectra, motion of distant galaxies, and the composition of matter in the universe.

(i)Clarification statement. Emphasis is on the astronomical evidence of the red shift of light from galaxies as an indication that the universe is currently expanding, the remnant cosmic microwave background radiation, and the observed composition of ordinary matter of the universe, primarily found in stars and interstellar gases.

(ii)Assessment Boundary. Details about the mapped distribution of galaxies and clusters are not assessed.

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(I)Constructing explanations. Use evidence (e.g., measurements, observations, patterns) to construct or support an explanation or design a solution to a problem.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(I) The study of stars' light spectra and brightness is used to identify compositional elements of stars, their movements, and their distances from Earth.

(II) Observations of distant galaxies receding from our own, the measured composition of stars and non-stellar gases, and maps of spectra of the primordial radiation (cosmic microwave background) that still fills the universe are used as evidence to support the explanation of formation.

(III) Other than the hydrogen and helium formed at the time of formation, nuclear fusion within stars produces all atomic nuclei lighter than and including iron, and the process releases electromagnetic energy. Heavier elements are produced when certain massive stars achieve a supernova stage and explode.

(IV) Atoms of each element emit and absorb characteristic frequencies of light. These characteristics allow identification of the presence of an element, even in microscopic quantities.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Matter and energy. Energy cannot be created or destroyed. It only moves between one place to another, between objects and/or fields, or between systems.

(C)Performance expectation three (3). Construct an explanation about the process that causes stars to produce elements throughout their life cycle.

(i)Clarification statement. Emphasis is on the way nucleosynthesis, and therefore the different elements created, depend on the mass of a star and the stage of its lifetime.

(ii)Assessment Boundary. Details of the many different nucleosynthesis pathways for stars of different masses are not assessed.

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(I)Constructing explanations. Use evidence (e.g., measurements, observations, patterns) to construct or support an explanation.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(I) The study of stars' light spectra and brightness is used to identify compositional elements of stars, their movements, and their distances from Earth.

(II) Other than the hydrogen and helium formed at the time of formation, nuclear fusion within stars produces all atomic nuclei lighter than and including iron, and the process releases electromagnetic energy.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Cause and effect. Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation and make claims about specific causes and effects.

(D)Performance expectation four (4). Use mathematical or computational representations to predict the motion of orbiting objects in the solar system.

(i)Clarification statement. Emphasis is on Newtonian gravitational laws governing orbital motions, which apply to human-made satellites as well as planets and moons (e.g., graphical representations of orbits).

(ii)Assessment Boundary. Mathematical representations for the gravitational attraction of bodies and Kepler's Laws of orbital motions should not deal with more than two bodies, nor involve calculus.

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(I)Using mathematics and computational thinking. Use mathematical representations of phenomena or design solutions to support and revise explanations.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(I) The solar system consists of the sun and a collection of objects of varying sizes and conditions-including planets and their moons-that are held in orbit around the sun by its gravitational pull on them.

(II) Kepler's laws describe common features of the motions of orbiting objects, including their elliptical paths around the sun. Orbits may change due to the gravitational effects from, or collisions with, other objects in the solar system.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Patterns. Mathematical representations are needed to identify some patterns.

(E)Performance expectation five (5). Evaluate evidence of the past and current movements of continental and oceanic crust and the theory of plate tectonics to explain the ages of crustal rocks.

(i)Clarification statement. Emphasis is on the ability of plate tectonics to explain the ages of crustal rocks. Examples include evidence of the ages of oceanic crust increasing with distance from mid-ocean ridges (a result of plate spreading) and the ages of North American continental crust decreasing with distance away from a central ancient core (a result of past plate interactions).

(ii)Assessment Boundary. (An assessment boundary is not applicable to this performance expectation.)

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(I)Engaging in argument from evidence. Evaluate the claims, evidence, and/or reasoning behind currently accepted explanations or solutions to determine the merit of arguments.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(I) Plate tectonics is the unifying theory that explains the past and current movements of the rocks at Earth's surface and provides a framework for understanding its geologic history.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Stability and change. Much of science deals with constructing explanations of how things change and how they remain stable.

(F)Performance expectation six (6). Apply scientific reasoning and evidence from ancient Earth materials, meteorites, and other planetary surfaces to construct an account of changes in Earth's formation and early history.

(i)Clarification statement. Emphasis is on using available evidence within the solar system to reconstruct the early history of Earth, which formed along with the rest of the solar system. Examples of evidence include the absolute ages of ancient materials (obtained by radiometric dating of meteorites, moon rocks, and Earth's oldest minerals), the sizes and compositions of solar system objects, and the impact cratering record of planetary surfaces.

(ii)Assessment Boundary. (An assessment boundary is not applicable to this performance expectation.)

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(I)Constructing explanations. Apply scientific reasoning, theory, and/or models to link evidence to the claims to assess the extent to which the reasoning and data support the explanation or conclusion.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(I) Although active geologic processes, such as plate tectonics and erosion, have destroyed or altered most of the very early rock record on Earth, other objects in the solar system, such as lunar rocks, asteroids, and meteorites, have changed little over billions of years. Studying these objects can provide information about Earth's formation and early history.

(II) Spontaneous radioactive decays follow a characteristic exponential decay law. Nuclear lifetimes allow radiometric dating to be used to determine the ages of rocks and other materials.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Stability and change. Much of science deals with constructing explanations of how things change and how they remain stable.

(2)Earth's systems.

(A)Performance expectation one (1). Develop a model to illustrate how Earth's internal and surface processes operate at different scales of space and time to form continental and ocean-floor features.

(i)Clarification statement. Emphasis is on how the appearance of land features (such as mountains, valleys, and plateaus) and sea-floor features (such as trenches, ridges, and seamounts) are a result of both constructive forces (such as volcanism, tectonic uplift, and mountain building) and destructive mechanisms (such as weathering, erosion, and landslides or mudslides).

(ii)Assessment Boundary. Assessment does not include memorization of formation details of specific geographic features of Earth's surface.

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(I)Developing and using models. Develop a model based on evidence to illustrate the relationships between systems or components of a system.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(I) Earth's systems, being dynamic and interacting, cause feedback effects that can increase or decrease the original changes.

(II) Plate tectonics is the unifying theory that explains the past and current movements of rocks at Earth's surface and provides a framework for understanding its geologic history.

(III) Plate movements are responsible for most continental and ocean-floor features and for the distribution of most rocks and minerals within the Earth's crust.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Scale, proportion, and quantity. Some systems can only be studied indirectly as they are too small, too large, too fast, or too slow to observe directly.

(B)Performance expectation two (2). Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth's surface can create feedbacks and interactions that cause changes to other Earth's systems.

(i)Clarification statement. Examples could be taken from system interactions, such as how the loss of ground vegetation causes an increase in water runoff and soil erosion, which limits additional vegetation patterns; how dammed rivers increase groundwater recharge, decrease sediment transport, and increase coastal erosion; or how the loss of wetlands causes a decrease in local humidity that further reduces the wetland extent. Examples could also include climate feedbacks that increase surface temperatures through geologic time.

(ii)Assessment Boundary. (An assessment boundary is not applicable to this performance expectation.)

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(I)Analyzing and interpreting data. Analyze data using tools, technologies, and/or models in order to make valid and reliable scientific claims.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(I) Earth's systems, being dynamic and interacting, cause feedback effects that can increase or decrease the original changes.

(II) The foundation for Earth's global climate system is the electromagnetic radiation from the sun, as well as its reflection, absorption, storage, and redistribution among the atmosphere, ocean, and land systems, and this energy's re-radiation into space.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Stability and change. Feedback (negative or positive) can stabilize or destabilize a system.

(C)Performance expectation three (3). Develop a model based on evidence of Earth's interior to describe the cycling of matter by thermal convection.

(i)Clarification statement. Emphasis is on both a one-dimensional model of Earth, with radial layers determined by density, and a three-dimensional model, which is controlled by mantle convection and the resulting plate tectonics. Examples of evidence include maps of the Earth's surface features as well as three-dimensional structure in the subsurface, obtained from seismic waves, records of the rate of change of Earth's magnetic field (as constraints on convection in the outer core), and predictions of the composition of Earth's layers from high-pressure laboratory experiments.

(ii)Assessment Boundary. Emphasis is on the processes occurring in the layers of the Earth.

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(I)Developing and using models. Develop a model based on evidence to illustrate the relationships between systems or components of a system.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(I) Evidence from deep probes and seismic waves, reconstructions of historical changes in Earth's surface features, its magnetic field, and an understanding of physical and chemical processes lead to a model of Earth with a hot but solid inner core, a liquid outer core, a solid mantle and crust.

(II) Motions of the mantle and its plates occur primarily through thermal convection, which involves the cycling of matter due to the outward flow of energy from Earth's interior and gravitational movement of denser materials toward the interior.

(III) The radioactive decay of unstable isotopes continually generates new energy within Earth's crust and mantle, providing the primary source of the heat that drives mantle convection.

(IV) Plate tectonics can be viewed as the surface expression of mantle convection.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Energy and matter. Energy drives the cycling of matter within and between systems.

(D)Performance expectation four (4). Analyze and interpret data to explore how variations in the flow of energy into and out of Earth's systems result in changes in atmosphere and climate.

(i)Clarification statement. Changes differ by timescale, from sudden (large volcanic eruption, ocean circulation), to intermediate (ocean circulation, solar output, human activity) and long-term (Earth's orbit and the orientation of its axis and changes in atmospheric composition). Examples of human activities could include fossil fuel combustion, cement production, or agricultural activity and natural processes such as changes in incoming solar radiation or volcanic activity. Examples of data can include tables, graphs, maps of global and regional temperatures, and atmospheric levels of gases.

(ii)Assessment Boundary. (An assessment boundary is not applicable to this performance expectation.)

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(I)Analyzing and interpreting data. Analyze data using computational models in order to make valid and reliable scientific claims.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(I) The geological record shows that changes to global and regional climate can be caused by interactions among changes in the sun's energy output or Earth's orbit, tectonic events, ocean circulation, volcanic activity, glaciers, vegetation, and human activities. These changes can occur on a variety of time scales from sudden (e.g., volcanic ash clouds) to intermediate (ice ages) to very long-term (tectonic cycles).

(III) Cyclical changes in the shape of Earth's orbit around the sun, together with changes in the tilt of the planet's axis of rotation, both occurring over hundreds of thousands of years, have altered the intensity and distribution of sunlight falling on the Earth. These phenomena cause a cycle of ice ages and other changes in climate.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Cause and effect. Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation and make claims about specific causes and effects.

(E)Performance expectation five (5). Plan and conduct an investigation of the properties of water and its effects on Earth materials and surface processes.

(i)Clarification statement. Emphasis is on mechanical and chemical investigations with water and a variety of solid materials to provide the evidence for connections between the hydrologic cycle and system interactions commonly known as the rock cycle. Examples of mechanical investigations include stream transportation and deposition using a stream table, erosion using variations in soil moisture content, or frost wedging by the expansion of water as it freezes. Examples of chemical investigations include chemical weathering and recrystallization (by testing the solubility of different materials) or melt generation (by examining how water lowers the melting temperature of most solids).

(ii)Assessment Boundary. (An assessment boundary is not applicable to this performance expectation.)

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(I)Planning and conducting investigations. Plan and conduct an investigation individually and collaboratively to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(I) The abundance of liquid water on Earth's surface and its unique combination of physical and chemical properties are central to the planet's dynamics. These properties include water's exceptional capacity to absorb, store, and release large amounts of energy; transmit sunlight; expand upon freezing; dissolve and transport materials; and lower the viscosities and melting points of rocks.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Structure and function. The functions and properties of natural and designed objects and systems can be inferred from their overall structure, the way their components are shaped and used, and the molecular substructures of their various materials.

(F)Performance expectation six (6). Develop a quantitative model to describe the cycling of carbon among the hydrosphere, atmosphere, geosphere, and biosphere.

(i)Clarification statement. Emphasis is on modeling biogeochemical cycles that include the cycling of carbon through the ocean, atmosphere, soil, and biosphere (including humans), providing the foundation for living organisms. Examples could include more carbon absorbed in the oceans leading to ocean acidification or more carbon present in the atmosphere.

(ii)Assessment Boundary. (An assessment boundary is not applicable to this performance expectation.)

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(I)Developing and using models. Develop a model based on evidence to illustrate the relationships between systems or components of a system.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(I) Gradual atmospheric changes were due to plants and other organisms that captured carbon dioxide and released oxygen.

(II) Changes in the atmosphere due to human activity have increased carbon dioxide concentrations and thus affect climate.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Energy and matter. Energy drives the cycling of matter within and between systems.

(G)Performance expectation seven (7). Engage in argument from evidence for how the simultaneous co-evolution of Earth's systems and life on Earth led to periods of stability and change over geologic time.

(i)Clarification statement. Emphasis is on the dynamic causes, effects, and feedbacks between the biosphere and Earth's other systems, whereby geoscience factors influence conditions for life, which in turn continuously alters Earth's surface. Examples include how photosynthetic life altered the atmosphere through the production of oxygen, which in turn increased weathering rates and affected animal life; how microbial life on land increased the formation of soil, which in turn allowed for the development of land plant species; or how the changes in coral species created reefs that altered patterns of erosion and deposition along coastlines and provided habitats to support biodiversity. Geologic timescale should be considered with the emphases above.

(ii)Assessment Boundary. Assessment does not include a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms of how the biosphere interacts with all of Earth's other systems.

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(I)Engaging in argument from evidence. Construct an oral and written argument or counter- argument based on data and evidence.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(I) Gradual atmospheric changes were due to plants and other organisms that captured carbon dioxide and released oxygen.

(II) The many dynamic and delicate feedback mechanisms between the biosphere and other Earth systems cause a continual co-evolution of Earth's surface and the life that exists on it.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Stability and change. Much of science deals with constructing explanations of how things change and how they remain stable.

(3)Earth and human activities.

(A)Performance expectation one (1). Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate affect human activity.

(i)Clarification statement. Examples of key natural resources include access to fresh water (such as rivers, lakes, and groundwater), regions of fertile soils such as river deltas, and high concentrations of minerals and fossil fuels. Examples of natural hazards can be from interior processes (such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes), surface processes (such as tsunamis, mass wasting and soil erosion), and severe weather (such as hurricanes, floods, and droughts). Natural hazards and other geologic events exhibit some non-random patterns of occurrence. Examples of the results of changes in climate that can affect populations or drive mass migrations include changes to sea level, regional patterns of temperature and precipitation, and the types of crops and livestock that can be raised.

(ii)Assessment Boundary. (An assessment boundary is not applicable to this performance expectation.)

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(I)Constructing explanations. Construct an explanation based on valid and reliable evidence obtained from a variety of sources (including students' own investigations, models, theories, simulations, peer review) and the assumption that theories and laws that describe the natural world operate today as they did in the past and will continue to do so in the future.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(I) Resource availability has guided the development of human society.

(II) Natural hazards and other geologic events have shaped the course of human history; they have significantly altered the sizes of human populations and have driven human migrations.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Cause and effect. Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation and make claims about specific causes and effects.

(B)Performance expectation two (2).* Evaluate competing design solutions for developing, managing, and utilizing energy and mineral resources based on cost-benefit ratios on large and small scales.

(i)Clarification statement. Emphasis is on the conservation, recycling, and reuse of resources (such as minerals and metals) where possible, and on minimizing impacts where it is not. Examples of large-scale solutions include developing best practices for agricultural; soil use; forestry; mining; and production of conventional, unconventional, or renewable energy resources. Examples of small-scale solutions could include mulching lawn clippings or adding biomass to gardens.

(ii)Assessment Boundary. (An assessment boundary is not applicable to this performance expectation.)

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(I)Engaging in argument from evidence. Evaluate competing design solutions to a real-world problem based on scientific ideas and principles, empirical evidence, and logical arguments regarding relevant factors (e.g. economic, societal, environmental, ethical considerations).

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(I) All forms of energy production and other resource extraction have associated economic, social, environmental, and geopolitical costs and risks as well as benefits. New technologies and social regulations can change the balance of these factors

(II) When evaluating solutions, it is important to take into account a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, and to consider social, cultural, and environmental impacts.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Scale, proportion, and quantity. Using concepts of orders of magnitude allows one to understand how a model at one scale relates to a model at another scale.

(C)Performance expectation three (3). Construct a scientific explanation from evidence for how geological processes cause uneven distribution of natural resources.

(i)Clarification statement. Emphasis is on how geological processes have led to geological sedimentary basins that provide significant accumulations of crude oil and natural gas in some areas and not others, how geological processes lead to diverse soil profiles that support a diversity and range of agricultural crops, and how plate tectonics leads to concentrations of mineral deposits.

(ii)Assessment Boundary. (An assessment boundary is not applicable to this performance expectation.)

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(I) Most elements exist in Earth's crust at concentrations too low to be extracted, but in some locations-where geological processes have concentrated them-extraction is economically viable.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Cause and effect. Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation and make claims about specific causes and effects.

(b)Environmental Science.

(1)Earth's systems.

(ii)Assessment Boundary. Assessment does not include memorization of formation details of specific geographic features of Earth's surface.

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(I)Developing and using models. Develop a model based on evidence to illustrate the relationships between systems or components of a system.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(I) Earth's systems, being dynamic and interacting, cause feedback effects that can increase or decrease the original changes.

(II) Plate tectonics is the unifying theory that explains the past and current movements of rocks at Earth's surface and provides a framework for understanding its geologic history.

(III) Plate movements are responsible for most continental and ocean-floor features and for the distribution of most rocks and minerals within the Earth's crust.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Scale, proportion, and quantity. Some systems can only be studied indirectly as they are too small, too large, too fast, or too slow to observe directly.

(B)Performance expectation two (2). Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth's surface can create feedbacks and interactions that cause changes to other Earth systems.

(ii)Assessment Boundary. (An assessment boundary is not applicable to this performance expectation.)

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(I)Analyzing and interpreting data. Analyze data using tools, technologies, and/or models in order to make valid and reliable scientific claims.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(I) Earth's systems, being dynamic and interacting, cause feedback effects that can increase or decrease the original changes.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Stability and change. Feedback (negative or positive) can stabilize or destabilize a system.

(C)Performance expectation three (3). Develop a model based on evidence of Earth's interior to describe the cycling of matter by thermal convection.

(i)Clarification statement. Emphasis is on both a one-dimensional model of Earth, with radial layers determined by density, and a three-dimensional model, which is controlled by mantle convection and the resulting plate tectonics. Examples of evidence include maps of the Earth's surface features as well as three-dimensional structure in the subsurface, obtained from seismic waves, records of the rate of change of Earth's magnetic field (as constraints on convection in the outer core), and prediction of the composition of Earth's layers from high-pressure laboratory experiments.

(ii)Assessment Boundary. Emphasis is on the processes occurring in the layers of the Earth.

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(I)Developing and using models. Develop a model based on evidence to illustrate the relationships between systems or components of a system.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(I) Energy drives the cycling of matter within and between systems.

(III) The radioactive decay of unstable isotopes continually generates new energy within Earth's crust and mantle, providing the primary source of the heat that drives mantle convection.

(IV) Plate tectonics can be viewed as the surface expression of mantle convection.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Energy and matter. Energy drives the cycling of matter within and between systems.

(D)Performance expectation four (4). Analyze and interpret data to explore how variations in the flow of energy into and out of Earth's systems causes changes to atmosphere and climate.

(i)Clarification statement. Changes differ by timescale, from sudden (large volcanic eruption, ocean circulation) to intermediate (ocean circulation, solar output, human activity) and long-term (Earth's orbit and the orientation of its axis and changes in atmospheric composition). Examples of human activities could include fossil fuel combustion, cement production, or agricultural activity and natural processes such as changes in incoming solar radiation or volcanic activity. Examples of data can include tables, graphs, and maps of global and regional temperatures, and atmospheric levels of gases.

(ii)Assessment Boundary. (An assessment boundary is not applicable to this performance expectation.)

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(I)Analyzing and interpreting data. Analyze data using computational models in order to make valid and reliable scientific claims.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Cause and effect. Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation and make claims about specific causes and effects.

(E)Performance expectation five (5). Plan and conduct an investigation of the properties of water and its effects on Earth materials and surface processes.

(i)Clarification statement. Emphasis is on how the structure of water affects its physical and chemical properties. These properties can lead to mechanical and chemical investigations with water and a variety of solid materials to provide the evidence for connections between the hydrologic cycle and system interactions commonly known as the rock cycle. Examples of mechanical investigations include stream transportation and deposition using a stream table, erosion using variations in soil moisture content, or frost wedging by the expansion of water as it freezes. Examples of chemical investigations include chemical weathering and recrystallization (by testing the solubility of different materials) or melt generation (by examining how water lowers the melting temperature of most solids).

(ii)Assessment Boundary. (An assessment boundary is not applicable to this performance expectation.)

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(I)Planning and conducting investigations. Plan and conduct an investigation individually and collaboratively to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(F)Performance expectation six (6). Develop a quantitative model to describe the cycling of carbon among the hydrosphere, atmosphere, geosphere, and biosphere.

(ii)Assessment Boundary. (An assessment boundary is not applicable to this performance expectation.)

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(I)Developing and using models. Develop a model based on evidence to illustrate the relationships between systems or components of a system.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(I) Gradual atmospheric changes were due to plants and other organisms that captured carbon dioxide and released oxygen.

(II) Changes in the atmosphere due to human activity have increased carbon dioxide concentrations and thus affect climate.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Energy and matter. Develop a model based on evidence to illustrate the relationships between systems or components of a system.

(ii)Assessment Boundary. Assessment does not include a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms of how the biosphere interacts with all of Earth's other systems.

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(I)Engaging in argument from evidence. Construct an oral and written argument or counterargument based on data and evidence.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(I) Gradual atmospheric changes were due to plants and other organisms that captured carbon dioxide and released oxygen.

(II) The many dynamic and delicate feedback mechanisms between the biosphere and other Earth systems cause a continual co-evolution of Earth's surface and the life that exists on it.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Stability and change. Much of science deals with constructing explanations of how things change and how they remain stable.

(2)Earth and human activities.

(ii)Assessment Boundary. (An assessment boundary is not applicable to this performance expectation.)

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(I) Resource availability has guided the development of human society.

(II) Natural hazards and other geologic events have shaped the course of human history; they have significantly altered the sizes of human populations and have driven human migrations.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Cause and effect. Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation and make claims about specific causes and effects.

(B)Performance expectation two (2).* Evaluate competing design solutions for developing, managing, and utilizing natural resources based on cost-benefit ratios on large and small scales.

(i)Clarification statement. Emphasis is on the conservation, recycling, and reuse of resources (such as minerals and metals) where possible, and on minimizing impacts where it is not. Examples of large-scale solutions include developing best practices for agriculture; soil use, forestry; mining; and production of conventional, unconventional, or renewable energy resources. Examples of small-scale solutions could include mulching lawn clippings or adding biomass to gardens.

(ii)Assessment Boundary. (An assessment boundary is not applicable to this performance expectation.)

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Scale, proportion, and quantity. Using concepts of orders of magnitude allows one to understand how a model at one scale relates to a model at another scale.

(C)Performance expectation three (3). Use computational simulations to illustrate changes between the relationships of natural resources, human populations, and biodiversity and their sustainability within Earth systems.

(i)Clarification statement. Emphasis is on the importance of responsible stewardship of Earth's resources. Examples of factors that affect the management of natural resources include costs of resource extraction and waste management, per-capita consumption, and the development of new technologies. Examples of factors that affect human sustainability include agricultural efficiency, levels of consumption, and urban planning.

(ii)Assessment Boundary. (An assessment boundary is not applicable to this performance expectation.)

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(I)Using mathematics and computational thinking. Create a computational model or simulation of a phenomenon, design device, process, or system.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(I) The sustainability of human societies and biodiversity that supports them requires responsible management of natural resources.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Stability and change. Change and rates of change can be quantified and modeled over very short or very long periods of time. Some systems' changes are irreversible.

(D)Performance expectation four (4).* Evaluate design solutions for a major global or local environmental problem that reduces or stabilizes the impacts of human activities on natural systems.

(i)Clarification statement. Examples of major global or local problems could include water pollution or availability, air pollution, deforestation, or energy production. Examples of data on the impacts of human activities could include the quantities and types of pollutants released, changes to biomass and species diversity, or areal changes in land surface use. Examples for limiting future impacts could range from local efforts (such as reducing, reusing, and recycling resources) to large-scale geoengineering design solutions.

(ii)Assessment Boundary. (An assessment boundary is not applicable to this performance expectation.)

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(I)Constructing explanations. Design or refine a solution to a complex problem, based on scientific knowledge, student generated sources of evidence, prioritized criteria, and tradeoff considerations.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(I) Scientists and engineers can make major contributions by developing technologies that produce less pollution and waste and that preclude ecosystem degradation.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Stability and change. Feedback (negative or positive) can stabilize or destabilize a system.

(3)Ecosystems: Interaction, energy, and dynamics.

(A)Performance expectation one (1). Use mathematical and/or computational representations to support explanations of factors that affect carrying capacity of ecosystems at different scales.

(i)Clarification statement. Emphasis is on quantitative analysis and comparison of the relationships among interdependent factors including boundaries, resources, climate and competition. Examples of mathematical comparisons could include graphs, charts, histograms, or population changes gathered from simulations or historical data sets.

(ii)Assessment Boundary. Assessment does not include deriving mathematical equations to make comparisons.

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(I)Using mathematics and computational thinking. Use mathematical, computational, and/or algorithmic representations of phenomena to describe and/or support claims and/or explanations.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(I) Ecosystems have carrying capacities, which are limits to the number of organisms and populations they can support. These limits result from such factors as the availability of living and nonliving resources and from such challenges as predation, competition, and disease.

(II) Organisms would have the capacity to produce populations of great size were it not for the fact that environments and resources are finite. This fundamental tension affects the abundance (number of individuals) of species in any given ecosystem.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Scale, proportion, and quantity. The significance of a phenomenon is dependent on the scale, proportion, and quantity at which it occurs.

(B)Performance expectation two (2). Use mathematical representations to support and revise explanations based on evidence about factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems of different scales.

(i)Clarification statement. Examples of mathematical representations include finding the average, determining trends, and using graphical comparisons of multiple sets of data.

(ii)Assessment Boundary. The assessments should provide evidence of students' abilities to analyze and interpret the effect new information has on explanations (e.g., DDT effects on raptor populations, effects of water temperature below reservoirs on fish spawning, invasive species effects when spread to larger scale).

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(I)Using mathematics and computational thinking. Use mathematical representation to describe and/or support scientific conclusions.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(I) Ecosystems have carrying capacities, which are limits to the numbers of organisms and populations they can support. These limits result from such factors as the availability of living and nonliving resources and from such challenges such as predation, competition, and disease.

(III) A complex set of interactions within an ecosystem can keep its number and types of organisms relatively constant over long periods of time under stable conditions.

(IV) If a modest biological or physical disturbance to an ecosystem occurs, it may return to its more or less original status (i.e., the ecosystem is resilient) as opposed to becoming a very different ecosystem.

(V) Extreme fluctuations in conditions or the size of any populations, however, can challenge the functions of ecosystems in terms of resources and habitat availability.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Scale, proportion, and quantity. Using the concept of orders of magnitude allows one to understand how a model at one scale relates to a model at another scale.

(C)Performance expectation three (3). Use a mathematical representation to support claims for the cycling of matter and flow of energy among organisms in an ecosystem.

(i)Clarification statement. Emphasis is on using a mathematical model of stored energy in biomass to describe the transfer of energy from one trophic level to another and that matter and energy are conserved as matter cycles and energy flows through ecosystems. Emphasis is on atoms and molecules such as carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen being conserved as they move through an ecosystem.

(ii)Assessment Boundary. The assessment should provide evidence of students' abilities to develop and use energy pyramids, food chains, food webs, and other models from data sets.

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(I)Using mathematics and computational thinking. Use mathematical representation to describe and/or support scientific conclusions.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(I) Plants or algae form the lowest level of the food chain.

(II) At each link upward in a food web, only a small fraction of the matter consumed at the lower level is transferred upward to produce growth and release energy in cellular respiration at the higher level.

(III) Given this inefficiency, there are generally fewer organisms at higher levels of a food web.

(IV) Some matter reacts to release energy for life functions, some matter is stored in newly made structures, and much is discarded.

(V) The chemical elements that make up the molecules of organisms pass through food webs and into and out of the atmosphere and soil, and they are combined and recombined in different ways.

(VI) At each link in an ecosystem, matter and energy are conserved.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Energy and matter. Energy cannot be created or destroyed. It only moves between one place to another, between objects and/or fields, or between systems.

(D)Performance expectation four (4). Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem.

(i)Clarification statement. Examples of changes in ecosystem conditions could include modest biological or physical changes, such as moderate hunting or a seasonal flood; and extreme changes, such as volcanic eruption or sea level rise.

(ii)Assessment Boundary. The assessment should provide evidence of students' abilities to derive trends from graphical representations of population trends. Assessments should focus on describing drivers of ecosystem stability and change, not on the organismal mechanisms of responses and interactions.

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(I)Engaging in argument from evidence. Evaluate the claims, evidence, and/or reasoning behind currently accepted explanations or solutions to determine the merit of arguments.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(I) A complex set of interactions within an ecosystem can keep its number and types of organisms relatively constant over long periods of time under stable conditions.

(II) If a modest biological or physical disturbance to an ecosystem occurs, it may return to its more or less original status (i.e., the ecosystem is resilient) as opposed to becoming a very different ecosystem.

(III) Extreme fluctuations in conditions or the size of any populations, however, can challenge the functions of ecosystems in terms of resources and habitat availability.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Stability and change. Much of science deals with constructing explanations of how things change and how they remain stable.

(E)Performance expectation five (5).* Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.

(i)Clarification statement. Examples of human activities can include habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, overexploitation, climate change, overpopulation, urbanization, and building dams.

(ii)Assessment Boundary. (An assessment boundary is not applicable to this performance expectation.)

(iii)Science and Engineering Practice.

(I)Designing solutions. Design, evaluate, and refine a solution to a complex real-world problem, based on scientific knowledge, student-generated sources of evidence, prioritized criteria, and tradeoff considerations.

(iv)Disciplinary Core Ideas.

(I) Anthropogenic changes (induced by human activity) in the environment can disrupt an ecosystem and threaten the survival of some species.

(II) Biodiversity is increased by the formation of new species (speciation) and decreased by the loss of species (extinction).

(III) Humans depend on the living world for the resources and other benefits provided by biodiversity, but human activity is also having adverse impacts on biodiversity. Thus, sustaining biodiversity so that ecosystem functioning and productivity are maintained is essential to supporting and enhancing life on Earth.

(IV) Sustaining biodiversity also aids humanity by preserving landscapes of recreational or inspirational value.

(v)Crosscutting Concepts.

(I)Stability and change. Much of science deals with constructing explanations of how things change and how they remain stable.

Okla. Admin. Code § 210:15-3-83

Added at 28 Ok Reg 2264, eff 7-25-11

Amended by Oklahoma Register, Volume 38, Issue 24, September 1, 2021, eff. 9/11/2021