California Standards Grades 9–12 © Boardworks 2009

Science Contents Standards Mapping

Boardworks High School Earth

Earth Sciences
Science Presentation
Earth’s Place in the Universe
1. Astronomy and planetary exploration reveal the solar system’s structure, scale, and change over
time. As a basis for understanding this concept:
a. Students know how the differences and similarities among the sun, the terrestrial planets, and the gas
planets may have been established during the formation of the solar system. Planets of the Solar System
b. Students know the evidence from Earth and moon rocks indicates that the solar system was formed from a Planets of the Solar System
nebular cloud of dust and gas approximately 4.6 billion years ago. Radioactive Dating
c. Students know the evidence from geological studies of Earth and other planets suggest that the early Planets of the Solar System
Earth was very different from Earth today. The Atmosphere
d. Students know the evidence indicating that the planets are much closer to Earth than the stars are. Astronomical Distances
e. Students know the Sun is a typical star and is powered by nuclear reactions, primarily the fusion of Nuclear Fusion
hydrogen to form helium. The Lifecycle of Stars
f. Students know the evidence for the dramatic effects that asteroid impacts have had in shaping the surface
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of planets and their moons and in mass extinctions of life on Earth.
g. Students know the evidence for the existence of planets orbiting other stars. –
2. Earth-based and space-based astronomy reveal the structure, scale, and changes in stars,
galaxies, and the universe over time. As a basis for understanding this concept:
a. Students know the solar system is located in an outer edge of the disc-shaped Milky Way galaxy, which
spans 100,000 light years. Structure of the Universe
b. Students know galaxies are made of billions of stars and comprise most of the visible mass of the Structure of the Universe
c. Students know the evidence indicating that all elements with an atomic number greater than that of lithium
The Lifecycle of Stars
have been formed by nuclear fusion in stars.
The Lifecycle of Stars
Properties of Stars
d. Students know that stars differ in their life cycles and that visual, radio, and X-ray telescopes may be used Observing the Universe
to collect data that reveal those differences. Telescopes
e. Students know accelerators boost subatomic particles to energy levels that simulate conditions in the
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stars and in the early history of the universe before stars formed.
f. Students know the evidence indicating that the color, brightness, and evolution of a star are determined by The Lifecycle of Stars
a balance between gravitational collapse and nuclear fusion. Properties of Stars
g. Students know how the red-shift from distant galaxies and the cosmic background radiation provide Doppler Effect
evidence for the “big bang” model that suggests that the universe has been expanding for 10 to 20 billion Observing the Universe
Dynamic Earth Processes
3. Plate tectonics operating over geologic time has changed the patterns of land, sea, and mountains
on Earth’s surface. As the basis for understanding this concept:
a. Students know features of the ocean floor (magnetic patterns, age, and sea-floor topography) provide
evidence of plate tectonics. Plate Tectonics
Earth's Structure
b. Students know the principal structures that form at the three different kinds of plate boundaries. Plate Tectonics
c. Students know how to explain the properties of rocks based on the physical and chemical conditions in The Rock Cycle
which they formed, including plate tectonic processes. Plate Tectonics
Earthquake Causes
d. Students know why and how earthquakes occur and the scales used to measure their intensity and Earthquake Effects
magnitude. Managing Earthquakes
e. Students know there are two kinds of volcanoes: one kind with violent eruptions producing steep slopes
and the other kind with voluminous lava flows producing gentle slopes. Volcanoes
f. Students know the explanation for the location and properties of volcanoes that are due to hot spots and
the explanation for those that are due to subduction. Plate Tectonics
Energy in the Earth System
4. Energy enters the Earth system primarily as solar radiation and eventually escapes as heat. As a
basis for understanding this concept:
a. Students know the relative amount of incoming solar energy compared with Earth’s internal energy and
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the energy used by society.
b. Students know the fate of incoming solar radiation in terms of reflection, absorption, and photosynthesis. Greenhouse Gases
Air Pollution
Climate Change
c. Students know the different atmospheric gases that absorb the Earth’s thermal radiation and the Greenhouse Gases
mechanism and significance of the greenhouse effect. Fossil Fuels
d. Students know the differing greenhouse conditions on Earth, Mars, and Venus; the origins of those
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conditions; and the climatic consequences of each.
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. Heat Transfer and Global Interactions
b. Students know the relationship between the rotation of Earth and the circular motions of ocean currents Heat Transfer and Global Interactions
and air in pressure centers. Tropical Cyclones
c. Students know the origin and effects of temperature inversions. –
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. Heat Transfer and Global Interactions
e. Students know rain forests and deserts on Earth are distributed in bands at specific latitudes. Heat Transfer and Global Interactions
f. Students know the interaction of wind patterns, ocean currents, and mountain ranges results in the global Heat Transfer and Global Interactions
pattern of latitudinal bands of rain forests and deserts. Weather and Climate
g. Students know features of the ENSO (El Niño southern oscillation) cycle in terms of sea-surface and air
temperature variations across the Pacific and some climatic results of this cycle. ENSO
6. Climate is the long-term average of a region’s weather and depends on many factors. As a basis for
understanding this concept:
a. Students know weather (in the short run) and climate (in the long run) involve the transfer of energy into
and out of the atmosphere. Weather and Climate
Weather and Climate
b. Students know the effects on climate of latitude, elevation, topography, and proximity to large bodies of Precipitation
water and cold or warm ocean currents. The Rotation of the Earth
c. Students know how Earth’s climate has changed over time, corresponding to changes in Earth’s
geography, atmospheric composition, and other factors, such as solar radiation and plate movement. The Atmosphere
d. Students know how computer models are used to predict the effects of the increase in greenhouse gases Evidence for Climate Change
on climate for the planet as a whole and for specific regions. Predicting Climate Change
Biogeochemical Cycles
7. Each element on Earth moves among reservoirs, which exist in the solid earth, in oceans, in the
atmosphere, and within and among organisms as part of biogeochemical
cycles. As a basis for understanding this concept:
The Carbon Cycle
a. Students know the carbon cycle of photosynthesis and respiration and the nitrogen cycle. The Nitrogen Cycle
b. Students know the global carbon cycle: the different physical and chemical forms of carbon in the The Carbon Cycle
atmosphere, oceans, biomass, fossil fuels, and the movement of carbon among these reservoirs. Formation of Fossil Fuels
The Carbon Cycle
c. Students know the movement of matter among reservoirs is driven by Earth’s internal and external sources The Nitrogen Cycle
of energy. The Water Cycle
d. Students know the relative residence times and flow characteristics of carbon in and out of its different The Carbon Cycle
Structure and Composition of the Atmosphere
8. Life has changed Earth’s atmosphere, and changes in the atmosphere affect conditions
for life. As a basis for understanding this concept:
a. Students know the thermal structure and chemical composition of the atmosphere. The Atmosphere
b. Students know how the composition of Earth’s atmosphere has evolved over geologic time and know the
effect of outgassing, the variations of carbon dioxide concentration, and the origin of atmospheric oxygen. The Atmosphere
c. Students know the location of the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere, its role in absorbing ultraviolet
radiation, and the way in which this layer varies both naturally and in response to human activities. The Impact of Using CFCs
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:
a. Students know the resources of major economic importance in California and their relation to California’s –
b. Students know the principal natural hazards in different California regions and the geologic basis of those –
c. Students know the importance of water to society, the origins of California’s fresh water, and the
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relationship between supply and need.
d. Students know how to analyze published geologic hazard maps of California and know how to use the
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map’s information to identify evidence of geologic events of the past and predict geologic changes in the