State Science Education Standards'
Connections With GLOBE Soil Protocols

Alabama

Alabama: http://www.alsde.edu/documents/54/10SciAll.rtf

Grades: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Kindergarten:

Location on page:

1. in a chart, under the scientific knowledge curriculum, under the Dynamic Earth strand
2. in a chart, under the scientific knowledge curriculum, under the diversity strand

Standards: students must be able to…

1. Describe the major features of the Earth’s surface.
Examples: rivers, deserts, plains, valleys, oceans, mountains
2. Describe a variety of things found in the environment.
Examples: plants, animals, rocks, soil

First:

Location on page:

1. in a chart, under the scientific knowledge curriculum, under the Dynamic Earth strand
2. in a chart, under the scientific knowledge curriculum, under the interdependence strand

Standards: students must be able to…

1. Observe the effects of weather.
- Erosion
- Natural disasters
Examples: floods, droughts, tornadoes, hurricanes
2. Explore the interactions of organisms and their environment.
Examples: earthworms in soil, butterflies with plants, frogs in pond

Second:

Location on page:

1. in a chart, under the scientific knowledge curriculum, under the interdependence strand
2. in a chart, under the scientific knowledge curriculum, under the energy strand

Standards: students must be able to…

1. Make informed decisions about weather and describe its effect on their lives.
- Safety precautions for severe weather
-Clothing for protection from the weather
2. Understand ways that the sun supports plant and animal life on Earth.
Examples: heat, light

Third:

Location on page:

1. in a chart, under the scientific knowledge curriculum, under the Universe strand
2. in a chart, under the scientific knowledge curriculum, under the Universe strand
3. in a chart, under the scientific knowledge curriculum, under the Earth in Space strand
4.-9. in a chart, under the scientific knowledge curriculum, under the Dynamic Earth strand
10.-14. in a chart, under the scientific knowledge curriculum, under the interdependence strand

Standards: students must be able to…

1. Recognize that the Earth is one of several planets that orbits the sun and that the moon orbits the Earth.
2. Know that space exploration confirms the Earth is spherical (round) in shape.
3. Understand that the movement of the Earth determines the seasons and the length of day and night.
4. Use appropriate tools to recognize and describe different types of the Earth’s materials
Examples: hand lens, scratch plate
5. Recognize that natural forces affect the surface of the Earth
-Slow Forces
Examples: waves, wind, water ice
-Fast Forces
Examples: earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes
6. Recognize that human-made activities affect the surface of the Earth.
-Excavation
-Deforestation/Reforestation
-Mining
-Farming
-Draining wetlands/Creating wetlands
7. Investigate rocks and minerals.
-Observing physical characteristics
Examples: color, weight, luster, texture
-Comparing various rocks and minerals
-Grouping, using student’s own classification system
-Studying uses of rocks and minerals
8. Identify geological features of the Earth.
-Sand dunes
-Mountains
-Valleys
-Bodies of water
9. Relate events in daily life to aspects of the water cycle.
Examples: water condensing on a glass of iced tea, water evaporating from a glass of water
10. Understand that the atmosphere is made of a variety of components.
-Gases
-Dust
11. Understand that species depend on one another and on their environment for survival.
Example: plants and animals in a food chain
12. Describe how various organisms satisfy their needs (food, water, air, shelter, space) within their environments.
13. Understand the relationship of air, water, and soil to life on Earth.
14. Describe how humans depend upon plants and animals.
Examples: trees provide wood, sheep provide wool

Fourth:

Location on page:

1.-6. in a chart, under the scientific knowledge curriculum, under the Dynamic Earth strand
7. in a chart, under the scientific knowledge curriculum, under the diversity strand
8. in a chart, under the scientific knowledge curriculum, under the interdependence strand

Standards: students must be able to…

1. Identify the positive and negative impacts of weather on the environment.
Example: increased crop production after a flood
2. Relate events in daily life to aspects of the water cycle.
Examples: water condensing as dew on grass and windshield, water evaporating from bird baths, mist rising from a lake
3. Describe the geographic features of the ocean floor.
-Valley
-Trench
-Ocean ridge
-Mountain
-Continental shelf
-Continental slope
4. Identify the living communities in the ocean.
5. Understand the importance of the oceans in our lives.
Examples: transportation, salt, food, recreation
6. Compare salt water communities.
-Oceans
-Gulfs
-Beaches
-Estuaries
-Marshes
7. Examine fossil evidence for change in organisms over time.
Examples: dinosaurs became extinct, some plant species are extinct or have changed, horseshoe crabs have remained relatively unchanged
8. Understand that organisms depend on one another and on their environment for survival.
Examples: wind and animals pollinating plants, animals adapting and migrating in response to environment

Fifth:

Location on page:

1.-7. in a chart, under the scientific knowledge curriculum, under the Dynamic Earth strand
8. in a chart, under the scientific knowledge curriculum, under the matter strand
9. in a chart, under the scientific knowledge curriculum, under the diversity strand
10. in a chart, under the scientific knowledge curriculum, under the interdependence strand

Standards: students must be able to…

1. Explain methods that protect the limited natural resources of the Earth.
Examples: conservation, recycling
2. Relate natural forces to fast and slow changes in the Earth’s surface.
Examples: stress on rocks causes earthquakes, flowing water causes erosion
3. Understand that human activities have an impact on ecosystems.
-Excavation
-Deforestation/Reforestation
-Mining
-Farming
-Improving habitats
-Draining wetlands
4. Describe basic components of the rock cycle.
-Erosion
-Transportation
-Deposition
5. Understand the geological features of the Earth.
Examples: ice caps, folds, faults
6. Understand the water cycle.
7. Differentiate between weather and climate.
8. Determine properties of objects and materials
-Flexibility
-Conductivity
-Density
-Magnetism
-Solubility
-Transparency
-Rigidity
9. Explain why living organisms are classified into five kingdoms.
10. Recognize that changes in habitats may harm and/or help organisms.
-Human changes
Examples: river diversion, dam construction, reforestation
-Natural changes
Examples: floods, droughts, earthquakes, volcanoes

Sixth:

Location on page:

1.-3. in a chart, under the scientific knowledge curriculum, under the Earth in Space strand
4. in a chart, under the scientific knowledge curriculum, under the diversity strand
5.-7. in a chart, under the scientific knowledge curriculum, under the interdependence strand

Standards: students must be able to…

1. Describe the spheres of the Earth and their composition
-Lithosphere
-Hydrosphere
-Atmosphere
-Exosphere
2. Explain how the resources of Earth support a variety of life.
Examples: rock, soil, water, air
3. Explain factors that determine seasons on the Earth.
-Tilt of the Earth
-Revolution of the Earth around the sun
4. Recognize the effects of geography on the diversity of flora and fauna.
5. Explain interdependence among humans, between plants and animals, and among ecosystems.
6. Differentiate between the two main interconnected global food webs.
-Terrestrial
-Aquatic
7. Describe the Earth’s biomes and the interdependence of their populations.
Examples: fresh water, marine, estuary, forest, grassland, mountain, tundra, desert, chaparral

Seventh:

Location on page:

1.-8. in a chart, under the scientific knowledge curriculum, under the Dynamic Earth strand
9. in a chart, under the scientific knowledge curriculum, under the diversity strand
10.-11. in a chart, under the scientific knowledge curriculum, under the interdependence strand

Standards: students must be able to…

1. Explain natural phenomena that shape the surface of the Earth.
-Rock cycles
-Plate motion and interactions
-Erosion and deposition
-Volcanic activity
-Earthquakes
2. Trace the scientific development of the idea of continental drift and the resulting plate tectonics theory.
3. Explain how the formation of sedimentary rock serves to produce a record of evolutionary change, both biologic and geologic.
4. Determine how physical and biological agents and processes affect characteristics of soil.
-Fungi
-Worms
-Plant roots
-Physical and chemical weathering
-Decomposition
5. Discuss representative inorganic and organic cycles.
Examples: inorganic cycles—water, oxygen, nitrogen
organic cycles—carbon
6. Relate weather change and climatic conditions to the heating of atmosphere, oceans, and land masses as well as to the rotation of the Earth.
7. Determine how natural events impact long-range changes in the surface and climate of the Earth.
Examples: volcanic activity, meteorites, El Niño
8. Explain the factors that determine the feasibility of recycling for some minerals and not for others.
-Scarcity
-Cost of processing
-Cost of reprocessing
-Ease of mining/extraction
-Trade-offs
Example: conservation of energy and natural resources vs. cost of reprocessing
9. Explain the effects of environmental changes on dynamic equilibrium in physical and biological systems.
10. Explain the limited capacity of the atmosphere, oceans, and soil to absorb or recycle materials naturally.
11. Describe the effects of point and non-point sources of pollution on watersheds, river systems, and oceans.
Examples: sewage pipe into a stream --point source,
agricultural run-off -- non-point source

Eighth:

Location on page:

1.-2. in a chart, under the scientific knowledge curriculum, under the interdependence strand

Standards: students must be able to…

1. Predict the potential impact of human activities on long-range changes in the surface and climate of the Earth.
-Negative impact
Examples: deforestation, ozone depletion
-Positive impact
Example: management and conservation of the Earth’s wildlife and natural resources
2. Relate good health to the monitoring of soil, air, and water for dangerous levels of harmful substances.

Ninth-Twelfth:

Location on page:

1.-5. in a chart, under the biology core section of the scientific knowledge curriculum, under the interdependence strand
6. in a chart, under the physics core section of the scientific knowledge curriculum, under the Universe strand

Standards: students must be able to…

1. Describe factors, both biotic and abiotic, that affect the ability of the environment to support life.
2. Discuss factors that might affect the dynamic equilibrium of ecosystems
-Disasters
Examples: fire, flood
-Climate changes
-Introduction of new species
-Human activities
3. Describe the phases or events by which a damaged ecosystem may attempt to correct itself.
4. Describe possible environmental checks (limiting factors) to overpopulation of certain organisms.
-Depletion of food/water/nesting sites
-Increased number and/or kinds of predators
-Increased number of parasites and/or disease
5. Describe biomes.
Examples: salt and fresh water, salt marsh, pine barrens, deciduous forest, urban ecosystems in Alabama
6. Describe the origins of heat that keep rock in a semi-fluid state in the interiors of the Earth and other planets.