Education Standards Addressed by Legacy Cycle B, Water-Earth Dynamics

Correlation to TEKS | NSES Grades 9-12 | ESLI

Correlation to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

TEKS	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	12
Aquatic Science	ALL	ALL	A, B	A, B, C	A, B, D	B, C	A, B, C	A	C	E
Earth and Space Science	ALL	ALL	A, B
Environmental Systems	ALL	ALL	A, B		A, B, C, E

The full TEKS may be downloaded from the Texas Education Agency.

Correlation to National Science Education Standards Grades 9-12

Content Area	Standard	Correlation
Unifying Concepts and Processes	Evidence, models, and explanation	Learners evaluate a scenario, gathering evidence to create a model of why that scenario existed, and explain their findings within "professional" environs.
Science as Inquiry	Abilities and understanding of scientific inquiry	Learners draw conclusions, but recognize that many questions are unanswered because the data is insufficient. They use investigative techniques and questioning (of experts and of data) to create analyses and recommendations.
Earth and Space Sciences	Energy in the Earth system, geochemical cycles, and the origin and evolution of the Earth system	Learners develop an understanding of the complexities of simultaneous human impact and human dependence on water as a resource.
Science in Personal and Social Perspectives	Environmental quality and natural and human-induced hazards	Learners develop an understanding of the inexorable link between humans and water for survival, recreation, commerce, agriculture, etc., and how that link is influenced by natural and man-made factors.
History and Nature of Science	Science as a human endeavor and historical perspectives	Learners work in teams to analyze real data to draw conclusions in a similar manner to that of real scientists. Learners also examine the past use of water in their communities comparing it to modern usage.

Source: National Science Education Standards Grades 9-12 accessed November 27, 2009.

Correlation to the Earth Science Literacy Initiative

The Earth Science Literacy Initiative (ESLI) funded by the National Science Foundation, has gathered and codified the underlying understandings of Earth sciences to establish the “Big Ideas” and supporting concepts that all Americans should know about Earth sciences. The resulting Earth Science Literacy framework will also become part of the foundation, along with similar documents from the oceans, atmospheres, and climate communities, of a larger geoscience Earth Systems Literacy effort.

The primary outcome of the Earth Science Literacy Initiative is a community-based document of Big Ideas and supporting concepts. It was created through a community effort representing the current state-of-the-art research in Earth sciences. It has been written, evaluated, shaped, and revised by the top scientists working in Earth science.

Big Idea 4. Earth is continuously changing.
- 4.7 Landscapes result from the dynamic interplay between processes that form and uplift new crust and processes that destroy and depress the crust. This interplay is affected by gravity, density differences, plate tectonics, climate, water, the actions of living organisms, and the resistance of Earth materials to weathering and erosion.
- 4.8 Weathered and unstable rock materials erode from some parts of Earth’s surface and are deposited in others. Under the influence of gravity, rocks fall downhill. Water, ice, and air carry eroded sediments to lower elevations, and ultimately to the ocean.
Big Idea 5. Earth is the water planet.
- 5.5 Earth’s water cycles among the reservoirs of the atmosphere, streams, lakes, oceans, glaciers, groundwater, and deep interior of the planet. The total amount of water at Earth’s surface has remained fairly constant over geologic time, although its distribution among reservoirs has varied.
- 5.6 Water shapes landscapes. Flowing water in streams strongly shapes the land surface through weathering, erosion, transport, and deposition. Water participates in both the dissolution and formation of Earth’s materials.
- 5.8 Freshwater is less than 3 percent of the water at Earth’s surface. Most of this freshwater is stored as glaciers in Antarctica and Greenland. Less than 1 percent of Earth’s near-surface water is drinkable liquid freshwater, and about 99 percent of this water is in the form of groundwater in the pores and fractures within soil, sediment, and rock.
Big Idea 7. Humans depend on Earth for resources.
- 7.1 Earth is our home; its resources mold civilizations, drive human exploration, and inspire human endeavors that include art, literature, and science. We depend upon Earth for sustenance, comfort, places to live and play, and spiritual inspiration.
- 7.2 Geology affects the distribution and development of human populations. Human populations have historically concentrated at sites that are geologically advantageous to commerce, food production, and other aspects of civilization.
- 7.5 Water resources are essential for agriculture, manufacturing, energy production, and life. Earth scientists and engineers find and manage our freshwater resources, which are limited in supply. In many places, humans withdraw both surface water and groundwater faster than they are replenished. Once freshwater is contaminated, its quality is difficult to restore.
Big Idea 9. Humans significantly alter the Earth.
- 9.4 Humans affect the quality, availability, and distribution of Earth’s water through the modification of streams, lakes, and groundwater. Engineered structures such as canals, dams, and levees significantly alter water and sediment distribution. Pollution from sewage runoff, agricultural practices, and industrial processes reduce water quality. Overuse of water for electric power generation and agriculture reduces water availability for drinking.