Delaware State Standards and LPN
Standard One
Nature and Application of Science and Technology
The practice of science and the development of technology are critical pursuits of our society. These pursuits have involved diverse people throughout history and have led to continuous improvement in the quality of life and in our understanding of nature. Students will study the processes of scientific inquiry and technology development and the history and context within which these have been carried out.
Grades 4-5
Science as Inquiry
1. Curiosity about nature and the world around us leads scientists to ask questions in a way that requires scientific investigation in order to develop an explanation. The breadth and style of this investigation depend on the questions asked.
2. In science, answering certain questions requires observation and simple testing to generate additional information and enable a more complete investigation.
3. The ability to observe and gather data is enhanced by using a variety of instruments.
4. Collaboration, communication, and comparison are important parts of science. Graphs, charts, maps, equations, and oral and written reports can be used to share the results of a scientific investigation and facilitate discussion about it.
Grades 6-8
Science as Inquiry
1. The design of an investigation, in many cases, is determined by the type of questions asked. Therefore, the thoughtful and informed structuring of such questions is an important part of scientific inquiry.
2. The ultimate goal of any scientific investigation is to obtain evidence precise and thorough enough to answer a question. Various experimental designs and strategies can be developed to answer the same question. The comprehensiveness and sophistication of the investigation depend on the tools and technologies used.
3. Explanations in science result from careful and logical analysis of evidence gained from an investigation. Explanations relate causes to effects and develop relationships based on the evidence. Critical analysis of data is necessary to judge the quality and validity of the proposed explanation. Critical analysis skills learned in the classroom can be applied to judge the validity of claims made in everyday life.
Grades 9-12
Science as Inquiry
1. The identification and formulation of appropriate questions guide the design and breadth of a scientific investigation. Based on the type of question(s) proposed, investigations explore new phenomena, solve science and technology related problems, compare different theories, resolve conflicts concerning societal issues, determine reasons for discrepancies in previous experimental results, or test the practicality of a consumer product.
2. Scientific investigations in many cases follow no fixed set of steps. However, there are certain features of a valid scientific investigation that are essential and result in evidence that can be used to construct explanations.
3. Tools and technologies extend human capabilities to perform investigations in more detail and with greater accuracy and improved precision.
4. The close examination of evidence is necessary to construct logical scientific explanations and present arguments which defend proposed explanations. Such critical analyses of supporting evidence are not only important to scientific investigations but help in judging the validity of claims made in advertisements or concluded from investigative reports.
5. Publication and presentation of scientific work with supporting evidence is part of the critique, review, and validation process conducted by the scientific community. The presentation of such work in accessible journals and reviews adds to the body of scientific knowledge and serves as background for subsequent investigations in similar areas.
Standard Five
Earth's Dynamic Systems
Earth's features provide a record of how Earth has changed over time. This dynamic history can be documented and explained by a variety of physical, chemical, biological and geological processes. Students will study and learn to identify components of the various Earth systems and understand the changes and patterns that result from interactions within and between these systems.
Grades 4-5
Components of Earth
3. Water exists in the air as water vapor (e.g., clouds and fog) and is found on the surface as a liquid or solid, and below the surface as ground water. Water moves throughout Earth's systems by changing phase as a result of condensation and evaporation.
Grades 6-8
Components of Earth
4. Water falling to Earth flows over the surface as run-off and collects in ocean basins, rivers, lakes, ice caps, and underground. Water stored underground (sub-surface) and water stored above ground (surface) form a continuum, each supplying water to the other. Human activity and natural events can introduce chemicals affecting the quality of the water supply.
Grades 9-12
Components of Earth
3. Sub-surface water is a limited resource and must be judiciously managed. The rate of movement of sub-surface water is controlled by differences in elevation and the porosity and permeability of the rock and soil through which it moves.
Standard 7 Diversity and Continuity of Living Things The natural world consists of a diversity of organisms that transmit their characteristics to future generations. Students will study how living things reproduce, develop and transmit traits, and how these theories of evolution explain the unity and diversity of species found on Earth. Students will also study how knowledge of genetics, reproduction and development is being applied to improve agriculture and human health.
Grades 4-5
Diversity
1. Organisms have many distinct and unique features which they use for survival. Specialized features include those for finding food, building shelters, evading predators, and reproducing. Scientists use similarities and differences in these features to classify and group organisms.
Evolution
1. Organisms of the same species have variations which may provide an advantage in reproduction and survival.
Grades 6-8
Diversity
1. Organisms are currently classified into five kingdoms (monera, protista, fungi, plantal, animalia) based on similarities in structure and behavior.
2. A species is an important biological grouping of organisms whose members have similar structures, normally interbreed, and produce fertile offspring.
3. Each structure in an organism is uniquely adapted to perform a particular function for enhancing the ability of the organism to survive. The great variety of body forms found in different species enable organisms to survive in diverse environments.
Grades 9-12
Diversity
1. Organisms are classified into a hierarchy of groups and subgroups, based on structural similarities and evolutionary relationships.
3. Variations of organisms within a species and diversity among species increase the likelihood that at least some organisms will survive major changes in the environment.
Standard 8
Ecology
Organisms are linked to one another in an ecosystem by the flow of energy and the cycling of materials. Humans are an integral part of the natural system and human activities can alter the stability of ecosystems. Students will acquire a basic understanding of the structure of ecosystems and how they function and change. They will also study how humans can apply scientific and technological knowledge about ecosystems in making informed decisions about the use of natural resources.
Grades 4-5
Interactions Within the Environment
1. All living organisms interact with the living and non-living parts of their surroundings to meet their needs for survival. These interactions lead to a constant exchange of matter and energy. Plants derive energy from the sun for growth and survival. Animals eat plants or other animals that have also eaten plants to satisfy energy needs. Dead plants and animals are eaten by decomposers.
Changes in Environment
1. Organisms adapt in order to live and reproduce in certain environments. Those organisms that are best suited for a particular environment have adaptations that allow them to compete for available resources and cope with the physical conditions of their immediate surroundings.
2. Changes in an organism's environment can either be beneficial or harmful. Organisms may be affected by other organisms, by various physical factors (e.g., rainfall, temperature), by physical forces (e.g., storms, earthquakes), and by daily, seasonal, and annual cycles.
3. Pollution and human activities can change the environment and adversely affect the health and survival of humans and other species. Careful planning and safe practices are required in waste disposal, recycling and waste management, pest control, and use of resources to ensure the well being of humans and the environment.
Technology and Its Influence on the Environment
1. Various technologies are used to access resources or to create conveniences needed by society. In many cases there are significant environmental impacts and resource limitations that need to be considered. Such activities include logging; building of highways, shopping centers, and dams; introduction of one species to control another species; spraying of insects; as well as some aspects of farming.
Grades 6-8
1. An ecosystem consists of all the organisms that live together and interact with each other and their physical environment.
2. Interactions in an ecosystem result from the transfer of matter and energy from producers to consumers and eventually to decomposers. The total amount of matter and energy in the system remains the same even though its form and location changes.
3. Matter is recycled in an ecosystem, and energy which enters the system as sunlight is either stored in the bodies of organisms, used by consumers to support their activities, or dissipated to the environment as heat energy. Loss of heat from an ecosystem is compensated for by continuous input of solar energy.
Change in Ecosystems
1. Changes in the physical or biological conditions of an ecosystem can alter the diversity of species in the system. As the ecosystem changes, populations of organisms must adapt to these changes, move to another ecosystem, or become extinct.
2. The size of populations in an ecosystem may increase or decrease as a result of the interrelationships among organisms, availability of resources, natural disasters, habitat changes, and pollution.
Technology and Its Influence on the Environment
1. Agriculture relies heavily on technology to increase productivity. Advances in irrigation allow crops to grow in areas where there is not enough precipitation. Chemicals are used to fertilize crops and to control damage done by rodents, fungi, insects, and weeds. The need to increase agricultural production results in environmental trade-offs (e.g., saltwater intrusion, water table lowering, agricultural runoff into rivers/streams, elimination of beneficial insects, desertification).
Interaction of Humans Within Ecosystems
1. The extinction or introduction of species can affect the stability of ecosystems. With careful planning, humans may be able to sustain ecosystems for their use as well as preserve their biodiversity and natural beauty.
2. Decisions about the use of natural resources are often determined by a society's short-term needs for the resources with little regard for long-term consequences. The supply of natural resources such as water and petroleum is finite. Non-material resources (e.g., tranquillity, beautiful scenery) can not be easily quantified but must be preserved.
Grades 9-12
Flow of Matter and Energy in Ecosystems
1. The supply of nutrients and the efficiency of solar energy transformations are two major factors which ultimately determine the number of organisms and species in an ecosystem.
2. The law of conservation of matter applies to ecosystems. Matter needed to sustain life in ecosystems is continually recycled (e.g., carbon cycle, water cycle, nitrogen cycle, mineral cycles) among organisms and between organisms and the environment.
3. The law of conservation of energy applies to ecosystems. All energy is conserved as it passes from the Sun through an ecosystem. During energy transformations some energy is converted to biologically unusable waste heat which is eventually lost and replenished by a continual input of solar energy.
4. Each species in an ecosystem occupies the niche for which it is best suited. In general, no two species occupy the same niche. This allows different species to coexist successfully and helps to maintain the stability of the ecosystem.
Changes in Ecosystems
1. Earth's ecosystems are interconnected by biological, chemical, and physical processes. Changes in one ecosystem may have local or global consequences.
2. Ecosystems are reasonably stable over long periods of time and tend to have cyclic fluctuations around a point of equilibrium. An ecosystem can react to stabilize conditions (e.g., pH, nutrient reduction, temperature, disease) and restore itself to its original state. Ecosystems undergo major changes as a result of such factors as climatic change, introduction of new species, and habitat destruction.
Interaction of Humans Within Ecosystems
1. All organisms are dependent upon the Earth's finite supply of material resources to sustain life. Human decisions concerning the use of resources alters the stability and the biodiversity of ecosystems and adversely affect the natural recycling processes which maintain the quality of air, water, and land.
Technology and Its Influence on the Environment
1. Continuous growth in human population and depletion of land suitable for farming require farmers to rely on modern agricultural technologies to meet demands for increased crop yields. The use of these technologies, however, involves economic and environmental trade-offs. These technologies have been created and the skills required for their creation. Discuss the changes in agricultural practice brought about by these new technologies (e.g., application of less fertilizer/pesticide, field management, crop rotation, and integrated pest management).
2. The development of massive transportation systems has enabled the movement of population and goods by air, land, and water and has led to major changes in demographics and land use.
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