These are the California Standards that are in draft form, but the National Standards (NSES) and AAAS Benchmarks are annotated within the document. Also see Advanced Placement Environmental Themes
 

    Strand: Earth & Space

        Big Idea 1: Earth and Space Systems
        Earth materials and structures are organized in systems; Earth itself is part of a larger
        system .

            K-12 Concept 1A: Composition of Earth Materials
            Earth is comprised of materials in the form of solids, liquids, and gases resulting
            from the combination of a relatively small number of elements. These materials
            form recognizable structures and landforms.
 
                9-12 Standard: Composition of Earth Materials
                Every student demonstrates an ability to recognize and analyze Earth
                materials and landforms from a variety of evidence, and to describe the
                composition of those materials in terms of their chemical
                constituents.(NSES p. 189; CA Framework p. 94-96)
 
            K-12 Concept 1B: Planetary Structure
            The interior and atmosphere of Earth and other planets are organized in layered
            structures.
 
                9-12 Standard: Comparative Planetology
                Every student demonstrates the ability to compare layers on Earth and in its
                atmosphere with that on other planets and moons. (NSES p. 189;
                Benchmarks p. 74; CA Framework p. 89, 92)
 
        Big Idea 2: Change
        Earth, other celestial bodies, and the universe continuously change. Energy and matter
        flow and cycle through Earth systems.
 
            K-12 Concept 2B: Internal energy and change
            Internal sources of energy drive processes, such as tectonics, volcanism and the
            rock cycle, that change Earth's composition and structure.
 
                9-12 Standard: Convection
                Every student demonstrates understanding that Earth's internal heat is the
                result of nuclear decay and gravitational compression, which drives
                convection within it, and that these convection currents result in movement
                of tectonic plates.(NSES p. 189; Benchmarks p. 74; CA Framework p.
                91-93)

            K-12 Concept 2C: External Energy and Change
            Energy from the Sun drives the water and biogeochemical cycles. Changes in
            climate, weather, ocean currents and Earth's surface are interrelated.
 
                9-12 Standard: Flows and Cycles
                Every student demonstrates the ability to analyze factors involved in the
                flow of heat through the circulation of air and water. Students also
                demonstrate abilities to explain the circulation of carbon and nitrogen
                through their respective global cycles. (NSES p. 189; Benchmarks p. 70,
                74; CA Framework p. 109, 112, 114)
 
        Big Idea 3: Interactions
        Any change in one Earth system affects other Earth systems. Humans are part of and
        affect these systems.
 
            K-12 Concept 3A: Spheres and Interactions
            The geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere affect one another,
            resulting in the conditions that we experience on Earth.
 
                9-12 Standard: Open and Closed System
                Every student demonstrates that generally Earth is a closed system with
                respect to matter and an open system with respect to energy. (NSES p. 189)
 
            K-12 Concept 3B: Resources
            Resources vary in their amount and renewability.
 
                9-12 Standard: Comparing Resources
                Every student demonstrates the ability to compare the advantages and
                disadvantages of using renewable and nonrenewable sources of materials
                and energy. (CA Framework p. 63)
 
            K-12 Concept 3C: Human Interactions
            Humans affect and are effected by Earth systems.
 
                9-12 Standard: Analyze Human Actions
                Every student demonstrates abilities to analyze human actions and choices
                in terms of their potential impacts on Earth systems and how those impacts
                can effect human societies. (NSES p. 198; CA Framework p. 142)
 

    Strand: Integrated Science

        Big Idea 1: Properties of systems and their parts
        Systems at all scales (i.e., astronomical, geological, biological, molecular) consist of
        many interacting parts or subsystems. When these parts combine to form the whole,
        the whole often has properties that are qualitatively different than the sum of the parts.
 
            K-12 Concept 1A: Properties of systems and their parts
            Systems at all scales (i.e., astronomical, geological, biological, molecular)
            consist of many interacting parts or subsystems. When these parts combine to
            form the whole, the whole often has properties that are qualitatively different
            than the sum of the parts.
 
                9-12 Standard: Emergent Properties
                Every student demonstrates understanding that components of systems, both
                microscopic and macroscopic, have unique properties and functions; when
                these components combine to form more complex systems, new properties
                and functions emerge.
 
        Big Idea 2: Matter, Energy & Interactions
        Systems at all scales have properties that depend on the flow of matter and energy,
        both within the system and into or out of the system.
 
            K-12 Concept 2A: Matter, Energy & Interactions
            Systems at all scales have properties that depend on the flow of matter and
            energy, both within the system and into or out of the system. (Same as Big Idea 2)
 
                9-12 Standard: Conservation
                Every student demonstrates understanding that energy and matter are
                conserved within a system.
 
        Big Idea 3: Constancy and change
        Systems at all levels (universe, solar systems, planets, organisms, cells, molecules)
        show patterns of stability and change over short and long periods of time.
 
            K-12 Concept 3A: Patterns of Change
            Living and non-living systems display patterns of change.
 
                9-12 Standard: Predictability of change
                Every student demonstrates an understanding of the limits of the
                predictability of change.
 
            K-12 Concept 3B: Dynamic equilibrium
            Living and non-living systems tend to appear stable when they are in a state of
            dynamic equilibrium.
 
                9-12 Standard: Feedback Mechanisms
                Every student demonstrates abilities to describe feedback mechanisms that
                promote stability in systems.
 
                9-12 Standard: Equilibrium
                Every student demonstrates abilities to discuss equilibrium as a balance of
                competing effects and motions. Students are aware that even apparently
                static systems have dynamic processes, occurring at scales too small to see,
                or rates too slow to be obvious.
 

    Strand: Inquiry & Nature of Science
 
        Big Idea 1: A Way of Knowing; A Body of Knowledge
        Science is a way of knowing the natural world as well as a body of knowledge.
        Science is characterized by empirical standards, logical structure and critical review.
 
            K-12 Concept 1A: Way of knowing: Investigations
            Scientific inquiry includes observing, questioning, planning, and conducting
            investigations.
 
                9-12 Standard: Investigations for different reasons
                Every student demonstrates the ability to conduct investigations for various
                reasons, including to explore new phenomena, to check on previous results,
                to test how well a theory predicts and to compare different theories.
 
            K-12 Concept 1B: Way of knowing: Data
            The quality of data plays a very significant role in conducting investigations.
 
                9-12 Standard: Improving investigations
                Every student demonstrates the ability to use technology and mathematics to
                improve investigations.
 
            K-12 Concept 1C: Way of knowing; Explanations
            Scientists discuss and test their explanations of nature using theoretical and
            mathematical models, logical arguments and critical review.
 
                9-12 Standard: Constructing models
                Every student demonstrates the ability to construct models and reasoned
                arguments using logic and evidence.
 
            K-12 Concept 1D: Body of knowledge
            Science is a body of knowledge generated by scientific observations and
            investigations. These may lead to new ideas, revision of scientific explanations
            and models, or recognition of alternative explanations and models.
 
                9-12 Standard: Empirical standards
                Every student demonstrates the ability to use empirical standards to
                evaluate whether a belief or statement is part of the scientific body of
                knowledge.
 
        Big Idea 2: Human endeavor
        Science is a human endeavor.
 
            K-12 Concept 2A: All peoples
            All peoples are capable of engaging in and contributing to scientific thought.
 
                9-12 Standard: Society and Science
                Scientists are influenced by societal, cultural, and personal beliefs and
                ways of viewing the world. Science is not separate from society but rather
                science is a part of society.
 
            K-12 Concept 2B: Scientific community
            Scientists, as a community, continually define, expand, and deepen the body of
            knowledge known as science.
 
                9-12 Standard: On-going process
                Every student demonstrates the ability to recognize evidence of how science
                is an on-going process, reflects its history and that changes in knowledge
                result in advances in our understanding the world.
 

    Strand: Technology, Science and Society

        Big Idea 1: Nature of Technology
        Technologies range from simple tools and inventions to complex designs, structures,
        processes and systems. Technologies develop through a multi-step design process
        subject to a variety of constraints.
 
            K-12 Concept 1A: Technology in our Lives
            A wide range of technologies pervades our lives in helping us meet important
            needs such as food, shelter, clothing, health, communication, education,
            transportation, the arts and recreation.
 
                9-12 Standard: Modern Technologies
                Every student demonstrates abilities to investigate and report the essential
                features of modern technologies that currently affect their lives or are likely
                to do so in the future. (Benchmarks p. 56-57, 181)
 
        Big Idea 2: Synergistic Partners
        Science and technology are synergistic partners.
 
            K-12 Concept 2A: Comparing Science and Technology
            Technology and science are similar but they differ because they have different
            aims. Technology aims to solve problems or needs for a particular society while
            science aims to find answers for universal questions.
 
                9-12 Standard: Effects of Technology and Science
                Every student demonstrates an understanding that technology affects society
                directly by aiming to solve practical problems, and that science affects
                society by enlarging and challenging people's views of what the world is
                like. (NSES p. 192-193; Benchmarks p. 47)

            K-12 Concept 2B: Technology and Science Influence Each Other
            As synergistic partners, advances in science give birth to new technologies and
            new technological capabilities expand areas for scientific research.
 
                9-12 Standard: New Technologies and Science
                Every student demonstrates understanding that advances in science often
                lead to new technologies. (NSES p. 166; Benchmarks p. 46)
 
        Big Idea 3: Technology and Society
        The high level of our technological capacities and the rapid pace of technological
        developments challenge human abilities to balance benefits and risks.
 
            K-12 Concept 3A: Balancing Benefits and Risks
            Balancing risks, benefits and costs is a very important part of creating, changing
            or improving technological designs.
 
                9-12 Standard: Balancing Risks, Benefits and Costs
                Every student demonstrates abilities to begin making appropriate trade-offs
                among risks, benefits and costs in creating, changing or improving
                technological designs. (NSES p. 199; Benchmarks p. 52, 57; CA
                Framework p. 159-160)
 
            K-12 Concept 3B: Global Change
            Due to large increases in technology and population, humans can now change
            natural and social systems globally.
 
                9-12 Standard: Personal Global Impacts
                Every student demonstrates abilities to use scientific concepts appropriately
                in analyzing the impacts of their decisions as a consumer on global systems.
                (NSES p. 199; CA Framework p. 158, 159, 165)
 

    Strand: Life Science
 
        Big Idea 1: Integrated function of parts
        Living things are made of smaller structures whose functions enable the organism to
        survive.

            K-12 Concept 1B: Adaptation
            The structures that living things have and the functions that those structures
            perform are adapted to conditions in each particular environment. (reference to
            big idea #3)
 
                9-12 Standard: Similar functions
                Every student demonstrates an understanding that different kinds of living
                things must perform similar functions (such as getting energy and
                reproducing). The structures that living things use to perform these functions
                may differ based on their adaptations to a particular environment. (NSES. p.
                158, 184, 187; Benchmarks p. 137; CA Framework p. 119, 120)
 
        Big Idea 2: Interdependence
        Living things depend on each other and the physical environment as they interact to
        obtain, change and exchange matter and energy.
 
            K-12 Concept 2A: Equilibrium in ecosystems
            Living things interact with one another and their environment. Ecosystems change
            as a result of this interaction. Humans can deliberately or inadvertently alter the
            equilibrium of ecosystems.
 
                9-12 Standard: Stability and Change in Ecosystems
                Every student demonstrates an understanding that ecosystems tend toward
                stable interactions but change through time as the environment and its
                inhabitants change. Human activities, even when planned, can have
                unintended consequences positive or negative. (NSES p. 186; Benchmarks
                p. 117; CA Framework p. 141)
 
            K-12 Concept 2B: Flow of matter and energy
            Energy and matter flow through ecosystems.
 
                9-12 Standard: Flows and cycles of matter and energy
                Every student will demonstrate that energy and matter are transformed as
                they move within and across ecosystems. Matter cycles as it changes forms;
                all energy eventually transforms to heat and must be replenished by the sun.
                (NSES p. 186; Benchmarks p. 121; CA Framework p. 29, 139)
 
            K-12 Concept 2C: Properties of ecosystems
            Like other systems, the properties of an ecosystem are determined by the parts
            and the interactions of the parts.
 
        Big Idea 3: Diversity, Evolution, Heredity
        The great diversity of living things is the result of billions of years of evolution of
        organisms through the mechanisms of heredity, random change and natural selection.

            K-12 Concept 3B: Evolution
            The historical changes in life forms are evidenced in the fossil record and
            through comparative anatomy, developmental biology, genetics, biogeography,
            and biochemistry.
 
                9-12 Standard: Pace of evolution
                Every student demonstrates an understanding that evolution proceeds
                through processes that involve both long periods of relative stability and
                periods in which dramatic changes occur rapidly. Supporting evidence
                includes fossil records, comparative anatomy, and biochemistry. (NSES
                185; Benchmarks p. 125; CA Framework p. 133-136)
 
            K-12 Concept 3C: Diversity
            The great diversity of life today is the result of origination and extinction of
            species that occurred over time through natural selection and other processes of
            evolution.
 
                9-12 Standard: Survival in environmental changes
                Every student demonstrates an understanding that as the environment
                changes, variation within a species increases the likelihood of survival of
                that species; diversity among many species increases the likelihood of
                survival of at least some living things. (NSES p. 185; Benchmarks p. 105;
                CA Framework p.120)
 
            K-12 Concept 3D: Life cycles and reproduction
            Living things come from pre-existing life and have characteristic life cycles. The
            stages of the cycles may or may not look and function in similar ways. These
            cycles are genetically determined and are sometimes influenced by the
            environment.
 
                9-12 Standard: Nature vs. nurture in life cycle characteristics
                Every student demonstrates an understanding that the basis of the life cycle
                and of many events that happen in the development of an individual are
                genetically determined; developmental processes may also be affected by
                the environment of the individual during its life span. (NSES p. 186, 108;
                Benchmarks p. 142; CA Framework p. 129)