comma placement in nonrestrictive phrases, clauses, and contrasting expressions;

Science concepts. The student knows that changes in matter affect everyday life. The student is expected to:

quotation marks to indicate sarcasm or irony; and

investigate how changes in properties are indicative of chemical reactions such as hydrochloric acid with a metal, oxidation of metal, combustion, and neutralizing an acid with a base;

dashes to emphasize parenthetical information.

develop and use models to balance chemical equations and support the claim that atoms, and therefore mass, are conserved during a chemical reaction;

Oral and Written Conventions/Spelling. Students spell correctly. Students are expected to spell correctly, including using various resources to determine and check correct spellings.

research and communicate the uses, advantages, and disadvantages of nuclear reactions in current technologies; and

construct and communicate an evidence-based explanation of the environmental impact of the end-products of chemical reactions such as those that may result in degradation of water, soil, air quality, and global climate change.

Research/Research Plan. Students ask open-ended research questions and develop a plan for answering them. Students are expected to:

brainstorm, consult with others, decide upon a topic, and formulate a major research question to address the major research topic; and

formulate a plan for engaging in research on a complex, multi-faceted topic.

Research/Gathering Sources. Students determine, locate, and explore the full range of relevant sources addressing a research question and systematically record the information they gather. Students are expected to:

follow the research plan to compile data from authoritative sources in a manner that identifies the major issues and debates within the field of inquiry;

organize information gathered from multiple sources to create a variety of graphics and forms (e.g., notes, learning logs); and

Chemistry. In Chemistry, students conduct laboratory and field investigations, use scientific practices during investigations, and make informed decisions using critical thinking and scientific problem solving. Students study a variety of topics that include characteristics of matter, use of the Periodic Table, development of atomic theory, chemical bonding, chemical stoichiometry, gas laws, solution chemistry, acid-base chemistry, thermochemistry, and nuclear chemistry. Students investigate how chemistry is an integral part of our daily lives. By the end of Grade 12, students are expected to gain sufficient knowledge of the scientific and engineering practices across the disciplines of science to make informed decisions using critical thinking and scientific problem solving.

paraphrase, summarize, quote, and accurately cite all researched information according to a standard format (e.g., author, title, page number).

Nature of science. Science, as defined by the National Academy of Sciences, is the "use of evidence to construct testable explanations and predictions of natural phenomena, as well as the knowledge generated through this process." This vast body of changing and increasing knowledge is described by physical, mathematical, and conceptual models. Students should know that some questions are outside the realm of science because they deal with phenomena that are not currently scientifically testable.

Research/Synthesizing Information. Students clarify research questions and evaluate and synthesize collected information. Students are expected to:

Scientific hypotheses and theories. Students are expected to know that:

modify the major research question as necessary to refocus the research plan;

evaluate the relevance of information to the topic and determine the reliability, validity, and accuracy of sources (including Internet sources) by examining their authority and objectivity; and

Scientific inquiry. Scientific inquiry is the planned and deliberate investigation of the natural world using scientific and engineering practices. Scientific methods of investigation are descriptive, comparative, or experimental. The method chosen should be appropriate to the question being asked. Student learning for different types of investigations includes descriptive investigations, which involve collecting data and recording observations without making comparisons; comparative investigations, which involve collecting data with variables that are manipulated to compare results; and experimental investigations, which involve processes similar to comparative investigations but in which a control is identified.

critique the research process at each step to implement changes as the need occurs and is identified.

Research/Organizing and Presenting Ideas. Students organize and present their ideas and information according to the purpose of the research and their audience. Students are expected to synthesize the research into a written or an oral presentation that:

marshals evidence in support of a clear thesis statement and related claims;

provides an analysis for the audience that reflects a logical progression of ideas and a clearly stated point of view;

Science and social ethics. Scientific decision making is a way of answering questions about the natural world involving its own set of ethical standards about how the process of science should be carried out. Students should be able to distinguish between scientific decision-making methods (scientific methods) and ethical and social decisions that involve science (the application of scientific information).

uses graphics and illustrations to help explain concepts where appropriate;

Science consists of recurring themes and making connections between overarching concepts. Recurring themes include systems, models, and patterns. All systems have basic properties that can be described in space, time, energy, and matter. Change and constancy occur in systems as patterns and can be observed, measured, and modeled. These patterns help to make predictions that can be scientifically tested, while models allow for boundary specification and provide a tool for understanding the ideas presented. Students should analyze a system in terms of its components and how these components relate to each other, to the whole, and to the external environment.

uses a variety of evaluative tools (e.g., self-made rubrics, peer reviews, teacher and expert evaluations) to examine the quality of the research; and

Statements containing the word "including" reference content that must be mastered, while those containing the phrase "such as" are intended as possible illustrative examples.

Scientific and engineering practices. The student, for at least 40% of instructional time, asks questions, identifies problems, and plans and safely conducts classroom, laboratory, and field investigations to answer questions, explain phenomena, or design solutions using appropriate tools and models. The student is expected to:

uses a style manual (e.g., Modern Language Association, Chicago Manual of Style) to document sources and format written materials.

ask questions and define problems based on observations or information from text, phenomena, models, or investigations;

Listening and Speaking/Listening. Students will use comprehension skills to listen attentively to others in formal and informal settings. Students will continue to apply earlier standards with greater complexity. Students are expected to:

apply scientific practices to plan and conduct descriptive, comparative, and experimental investigations and use engineering practices to design solutions to problems;

listen responsively to a speaker by taking notes that summarize, synthesize, or highlight the speaker's ideas for critical reflection and by asking questions related to the content for clarification and elaboration;

use appropriate safety equipment and practices during laboratory, classroom, and field investigations as outlined in Texas Education Agency-approved safety standards;

follow and give complex oral instructions to perform specific tasks, answer questions, solve problems, and complete processes; and

evaluate how the style and structure of a speech support or undermine its purpose or meaning.

use appropriate tools such as Safety Data Sheets (SDS), scientific or graphing calculators, computers and probes, electronic balances, an adequate supply of consumable chemicals, and sufficient scientific glassware such as beakers, Erlenmeyer flasks, pipettes, graduated cylinders, volumetric flasks, and burettes;

Listening and Speaking/Speaking. Students speak clearly and to the point, using the conventions of language. Students will continue to apply earlier standards with greater complexity. Students are expected to advance a coherent argument that incorporates a clear thesis and a logical progression of valid evidence from reliable sources and that employs eye contact, speaking rate (e.g., pauses for effect), volume, enunciation, purposeful gestures, and conventions of language to communicate ideas effectively.

collect quantitative data using the International System of Units (SI) and qualitative data as evidence;

Listening and Speaking/Teamwork. Students work productively with others in teams. Students will continue to apply earlier standards with greater complexity. Students are expected to participate productively in teams, building on the ideas of others, contributing relevant information, developing a plan for consensus-building, and setting ground rules for decision-making.

organize quantitative and qualitative data using oral or written lab reports, labeled drawings, particle diagrams, charts, tables, graphs, journals, summaries, or technology-based reports;

develop and use models to represent phenomena, systems, processes, or solutions to engineering problems; and

distinguish between scientific hypotheses, theories, and laws.

Scientific and engineering practices. The student analyzes and interprets data to derive meaning, identify features and patterns, and discover relationships or correlations to develop evidence-based arguments or evaluate designs. The student is expected to:

identify advantages and limitations of models such as their size, scale, properties, and materials;