plan, research, organize, prepare, and present an informative speech;

Science concepts. The student knows how humans impact environmental systems through emissions and pollutants. The student is expected to:

identify sources of emissions in air, soil, and water, including point and nonpoint sources;

rehearse speeches to gain command of ideas and information, reduce communication apprehension, develop confidence, and practice presentation skills;

distinguish how an emission becomes a pollutant based on its concentration, toxicity, reactivity, and location within the environment;

use notes, manuscripts, rostrum, and visual and auditory aids appropriately in speeches;

use effective verbal and nonverbal communication in presenting informative speeches;

investigate the effects of pollutants such as chlorofluorocarbons, greenhouse gases, pesticide runoff, nuclear waste, aerosols, metallic ions, and heavy metals, as well as thermal, light, and noise pollution;

apply critical-listening skills to analyze, evaluate, and respond appropriately to informative group discussions and speeches; and

evaluate indicators of air, soil, and water quality against regulatory standards to determine the health of an ecosystem; and

develop and use communication skills needed for academic achievement such as participating appropriately in class discussions, using active and critical-listening skills, and taking accurate notes.

distinguish between the causes and effects of global warming and ozone depletion, including the causes, the chemicals involved, the atmospheric layer, the environmental effects, the human health effects, and the relevant wavelengths on the electromagnetic spectrum (IR and UV).

Persuading. The student expresses and responds appropriately to persuasive messages. The student is expected to:

Science concepts. The student understands how individual and collective actions impact environmental systems. The student is expected to:

recognize and develop skills for analyzing persuasive strategies such as propaganda devices and emotional appeals;

evaluate the negative effects of human activities on the environment, including overhunting, overfishing, ecotourism, all-terrain vehicles, and personal watercraft;

respond appropriately to persuasive messages in situations such as accepting or rejecting peer pressure and making or responding to requests;

evaluate the positive effects of human activities on the environment, including habitat restoration projects, species preservation efforts, nature conservancy groups, game and wildlife management, and ecotourism; and

research the advantages and disadvantages of "going green" such as organic gardening and farming, natural methods of pest control, hydroponics, xeriscaping, energy-efficient homes and appliances, and hybrid cars.

plan, research, organize, prepare, and present a persuasive speech;

Science concepts. The student understands how ethics and economic priorities influence environmental decisions. The student is expected to:

demonstrate persuasive skills in informal or formal argumentation, discussions, or debates; and

develop and use critical listening skills to analyze, evaluate, and respond appropriately to class, public, or media presentations.

evaluate cost-benefit trade-offs of commercial activities such as municipal development, food production, deforestation, over-harvesting, mining, and use of renewable and non-renewable energy sources;

Creating and imagining. The student uses imagination and creativity to prepare and perform various types of literature. The student is expected to:

evaluate the economic impacts of individual actions on the environment such as overbuilding, habitat destruction, poaching, and improper waste disposal;

use imagination to plan, organize, and tell stories;

analyze how ethical beliefs influence environmental scientific and engineering practices such as methods for food production, water distribution, energy production, and the extraction of minerals;

use appropriate verbal and nonverbal skills to share stories;

discuss the impact of research and technology on social ethics and legal practices in situations such as the design of new buildings, recycling, or emission standards; and

select, analyze, adapt, interpret, and rehearse a variety of literary selections;

argue from evidence whether or not a healthy economy and a healthy environment are mutually exclusive.

use effective group decision-making skills in group performances;

Science concepts. The student knows how legislation mediates human impacts on the environment. The student is expected to:

describe past and present state and national legislation, including Texas automobile emissions regulations, the National Park Service Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act, and the Endangered Species Act; and

use appropriate verbal and nonverbal skills in individual or group interpretations of literature; and

evaluate the goals and effectiveness of past and present international agreements such as the environmental Antarctic Treaty System, the Montreal Protocol, the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Climate Accord.

use appreciative and critical-listening skills to respond appropriately to class, public, or media performances.

Biology. Students in Biology focus on patterns, processes, and relationships of living organisms through four main concepts: biological structures, functions, and processes; mechanisms of genetics; biological evolution; and interdependence within environmental systems. 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.

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.

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

Reading/Vocabulary Development. Students understand new vocabulary and use it when reading and writing. Students are expected to:

determine the meaning of grade-level technical academic English words in multiple content areas (e.g., science, mathematics, social studies, the arts) derived from Latin, Greek, or other linguistic roots and affixes;

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 include 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.

analyze textual context (within a sentence and in larger sections of text) to distinguish between the denotative and connotative meanings of words;

produce analogies that describe a function of an object or its description;

describe the origins and meanings of foreign words or phrases used frequently in written English (e.g., caveat emptor, carte blanche, tete a tete, pas de deux, bon appetit, quid pro quo); and

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).

use a dictionary, a glossary, or a thesaurus (printed or electronic) to determine or confirm the meanings of words and phrases, including their connotations and denotations, and their etymology.

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.