New Mexico Science Content Standards, Benchmarks, and

 Performance Standards for Earthquakes and Plate Tectonics

 

Plate Tectonics

 

Strand I: Scientific Thinking and Practice

Standard I: Understand the processes of scientific investigations and use inquiry and scientific ways of observing, experimenting, predicting, and validating to think critically.

9-12 Benchmark I:   

Use accepted scientific methods to collect, analyze, and interpret data and observations and to design and conduct scientific investigations and communicate results.

Grade 9-12

Performance Standard 5:

Understand how scientific theories are used to explain and predict natural phenomena (e.g., plate tectonics, ocean currents, structure of atom).

 

Strand II: Content of Science

            Standard III: Earth and Space Science

            5-8 Benchmark II:

Describe the structure of Earth and its atmosphere and explain how energy, matter, and forces shape EarthÕs systems.

            Grade 6

            Performance Standard 7:

Know that landforms are created and change through a combination of constructive and destructive forces, including:

á      weathering of rock and soil, transportation, deposition of sediment, and tectonic activity

á      similarities and differences between current and past processes on EarthÕs surface (e.g., erosion, plate tectonics, changes in atmospheric composition)

á        impact of volcanoes and faults on New Mexico geology.

 

            Standard III: Earth and Space Science

9-12 Benchmark II:

Examine the scientific theories of the origin, structure, energy, and evolution of Earth and its atmosphere, and their interconnections.

Grade 9-12

Performance Standard 7:

Energy in EarthÕs System

Describe convection as the mechanism for moving heat energy from deep within Earth to the surface and discuss how this process results in plate tectonics, including:

o      geological manifestations (e.g., earthquakes, volcanoes, mountain building) that occur at plate boundaries

o      impact of plate motions on societies and the environment (e.g., earthquakes, volcanoes).

 

Strand III:  Science and Society

Standard I:  Understand how scientific discoveries, inventions, practices, and knowledge influence, and are influenced by, individuals and societies.

9-12 Benchmark I:

Examine and analyze how scientific discoveries and their applications affect the world, and explain how societies influence scientific investigations and applications.

            Grade 9-12

            Performance Standard 10:

Science and Society

Describe major historical changes in scientific perspectives (e.g., atomic theory, germs, cosmology, relativity, plate tectonics, evolution) and the experimental observations that triggered them.

Earthquakes

 

Strand II: Content of Science

            Standard I: Physical Science

            5-8 Benchmark II:

Explain the physical processes involved in the transfer, change, and conservation of energy.

            Grade 6

            Performance Standard 4:

Understand that some energy travels as waves (e.g., seismic, light, sound), including:

o      the sun as source of energy for many processes on Earth

o      different wavelengths of sunlight (e.g., visible, ultraviolet, infrared)

o      vibrations of matter (e.g., sound, earthquakes)

o      different speeds through different materials.

 

Standard I: Physical Science

            5-8 Benchmark II:

Explain the physical processes involved in the transfer, change, and conservation of energy.

            Grade 8

            Performance Standard 6:

Waves

Understand that vibrations of matter (e.g., sound, earthquakes, water waves) carry wave energy, including:

á      sound transmission through solids, liquids, and gases

á      relationship of pitch and loudness of sound to rate and distance (amplitude) of vibration ripples made by objects dropped in water.

 

Standard II: Life Science

5-8 Benchmark I:

Explain the diverse structures and functions of living things and the complex relationships between living things and their environments.

Grade 6

Performance Standard 2:

Describe how weather and geologic events (e.g., volcanoes, earthquakes) affect the function of living systems.

 

Standard III: Earth and Space Science

            K-4 Benchmark II:

Know the structure and formation of Earth and its atmosphere and the processes that shape them.

            Grade 3

            Performance Standard 1:

Know that EarthÕs features are constantly changed by a combination of slow and rapid processes that include the action of volcanoes, earthquakes, mountain building, biological changes, erosion, and weathering.

 

Standard III: Earth and Space Science

            9-12 Benchmark II:

Examine the scientific theories of the origin, structure, energy, and evolution of Earth and its atmosphere, and their interconnections.

            Grade 9-12

            Performance Standard 7:

Energy in Earth's System

Describe convection as the mechanism for moving heat energy from deep within Earth to the surface and discuss how this process results in plate tectonics, including:

o      geological manifestations (e.g., earthquakes, volcanoes, mountain building) that occur at plate boundaries

o      impact of plate motions on societies and the environment (e.g., earthquakes, volcanoes).

 

Strand III:  Science and Society

Standard I:  Understand how scientific discoveries, inventions, practices, and knowledge influence, and are influenced by, individuals and societies.

5-8 Benchmark I:

Explain how scientific discoveries and inventions have changed individuals and societies.

            Grade 8

            Performance Standard 2:

Describe how scientific information can help to explain environmental phenomena (e.g., floods, earthquakes, volcanoes, fire, extreme weather).