High School Science Louisiana Standards

Energy

Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

Matter and its Interactions

Use the periodic table as a model to predict the relative properties of elements based on the patterns of electrons in the outermost energy level and the composition of the nucleus of atoms.

Construct and revise an explanation for the outcome of a simple chemical reaction based on the outermost electron states of atoms, trends in the periodic table, and knowledge of the patterns of chemical properties.

Plan and conduct an investigation to gather evidence to compare the structure of substances at the macroscale to infer the strength of electrical forces between particles.

Develop a model to illustrate that the release or absorption of energy from a chemical reaction system depends upon the changes in total bond energy.

Apply scientific principles and evidence to provide an explanation about the effects of changing the temperature or concentration of the reacting particles on the rate at which a reaction occurs.

Refine the design of a chemical system by specifying a change in conditions that would produce increased amounts of products at equilibrium.

Use mathematical representations to support the claim that atoms, and therefore mass, are conserved during a chemical reaction.

Develop models to illustrate the changes in the composition of the nucleus of the atom and the energy released during the processes of fission, fusion, and radioactive decay.

Communicate scientific and technical information about why the atomic-level, subatomic-level, and/or molecular level structure is important in the functioning of designed materials.

Create a computational model to calculate the change in the energy of one component in a system when the change in energy of the other component(s) and energy flows in and out of the system are known.

Design, build, and refine a device that works within given constraints to convert one form of energy into another form of energy.

Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that the transfer of thermal energy when two components of different temperature are combined within a closed system results in a more uniform energy distribution among the components in the system (second law of thermodynamics).

Evaluate the validity and reliability of claims in published materials about the viability of nuclear power as a source of alternative energy relative to other forms of energy (e.g., fossil fuels, wind, solar, geothermal).

Human Sustainability

History of Earth

Space Systems

Earth's Systems

Earth's Place in the Universe

Earth and Space Science

Develop a model based on evidence to illustrate the life span of the sun and the role of nuclear fusion in the sun’s core to release energy that eventually reaches Earth in the form of radiation.

Construct an explanation of the Big Bang theory based on astronomical evidence of light spectra, motion of distant galaxies, and composition of matter in the universe.

Communicate scientific ideas about the way stars, over their life cycle, produce elements.

Use mathematical or computational representations to predict the motion of orbiting objects in the solar system.

Evaluate evidence of the past and current movements of continental and oceanic crust and the theory of plate tectonics to explain the ages of crustal rocks.

Apply scientific reasoning and evidence from ancient Earth materials, meteorites, and other planetary surfaces to construct an account of Earth’s formation and early history.

Develop a model to illustrate how Earth’s internal and surface processes operate at different spatial and temporal scales to form continental and ocean-floor features.

Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth’s surface can create feedbacks that cause changes to other Earth’s systems.

Develop a model based on evidence of Earth’s interior to describe the cycling of matter by thermal convection.

Analyze and interpret data to explore how variations in the flow of energy into and out of Earth’s systems result in changes in atmosphere and climate.

Plan and conduct an investigation on the properties of water and its effects on Earth materials and surface processes.

Develop a quantitative model to describe the cycling of carbon among the hydrosphere, atmosphere, geosphere, and biosphere.

Construct an argument based on evidence about the simultaneous coevolution of Earth systems and life on Earth.

Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.

Evaluate competing design solutions for developing, managing, and utilizing energy and mineral resources based on cost-benefit ratios.

Create a computational simulation to illustrate the relationships among management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity

Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems.

Analyze geoscience data and the results from global climate models to make an evidence-based forecast of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth systems.

Use a computational representation to illustrate the relationships among Earth systems and how those relationships are being modified due to human activity.

Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

Life Science

Human Sustainability

Earth's Systems

Personal Responsibilities

Environmental Awareness and Protection

Resources and Resource Management

Environmental Science

Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth’s surface can create feedbacks that cause changes to other Earth’s systems.

Analyze and interpret data to explore how variations in the flow of energy into and out of Earth’s systems result in changes in atmosphere and climate.

Plan and conduct an investigation on the properties of water and its effects on Earth materials and surface processes.

Develop a quantitative model to describe the cycling of carbon among the hydrosphere, atmosphere, geosphere, and biosphere.

Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.

Evaluate competing design solutions for developing, managing, and utilizing energy and mineral resources based on cost-benefit ratios.

Create a computational simulation to illustrate the relationships among management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity.

Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems.*

Use a computational representation to illustrate the relationships among Earth systems and how those relationships are being modified due to human activity

Analyze and interpret data to identify the factors that affect sustainable development and natural resource management in Louisiana.

Obtain, evaluate and communicate information on the effectiveness of management or conservation practices for one of Louisiana’s natural resources with respect to common considerations such as social, economic, technological, and influencing political factors over the past 50 years.

Analyze and interpret data about the consequences of environmental decisions to determine the risk-benefit values of actions and practices implemented for selected issues.

Design and evaluate a solution to limit the introduction of non-point source pollution into state waterways.

Use a model to predict the effects that pollution as a limiting factor has on an organism’s population density.

Use multiple lines of evidence to construct an argument addressing the negative impacts that introduced organisms have on Louisiana’s native species.

Construct and evaluate arguments about the positive and negative consequences of using disposable resources versus reusable resources.

Use mathematical and/or computational representations to support explanations of factors that affect carrying capacity, biodiversity and populations of ecosystems at different scales.

Use mathematical representations to support claims for the cycling of matter and flow of energy among organisms in an ecosystem.

Evaluate the claims, evidence and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem.

Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.

Impacts of Computing

Algorithms and Programming

Data and Analysis

Networks and the Internet

Computing Systems

Variables and Algorithms

Assess variables, then classify the scope and type of variable.

Design algorithms that can be adapted to express an idea or solve a problem.

Use and adapt classical algorithms to solve computational problems.

Explain what computer memory is and how variables are stored and retrieved.

Identify and explain how a derived data type can be utilized in a real-world scenario.

Control Structures

Justify the selection of control structures to balance implementation complexity, maintainability, and program performance.

Design and iteratively develop computational artifacts using events to initiate instructions.

Modularity

Decompose problems into smaller components using constructs such as procedures, modules, and/or objects.

Create computational artifacts using procedures within a program, combinations of data and procedures, or independent but interrelated programs.

Program Development

Utilize the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) to create software that is a minimum viable product.

Develop and utilize test cases to verify that a program performs according to the program’s design specifications.

Design and develop programs by working in team roles using version control systems, integrated development environments (IDEs), and collaborative tools and practices.

Evaluate licenses that limit or restrict the use of computational artifacts when utilizing resources such as libraries.

Apply the appropriate documentation techniques to make programs more accessible to debug and to be maintained by others.

Iteratively evaluate and modify an existing program to add functionality and discuss intended and unintended implications.

Use a standard library and/or application programming interface (API) to create reusable code components to design simple programs and enhance existing programs.

Hardware and Software

Analyze the levels of interactions between application software and system software as well as the hardware layers.

Explain how abstractions hide the underlying implementation details of computing systems embedded in everyday things.

Troubleshooting

Generate guidelines that convey systematic troubleshooting strategies that other users can utilize to identify and fix errors.

Data Representation

Evaluate data representations, propose strategies to reconstruct the data, and visualize data in a variety of ways.

Define and describe database structures to optimize the search and retrieval of data.

Data Collection

Explain and describe the impacts of uncertainty and the limitations of data collection technology and tools.

Describe the personal and legal impacts of accumulated data, both collected and derived, for given scenarios. Propose tools and techniques to manage the accumulated data appropriately.

Data Storage

Justify choices on how data elements are organized and where data is stored considering cost, speed, reliability, accessibility, privacy, and integrity.

Explain and utilize the appropriate data structural organization system to collaborate and communicate data within a team or user group in given scenarios.

Visualizations and Transformations

Create interactive data visualizations using software tools that explain complex data to others.

Utilize data analysis tools to ingest (extract, transform, and load) and process data into relevant information.

Inference and Models

Create a model utilizing data with the appropriate simulated variables to develop predictions for real-world phenomena.

Apply and evaluate data analysis techniques to identify patterns represented in complex systems.

Analyze patterns in data visualizations, then select a collection tool to test a hypothesis and communicate the relevant information to others.

Evaluate the impacts of the variables and the model on the performance of a simulation to refine a hypothesis.

Intellectual Achievements

Analyze the key milestones of computer science, historical events influenced by computer science, and the people connected to these achievements.

Explain how innovations in computer science and technology enable advancements in other fields of study.

Social Interaction

Evaluate the adoption and adaptation of social norms from the physical world to the cyber world.

Describe how cyberspace is becoming a universal medium for connecting humans, the economy, business, and computing.

Describe and critique how algorithmic feedback loops can shape perceptions, reinforce a limited data set, and limit the sources of information that may inform the individual user.

Laws, Safety, and Industry Practices

Debate laws and industry regulations that impact the development and use of computational artifacts.

Describe and analyze the motives of online threat actors to a user’s personal safety, privacy, and well-being.

Compare and contrast the varied approaches to govern data, intellectual property, control information access, and various ways for users to be aware of guidance.

Explain how the interconnectedness of cyberspace can lead to physical and digital vulnerabilities.

Debate the ethical considerations of creating and publishing computational artifacts.

Analyze the data provenance of computational artifacts.

Explain how individuals and organizations can exert influence on personal and societal perceptions and practices through computing technologies.

Hardware and Network Communication

Evaluate a network's scalability, reliability, and appropriateness by describing the relationship between routers, switches, devices, topology, and addressing (MAC, IP, Subnet, Gateway).

Illustrate how to trace data through a network model, explaining the interactions that occur throughout the process.

Describe and evaluate the internet as a digital public infrastructure (DPI) from the highest level to the private service provider level.

Cybersecurity

Recommend security measures to address factors that create trade-offs between the usability and security of a computing system.

Interpret and analyze mechanisms through which malware and other types of cyber attacks can impact hardware, software, and sensitive data.

Compare and contrast how software developers protect computing systems and information from unauthorized user access.

Personal Responsibilities

Environmental Awareness and Protection

Resources and Resource Management

Human Sustainability

History of Earth

Space Systems

Earth's Place in the Universe

Earth's Systems

From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

Waves and their Applications In Technologies For Information Transfer

Matter and its Interactions

Waves and their Applications

Energy

Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

Develop a model based on evidence to illustrate the life span of the sun and the role of nuclear fusion in the sun's core to release energy that eventually reaches Earth in the form of radiation.

Construct an explanation of the Big Bang theory based on astronomical evidence of light spectra, motion of distant galaxies, and composition of matter in the universe.

Communicate scientific ideas about the way stars, over their life cycle, produce elements.

Use mathematical or computational representations to predict the motion of orbiting objects in the solar system.

Evaluate evidence of the past and current movements of continental and oceanic crust and the theory of plate tectonics to explain the ages of crustal rocks.

Apply scientific reasoning and evidence from ancient Earth materials, meteorites, and other planetary surfaces to construct an account of Earth's formation and early history.

Develop a model to illustrate how Earth's internal and surface processes operate at different spatial and temporal scales to form continental and ocean-floor features.

Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth's surface can create feedbacks that cause changes to other Earth's systems.

Develop a model based on evidence of Earth's interior to describe the cycling of matter by thermal convection.

Analyze and interpret data to explore how variations in the flow of energy into and out of Earth's systems result in changes in atmosphere and climate.

Plan and conduct an investigation on the properties of water and its effects on Earth materials and surface processes.

Develop a quantitative model to describe the cycling of carbon among the hydrosphere, atmosphere, geosphere, and biosphere.

Construct an argument based on evidence about the simultaneous coevolution of Earth systems and life on Earth.

Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.

Evaluate competing design solutions for developing, managing, and utilizing energy and mineral resources based on cost-benefit ratios.

Create a computational simulation to illustrate the relationships among management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity.

Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems.

Analyze geoscience data and the results from global climate models to make an evidence-based forecast of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth systems.

Use a computational representation to illustrate the relationships among Earth systems and how those relationships are being modified due to human activity.

Analyze and interpret data to identify the factors that affect sustainable development and natural resource management in Louisiana.

Obtain, evaluate and communicate information on the effectiveness of management or conservation practices for one of Louisiana's natural resources with respect to common considerations such as social, economic, technological, and influencing political factors over the past 50 years.

Analyze and interpret data about the consequences of environmental decisions to determine the risk-benefit values of actions and practices implemented for selected issues.

Design and evaluate a solution to limit the introduction of non-point source pollution into state waterways.

Use a model to predict the effects that pollution as a limiting factor has on an organism's population density.

Use multiple lines of evidence to construct an argument addressing the negative impacts that introduced organisms have on Louisiana's native species.

Construct and evaluate arguments about the positive and negative consequences of using disposable resources versus reusable resources.

Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the structure of DNA determines the structure of proteins which carry out the essential functions of life through systems of specialized cells.

Develop and use a model to illustrate the hierarchical organization of interacting systems that provide specific functions within multicellular organisms.

Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that feedback mechanisms maintain homeostasis in living organisms.

Use a model to illustrate the role of the cell cycle and differentiation in producing and maintaining complex organisms.

Use a model to illustrate how photosynthesis transforms light energy into stored chemical energy.

Construct and revise an explanation based on evidence for how carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen from sugar molecules may combine with other elements to form amino acids and/or other large carbon-based molecules.

Use a model to illustrate that cellular respiration is a chemical process whereby the bonds of food molecules and oxygen molecules are broken and the bonds in new compounds are formed, resulting in a net transfer of energy.

Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about (1) viral and bacterial reproduction and adaptation, (2) the body's primary defenses against infection, and (3) how these features impact the design of effective treatment.

Use mathematical and/or computational representations to support explanations of factors that affect carrying capacity, biodiversity and populations of ecosystems at different scales.

Use mathematical representations to support claims for the cycling of matter and flow of energy among organisms in an ecosystem.

Evaluate the claims, evidence and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem.

Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.

Formulate, refine, and evaluate questions to clarify relationships about the role of DNA and chromosomes in coding the instructions for characteristic traits passed from parents to offspring.

Make and defend a claim based on evidence that inheritable genetic variations may result from: (1) new genetic combinations through meiosis, (2) viable errors occurring during replication, and/or (3) mutations caused by environmental factors

Apply concepts of statistics and probability to explain the variation and distribution of expressed traits in a population.

Analyze and interpret scientific information that common ancestry and biological evolution are supported by multiple lines of empirical evidence.

Construct an explanation based on evidence that biological diversity is influenced by (1) the potential for a species to increase in number, (2) the heritable genetic variation of individuals in a species due to mutation and sexual reproduction, (3) competition for limited resources, and (4) the proliferation of those organisms that are better able to survive and reproduce in the environment.

Apply concepts of statistics and probability to support explanations that populations of organisms adapt when an advantageous heritable trait increases in proportion to organisms lacking this trait.

Construct an explanation based on evidence for how natural selection and other mechanisms lead to genetic changes in populations.

Evaluate evidence supporting claims that changes in environmental conditions can affect the distribution of traits in a population causing: (1) increases in the number of individuals of some species, (2) the emergence of new species over time, and (3) the extinction of other species.

Use the periodic table as a model to predict the relative properties of elements based on the patterns of electrons in the outermost energy level and the composition of the nucleus of atoms.

Construct and revise an explanation for the outcome of a simple chemical reaction based on the outermost electron states of atoms, trends in the periodic table, and knowledge of the patterns of chemical properties.

Plan and conduct an investigation to gather evidence to compare the structure of substances at the macroscale to infer the strength of electrical forces between particles.

Develop a model to illustrate that the release or absorption of energy from a chemical reaction system depends upon the changes in total bond energy.

Apply scientific principles and evidence to provide an explanation about the effects of changing the temperature or concentration of the reacting particles on the rate at which a reaction occurs.

Refine the design of a chemical system by specifying a change in conditions that would produce increased amounts of products at equilibrium.

Use mathematical representations to support the claim that atoms, and therefore mass, are conserved during a chemical reaction.

Develop models to illustrate the changes in the composition of the nucleus of the atom and the energy released during the processes of fission, fusion, and radioactive decay.

Analyze data to support the claim that Newton's second law of motion describes the mathematical relationship among the net force on a macroscopic object, its mass, and its acceleration.

Use mathematical representations to support the claim that the total momentum of a system of objects is conserved when there is no net force on the system.

Apply scientific and engineering ideas to design, evaluate, and refine a device that minimizes the force on a macroscopic object during a collision.

Use mathematical representations of Newton's Law of Gravitation and Coulomb's Law to describe and predict the gravitational and electrostatic forces between objects.

Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that an electric current can produce a magnetic field and that a changing magnetic field can produce an electric current.

Communicate scientific and technical information about why the atomic-level, subatomic-level, and/or molecular level structure is important in the functioning of designed materials.

Create a computational model to calculate the change in the energy of one component in a system when the change in energy of the other component(s) and energy flows in and out of the system are known.

Develop and use models to illustrate that energy at the macroscopic scale can be accounted for as a combination of energy associated with the motions of particles/objects and energy associated with the relative positions of particles/objects

Design, build, and refine a device that works within given constraints to convert one form of energy into another form of energy.

Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that the transfer of thermal energy when two components of different temperature are combined within a closed system results in a more uniform energy distribution among the components in the system (second law of thermodynamics).

Develop and use a model of two objects interacting through electric or magnetic fields to illustrate the forces between objects and the changes in energy of the objects due to the interaction.

Evaluate the validity and reliability of claims in published materials about the viability of nuclear power as a source of alternative energy relative to other forms of energy (e.g., fossil fuels, wind, solar, geothermal).

Use mathematical representations to support a claim regarding relationships among the frequency, wavelength, and speed of waves traveling in various media.

Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning behind the idea that electromagnetic radiation can be described either by a wave model or a particle model, and that for some situations one model is more useful than the other.

Evaluate the validity and reliability of claims in published materials regarding the effects that different frequencies of electromagnetic radiation have when absorbed by matter.

Biological Evaluation: Unity and Diversity

Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy and Dynamics

From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

Life Science

Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the structure of DNA determines the structure of proteins which carry out the essential functions of life through systems of specialized cells.

Develop and use a model to illustrate the hierarchical organization of interacting systems that provide specific functions within multicellular organisms.

Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that feedback mechanisms maintain homeostasis in living organisms.

Use a model to illustrate the role of the cell cycle and differentiation in producing and maintaining complex organisms.

Use a model to illustrate how photosynthesis transforms light energy into stored chemical energy.

Construct and revise an explanation based on evidence for how carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen from sugar molecules may combine with other elements to form amino acids and/or other large carbon-based molecules.

Use a model to illustrate that cellular respiration is a chemical process whereby the bonds of food molecules and oxygen molecules are broken and the bonds in new compounds are formed, resulting in a net transfer of energy.

Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about (1) viral and bacterial reproduction and adaptation, (2) the body’s primary defenses against infection, and (3) how these features impact the design of effective treatment.

Use mathematical and/or computational representations to support explanations of factors that affect carrying capacity, biodiversity and populations of ecosystems at different scales.

Use mathematical representations to support claims for the cycling of matter and flow of energy among organisms in an ecosystem.

Evaluate the claims, evidence and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem.

Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity

Formulate, refine, and evaluate questions to clarify relationships about the role of DNA and chromosomes in coding the instructions for characteristic traits passed from parents to offspring.

Make and defend a claim based on evidence that inheritable genetic variations may result from: (1) new genetic combinations through meiosis, (2) viable errors occurring during replication, and/or (3) mutations caused by environmental factors.

Apply concepts of statistics and probability to explain the variation and distribution of expressed traits in a population.

Analyze and interpret scientific information that common ancestry and biological evolution are supported by multiple lines of empirical evidence.

Construct an explanation based on evidence that biological diversity is influenced by (1) the potential for a species to increase in number, (2) the heritable genetic variation of individuals in a species due to mutation and sexual reproduction, (3) competition for limited resources, and (4) the proliferation of those organisms that are better able to survive and reproduce in the environment.

Apply concepts of statistics and probability to support explanations that populations of organisms adapt when an advantageous heritable trait increases in proportion to organisms lacking this trait.

Construct an explanation based on evidence for how natural selection and other mechanisms lead to genetic changes in populations.

Evaluate evidence supporting claims that changes in environmental conditions can affect the distribution of traits in a population causing: (1) increases in the number of individuals of some species, (2) the emergence of new species over time, and (3) the extinction of other species.

Waves and their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer

Energy

Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

Physical Science

Analyze data to support the claim that Newton’s second law of motion describes the mathematical relationship among the net force on a macroscopic object, its mass, and its acceleration.

Use mathematical representations to support the claim that the total momentum of a system of objects is conserved when there is no net force on the system.

Apply scientific and engineering ideas to design, evaluate, and refine a device that minimizes the force on a macroscopic object during a collision.

Use mathematical representations of Newton’s Law of Gravitation and Coulomb’s Law to describe and predict the gravitational and electrostatic forces between objects.

Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that an electric current can produce a magnetic field and that a changing magnetic field can produce an electric current.

Create a computational model to calculate the change in the energy of one component in a system when the change in energy of the other component(s) and energy flows in and out of the system are known.

Develop and use models to illustrate that energy at the macroscopic scale can be accounted for as a combination of energy associated with the motions of particles (objects) and energy associated with the relative positions of particles (objects)

Design, build, and refine a device that works within given constraints to convert one form of energy into another form of energy.

Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that the transfer of thermal energy when two components of different temperature are combined within a closed system results in a more uniform energy distribution among the components in the system (second law of thermodynamics).

Develop and use a model of two objects interacting through electric or magnetic fields to illustrate the forces between objects and the changes in energy of the objects due to the interaction.

Use mathematical representations to support a claim regarding relationships among the frequency, wavelength, and speed of waves traveling in various media.

Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning behind the idea that electromagnetic radiation can be described either by a wave model or a particle model, and that for some situations one model is more useful than the other.