Pennsylvania+Environment+and+Ecology+Standards

[|Link] to the full version of the PA State Standards online For the full version of the Environment and Ecology Standards, check the uploaded files for the wiki

=Summarized Standards for 12th grade:=

4.1. Watersheds and Wetlands
A. Categorize stream order in a watershed. B. Explain the relationships that exist within watersheds in the United States. C. Analyze the parameters of a watershed. D. Analyze the complex and diverse ecosystems of wetlands. E. Evaluate the trade-offs, costs and benefits of conserving watersheds and wetlands.
 * Explain the concept of stream order.
 * Identify the order of watercourses within a major river’s watershed.
 * Compare and contrast the physical differences found in the stream continuum from headwater to mouth.
 * Understand that various ecosystems may be contained in a watershed.
 * Examine and describe the ecosystems contained within a specific watershed.
 * Identify and describe the major watersheds in the United States.
 * Interpret physical, chemical and biological data as a means of assessing the environmental quality of a watershed.
 * Apply appropriate techniques in the analysis of a watershed **(**e.g., water quality, biological diversity, erosion, sedimentation).
 * Explain the functions of habitat, nutrient production, migration stopover and groundwater recharge as it relates to wetlands.
 * Explain the dynamics of a wetland ecosystem.
 * Describe and analyze different types of wetlands.
 * Evaluate the effects of natural events on watershed and wetlands.
 * Evaluate the effects of human activities on watersheds and wetlands.

4.2. Renewable and Non-renewable Resources
A. Analyze the use of renewable and nonrenewable resources. B. Analyze factors affecting the availability of renewable and nonrenewable resources. C. Analyze factors that influence the availability of natural resources. D. Evaluate solid waste management practices.
 * Explain the effects on the environment and sustainability through the use of nonrenewable resources.
 * Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of reusing our natural resources
 * Evaluate the use of natural resources and offer approaches for using them while diminishing waste.
 * Compare the economics of different areas based on the availability and accessibility of the natural resources.
 * Compare the use of natural resources in different countries.
 * Determine how delivery systems influence the availability of resources at the local, regional and national level.
 * Examine and explain the path of a recyclable material from collection to waste, reuse or recycling identifying the market forces.
 * Understand current regulations concerning recycling and solid waste.
 * Research new technologies in the use, reuse or recycling of materials.

4.3. Environmental Health
A. Analyze the complexity of environmental health issues. B. Analyze the local, regional and national impacts of environmental health. C. Analyze the need for a healthy environment.
 * Identify environmental health issues and explain how they have been addressed on a worldwide level.
 * Analyze efforts to prevent, control and/or reduce pollution through cost and benefit analysis and risk management//.//
 * Describe the impact of occupational exposures as they relate to environmental health issues.
 * Identify invisible pollutants and explain their effects on human health.
 * Explain the relationship between wind direction and velocity as it relates to dispersal and occurrence of pollutants.
 * Explain the different disposal methods used for toxic and hazardous waste.
 * Analyze the cost of natural disasters in both dollars and loss of natural habitat.
 * Research and analyze the local, state and national laws that deal with point and nonpoint source pollution; evaluate the costs and benefits of these laws.
 * Explain mitigation and its role in environmental health.
 * Explain industry’s initiatives to meet state and federal mandates on clean air and water.
 * Describe the impacts of point and nonpoint source pollution on the Chesapeake Bay**.**
 * Identify and evaluate the costs and benefits of laws regulating air and water quality and waste disposal.
 * Research the relationship of some chronic diseases to an environmental pollutant**.**
 * Explain how man-made systems may affect the environment.

4.4 Agriculture and Society
A. Analyze the management practices in the agriculture business. B. Describe how agricultural science has influenced biotechnology. C. Analyze and research the social, political and economic factors that affect agricultural systems. D. Analyze research and development activities as they relate to agriculture.
 * Define the components of an agriculture system that would result in a minimal waste of resources.
 * Identify the diversity in crop production and analyze the advantages and disadvantages of such diversity.
 * Research and analyze environmental practices related to agricultural systems.
 * Analyze the effects of agricultural practices on the economy.
 * Analyze the impact of nutrient management laws on Pennsylvania agriculture.
 * Assess the role of agriculture cooperatives**.**
 * Investigate how bio-engineered crops may influence the food supply.
 * Analyze the use of specific bacteria for the control of agricultural pests.
 * Evaluate the use of feed additives in shifting metabolism to increase muscle mass and reduce fat in farm animals.
 * Analyze the costs and benefits associated with agriculture practices and how they affect economic and human needs.
 * Analyze the costs and benefits of agriculture research practices in society.
 * Research the use of by-products that are the results of agriculture production (e.g., manure handling, bird feathers).
 * Analyze the role of research, development and technology as it relates to the food and fiber system.
 * Research and analyze energy sources used and/or generated by producing, processing and marketing agricultural products.

4.5 Integrated Pest Management
A. Research integrated pest management systems. B. Research and analyze integrated pest management practices globally. C. Analyze the historical significance of integrated pest management on society.
 * Analyze the threshold limits of pests and the need for intervention in a managed environment.
 * Research the types of germicides and analyze their effects on homes industry, hospitals and institutions.
 * Design and explain an integrated pest management plan that uses a range of pest controls.
 * Research worldwide integrated pest management systems and evaluate the level of impact.
 * Research and analyze the international regulations that exist related to integrated pest management**.**
 * Explain the complexities associated with moving from one level of control to the next with different integrated pest management practices and compare the related costs of each system.
 * Explain the dynamics of integrated pest management practices and their relative effects upon society.
 * Identify historic events affecting integrated pest management and cite the practices used (e.g., avian flu, bubonic plague, potato blight).
 * Research and analyze the long-term effects of pest management practices on the environment**.**

4.6 Ecosystems and their Interactions
A. Analyze the interdependence of an ecosystem. B. Analyze the impact of cycles on the ecosystem. C. Analyze how human action and natural changes affect the balance within an ecosystem.
 * Analyze the relationships among components of an ecosystem**.**
 * Evaluate the efficiency of energy flow within an ecosystem.
 * Explain limiting factors and their impact on carrying capacity.
 * Understand how biological diversity impacts the stability of an ecosystem.
 * Analyze the positive or negative impacts of outside influences on an ecosystem**.**
 * Analyze how different land use practices can affect the quality of soils.
 * Evaluate the materials necessary for natural cycles.
 * Explain the processes involved in the natural cycles.
 * Analyze the effects of substances that move through natural cycles.
 * Analyze the effects of natural occurrences and their effects on ecosystems.
 * Analyze effects of human action on an ecosystem.
 * Compare the stages of succession and how they influence the cycles existing in an ecosystem.

4.7 Threatened, Endangered, and Extinct Species
A. Analyze biological diversity as it relates to the stability of an ecosystem. B. Examine the effects of extinction, both natural and human caused, on the environment. C. Analyze the effects of threatened, endangered or extinct species on human and natural systems.
 * Examine and explain what happens to an ecosystem as biological diversity changes.
 * Explain the relationship between species’ loss and bio-diversity.
 * Examine and explain how a specialized interaction between two species may affect the survival of both species.
 * Predict how human or natural action can produce change to which organisms cannot adapt.
 * Identify species that became extinct through natural causes and explain how that occurred.
 * Identify a species that became extinct due to human actions and explain what occurred.
 * Identify and explain how a species’ increase, decline or elimination affects the ecosystem and/or human social, cultural and economic structures.
 * Explain why natural populations do not remain constant.
 * Analyze management strategies regarding threatened or endangered species.
 * Identify laws, agreements or treaties at national or international levels regarding threatened or endangered species**.**
 * Analyze the role of zoos and wildlife preserves on species that have been identified as threatened or endangered.
 * Examine the influence of wildlife management in preserving different species in Pennsylvania (e.g., bobcat, elk, bald eagle).

4.8 Humans and the Environment
A. Explain how technology has influenced the sustainability of natural resources over time. B. Analyze technology’s role on natural resource sustainability. C. Analyze how pollution has changed in quality, variety and toxicity as the United States developed its industrial base. D. Analyze the international implications of environmental occurrences.
 * Describe how technology has changed the use of natural resources by business and industry.
 * Analyze the effect of natural resource conservation on a product over time (e.g., automobile manufacturing, aluminum can recycling, paper products)**.**
 * Explain how technology has decreased the use of raw natural resources.
 * Explain how technology has impacted the efficiency of the use of natural resources.
 * Analyze the role of technology in the reduction of pollution**.**
 * Analyze historical pollution trends and project them for the future.
 * Compare and contrast historical and current pollution levels at a given location.
 * Identify natural occurrences that have international impact (e.g., El Nino, volcano eruptions, earthquakes).
 * Analyze environmental issues and their international implications.

4.9 Environmental Laws and Regulations
A. Analyze environmental laws and regulations as they relate to environmental issues.
 * Analyze and explain how issues lead to environmental law or regulation (e.g., underground storage tanks, regulation of water discharges, hazardous, solid and liquid industrial waste, endangered species).
 * Compare and contrast environmental laws and regulations that may have a positive or negative impact on the environment and the economy.
 * Research and describe the effects of an environmental law or regulation and how it has impacted the environment.