LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

About this resource

Appropriate grades
9–12
Subjects
science (biology and life science, chemistry, environmental science), thinking skills (higher order thinking, information literacy, research skills)
Provider
American Association for the Advancement of Science

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Creative Commons License

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In this Science NetLinks lesson, students examine the clinical effects of environmental toxicants on living organisms by collecting and analyzing scientific data and identifying ways of detection and diagnosis. This lesson is part of a three-part series on toxicology, the scientific study of poisons and their affect on biological systems. In this lesson, students apply their knowledge about pollutants and human anatomy towards understanding ways in which normal body functioning is impaired by environmental toxicants. Students first review concepts in toxicology and lung anatomy using online problem sets. They then conduct an online investigation and analyze scientific data to examine the effect of environmental tobacco smoke on human lung development. Science NetLinks provides student handouts and teacher resources as well as links to several sites associated with the University of Arizona’s Biology Project.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Science (2005)

Grades 9–12 — Advanced Placement Biology

  • Goal 1: The learner will develop abilities necessary to do and understand scientific inquiry.
    • Objective 1.01: Identify questions and create hypotheses that can be answered through scientific investigations.
    • Objective 1.02: Design and conduct scientific investigations to answer biological questions.
      • Create testable hypotheses.
      • Identify variables.
      • Use a control or comparison group when appropriate.
      • Select and use appropriate measurement tools.
      • Collect and record data.
      • Organize data into charts and graphs.
      • Analyze and interpret data.
      • Communicate findings.
    • Objective 1.03: Formulate and revise scientific explanations and models using logic and evidence to:
      • Explain observations.
      • Make inferences and predictions.
      • Explain the relationship between evidence and explanation.
  • Goal 3: The learner will develop an understanding that cellular processes are based on physical and chemical changes.
    • Objective 3.05: Analyze bioenergetic reactions.
      • Compare and contrast:
        • Fermentation.
        • Cellular respiration.
        • Photosynthesis.
      • Examine the purpose, interactions, and adaptations of bioenergetic. reactions.
      • Recommended laboratories - Plant Pigments and Photosynthesis, Cell Respiration

Grades 9–12 — Advanced Placement Chemistry

  • Goal 1: The learner will develop abilities necessary to do and understand scientific inquiry.
    • Objective 1.01: Design, conduct and analyze investigations to answer questions related to chemistry:
      • Identify questions and suggest hypotheses.
      • Identify variables.
      • Use a control when appropriate.
      • Select and use appropriate measurement tools.
      • Collect and organize data in tables, charts and graphs.
      • Analyze and interpret data.
      • Explain observations.
      • Make inferences and predictions.
      • Explain the relationship between evidence and explanation.
      • Identify how scientists share findings.
    • Objective 1.02: Analyze reports of scientific investigations.
      • Appropriate sample.
      • Adequacy of experimental controls.
      • Replication of findings.
      • Consideration of alternative interpretations of the data.
    • Objective 1.03: Analyze experimental designs with regard to safety.
      • Identify potential safety hazards given a scenario.
      • Differentiate between safe and unsafe procedures.
      • Use information from the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) to assess chemical hazards.
  • Goal 4: The learner will develop an understanding of chemical reactions.
    • Objective 4.01: Analyze the various types of common chemical reactions
      • Acid-base reactions; concepts of Arrhenius, Brönsted-Lowry, and Lewis;
      • Coordination complexes; amphoterism.
      • Precipitation reactions.
      • Oxidation-reduction reactions.
        • Oxidation number.
        • The role of the electron in oxidation-reduction.
        • Electrochemistry: electrolytic and galvanic cells; Faraday's laws; standard half-cell potentials; Nernst equation; prediction of the direction of redox reactions.
    • Objective 4.05: Analyze chemical thermodynamics
      • State functions.
      • First law: change in enthalpy; heat of formation; heat of reaction; Hess's law; heats of vaporization and fusion; calorimetry.
      • Second law: entropy; free energy of formation; free energy of reaction; dependence of change in free energy on enthalpy and entropy changes.
      • Relationship of change in free energy to equilibrium constants and electrode potentials.
  • Goal 5: The learner will build a knowledge of descriptive chemistry.
    • Objective 5.01: Examine chemical reactivity and predict the products of chemical reactions.

Grades 9–12 — Advanced Placement Earth and Environmental Science

  • Goal 5: The learner will build an understanding of air, water and soil quality.
    • Objective 5.01: Analyze the sources of major pollutants.
      • EPA Criteria Pollutants.
      • Indoor air pollutants.
      • Thermal pollution.
      • Pesticides.
      • Acid deposition.
      • Units and measurements.
      • Point and nonpoint sources.
    • Objective 5.05: Analyze impacts on human health.
      • Infectious disease.
      • Chemical agents.
      • Radiation.
      • Toxicology: LD50, acute and chronic effects.
      • Risk assessment.

Grades 9–12 — Biology

  • Goal 1: The learner will develop abilities necessary to do and understand scientific inquiry.
    • Objective 1.01: Identify biological questions and problems that can be answered through scientific investigations.
    • Objective 1.02: Design and conduct scientific investigations to answer biological questions.
      • Create testable hypotheses
      • Identify variables.
      • Use a control or comparison group when appropriate.
      • Select and use appropriate measurement tools.
      • Collect and record data.
      • Organize data into charts and graphs.
      • Analyze and interpret data.
      • Communicate findings.
    • Objective 1.03: Formulate and revise scientific explanations and models of biological phenomena using logic and evidence to:
      • Explain observations.
      • Make inferences and predictions.
      • Explain the relationship between evidence and explanation.
  • Goal 2: The learner will develop an understanding of the physical, chemical and cellular basis of life.
    • Objective 2.03: Investigate and analyze the cell as a living system including:
      • Maintenance of homeostasis.
      • Movement of materials into and out of cells.
      • Energy use and release in biochemical reactions.

Grades 9–12 — Chemistry

  • Goal 1: The learner will develop abilities necessary to do and understand scientific inquiry.
    • Objective 1.01: Design, conduct and analyze investigations to answer questions related to chemistry.
      • Identify questions and suggest hypotheses.
      • Identify variables.
      • Use a control when appropriate.
      • Select and use appropriate measurement tools.
      • Collect and organize data in tables, charts and graphs.
      • Analyze and interpret data.
      • Explain observations.
      • Make inferences and predictions.
      • Explain the relationship between evidence and explanation.
      • Identify how scientists share findings.
    • Objective 1.02: Analyze reports of scientific investigations from an informed scientifically-literate viewpoint including considerations of:
      • Appropriate sample.
      • Adequacy of experimental controls.
      • Replication of findings.
      • Alternative interpretations of the data.
    • Objective 1.03: Analyze experimental designs with regard to safety and use safe procedures in laboratory investigations:
      • Identify and avoid potential safety hazards given a scenario.
      • Differentiate between safe and unsafe procedures.
      • Use information from the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) to assess chemical hazards.
  • Goal 5: The learner will develop an understanding of chemical reactions.
    • Objective 5.01: Evaluate various types of chemical reactions:
      • Analyze reactions by types: single replacement, double replacement (including acid-base neutralization) , decomposition, synthesis, and combustion including simple hydrocarbons.
      • Predict products.
    • Objective 5.06: Assess the factors that affect the rates of chemical reactions.
      • The nature of the reactants.
      • Temperature.
      • Concentration.
      • Surface area.
      • Catalyst.