(1) The benchmark for science content standard 4 upon graduation is that the student will:

(a) understand the theory of plate tectonics and how it explains the interrelationship between earthquakes, volcanoes, and sea floor spreading;

(b) identify and classify rocks and minerals based on physical and chemical properties and the utilization by humans (e.g., natural resources and building materials) ;

(c) explain scientific theories about how fossils are used as evidence of changes over time;

(d) collect and analyze local and regional weather data to make inferences and predictions about weather patterns, explain factors influencing global weather and climate, and describe the impact on earth of fluctuations in weather and climate (e.g., drought, surface and ground water, and glacier instability) ;

(e) explain the impact of terrestrial, solar, oceanic, and atmospheric conditions on global climatic patterns;

(f) describe the origin, location, and evolution of stars and their planetary systems in respect to the solar system, the Milky Way, the local galactic group, and the universe; and

(g) relate how evidence from advanced technology applied to scientific investigations (e.g., large telescopes and space borne observatories) has dramatically impacted our understanding of the origin, size, and evolution of the universe.