# High school: Science

A course roadmap (science). Language: en. By @si. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. 0 of 57 concepts ready. In the app: https://ai.page/roadmap/al-sci-high-school

Part of: [Alabama: Science](https://ai.page/roadmap/al-sci.md)

Goal: Alabama academic standards: Science, High school

## 1. Applications of Engineering and Technology · Calculate unknown forces using vectors.

- [Resultant Forces](https://ai.page/c/resultant-forces/index.md): Describe forces as vector quantities with both magnitude and direction, distinguish between balanced forces (zero resultant, no change in motion) and unbalanced forces (non-zero resultant, causes acceleration or deceleration)

## 2. Applications of Engineering and Technology · Describe the features of and explain the differences between series and parallel circuits.

- [Series vs parallel circuits](https://ai.page/c/series-vs-parallel-circuits/index.md): Describe and apply the rules for current, voltage, and resistance in series and parallel circuits, and explain the practical uses of each circuit type

## 3. Unity and Diversity

- [How Natural Selection Works](https://ai.page/c/how-natural-selection-works/index.md): Explain natural selection as the mechanism of evolution: heritable variation + competition for resources + differential survival and reproduction = change in allele frequency over generations
- [Extinction & Rapid Change](https://ai.page/c/extinction-and-rapid-change/index.md): Explain how environmental change can outpace a species' ability to adapt through natural selection, leading to extinction, using historical and contemporary examples
- [Grouping Species Using DNA](https://ai.page/c/grouping-species-using-dna/index.md): Explain cladistics: organisms are grouped by shared derived characters, not just similarity; how phylogenetic trees are built using molecular data (DNA sequence alignment) and the molecular clock; explain why birds are technically a group within dinosaurs (crown Avemetatarsalia); distinguish convergent evolution (unrelated species evolving similar traits) from parallel evolution; introduce horizontal gene transfer and why the tree of life is more accurately a web; explain why classification systems keep changing as new data emerge

## 4. Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

- [Predicting Inherited Traits](https://ai.page/c/predicting-inherited-traits/index.md): Explain how alleles are inherited in sexual reproduction and use Punnett squares to predict the probability of offspring inheriting a characteristic, including dominant and recessive alleles

## 5. Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

- [Food Webs & Interdependence](https://ai.page/c/food-webs-and-interdependence/index.md): Construct and interpret food webs showing the interdependence of organisms in an ecosystem, explaining how a change in one population affects others
- [Biodiversity & Resilience](https://ai.page/c/biodiversity-and-resilience/index.md): Explain what biodiversity means, why high biodiversity makes ecosystems more resilient, and describe the ways human activity threatens biodiversity (habitat destruction, pollution, invasive species, climate change)
- [Predator Loss and Ecosystem Effects](https://ai.page/c/predator-loss-and-ecosystem-effects/index.md): Quantify energy transfer efficiency through trophic levels (~10% rule); explain trophic cascades: how removing an apex predator triggers a chain of ecosystem changes (sea otters → sea urchin explosion → kelp forest collapse); define 'fishing down the food web'; evaluate evidence for ocean rewilding — shark reintroduction, whale recovery driving nutrient cycling; understand why ecosystem-based fisheries management is needed

## 6. From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

- [How the Body Stays in Balance](https://ai.page/c/how-the-body-stays-in-balance/index.md): Explain homeostasis as the process of maintaining a stable internal environment; describe the main feedback loop systems (negative feedback) using blood glucose regulation (insulin/glucagon) and body temperature as concrete examples; and connect the endocrine system (hormone-secreting glands) to the nervous system as two complementary communication systems with different speeds and durations
- [Cancer & Stem Cells](https://ai.page/c/cancer-and-stem-cells/index.md): Explain that cancer occurs when mutations in DNA disable normal cell-cycle controls, causing uncontrolled cell division and tumour formation; describe how stem cells differ from specialised cells and their potential for regenerative medicine; and evaluate the ethical debates around embryonic stem cell research and genetic testing
- [Cells to Organ Systems](https://ai.page/c/cells-to-organ-systems/index.md): Describe the hierarchical organisation of multicellular organisms: cells → tissues → organs → organ systems → organism
- [Human Reproduction](https://ai.page/c/human-reproduction/index.md): Describe the structure and function of the male and female human reproductive systems, and explain the processes of fertilisation, gestation, and birth including the role of the placenta
- [Gas Exchange & Breathing](https://ai.page/c/gas-exchange-and-breathing/index.md): Describe the structure of the human gas exchange system (trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli) and explain how the mechanism of breathing — using pressure changes from rib and diaphragm movement — moves air in and out of the lungs
- [Pathogens & the Immune System](https://ai.page/c/pathogens-and-the-immune-system/index.md): Explain how pathogens (bacteria, viruses, and fungi) cause disease and describe how the immune system responds, including the roles of white blood cells (phagocytosis, antibody production) and the concept of immunity
- [Neurons & Brain Structure](https://ai.page/c/neurons-and-brain-structure/index.md): Explain how neurons transmit signals as electrochemical impulses across synapses, describe how the brain is organised (lobes and functions, limbic system for emotion), and explain neuroplasticity — why learning and practice physically change brain structure — connecting to optical illusions as evidence that the brain constructs reality rather than passively recording it
- [Photosynthesis](https://ai.page/c/photosynthesis/index.md): Explain photosynthesis as the process by which plants use light energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen, and describe how mineral nutrients are absorbed through roots
- [Parts of Plant and Animal Cells](https://ai.page/c/parts-of-plant-and-animal-cells/index.md): Describe the functions of the main components of plant and animal cells: cell wall, cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, vacuole, mitochondria, ribosomes, and chloroplasts

## 7. Matter and Its Interactions · Make qualitative and quantitative claims, based on ion concentration, about the acidic, basic, or neutral characteristics of a solution.

- [Acid Reactions & Salts](https://ai.page/c/acid-reactions-and-salts/index.md): Describe and write word equations for the reactions of acids with metals, alkalis (neutralisation), and metal oxides/hydroxides, identifying the salt produced in each case

## 8. Matter and Its Interactions

- [Body Temperature Regulation](https://ai.page/c/body-temperature-regulation/index.md): Explain how the human body detects and responds to environmental changes including temperature, including the role of the skin in temperature regulation (sweating, shivering, vasodilation, vasoconstriction)
- [Metals vs Non-Metals](https://ai.page/c/metals-vs-non-metals/index.md): Compare the physical and chemical properties of metals and non-metals, explaining metallic properties (malleability, lustre, conductivity) and how position in the periodic table predicts reactivity
- [Atoms, Elements & Compounds](https://ai.page/c/atoms-elements-and-compounds/index.md): Explain the differences between atoms, elements, and compounds; describe the simple Bohr model of the atom (nucleus with protons and neutrons, electrons in shells); and write and interpret chemical symbols and simple formulae
- [How Materials Change State](https://ai.page/c/how-materials-change-state/index.md): Explain melting, freezing, boiling, condensing, and sublimation using the particle model, interpreting heating and cooling curves to identify melting and boiling points

## 9. Matter and Its Interactions: Energy

- [Reactions That Release or Absorb Heat](https://ai.page/c/reactions-that-release-or-absorb-heat/index.md): Distinguish between exothermic reactions (release energy, temperature rises) and endothermic reactions (absorb energy, temperature falls), with everyday and industrial examples
- [Types of Chemical Reaction](https://ai.page/c/types-of-chemical-reaction/index.md): Identify and describe four types of chemical reaction: combustion (burning in oxygen), oxidation (gain of oxygen), thermal decomposition (breaking down by heat), and displacement (more reactive metal replaces less reactive one)

## 10. Earth’s Systems · Obtain and communicate information to explain different climate regions and their impact on patterns of severe weather.

- [Earth's Atmosphere & CO2](https://ai.page/c/earth-s-atmosphere-and-co2/index.md): Describe the composition of Earth's atmosphere (mainly nitrogen and oxygen, with small amounts of CO₂ and other gases), explain how human activity increases CO₂, and describe the impact on global climate

## 11. Earth’s Systems · Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the role of energy transfer in wind, precipitation, cloud formation, and front formation.

- [The Water Cycle](https://ai.page/c/the-water-cycle/index.md): Describe the water cycle, tracing water through evaporation, condensation, precipitation, surface runoff, and transpiration in plants, explaining how the sun drives the cycle

## 12. Earth’s Systems

- [Hazard Assessment & Evacuation](https://ai.page/c/hazard-assessment-and-evacuation/index.md): Explain probabilistic hazard assessment using eruption recurrence intervals and fault slip rates; describe how volcano observatories monitor ground deformation, gas emissions, and seismicity to issue alert levels; explore why communities remain near active hazards (fertile volcanic soil, poverty, cultural ties); discuss the ethics and politics of evacuation decisions and the social justice dimensions of disaster risk
- [How Tectonic Plates Move](https://ai.page/c/how-tectonic-plates-move/index.md): Understand that convection currents in the molten mantle drive the movement of rigid tectonic plates; distinguish between convergent (collision/subduction), divergent (spreading ridges), and transform (sliding) plate boundaries; explain why volcanoes, earthquakes, and mountain chains cluster at boundaries; introduce the Wilson cycle of supercontinent assembly and breakup
- [The Rock Cycle](https://ai.page/c/the-rock-cycle/index.md): Explain the rock cycle: how igneous rocks form from magma, sedimentary rocks from compressed sediment, and metamorphic rocks from heat and pressure, and how all rock types can transform into one another over geological time
- [Hurricanes, Tornadoes & Monsoons](https://ai.page/c/hurricanes-tornadoes-and-monsoons/index.md): Explain how hurricanes form and intensify over warm ocean water (latent heat release, low-pressure spiral); describe tornado formation within supercell thunderstorms; explain monsoon mechanics driven by temperature differences between land and sea; introduce attribution science — how scientists use climate models to calculate whether and by how much climate change increased the probability or intensity of a specific extreme weather event

## 13. Earth’s Systems · Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about major events in Earth’s history.

- [Reading Ancient Climate Records](https://ai.page/c/reading-ancient-climate-records/index.md): Explain how ice cores preserve ancient air bubbles, isotope ratios, and volcanic markers allowing reconstruction of temperature and CO2 going back 800,000 years; describe tree rings, ocean sediment cores, coral skeletons, and pollen records as additional climate proxies; explain how climate models are built and validated against the palaeoclimate record; describe the IPCC process of synthesising scientific evidence across thousands of studies to produce consensus assessments

## 14. Earth’s Place in the Universe · Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the structure and motion of components of the universe and solar system.

- [Galaxies and the universe](https://ai.page/c/galaxies-and-the-universe/index.md): Describe the scale of the universe, including the structure of galaxies, the position of the Sun in the Milky Way, and the use of light years as a unit of distance, and appreciate why space exploration requires enormous timescales

## 15. Earth’s Place in the Universe

- [Where Elements Come From](https://ai.page/c/where-elements-come-from/index.md): Explain stellar nucleosynthesis: the Big Bang produced mainly hydrogen and helium; main-sequence fusion builds elements up to iron; and supernovae produce elements heavier than iron and scatter them into space — meaning the atoms in our bodies were forged in ancient stars
- [Life Cycle of a Star](https://ai.page/c/life-cycle-of-a-star/index.md): Describe the life cycle of a star from nebula through main sequence to its end state (white dwarf, neutron star, or black hole depending on mass), and relate the life cycle to the origin of elements heavier than hydrogen
- [Why We Have Seasons](https://ai.page/c/why-we-have-seasons/index.md): Explain that the seasons are caused by the tilt of Earth's axis during its orbit around the Sun, distinguishing this from the common misconception that seasons are caused by changing distance from the Sun

## 16. Earth and Human Activity

- [Finite Resources & Recycling](https://ai.page/c/finite-resources-and-recycling/index.md): Explain that many raw materials (metals, fossil fuels, minerals) are finite resources, describe the environmental costs of extraction, and evaluate the benefits of recycling and the circular economy
- [Renewable vs non-renewable energy](https://ai.page/c/renewable-vs-non-renewable-energy/index.md): Distinguish between renewable energy resources (solar, wind, hydroelectric, tidal, geothermal, biomass) and non-renewable resources (coal, oil, gas, nuclear), comparing their advantages, disadvantages, and environmental impacts
- [Species Distribution & Change](https://ai.page/c/species-distribution-and-change/index.md): Explain how environmental change (climate change, habitat loss, pollution) affects the distribution of species, including range shifts, local extinction, and invasive species

## 17. From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes · Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information explaining the relationship between the structures and functions of the digestive system, includin

- [Digestion & Enzymes](https://ai.page/c/digestion-and-enzymes/index.md): Describe the organs of the human digestive system and how food is physically and chemically digested, including the role of enzymes as biological catalysts

## 18. From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes · Develop and use a model to illustrate how the structures of the skeletal system contribute to its function.

- [The Human Skeleton](https://ai.page/c/the-human-skeleton/index.md): Describe the structure and four main functions of the human skeleton: support, protection, movement, and production of blood cells in bone marrow

## 19. Matter and Its Interactions · Analyze and interpret data to justify the selection of a specific material for a practical application, considering a range of constraints.

- [Ceramics, Polymers & Composites](https://ai.page/c/ceramics-polymers-and-composites/index.md): Describe the properties and uses of ceramics (hard, brittle, heat-resistant), polymers (flexible, lightweight, variable), and composites (combine properties of constituent materials), giving real-world examples of each

## 20. Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer

- [Waves & Different Materials](https://ai.page/c/waves-and-different-materials/index.md): Explain how waves can be absorbed, transmitted, or reflected by different materials, and apply these interactions to explain colour perception, sight, communication technologies, and the effects of different surfaces on wave behaviour
- [Ohm's Law: voltage, current, resistance](https://ai.page/c/ohm-s-law-voltage-current-resistance/index.md): Apply Ohm's Law (V = IR) to calculate current, voltage, or resistance in a simple circuit, and explain that resistance opposes the flow of current

## 21. Energy

- [Conduction, convection, and radiation](https://ai.page/c/conduction-convection-and-radiation/index.md): Describe and compare the three mechanisms of heat transfer — conduction (particle vibration through solids), convection (fluid movement in liquids/gases), and radiation (infrared waves) — and explain that the rate of transfer depends on temperature difference
- [Power: watts and energy per second](https://ai.page/c/power-watts-and-energy-per-second/index.md): Define power as the rate of energy transfer (power = energy ÷ time, measured in watts), and compare energy transfer rates in different everyday contexts

## 22. Energy · Evaluate sources of information concerning the law of conservation of energy to illustrate energy transformations in practical applications and natural systems.

- [Energy can't be created or destroyed](https://ai.page/c/energy-can-t-be-created-or-destroyed/index.md): Explain the principle of conservation of energy (energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred between stores), and describe how energy is dissipated as thermal energy to the surroundings in all real processes

## 23. Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

- [Universal Gravitation](https://ai.page/c/universal-gravitation/index.md): Describe gravity as a universal attractive force between all masses, explain that orbital motion arises because gravity provides the centripetal force keeping objects in orbit, and compare gravitational field strengths on different planets
- [Investigating Forces](https://ai.page/c/investigating-forces/index.md): Plan and carry out investigations into forces, including measuring force with a newton meter, investigating Hooke's Law, and collecting and interpreting motion data to test Newton's laws
- [Newton's Third Law](https://ai.page/c/newton-s-third-law/index.md): State and apply Newton's Third Law: every force has an equal and opposite reaction force acting on a different object, distinguishing action-reaction pairs from balanced forces
- [Drawing Force Diagrams](https://ai.page/c/drawing-force-diagrams/index.md): Draw and interpret force diagrams showing forces as labelled arrows — where the arrow's length represents the force's magnitude and its direction shows which way the force acts; show multiple forces on one object; identify from the diagram whether forces are balanced (equal arrows in opposite directions, no resultant) or unbalanced (arrows of different sizes, producing a resultant); represent the resultant with a single arrow
- [Reading Distance-Time Graphs](https://ai.page/c/reading-distance-time-graphs/index.md): Read and plot distance-time graphs for moving objects; interpret the gradient (steepness) of a line as speed; identify stationary periods (horizontal sections), constant speed (straight diagonal lines), and relative speeds by comparing gradients; calculate average speed from the gradient of a straight-line segment using speed = distance ÷ time

## 24. Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions · Construct explanations of dynamics from evidence, using Newton’s laws of motion.

- [Newton's First & Second Laws](https://ai.page/c/newton-s-first-and-second-laws/index.md): State and apply Newton's First Law (an object stays at rest or constant velocity unless acted on by a resultant force) and Second Law (force = mass × acceleration), including the relationship between mass, force, and acceleration

## 25. Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs)

- [Physical vs Chemical Changes](https://ai.page/c/physical-vs-chemical-changes/index.md): Distinguish between physical changes (reversible, no new substances formed) and chemical changes (new substances formed, often irreversible), using conservation of mass to understand both types

## 26. Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs)

- [Writing Science Reports](https://ai.page/c/writing-science-reports/index.md): Communicate scientific findings in a structured report using appropriate scientific vocabulary, SI units, and standard notation; describe how peer review and replication contribute to the reliability of scientific knowledge

## 27. Forensic Toxicology, Drugs, and Drug Analysis

- [Effects of Drugs & Alcohol](https://ai.page/c/effects-of-drugs-and-alcohol/index.md): Explain the effects of recreational drugs including alcohol, tobacco, and illegal substances on behaviour, health, and body systems, and distinguish between depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens

## 28. Ocean Depths and Exploration

- [Deep-Ocean Exploration Technology](https://ai.page/c/deep-ocean-exploration-technology/index.md): Explain how crewed submersibles (Alvin, Deepsea Challenger) and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) allow exploration of the deep; describe acoustic seafloor mapping using sonar and why only ~25% of the ocean floor has been mapped at high resolution; explore why the deep ocean is harder to explore than the surface of the Moon (pressure, cold, darkness, communication difficulties); survey astrobiology missions targeting ocean worlds in our solar system

## Health: 0 of 100

Of its 57 own concepts: 0 have an explanation, 0 have practice, 0 have a measurement question, 0 have a checked version.

Findings (each is a task for anyone's AI):

- Resultant Forces comes before Drawing Force Diagrams, which it needs
- Resultant Forces has no explanation yet
- Series vs parallel circuits comes before Ohm's Law: voltage, current, resistance, which it needs
- Series vs parallel circuits has no explanation yet
- How Natural Selection Works has no explanation yet
- Extinction & Rapid Change has no explanation yet
- Grouping Species Using DNA has no explanation yet
- Predicting Inherited Traits has no explanation yet
- Food Webs & Interdependence has no explanation yet
- Biodiversity & Resilience has no explanation yet
- Predator Loss and Ecosystem Effects has no explanation yet
- How the Body Stays in Balance has no explanation yet
- Cancer & Stem Cells has no explanation yet
- Cells to Organ Systems has no explanation yet
- Human Reproduction has no explanation yet
- Gas Exchange & Breathing has no explanation yet
- Pathogens & the Immune System has no explanation yet
- Neurons & Brain Structure has no explanation yet
- Photosynthesis has no explanation yet
- Parts of Plant and Animal Cells has no explanation yet
- Acid Reactions & Salts has no explanation yet
- Body Temperature Regulation has no explanation yet
- Metals vs Non-Metals has no explanation yet
- Atoms, Elements & Compounds has no explanation yet
- How Materials Change State has no explanation yet
- Reactions That Release or Absorb Heat has no explanation yet
- Types of Chemical Reaction comes before Physical vs Chemical Changes, which it needs
- Types of Chemical Reaction has no explanation yet
- Earth's Atmosphere & CO2 has no explanation yet
- The Water Cycle has no explanation yet
- Hazard Assessment & Evacuation has no explanation yet
- How Tectonic Plates Move has no explanation yet
- The Rock Cycle has no explanation yet
- Hurricanes, Tornadoes & Monsoons comes before Reading Ancient Climate Records, which it needs
- Hurricanes, Tornadoes & Monsoons has no explanation yet
- Reading Ancient Climate Records has no explanation yet
- Galaxies and the universe has no explanation yet
- Where Elements Come From has no explanation yet
- Life Cycle of a Star has no explanation yet
- Why We Have Seasons has no explanation yet
- Finite Resources & Recycling has no explanation yet
- Renewable vs non-renewable energy has no explanation yet
- Species Distribution & Change has no explanation yet
- Digestion & Enzymes has no explanation yet
- The Human Skeleton has no explanation yet
- Ceramics, Polymers & Composites has no explanation yet
- Waves & Different Materials has no explanation yet
- Ohm's Law: voltage, current, resistance has no explanation yet
- Conduction, convection, and radiation has no explanation yet
- Power: watts and energy per second comes before Energy can't be created or destroyed, which it needs

Credit: The structure of Alabama academic standards: Science (https://www.alabamaachieves.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/AS_20240213_2023-Alabama-Course-of-Study-Science_V1.0.pdf); concepts from the Marble Skill Taxonomy (v1), © Generative Spark, Inc. (withmarble.com), text CC BY-SA 4.0, database ODbL 1.0: https://github.com/withmarbleapp/os-taxonomy, mapped to its standards by Marble.