Senior High School Core Subject: Earth and Life Science

Earth and Life Science is one of the core subjects of the senior high school curriculum. Some examples of the things that you will learn from taking this subject include:

• Origin and the Structure of the Earth

• Universe and Solar System
  Earth and Earth Systems
  • Earth Materials and Processes
  • Minerals and Rocks
  • Exogenic Processes
  • Endogenic Processes
  • Deformation of the Crust
  • History of the Earth

• Natural Hazards, Mitigation, and Adaptation
  • Geologic Processes and Hazards
  • Hydrometeorological Phenomena and Hazards
  • Marine and Coastal Processes and their Effects

• Introduction to Life Science
  • the historical development of the concept of life
  • the origin of the first life forms
  • unifying themes in the study of life

•  Bioenergetics
  • the cell as the basic unit of life
  • how photosynthetic organisms capture light energy to form sugar molecules
  • how organisms obtain and utilize energy

• Perpetuation of Life
  • Plant and animal reproduction
  • How genes work
  • How genetic engineering is used to produce novel products

• How Animals Survive
  • Nutrition: getting food to cells
  • Gas exchange with the environment
  • Circulation: the internal transport system
  • The need for homeostasis
  • Salt and water balance and waste removal
  • The immune system: defense from disease
  • How hormones govern body activities
  • The nervous system
  • The body in motion

• How Plants Survive
  • Plant form and function
  • Plant growth and development

• The Process of Evolution
  • The evidence for evolution
  • The origin and extinction of species

• Interaction and Interdependence
  • The principles of the ecosystem
  • Biotic potential and environmental resistance
  • Terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems
  • How human activities affect the natural ecosystem

While studying, you will also be asked to demonstrate what you have learned by participating in class activities that may include the following:

• Conducting a survey to assess possible geologic hazards
• Conducting a survey or designing a study to assess possible weather-related hazards
• Giving practical ways of coping with coastal erosion, submersion, and saltwater intrusion
• Giving practical ways of coping with weather-related hazards
• Using hazard maps, identify areas prone to weather-related hazards
• Making a poster showing the relationship between photosynthesis and cellular respiration
• Tracing the energy flow from the environment to the cells
• Surveying products containing substances that can trigger genetic disorders
• Evaluating the benefits and risks of using GMOs
• Making a presentation of diseases that are associated with various organ systems
• Analyzing the functional relationships of different organ systems in ensuring survival
• Propagating plants using other methods such as hydroponics and aeroponics
• Designing a poster tracing the evolutionary changes in a crop plant
• Preparing an action plan containing mitigation measures to address environmental concerns

These examples only cover the scope of the core subjects. For the scope of the contextualized and specialized subjects, please refer to their respective lists.