Welcome to Chemistry in the Earth System! This course follows the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) curriculum written by our district's diverse and multi-talented chemistry writing team led by our district's award-winning Curriculum Specialist. All California school districts are in the process of transitioning to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and our district continues to be a leader and innovator in curriculum development. The transition to NGSS offers a very exciting change to the traditional science program. The primary shift is the increase in student exploration and discovery and the decrease in teacher-driven instruction. The innovative Next Generation Science Standards lessons tie together science content, engineering practices, and cross-cutting concepts in order to help students discover how different science disciplines are interrelated. Students will discover the role chemistry plays in earth's processes. Students will study the fundamentals of atomic structure, periodic trends, intermolecular forces, chemical reactions, nuclear chemistry, plate tectonics, and the formation and early history of Earth. The course will present and assess concepts through a variety of mediums including readings, videos, simulations, activities, laboratory experiments, discussions, projects, quizzes, and tests.