Each big idea is backed by supporting concepts comparable to those underlying the national Science Education Standards and the American Association for the Advancement of Science Benchmarks for Science Literacy.

This guide presents the big ideas of Earth science that all citizens should know, determined by the Earth science research and education communities. Several workshops involving hundreds of scientists and educators from academia, government, and industry were dedicated to creating this document, and it has undergone an extensive period of public review. This document, representing the current scientific knowledge in Earth science, is helping to shape decisions by government and industry and helping to guide the direction of educational curricula. It is a work in progress because the scientifc process continues to improve our understanding of Earth. For the latest version of this document, as well as information about its construction, please visit www.earthscienceliteracy.org.

Using This Guide for Education

U.S. science education is structured around the national Science Education Standards. To serve the broader education community, the Earth Science Literacy Principles have been aligned with these standards. Te matrix of this alignment can be found at http://www.earthscienceliteracy.org/education.html. This literacy document is being used to direct Earth science education funding within the national Science Foundation. textbook companies are using it in the creation of new educational materials. Museums and science centers are using this document as a foundation for educational displays and exhibits. Teachers and school boards are using it to shape class instruction ranging from individual lessons to whole curricula.