Common Themes

The four geoscience literacy frameworks:

Ocean Literacy Framework (OLF) (2005)
Climate Literacy Framework (CLF) (2007)
Atmospheric Science Literacy Framework (ASLF) (10/5/2008)
Earth Science Literacy Framework (ESLF) (2008 Version 12)

have a number of common themes that will likely be developed within the integrated Earth Systems Literacy Principles (forthcoming).

Common Theme 1: Solar Energy
CLF- EP#3. The Sun is the primary source of energy for the climate system.
ASLF- EP#2. Energy from the Sun drives atmospheric processes.

Common Theme 2: Varies over Space and Time
CLF- EP#5. Earth's weather and climate vary over time and space.
ESLF- Big Idea #4. Earth is a continuously changing planet.
ASLF- EP#4. Earth's atmosphere changes over time and space, giving rise to weather and climate.

Common Theme 3: Complex Interactions
CLF- EP#4. Earth's weather and climate systems are the result of complex interactions.
ESLF- Big Idea #3. Earth is a complex system of interactions between rock, water, air and life.
ASLF- EP#5. Earth's atmosphere continously interacts with the other components of the Earth System.

Common Theme 4: Understanding through Observation and Modeling
CLF- EP#2. We increase our understanding of the climate system through observation and modeling.
ASLF- EP#6. We seek to understand the past, present, and future behavior of Earth's atmosphere through scientific observation and reasoning.

Common Theme 5: Humans
CLF- EP#6. Evidence indicates human activities are impacting the climate system.
ESLF- Big Idea #9. Humans have become a significant agent of change on Earth.
ESLF- Big Idea #8. Humans are threatened by Earth's natural hazards.
ASLF- EP#7. Earth's atmosphere and humans are inextricably linked.
OLF- EP#6. The ocean and humans are inextricably linked.

Common Theme 6: Life
CLF- EP#1. Life on Earth has been shaped by, depend on, and affects climate.
ESLF- Big Idea #6. Life evolves on a dynamic Earth and continuously modifies Earth.
ASLF- EP#1. Earth has a thin atmosphere that sustains life.
OLF- EP#2. The ocean and life in the ocean shape the features of Earth.
OLF- EP#5. The ocean supports a great diversity of life and ecosystems.

Common Theme 7: Exploration
ESLF- Big Idea #1. Earth science explores our planet.
OLF- EP#7. The ocean is largely unexplored.

Common Theme 8: Resources
ESLF- Big Idea #7. Humans Depend on Earth for Resources.
OLF- EP#4. The ocean makes Earth habitable.

Common Theme 9: Earth and the ocean
ESLF- Big Idea #5. Earth is the water planet
OLF- EP#1. Earth has one big ocean with many features.