affton school district earth science scienceafftonschools.net/userfiles/servers/server_84181... ·...

Course Description

Scope and Sequence

Materials and Resources

6th Grade classes cover Earth Science.

MySci Curriculum, Computers, SmartBoard

Timeframe Unit Instructional Topics

9 Week(s) 1. Concept 1: Day, Night, and The Seasons2. Concept 2: The Moon3. Concept 3: Gravity4. Concept 4: Scale Properties of the Solar System

Space

4 Week(s) 1. Concept 1: Geologic Time and Evidence for Change2. Concept 2: Plate Tectonics

Geologic Time

9 Week(s) 1. Concept 1: The Rock Cycle2. Concept 2: Mineral Resources3. Concept 3: The Water Cycle4. Concept 4: Weathering and Erosion Shape theGeosphere

Cycles on Earth

10 Week(s) 1. Concept 1: Understanding and Measuring theWeather2. Concept 2: Predicting the Weather and ExtremeWeather Events3. Concept 3: Climate4. Concept 4: Climate Change

Weather and Climate

Course Details

Unit DescriptionThis module is centered on the driving question, “How can we as space scientists analyze data to plan a space mission?” In orderto answer this question, students will first consider things from an Earthly perspective. They will explore reasons for day, night, andseasons on our planet, and describe patterns associated with these phenomena. They will then explore the causes and patterns ofmoon phases as well as moonrise and moonset. Next, they will discover how gravity functions as a force that holds our solarsystem together. Finally, they will investigate scale and physical properties of our solar system. All of these things will beaccomplished via the development and use of models that can represent incredibly large concepts at a scale that students canappreciate. The culminating performance task requires students to synthesize this information, apply it to the planning of a spacemission, and consider the importance of space missions to scientists and everyone else on our planet.

Essential Questions“How can we as space scientists analyze data to plan a space mission?”

Summative AssessmentSee Attached

Student Essential Vocabularyaxistiltrotationrevolutionseasonday

UNIT: Space -- 9 Week(s)

Earth Science Science

Grade 6, Duration 1 Year, 1 Credit

Required Course

Affton School District

08/22/2018 11:02 AMCourse Summary of 32

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Required Course


nightsunrisesunsetmoonrisemoonsetcounterclockwisedegreehemispherelatitudecircadian rhythmsolar intensitystarconstellationsphereangleorbitellipticalsystem revolutionrotationaxisphasesolar eclipselunar eclipsecounterclockwisehemisphereorbitcelestialwaxingwaningcrescentquarterlunargibbousnew moonfull moonmoonrisemoonsetzenithpenumbraumbratotality gravitygravitational forceinertiamomentumweightmassforceplanetmotionorbitspeedsolar systemcritical speedgravity assistsatellitetrajectorytiderevolutiongalaxy scale





Required Course


modelsolar systemplanetmoongalaxyuniversedensityorbital periodsurface temperaturegas giantterrestrial planetatmosphereAUmeterexoplanethabitable zoneastrobiologistextremophileMercuryVenusMarsJupiterSaturnUranusNeptunePlutospace missionangleorbitellipticalsystemrevolutionrotationaxisorbitcelestialgravitygravitational forceinertiamomentumplanetmotionorbitspeedsolar systemcritical speedgravity assistsatellitetrajectorymoonscalemodeldensityorbital periodsurface temperaturegas giantterrestrial planetatmosphereAU





Required Course


meter

Materials and ResourcesMySci Curriculum, Computers, SmartBoard

Unit Attachments

Module 11 Space Pre%2FPost Assessment (File)District Only

Topic DescriptionScientists use a model of the Earth - Sun system to explain many of Earth’s phenomena, such as day, night and the seasons.The rotation of the Earth on its axis causes day and night and influences how the position of objects appear in the sky.The relationship between the Earth’s axial tilt and orbital position as it revolves around the Sun cause the seasons.Earth’s counterclockwise rotation on its axis explains the east to west movement of objects in the sky.

Learning Targets

TOPIC: Concept 1: Day, Night, and The Seasons -- 12 Day(s)

Guiding QuestionsHow does the position and movement of the Earth affect day and night on Earth?

How does the relationship between the tilt of Earth’s axis and its yearly orbit around the sun produce the seasons?

Formative AssessmentQuizzes, Exit Slips, Kahoot, Think Pair Share

Essential Vocabularyaxistiltrotationrevolutionseasondaynightsunrisesunsetmoonrisemoonsetcounterclockwisedegreehemispherelatitudecircadian rhythmsolar intensitystarconstellationsphereangleorbitellipticalsystem

Students will:Ask questions that arise from careful observation of phenomena to seek additional information about the cause and effectrelationships that create day and night.Critically read scientific texts to obtain scientific information which describes the causal relationship between Earth’srotation and Day and Night.Analyze and interpret patterns in data to explain the causal relationship between location on Earth and amount of daylighthours throughout the year.Analyze and interpret patterns in data to explain the causal relationship between location on Earth and amount of daylight





Required Course


hours throughout the year.Use a model to construct an explain about how the causal relationship between position (tilt) of the Earth and the Earth’smovement cause patterns of day and night.Ask questions that arise from careful observation of phenomena to seek additional information about seasonal patterns onEarth.Develop and use a model to describe the cause of seasons on Earth.Develop and use a model to construct an explanation regarding the causal relationship between the Earth’s tilt andrevolution around the sun, and seasonal patterns on Earth.Critically read scientific texts to explain how seasonal changes are caused by the orientation of Earth’s tilt and the positionof Earth in its’ orbit.Collect data to provide evidence to explain how the shape of the Earth affects surface temperatures on Earth.Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence to explain the causal relationship between the shape of the Earth andsurface temperatures on Earth.Construct an explanation that describes how the shape of the Earth, Earth’s tilt, and and Earth’s position affect surfacetemperatures on Earth and seasonal patterns.Analyze data to create a model representation explaining the way that different parts of the Earth experience seasons.

Assessment: Unit Test, Quizzes, Kahoot, Exit Slips

SC.6-8.ESS1.A.3 Develop and use a model to describe the role of gravity in the motions within galaxies andthe solar system. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis for the model is on gravity as the forcethat holds together the solar system and Milky Way galaxy and controls orbital motionswithin them. Examples of models can be physical or conceptual.]

SC.6-8.ESS1.B.1 Analyze and interpret data to determine scale properties of objects in the solar system.[Clarification Statement: Examples of scale properties include the sizes of an object's layers(such as crust and atmosphere), surface features (such as volcanoes), and orbital radius.Examples of data include statistical information, drawings and photographs, and models.]

Topic Attachments

No Attachments

Topic DescriptionThe appearance of the moon in the Earth’s sky is determined by the relative position of the moon with respect to the Earth andSun.The motion of the moon around the Earth follows an observable, cyclical pattern.The pattern of solar and lunar eclipses can be explained by the Earth-Sun-Moon System.

TOPIC: Concept 2: The Moon -- 9 Day(s)

Guiding QuestionsWhat causes the appearance and position of the moon in Earth’s sky to change in a predictable pattern?

Formative AssessmentExit Slips, Kahoot, Quizzes, Labs, Think Pair Share

Essential Vocabularyrevolutionrotationaxisphasesolar eclipselunar eclipsecounterclockwisehemisphereorbitcelestialwaxingwaningcrescent





Required Course


Learning Targets

quarterlunargibbousnew moonfull moonmoonrisemoonsetzenithpenumbraumbratotality

Students will:Predict why the moon appears to change shape in the Earth’s sky.Develop a model to describe the relationship between the Earth, sun, and moon from the perspective of a moon observerin the Northern and Southern hemispheres.Develop and use a model of the Earth-Sun-Moon system to Identify patterns of the phases of the moon.Construct an explanation using models to describe the cause and effect relationship between the Earth-Sun-Moon systemand the phases of the moon.Develop and use a model to describe the relationship between the Earth, sun, and moon from the perspective of a moonobserver.Construct an explanation using a model that shows the Earth-Sun-Moon relationship and how it causes moon phasepatterns.

Assessment: Unit Assessment, Quizzes, Labs, Exit Slips

SC.6-8.ESS1.A.2 Develop and use a model of the Earth-sun system to explain the cyclical pattern of seasons,which includes the Earth's tilt and directional angle of sunlight on different areas of Earthacross the year. [Clarification Statement: Examples of models can be physical, graphical, orconceptual.]

Topic Attachments

No Attachments

Topic DescriptionGravity is the force that holds together the solar system and causes the pattern of orbital motions of objects.Weight is a measure of the gravitational force of the moon or planet on an object.Earth’s gravitational pull keeps natural or man-made satellites in orbit around Earth.The gravitational force between objects is affected by the mass and distance between them.

TOPIC: Concept 3: Gravity -- 6 Day(s)

Guiding QuestionsWhat are the rules that govern whether something falls or orbits in the solar system?

Formative AssessmentExit Slips, Quizzes, Labs

Essential Vocabularyforceplanetmotionorbitspeedsolar systemcritical speedgravity assistsatellitetrajectorytiderevolutiongalaxy





Required Course


Learning Targets

Students will:Apply mathematical concepts to scientific questions about the cause and effect relationship between the gravitational forceof a planet and a person’s weight on the planet.Construct and analyze graphical displays of data to identify patterns related to the mass of a planet and its’ gravitationalforce.Collect data to serve as the basis for evidence to answer scientific questions about the relationship between the mass ofan object and its gravitational force.Construct and analyze graphical displays of data to identify patterns to describe gravity's role in the solar system.Develop and use a model to construct an explanation of the cause and effect relationships between gravitational force,inertia, and the orbit of celestial bodies.Investigate how gravity and inertia create stability allowing celestial bodies to maintain orbital motion in the solar system.Critically read scientific texts to investigate cause and effect relationships between the mass, distance between objects,and strength of the gravitational force.Use a model to describe how energy transfers occur between a satellite/spacecraft and a planet during a planetary gravityassist.Construct an explanation using models describing how the transfer of energy associated with a planetary gravity assist,drives the motion of a satellite/spacecraft.Construct an explanation using a model to explain how gravity affects the motions within galaxies and the solar systems.

Assessment: Exit Slips, Quizzes, Concept Test

SC.6-8.ESS1.A.3 Develop and use a model to describe the role of gravity in the motions within galaxies andthe solar system. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis for the model is on gravity as the forcethat holds together the solar system and Milky Way galaxy and controls orbital motionswithin them. Examples of models can be physical or conceptual.]

Topic Attachments

No Attachments

Topic DescriptionScientists use technology to gather data to determine properties of objects in the solar system such as orbital radius, surfacecharacteristics, or an object’s layers. Celestial bodies in the solar system can be classified based on physical properties. Therelative proximity of celestial objects can cause larger objects to appear smaller in Earth’s sky. Earth’s placement in the SolarSystem is favorable to sustain life due to its distance from the Sun, atmosphere, and other characteristics. The characteristicsof a planet can make it favorable or unfavorable to support life.

TOPIC: Concept 4: Scale Properties of the Solar System -- 10 Day(s)

Guiding QuestionsHow do different representations of the solar system illustrate different characteristics of celestial objects within the solarsystem?

Formative AssessmentExit Slips, Quizzes, Kahoot, Think Pair Share, Labs

Essential Vocabularyscalemodelsolar systemplanetmoongalaxyuniversedensityorbital periodsurface temperaturegas giantterrestrial planetatmosphereAUmeter





Required Course


Learning Targets

exoplanethabitable zoneastrobiologistextremophileMercuryVenusMarsJupiterSaturnUranusNeptunePluto

Students will:Have students retrieve their Learning Logs, identify the session objectives, and work in pairs to rewrite the objectives instudent-friendly language.Analyze and interpret data to determine similarities and differences among planets within the solar system.Analyze and interpret data to describe patterns within the solar system.Develop and use a model to demonstrate the size of the sun and the bodies of the solar system on the ten-billionth scale.Construct an explanation using models to explain patterns of scale properties of objects in our solar system.Develop and use a model to demonstrate the distances between the bodies of the solar system on the ten-billionth scale.Apply mathematical concepts to calculate the approximate distance the other planets are from the Sun using AstronomicalUnits.Construct an explanation using models to explain patterns of scale properties of objects in our solar system.Construct written arguments supported by empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to evaluate the limitations of modelsof the universe.

Assessment: Quizzes, Exit Slips, Concept Exam

SC.6-8.ESS1.B.1 Analyze and interpret data to determine scale properties of objects in the solar system.[Clarification Statement: Examples of scale properties include the sizes of an object's layers(such as crust and atmosphere), surface features (such as volcanoes), and orbital radius.Examples of data include statistical information, drawings and photographs, and models.]

Topic Attachments

No Attachments

Unit DescriptionThis module is centered around the driving question: How can we as geoscientists and engineers use data to decide where andhow to build structures to minimize damage from earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis? In order to answer this question studentswill complete investigations that answer the questions: What is geologic time? How do we use models and analogies tounderstand geologic time? What evidence do we use to organize Earth’s history? How does the Earth work as an overall system?How do large-scale Earth processes impact humans? This module is organized into two concepts and a culminating performancetask.

Essential QuestionsHow can we as geoscientists and engineers use data to decide where and how to build structures to minimize damage fromearthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis?


Student Essential VocabularyGeologic timeRelative DatingRock StrataLaw of Superposition

UNIT: Geologic Time -- 4 Week(s)





Required Course


Absolute DatingFossilImpact craterMeteor/Meteorite CoreMantleCrustMagmaConvectionTransform Plate BoundaryDivergent Plate BoundaryConvergent Plate BoundaryTrenchMid-Ocean RidgeRift ZoneSubductionEarthquakeRichter ScaleSeismic waveSeismographTsunamiVolcanoLandslide


Unit Attachments

Mod12 Pre%2FPost Color Copy (File)District Only

Topic DescriptionThe Earth has a 4.6-billion-year history. This time scale is so difficult to understand that we have to use a variety of analogiesand models to begin to grasp the age of Earth and the extremely slow time scale of many Earth processes.Scientists use a variety of methods and lines of evidence to determine the age of the Earth and the time frame of variousimportant events. Studying rock layers, including the minerals and fossils found in rocks, is one important line of evidence.Scientists also examine physical geography to try and understand how the Earth has changed over time.

Learning Targets

TOPIC: Concept 1: Geologic Time and Evidence for Change -- 8 Day(s)

Guiding QuestionsWhat is geologic time? How do we use models and analogies to understand geologic time?

What evidence do we use to organize Earth’s history?

Formative AssessmentUnit Exam, Quizzes, Exit Slips

Essential VocabularyGeologic timeRelative DatingRock StrataLaw of SuperpositionAbsolute DatingFossilImpact craterMeteor/Meteorite

Students will:Discuss and provide evidence for activities that take place on vastly different time scales to study Earth history.





Required Course


Develop and use a model to examine changes over time in Earth’s history, including important events from geologic time,the evolution of life, and human history.Apply mathematical concepts and processes to construct a scale analogy of geologic time.Develop models of geologic time at different scales, and examine the changes over time to explain events in Earth’shistory.Analyze and interpret data to construct an explanation about the causal relationship between geologic events and theevolution of life.Construct a written argument supported by empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to explain how changing geologicand biologic events affected one another throughout Earth’s history.Develop and use a model to relate the timeline of a boy’s day to the evidence used to construct the history of planet Earth.Develop and use a model to construct an explanation for how scientists organize Earth’s history using evidence from rocklayers and the fossil record.Analyze and interpret patterns in data to determine the location of major events in Earth’s history.Construct an explanation using evidence and reasoning about how changes in the fossil record, over time, serve asevidence for major events in Earth’s history, such as asteroid impacts and species extinctions.Critically read scientific texts to explain how evidence from the geologic time scale is used to organize Earth’s history.Construct a scientific explanation to describe what type of evidence is used to organize Earth’s geologic past.Critically read scientific texts to explain how geologists and paleontologists obtain evidence about Earth’s history, and thechanges that have occurred over time.Construct a scientific explanation, based on valid evidence and the assumption that theories and laws that describe thenatural world operate today as they did in the past, to explain Earth’s 4.6 billion year history.

Assessment: Exit Slips, quizzes, Labs, Think Pair Share

SC.6-8.ESS1.C.1 Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence from rock strata for how the geologictime scale is used to organize Earth's history. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on howanalyses of rock formations and the fossils they contain are used to establish relative agesof major events in Earth's history. Examples of Earth's major events could range from beingvery recent (such as the last Ice Age or the earliest fossils of homo sapiens) to very old(such as the formation of Earth or the earliest evidence of life). Examples can include theformation of mountain chains and ocean basins, the evolution or extinction of particularliving organisms, or significant volcanic eruptions.]

Topic Attachments

No Attachments

Topic DescriptionThe Earth itself is a large, complex system that is in a constant state of change. The layers of the Earth include solid and liquidlayers of rock that interact in ways that we can see at the surface. Heat from deep within the Earth creates a liquid magmalayer with a lighter, solid layer of crust on top.The movement of Earth’s crust and the cycling of rocks have important implications for humans. Earthquakes and volcanoesare deadly results of Earth processes that can also trigger tsunamis and landslides. The distribution of important resources(including minerals and fossil fuels) are also controlled or influenced by these Earth processes.

TOPIC: Concept 2: Plate Tectonics -- 12 Day(s)

Guiding QuestionsHow does the Earth work as an overall system? (layers of earth, movement of magma, movement of plates)

How do large-scale Earth processes impact humans? (earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, mineral resource distribution)

Formative AssessmentExit Slips, Think Pair Share, Quizzes, Lab

Essential VocabularyCoreMantleCrustMagmaConvectionTransform Plate BoundaryDivergent Plate BoundaryConvergent Plate Boundary





Required Course


Learning Targets

TrenchMid-Ocean RidgeRift ZoneSubductionEarthquakeRichter ScaleSeismic waveSeismographTsunamiVolcanoLandslide

Students will:Analyze and interpret data to identify patterns between plate boundaries and surface features on Earth.Develop and use a model to explain the relationship between convection currents in the Earth’s mantle and plate motion.Analyze and interpret data for patterns in fossil and rock distribution to provide evidence of past plate motions.Develop and use a model to explain how scientists use Pangea as evidence for the theory of plate tectonics.Analyze and interpret data to draw relationships between the age of the seafloor, geographic features, and plate tectonics.Develop and use a model to explain the factors driving the breakup of Pangaea, the pattern in seafloor age, and therelationship between seafloor age and seafloor structure.Critically read scientific texts to construct explanations about the causal relationship between past plate motion and thedistribution of fossils and rocks, continental shapes, and seafloor structures.Apply mathematical concepts to explain the relationship between past plate motions and the formation of the HawaiianIslands.Analyze and interpret patterns is data found at the Hawaiian hotspot to provide evidence of past plate motion.Construct an explanation based on evidence about the causal relationship between past plate motion and Earth’s surfacefeatures.Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes change Earth’s surface at varying time andspatial scales.Develop and use a model to explain how Earth’s surface is shaped over varying time and spatial scales through slow platemotion, and punctuated catastrophic events.Critically read scientific texts to explain the cause relationship between plate boundaries and rapid catastrophic events.Critically read scientific texts to construct and explanation about the causal relationship between past and currentgeoscience processes and the uneven distribution of Earth’s minerals.Construct an explanation about how geoscience processes occur at varying time and spatial scales.Construct a written argument supported by evidence and reasoning about the causal relationship between plate tectonicsand tsunamis.

Assessment: Quizzes, Kahoot, Labs, Tests

SC.6-8.ESS1.C.1 Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence from rock strata for how the geologictime scale is used to organize Earth's history. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on howanalyses of rock formations and the fossils they contain are used to establish relative agesof major events in Earth's history. Examples of Earth's major events could range from beingvery recent (such as the last Ice Age or the earliest fossils of homo sapiens) to very old(such as the formation of Earth or the earliest evidence of life). Examples can include theformation of mountain chains and ocean basins, the evolution or extinction of particularliving organisms, or significant volcanic eruptions.]

SC.6-8.ESS2.A.2 Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changedEarth's surface at varying time and spatial scales. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is onhow processes change Earth's surface at time and spatial scales that can be large (such asslow plate motions or the uplift of large mountain ranges) or small (such as rapid landslidesor microscopic geochemical reactions), and how many geoscience processes (such asearthquakes, volcanoes, and meteor impacts) usually behave gradually but are punctuatedby catastrophic events. Examples of geoscience processes include surface weathering anddeposition by the movements of water, ice, and wind. Emphasis is on geoscience processesthat shape local geographic features, where appropriate.]

SC.6-8.ESS2.B.1 Analyze and interpret data on the distribution of fossils and rocks, continental shapes, andseafloor structures to provide evidence of the past plate motions. [Clarification Statement:





Required Course


Examples of data include similarities of rock and fossil types on different continents, theshapes of the continents (including continental shelves), and the locations of oceanstructures (such as ridges, fracture zones, and trenches).]

SC.6-8.ESS3.A.1 Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how the uneven distributions ofEarth's mineral, energy, and groundwater resources are the result of past and currentgeoscience processes and human activity. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on howthese resources are limited and typically non-renewable, and how their distributions aresignificantly changing as a result of removal by humans. Examples of uneven distributionsof resources as a result of past processes include but are not limited to petroleum (locationsof the burial of organic marine sediments and subsequent geologic traps), metal ores(locations of past volcanic and hydrothermal activity associated with subduction zones), andsoil (locations of active weathering and/or deposition of rock).]

Topic Attachments

No Attachments

Unit DescriptionThis module is centered around the driving question: How can we as Earth Scientists model and predict sinkhole formation inMissouri? In order to answer this question, students will learn that all Earth processes result from energy flowing and mattercycling in the planet’s systems. Other topics include mineral formation and identification, weathering and erosion, and distributionof non-renewable resources. This module is organized into four concepts and a culminating performance task.In Concept 1, The Rock Cycle, students will begin by exploring the rock cycle as a model for explaining how materials cycle andenergy flows through the geosphere powered by the heat from Earth’s interior. Students will explore different models of the rockcycle and use what they learn about processes and products to create their own model. Students will have the opportunity toidentify and classify rocks as sedimentary, igneous, or metamorphic based on their properties, which are tied to the processes ofthe rock cycle.In Concept 2, Mineral Resources, students will learn about the conditions that lead to mineral formation and the importance ofminerals to humans. Students will use maps to locate mineral deposits around the world and apply ideas from Concept 1 toexplain why these resources are unevenly distributed. Students create a model of a mineral mine and use it to attempt to locateand extract resources while considering the challenges posed by those activities to humans and the environment.In Concept 3, The Water Cycle, students will learn about the cycling of matter and flow of energy in the water cycle using both aphysical model and a complex paper model. Students gain an understanding of how water moves through the geosphere,hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere and explain that these processes are driven by energy from the Sun and the force ofgravity. Students will examine a chart showing how the world’s freshwater is distributed and gain an appreciation of freshwater asa finite, though renewable, resource. Then, students will use an infiltration demonstration and a physical model of an aquifer toform the basis for understanding groundwater. Videos, readings, and infographics will be used to explore several ways thatgroundwater resources can be impacted by human activity. Students will then propose ways to eliminate or reduce impacts togroundwater resources.In Concept 4, Weathering and Erosion Shape the Geosphere, students revisit the interaction of the rock and water cycles todiscover that the processes responsible for creating sedimentary rocks also create and change the landscape they see aroundthem. This change can happen very slowly or very quickly. Stream table activities, glacial modeling, and wind erosion activities willhelp students connect the mechanisms of erosion to the world around them.For the Performance Task in this module, students will apply their knowledge of the rock cycle and the water cycle to predict thelikely areas of sinkhole formation in the state of Missouri. They will create an educational display and model that shows how thewater cycle and rock cycle interact to create sinkholes. Then, they will analyze several maps of Missouri to determine where thenew Corvette Museum should be located in order to avoid the hazard of sinkholes.

Essential QuestionsHow can we as Earth Scientists model and predict sinkhole formation in Missouri?


Student Essential Vocabularysedimentaryigneousintrusive

UNIT: Cycles on Earth -- 9 Week(s)





Required Course


extrusivemetamorphicmeltingrecrystallizationsedimentationcompactionerosionweatheringdeformationheatpressuresubductionlavamagmagranitebasaltlimestonesandstoneshalegneissschistslatemarbleinterior processessurface processesconservation of matterconservation of energy(mantle)(subduction)stratabedrock non-renewable resourcemineralcrystallizationsolutionrockelementmetalorecoaldeposit

Alluvial depositswater cycletranspirationevaporationcondensationprecipitationgroundwaterWater tablegroundwater flowgroundwater storagesaturated zoneunsaturated zoneaquiferinfiltrationrunoffbiospherehydrosphere





Required Course


geosphereatmospheresublimationdepositionrespirationresourcefreshwatersaltwater/saline-waterpermeableimpermeablecontaminationirrigationweatheringerosionwind erosionphysicalchemicaldepositionsoildissolved solids


Unit Attachments

Copy of Mod 13 Pre%2FPost (1) (File)District Only

Topic DescriptionThe rock cycle is a model that explains how materials in and on Earth’s crust change over time. The model includes products(rocks, minerals, soil) and the processes by which those products form (melting, deformation, crystallization,weathering/erosion). The amount of Earth material in this cycle has never changed, but through applications of energy, thematerials transform chemically and physically. The rock cycle is driven by the heat from Earth’s interior and is propelled byinteraction with the water cycle.

TOPIC: Concept 1: The Rock Cycle -- 9 Day(s)

Guiding QuestionsWhat is the rock cycle and how does it explain the conservation of matter and flow of energy in Earth’s geosphere?

How do scientists identify and classify rocks?

Formative AssessmentExit Slips, Kahoot, Quizzes, Tests, Labs

Essential Vocabularysedimentaryigneousintrusiveextrusivemetamorphicmeltingrecrystallizationsedimentationcompactionerosionweatheringdeformationheatpressure





Required Course


Learning Targets

subductionlavamagmagranitebasaltlimestonesandstoneshalegneissschistslatemarbleinterior processessurface processesconservation of matterconservation of energy(mantle)(subduction)stratabedrock

Students will:Categorize items and defend their classification system for “rock” or “not a rock” and use it to develop a working definitionfor a rock.Use a dice game to model the rock cycle.Use the results of the dice game model to construct a basic explanation of how the rock cycle works.Apply observations from an interactive diagram and hands-on simulation to support an argument that mass is conservedin the rock cycle.Describe the types of energy present in the rock cycle simulation and the changes caused by energyConstruct an argument that compares and contrasts the four models of the Rock Cycle (dice game, crayon experiment,web interactive, and diagram) to draw conclusions about the essential elements (process, products, and energy) of therock cycleConstruct an argument about which model for the rock cycle is most effectiveDesign and begin a long-term observational experiment that models limestone weathering by various liquidsCritically read scientific information about rock types and relate the processes of energy flow and matter cycling in the rockcycle to the formation and properties of various rock types.Use previous learning and new sources of information to explain how the three main types of rocks form and the resultingproperties of each category of rock.Understand how scientists use the results of chemical, radioactivity, and fluorescence testing identify rock and mineralsamples.Analyze detailed observations of the limestone drip experiment and attempt to identify patterns in the results.Record the observable properties of a set of rock samplesApply knowledge about macroscopic properties of different rock types and patterns in the observed data to classify a setof unknown samples and defend the classification.

Assessment: quizzes, labs, exit slips, think pair share

SC.6-8.EES2.A.1 Develop and use a model to illustrate that energy from the Earth's interior drives convectionwhich cycles Earth's crust leading to melting, crystallization, weathering and deformation oflarge rock formations, including generation of ocean sea floor at ridges, submergence ofocean sea floor at trenches, mountain building and active volcanic chains. [ClarificationStatement: The emphasis is on large-scale cycling resulting from plate tectonics thatincludes changes in rock types through erosion, heat and pressure.]

Topic Attachments

No Attachments

TOPIC: Concept 2: Mineral Resources -- 8 Day(s)





Required Course


Topic DescriptionRocks are made of minerals. These non-renewable resources form under specific conditions and are not readily replaced in ahuman lifetime. Minerals are needed for a wide variety of uses, but they are not evenly distributed across the globe. Someextraction methods pose particular problems for humans and for the environment.

Learning Targets

Guiding QuestionsWhat are minerals? Where and how do minerals form?What are nonrenewable resources? How do we locate them and extract them from the geosphere? What challenges areassociated with extracting these resources from the geosphere?

Formative AssessmentExit Slips, Quizzes, Labs, Tests

Essential Vocabularynon-renewable resourcemineralcrystallizationsolutionrockelementmetalorecoaldeposit

Students will:Apply careful observations and previous scientific knowledge to construct an explanation about common items that aremade from minerals.Critically read a text about minerals and use it to answer questions about how minerals form.Apply previous understanding of the rock cycle and relate it to new learning about mineral formation.Combine information from previous readings and new information presented in this session to construct an explanation ofdifferent ways that minerals can form.Revisit previous models of the rock cycle to clarify the processes in the rock cycle that form minerals.Compare several samples of granite and use similarities and differences between the samples to describe the conditionsunder which each sample may have formed.Conduct a simulation of renewable and nonrenewable resources and use the gathered data to infer how and why thesystem is changing over time.Predict how the simulation would change under a range of proposed conditions.Model and evaluate the environmental damage caused by miningAnalyze the results of the model mines to make arguments about mineral scarcity and distributionAnalyze mineral resource maps to construct an explanation of mineral distribution around the world.Construct an explanation for the uneven distribution of minerals around the world.Critically read a case study about diamonds to explain how understanding of the rock cycle and mineral formation led tothe discovery of diamonds

Assessment: Exit Slips, Concept Quiz, Test, Think Pair Share

SC.6-8.EES2.A.1 Develop and use a model to illustrate that energy from the Earth's interior drives convectionwhich cycles Earth's crust leading to melting, crystallization, weathering and deformation oflarge rock formations, including generation of ocean sea floor at ridges, submergence ofocean sea floor at trenches, mountain building and active volcanic chains. [ClarificationStatement: The emphasis is on large-scale cycling resulting from plate tectonics thatincludes changes in rock types through erosion, heat and pressure.]






Required Course


Topic Attachments

No Attachments

Topic DescriptionThe water cycle explains how water moves through the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere. Matter isconserved in the water cycle. Energy from the Sun and Earth’s gravity continuously drive the cycle. Water exists in many forms(freshwater, groundwater, salt water, ice), some of which are not readily available for human use. Groundwater is an importantsource of freshwater for humans, but groundwater can be damaged or depleted by human activities.

Learning Targets

TOPIC: Concept 3: The Water Cycle -- 8 Day(s)

Guiding QuestionsWhat is the water cycle and how does it explain the conservation of matter and flow of energy in Earth’s systems? How do theinteractions of the four earth systems (hydrosphere, geosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere) control the availability of freshwater?

Formative AssessmentExit Slips, quiz, Tests, Labs, Kahoot

Essential Vocabularywater cycletranspirationevaporationcondensationprecipitationgroundwaterWater tablegroundwater flowgroundwater storagesaturated zoneunsaturated zoneaquiferinfiltrationrunoffbiospherehydrospheregeosphereatmospheresublimationdepositionrespirationresourcefreshwatersaltwater/saline-waterpermeableimpermeablecontaminationirrigation

Students will:Examine previous knowledge, a physical model, and a paper model (diagram) to construct a basic explanation of how thewater cycle works.Examine a physical model and a paper model (diagram) to construct a basic explanation of how the water cycle works.Propose improvements to make a physical model more like the system it is representing.Use a paper model of the water cycle to construct an explanation of the processes, sources of energy, and changes ofstate that water goes through as it moves through the water cycle.Analyze a graph of water distribution and combine this with previous learning on the water cycle to construct anexplanation of how the processes in the water cycle limit the amount of fresh water available for drinking.Predict and then observe how ground surface affects water infiltration rate.





Required Course


Provide evidence and support for ways that the rock cycle and water cycle are similar and how they are different

Assessment: Exit Slips, Kahoot, Quizzes, Tests, Labs

SC.6-8.ESS2.C.1 Design and develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth's systems drivenby energy from the sun and the force of gravity. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on theways water changes its state as it moves through the multiple pathways of the hydrologiccycle. Examples of models can be conceptual or physical.]


Topic Attachments

No Attachments

Topic DescriptionWeathering and erosion are processes that shape the surface of earth and lead to the formation of sedimentary rocks.Weathering is the breaking down of matter through physical or chemical processes. Erosion is the physical movement ofmatter by wind, water, and ice. These processes are controlled by both the water cycle and the rock cycle and can cause slowchanges in Earth’s surface over time, or the changes can happen very quickly.

Learning Targets

TOPIC: Concept 4: Weathering and Erosion Shape the Geosphere -- 10 Day(s)

Guiding QuestionsCycle 1: How do weathering and erosion shape the geosphere? What are the relative rates of various processes in the watercycle and rock cycle?

Formative AssessmentExit Slips, Quizzes, Tests, Kahoot, Labs

Essential Vocabularyweatheringerosionwind erosionphysicalchemicaldepositionsoildissolved solids

Students will:Use information from images, a simulation, and a video to clarify the differences between weathering and erosion and thepossible causes of each.Plan and carry out three laboratory investigations of factors that affect weathering and erosionUse observations and data collected from laboratory investigations to draw conclusions about various mechanisms thatcause weathering and erosionAnalyze data about water cycle residence times to infer how quickly or slowly water moves through the water cycle.Use a rock cycle game model to catalog input and output processes for each location in the rock cycle and infer the





Required Course


relative rates for each processConstruct a claims/evidence/reasoning argument about the relative time scale of process in the rock cycleProvide evidence and support for ways that the rock cycle and water cycle are similar and how they are different

Assessment: Exit Slips, Kahoot, Quizzes, Tests, Labs

SC.6-8.ESS2.A.2 Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changedEarth's surface at varying time and spatial scales. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is onhow processes change Earth's surface at time and spatial scales that can be large (such asslow plate motions or the uplift of large mountain ranges) or small (such as rapid landslidesor microscopic geochemical reactions), and how many geoscience processes (such asearthquakes, volcanoes, and meteor impacts) usually behave gradually but are punctuatedby catastrophic events. Examples of geoscience processes include surface weathering anddeposition by the movements of water, ice, and wind. Emphasis is on geoscience processesthat shape local geographic features, where appropriate.]


Topic Attachments

No Attachments

Unit DescriptionThis module is centered around the driving question: How do we as engineers choose a viable source of alternative energy for anylocation? In order to answer this question, students will consider the components of weather, and how weather is affected by theinteraction of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, and biosphere, specifically as it relates to the water cycle. They will theninvestigate what tools and technologies allow scientists to predict the weather, and how the complexity of weather phenomenon isa constraint causing weather to be predicted probabilistically. Students will differentiate between weather and climate anddetermine the factors that affect the climate in a given location. They will utilize their understanding of both weather and climate toanalyze lines of evidence indicating a changing climate, the factors that are driving the climate to change,the potential effects ofthese changes, and any mitigation techniques that could lessen the impact of climate change. This module is organized into fourconcepts and a culminating performance task.

Essential QuestionsHow do we as engineers choose a viable source of alternative energy for any location?


Student Essential VocabularytemperatureCelsiusFahrenheitthermometerwind speedwind directionwind vane anemometerair pressure (high/low)barometerhumidityHygrometeratmosphere

UNIT: Weather and Climate -- 10 Week(s)





Required Course


solar radiationwater cyclestate (of matter)condensation/condenseevaporation/evaporatetranspiration/transpireprecipitation/precipitateparticulateswater vaporhydrospheregeospherecryosphereMeteorology/meteorologistradarair massfront (cold/warm)densityaltitude forecastweather reportprobability% chancetornadoderechohurricanetyphooncyclonedroughtHeatwaveEl Nino100-year event climateclimate zonerotationrevolutioncurrentcirculationsalinitydensityCoriolis effectprevailing windsconvection cyclealtitudelatitudegeographycontinent


Unit Attachments

Module 14 Pre%2FPost (File)District Only

Topic DescriptionWeather is comprised of several elements, including temperature, wind, precipitation, cloud cover, and air pressure.Weather is caused by complex interactions between the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere. Understanding theseinteractions and the resulting weather begins with a firm understanding of the water cycle. Students must also understand what

TOPIC: Concept 1: Understanding and Measuring the Weather -- 12 Day(s)





Required Course


happens when air masses collide and how changes in pressure and temperature cause water to change phase.

Learning Targets

Guiding QuestionsWhat are the elements of weather and how are they measured? (3 sessions)How do energy from the sun and the force of gravity cause water to cycle through Earth’s systems? (4 sessions)How do interactions between the atmosphere and hydrosphere create weather? (7 sessions)

Formative AssessmentExit Slips, Quizzes, Tests, Labs

Essential VocabularytemperatureCelsiusFahrenheitthermometerwind speedwind directionwind vane anemometerair pressure (high/low)barometerhumidityHygrometeratmospheresolar radiationwater cyclestate (of matter)condensation/condenseevaporation/evaporatetranspiration/transpireprecipitation/precipitateparticulateswater vaporhydrospheregeospherecryosphereMeteorology/meteorologistradarair massfront (cold/warm)densityaltitude

Students will:Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation about the relationship between weather and it’s impact on variousprofessions.Identify appropriate tools to gather qualitative and quantitative data to describe the conditions of the atmosphere.Collect data to serve as the basis for evidence of the stability and change of the movement of energy and water in theatmosphere.Plan and conduct an investigation to demonstrate how the transfer of energy drives the water cycle.Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence that a change in the amount of energy will change the rate of the watercycle.Plan and conduct an investigation to demonstrate how the transfer of energy drives the water cycle.Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence that a change in the amount of energy will change the rate of the watercycle.Use a model to represent and describe how global movements of water and its changes in form are propelled by sunlightand gravity.Evaluate the model for limitations in representing how sunlight and gravity moves and conserves water in the processes ofthe water cycle.Integrate scientific information from various resources to predict how the movement and the state of water in the watercycle will affect weather in the possible formation of lake effect snow.





Required Course


Apply scientific ideas to explain the conservation of matter and the transfer of energy in the water cycle.Use a model to predict the cause and effect relationship of thermal energy and the amount of water in the atmosphere.Communicate scientific information in a graphic organizer about the patterns of temperature change in the atmosphere.Apply mathematical concepts and processes to find the proportional relationship of temperature and humidity and tocalculate relative humidity in the atmosphere.Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the cause and effect relationship of the transfer energy and themovement of matter in the atmosphere.Analyze and interpret patterns in data to explain the cause and effect relationship between air pressure and the movementof matter in the atmosphere.Use a model to describe how the the macroscopic pattern of movement of fluids in convection currents relates to the ofthermal energy of air molecules.Critically read scientific texts to determine the cause and effect relationship between thermal energy and the movement ofair in the atmosphere.Apply scientific ideas to describe the relationship between the conditions of certain areas and formation and movement ofair masses.Apply the results of previous experiments and demonstrations to construct an explanation of what will happen when airmasses of different temperatures, pressures, and humidities interact.Develop and use a model to observe the interactions between air masses and how the transfer energy drives their motion.Construct an explanation using models to explain the relationship between the movement of air masses and the weatherpatterns.

Assessment: Exit Slips, Quizzes, Kahoot, Labs

SC.6-8.ESS2.C.1 Design and develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth's systems drivenby energy from the sun and the force of gravity. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on theways water changes its state as it moves through the multiple pathways of the hydrologiccycle. Examples of models can be conceptual or physical.]

SC.6-8.ESS2.C.2 Research, collect, and analyze data to provide evidence for how the motions and complexinteractions of air masses results in changes in weather conditions. [Clarification Statement:Emphasis is on how air masses flow from regions of high pressure to low pressure, causingweather (defined by temperature, pressure, humidity, precipitation, and wind) at a fixedlocation to change over time, and how sudden changes in weather can result when differentair masses collide. Emphasis is on how weather can be predicted within possible ranges.Examples of data can be provided to students (such as weather maps, diagrams, andvisualizations) or obtained through laboratory experiments (such as with condensation).]

Topic Attachments

No Attachments

Topic DescriptionShort-term weather predictions are based on observations of current weather, observations from nearby locations, patterns inthose observations over the recent past, and high-tech observations from satellites and weather balloons. Because so manycomplex factors interact to create weather, exact conditions are very difficult to predict, so scientists give weather predictions interms of probabilities.Tracking and predicting the weather is especially important for extreme weather events. This includes predicting and trackingslow-forming weather hazards (hurricanes, blizzards) and fast-forming ones (flash floods, tornadoes, etc).

TOPIC: Concept 2: Predicting the Weather and Extreme Weather Events -- 8 Day(s)

Guiding QuestionsHow can we use our knowledge of scientific phenomenon and current weather observations to make short-term predictionsabout the weather? Can we make completely accurate predictions about future weather? (4 sessions)How can we predict and prepare for extreme weather events? (4 sessions)

Formative AssessmentExit Slips, Quiz, Tests, Labs

Essential Vocabularyforecastweather reportprobability% chancetornado





Required Course


Learning Targets

derechohurricanetyphooncyclonedroughtHeatwaveEl Nino100-year event

Students will:

Use a model to describe changes between past, current, and future weather conditions.Collect and analyze data to provide evidence to explain how the movement of fronts can cause complex changes inweather patterns.Use graphical displays of large data sets to identify temporal and spatial relationships between surface conditions andpatterns in weather.Collect data to answer scientific questions about how meteorologists predict weather using probability.Explain how weather can only be predicted probabilistically by considering the limitations of data analysis and thecomplexity of weather patterns.Collect and analyze data to provide evidence to answer scientific questions about the relationship between the interactionsof air masses in the atmosphere and weather conditions.Analyze and interpret data to determine patterns in the locations of natural hazards across the globe.Analyze and interpret historical data to determine patterns in the location, timing, frequency, and severity of hurricanes andtornadoes in the United States.Analyze and interpret radar data to make a forecast for the potential of a natural hazard event.Construct a written argument supported by patterns in hurricane and tornado data to explain why some areas experiencestrong and frequent natural hazards.Analyze and interpret patterns in data to construct an explanation about the formation of significant natural hazard events.Critically read scientific texts to describe technologies that mitigate the effects of natural hazards.

SC.6-8.ESS2.B.1 Analyze and interpret data on the distribution of fossils and rocks, continental shapes, andseafloor structures to provide evidence of the past plate motions. [Clarification Statement:Examples of data include similarities of rock and fossil types on different continents, theshapes of the continents (including continental shelves), and the locations of oceanstructures (such as ridges, fracture zones, and trenches).]

SC.6-8.ESS2.C.2 Research, collect, and analyze data to provide evidence for how the motions and complexinteractions of air masses results in changes in weather conditions. [Clarification Statement:Emphasis is on how air masses flow from regions of high pressure to low pressure, causingweather (defined by temperature, pressure, humidity, precipitation, and wind) at a fixedlocation to change over time, and how sudden changes in weather can result when differentair masses collide. Emphasis is on how weather can be predicted within possible ranges.Examples of data can be provided to students (such as weather maps, diagrams, andvisualizations) or obtained through laboratory experiments (such as with condensation).]

Topic Attachments

No Attachments

Topic DescriptionClimate describes the expected or average weather conditions for a given location at a given time of year. The climate of alocation depends upon several factors, including latitude, altitude, ocean currents, prevailing winds, and surroundingtopography. Climate is important because it dictates the types of ecosystems that will develop and survive in that area,including what kinds of crops can be grown and how humans in that area live.

TOPIC: Concept 3: Climate -- 6 Day(s)

Guiding QuestionsWhat factors contribute to the climate of a region? Why does climate matter? (6 sessions)

Formative AssessmentExit Slips, Quizzes, Tests, Labs





Required Course


Learning Targets

Essential Vocabularyclimateclimate zonerotationrevolutioncurrentcirculationsalinitydensityCoriolis effectprevailing windsconvection cyclealtitudelatitudegeographycontinent

Students will:

Use models to compare short-term weather prediction and long-term climate prediction.Develop and use a model to describe the relationship between climate patterns and latitude, altitude, and regionalgeography.Analyze and interpret data to describe climate the relationship between climate patterns and latitude, altitude, and regionalgeography.Critically read scientific texts to explain the factors that affect the climate patterns for a region.Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence obtained from experiments to explain the relationship betweenlatitude, altitude, and geography and patterns in regional climate.Develop and Use a model to describe surface and deep ocean currents and predict how changes in the density of watercould affect those currents.Critically read scientific texts to explain the relationship between fluid density and patterns in the movement of oceancurrents.Construct an explanation using patterns observed in models and representation to determine a region’s climate.

SC.6-8.ESS2.C.3 Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth causepatterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates.[Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on how patterns vary by latitude, altitude, andgeographic land distribution. Emphasis of atmospheric circulation is on the sunlight-drivenlatitudinal banding, the Coriolis effect, and resulting prevailing winds; emphasis of oceancirculation is on the transfer of heat by the global ocean convection cycle, which isconstrained by the Coriolis effect and the outlines of continents. Examples of models can bediagrams, maps and globes, or digital representations.]

Topic Attachments

No Attachments

Topic DescriptionEarth’s climate has changed in cycles in the past over long periods of time. Some climate change is normal and results fromnatural phenomena. However, several lines of evidence show that the rate of change has increased dramatically as a result ofhuman activities, such as the extraction and burning of fossil fuels. The carbon cycle has been altered, and as a result, effectson Earth’s systems are already taking place. More dramatic impacts are possible in the future, although there are steps thathumans can take to reduce impacts on global climate and prepare for the consequences of climate change.

TOPIC: Concept 4: Climate Change -- 12 Day(s)

Guiding QuestionsWhat evidence shows that the Earth’s climate is changing? (5 sessions)What factors contribute to climate change? (4 sessions)What are the effects and potential effects of climate change? Why does the rate of change matter? What can humans do toreduce our impacts on the global climate and prepare for climate change? (3 sessions)





Required Course


Learning Targets

Formative AssessmentExit Slips, Kahoot, Quizzes, Tests, Labs

Essential Vocabularyclimateclimate zonerotationrevolutioncurrentcirculationsalinitydensityCoriolis effectprevailing windsconvection cyclealtitudelatitudegeographycontinent

Students will:

Critique a claim by examining different sources of evidence and determining which sources are reputable.Model how multiple lines of evidence are necessary to support scientific claims.Analyze patterns in ice core data to serve as evidence for the increase in global temperatures over the past century.Analyze and interpret data to serve as evidence for climate change.Critically read scientific texts to to obtain scientific information about changes to Earth systems as the Earth’s climatechanges.Construct an argument describing which line of evidence provides the strongest support of climate change.Compare and critique arguments to persuade others about which line of evidence provides the strongest support ofclimate change.Analyze and interpret data to explain the interrelated nature of climate change evidence.Develop and use a model to trace a carbon atom as it moves through the carbon cycle and describe the processes thatmove carbon from one location to another.Collect data to serve as evidence to answer scientific questions about how the addition of carbon dioxide affects airtemperature during the day and night.Analyze and interpret patterns in data to describe the relationship between carbon dioxide and the rate of thermal energytransfer.Analyze and interpret patterns in data to explain the relationship between population growth, energy production, and CO2emissions.Apply scientific ideas to explain how changes to the carbon cycle through human consumption of natural resourcescreates instability in Earth systems.

SC.6-8.ESS3.C.1 Analyze data to define the relationship for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth's systems. [Clarification Statement:Examples of data include grade-appropriate databases on human populations and the ratesof consumption of food and natural resources (such as freshwater, mineral, and energy).Examples of impacts can include changes to the appearance, composition, and structure ofEarth's systems as well as the rates at which they change.]

SC.6-8.ESS3.C.2 Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impacton the environment. [Clarification Statement: Examples of the design process includeexamining human environmental impacts, assessing the kinds of solutions that are feasible,and designing and evaluating solutions that could reduce that impact. Examples of humanimpacts can include water usage (such as the withdrawal of water from streams andaquifers or the construction of dams and levees), land usage (such as urban development,agriculture, or the removal of wetlands), and pollution (such as of the air, water, or land).]

SC.6-8.ESS3.D.1 Analyze evidence of the factors that have caused the change in global temperatures overthe past century. [Clarification Statement: Examples of factors include human activities(such as fossil fuel combustion, cement production, and agricultural activity) and natural





Required Course


processes (such as changes in incoming solar radiation or volcanic activity). Examples ofevidence can include tables, graphs, and maps of global and regional temperatures,atmospheric levels of gases such as carbon dioxide and methane, and the rates of humanactivities.]

Topic Attachments

No Attachments

Learning Targets

Assessment - Exit Slips, Quizzes, Concept Test

Students will:Apply mathematical concepts to scientific questions about the cause and effect relationship between the gravitational force of a planetand a person’s weight on the planet.Construct and analyze graphical displays of data to identify patterns related to the mass of a planet and its’ gravitational force.Collect data to serve as the basis for evidence to answer scientific questions about the relationship between the mass of an object and itsgravitational force.Construct and analyze graphical displays of data to identify patterns to describe gravity's role in the solar system.Develop and use a model to construct an explanation of the cause and effect relationships between gravitational force, inertia, and theorbit of celestial bodies.Investigate how gravity and inertia create stability allowing celestial bodies to maintain orbital motion in the solar system.Critically read scientific texts to investigate cause and effect relationships between the mass, distance between objects, and strength ofthe gravitational force.Use a model to describe how energy transfers occur between a satellite/spacecraft and a planet during a planetary gravity assist.Construct an explanation using models describing how the transfer of energy associated with a planetary gravity assist, drives the motionof a satellite/spacecraft.Construct an explanation using a model to explain how gravity affects the motions within galaxies and the solar systems.

Assessment - Exit Slips, Kahoot, Quizzes, Tests, Labs

Students will:Use information from images, a simulation, and a video to clarify the differences between weathering and erosion and the possiblecauses of each.Plan and carry out three laboratory investigations of factors that affect weathering and erosionUse observations and data collected from laboratory investigations to draw conclusions about various mechanisms that cause weatheringand erosionAnalyze data about water cycle residence times to infer how quickly or slowly water moves through the water cycle.Use a rock cycle game model to catalog input and output processes for each location in the rock cycle and infer the relative rates foreach processConstruct a claims/evidence/reasoning argument about the relative time scale of process in the rock cycleProvide evidence and support for ways that the rock cycle and water cycle are similar and how they are different

Students will:

Critique a claim by examining different sources of evidence and determining which sources are reputable.Model how multiple lines of evidence are necessary to support scientific claims.Analyze patterns in ice core data to serve as evidence for the increase in global temperatures over the past century.Analyze and interpret data to serve as evidence for climate change.Critically read scientific texts to to obtain scientific information about changes to Earth systems as the Earth’s climate changes.Construct an argument describing which line of evidence provides the strongest support of climate change.Compare and critique arguments to persuade others about which line of evidence provides the strongest support of climate change.Analyze and interpret data to explain the interrelated nature of climate change evidence.Develop and use a model to trace a carbon atom as it moves through the carbon cycle and describe the processes that move carbonfrom one location to another.Collect data to serve as evidence to answer scientific questions about how the addition of carbon dioxide affects air temperature duringthe day and night.Analyze and interpret patterns in data to describe the relationship between carbon dioxide and the rate of thermal energy transfer.Analyze and interpret patterns in data to explain the relationship between population growth, energy production, and CO2 emissions.Apply scientific ideas to explain how changes to the carbon cycle through human consumption of natural resources creates instability in





Required Course


Earth systems.Students will:

Use a model to describe changes between past, current, and future weather conditions.Collect and analyze data to provide evidence to explain how the movement of fronts can cause complex changes in weather patterns.Use graphical displays of large data sets to identify temporal and spatial relationships between surface conditions and patterns inweather.Collect data to answer scientific questions about how meteorologists predict weather using probability.Explain how weather can only be predicted probabilistically by considering the limitations of data analysis and the complexity of weatherpatterns.Collect and analyze data to provide evidence to answer scientific questions about the relationship between the interactions of air massesin the atmosphere and weather conditions.Analyze and interpret data to determine patterns in the locations of natural hazards across the globe.Analyze and interpret historical data to determine patterns in the location, timing, frequency, and severity of hurricanes and tornadoes inthe United States.Analyze and interpret radar data to make a forecast for the potential of a natural hazard event.Construct a written argument supported by patterns in hurricane and tornado data to explain why some areas experience strong andfrequent natural hazards.Analyze and interpret patterns in data to construct an explanation about the formation of significant natural hazard events.Critically read scientific texts to describe technologies that mitigate the effects of natural hazards.Students will:

Use models to compare short-term weather prediction and long-term climate prediction.Develop and use a model to describe the relationship between climate patterns and latitude, altitude, and regional geography.Analyze and interpret data to describe climate the relationship between climate patterns and latitude, altitude, and regional geography.Critically read scientific texts to explain the factors that affect the climate patterns for a region.Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence obtained from experiments to explain the relationship between latitude, altitude, andgeography and patterns in regional climate.Develop and Use a model to describe surface and deep ocean currents and predict how changes in the density of water could affectthose currents.Critically read scientific texts to explain the relationship between fluid density and patterns in the movement of ocean currents.Construct an explanation using patterns observed in models and representation to determine a region’s climate.

Assessment - Quizzes, Kahoot, Labs, Tests

Students will:Analyze and interpret data to identify patterns between plate boundaries and surface features on Earth.Develop and use a model to explain the relationship between convection currents in the Earth’s mantle and plate motion.Analyze and interpret data for patterns in fossil and rock distribution to provide evidence of past plate motions.Develop and use a model to explain how scientists use Pangea as evidence for the theory of plate tectonics.Analyze and interpret data to draw relationships between the age of the seafloor, geographic features, and plate tectonics.Develop and use a model to explain the factors driving the breakup of Pangaea, the pattern in seafloor age, and the relationship betweenseafloor age and seafloor structure.Critically read scientific texts to construct explanations about the causal relationship between past plate motion and the distribution offossils and rocks, continental shapes, and seafloor structures.Apply mathematical concepts to explain the relationship between past plate motions and the formation of the Hawaiian Islands.Analyze and interpret patterns is data found at the Hawaiian hotspot to provide evidence of past plate motion.Construct an explanation based on evidence about the causal relationship between past plate motion and Earth’s surface features.Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes change Earth’s surface at varying time and spatial scales.Develop and use a model to explain how Earth’s surface is shaped over varying time and spatial scales through slow plate motion, andpunctuated catastrophic events.Critically read scientific texts to explain the cause relationship between plate boundaries and rapid catastrophic events.Critically read scientific texts to construct and explanation about the causal relationship between past and current geoscience processesand the uneven distribution of Earth’s minerals.Construct an explanation about how geoscience processes occur at varying time and spatial scales.Construct a written argument supported by evidence and reasoning about the causal relationship between plate tectonics and tsunamis.

Students will:Apply careful observations and previous scientific knowledge to construct an explanation about common items that are made fromminerals.Critically read a text about minerals and use it to answer questions about how minerals form.





Required Course


Assessment - Exit Slips, Concept Quiz, Test, Think Pair Share

Apply previous understanding of the rock cycle and relate it to new learning about mineral formation.Combine information from previous readings and new information presented in this session to construct an explanation of different waysthat minerals can form.Revisit previous models of the rock cycle to clarify the processes in the rock cycle that form minerals.Compare several samples of granite and use similarities and differences between the samples to describe the conditions under whicheach sample may have formed.Conduct a simulation of renewable and nonrenewable resources and use the gathered data to infer how and why the system is changingover time.Predict how the simulation would change under a range of proposed conditions.Model and evaluate the environmental damage caused by miningAnalyze the results of the model mines to make arguments about mineral scarcity and distributionAnalyze mineral resource maps to construct an explanation of mineral distribution around the world.Construct an explanation for the uneven distribution of minerals around the world.Critically read a case study about diamonds to explain how understanding of the rock cycle and mineral formation led to the discovery ofdiamonds

Assessment - Exit Slips, Quizzes, Kahoot, Labs

Students will:Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation about the relationship between weather and it’s impact on various professions.Identify appropriate tools to gather qualitative and quantitative data to describe the conditions of the atmosphere.Collect data to serve as the basis for evidence of the stability and change of the movement of energy and water in the atmosphere.Plan and conduct an investigation to demonstrate how the transfer of energy drives the water cycle.Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence that a change in the amount of energy will change the rate of the water cycle.Plan and conduct an investigation to demonstrate how the transfer of energy drives the water cycle.Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence that a change in the amount of energy will change the rate of the water cycle.Use a model to represent and describe how global movements of water and its changes in form are propelled by sunlight and gravity.Evaluate the model for limitations in representing how sunlight and gravity moves and conserves water in the processes of the watercycle.Integrate scientific information from various resources to predict how the movement and the state of water in the water cycle will affectweather in the possible formation of lake effect snow.Apply scientific ideas to explain the conservation of matter and the transfer of energy in the water cycle.Use a model to predict the cause and effect relationship of thermal energy and the amount of water in the atmosphere.Communicate scientific information in a graphic organizer about the patterns of temperature change in the atmosphere.Apply mathematical concepts and processes to find the proportional relationship of temperature and humidity and to calculate relativehumidity in the atmosphere.Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the cause and effect relationship of the transfer energy and the movement of matter inthe atmosphere.Analyze and interpret patterns in data to explain the cause and effect relationship between air pressure and the movement of matter inthe atmosphere.Use a model to describe how the the macroscopic pattern of movement of fluids in convection currents relates to the of thermal energy ofair molecules.Critically read scientific texts to determine the cause and effect relationship between thermal energy and the movement of air in theatmosphere.Apply scientific ideas to describe the relationship between the conditions of certain areas and formation and movement of air masses.Apply the results of previous experiments and demonstrations to construct an explanation of what will happen when air masses ofdifferent temperatures, pressures, and humidities interact.Develop and use a model to observe the interactions between air masses and how the transfer energy drives their motion.Construct an explanation using models to explain the relationship between the movement of air masses and the weather patterns.

Students will:Ask questions that arise from careful observation of phenomena to seek additional information about the cause and effect relationshipsthat create day and night.Critically read scientific texts to obtain scientific information which describes the causal relationship between Earth’s rotation and Day andNight.Analyze and interpret patterns in data to explain the causal relationship between location on Earth and amount of daylight hoursthroughout the year.Analyze and interpret patterns in data to explain the causal relationship between location on Earth and amount of daylight hoursthroughout the year.





Required Course


Assessment - Unit Test, Quizzes, Kahoot, Exit Slips

Use a model to construct an explain about how the causal relationship between position (tilt) of the Earth and the Earth’s movementcause patterns of day and night.Ask questions that arise from careful observation of phenomena to seek additional information about seasonal patterns on Earth.Develop and use a model to describe the cause of seasons on Earth.Develop and use a model to construct an explanation regarding the causal relationship between the Earth’s tilt and revolution around thesun, and seasonal patterns on Earth.Critically read scientific texts to explain how seasonal changes are caused by the orientation of Earth’s tilt and the position of Earth in its’orbit.Collect data to provide evidence to explain how the shape of the Earth affects surface temperatures on Earth.Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence to explain the causal relationship between the shape of the Earth and surfacetemperatures on Earth.Construct an explanation that describes how the shape of the Earth, Earth’s tilt, and and Earth’s position affect surface temperatures onEarth and seasonal patterns.Analyze data to create a model representation explaining the way that different parts of the Earth experience seasons.

Assessment - quizzes, labs, exit slips, think pair share

Students will:Categorize items and defend their classification system for “rock” or “not a rock” and use it to develop a working definition for a rock.Use a dice game to model the rock cycle.Use the results of the dice game model to construct a basic explanation of how the rock cycle works.Apply observations from an interactive diagram and hands-on simulation to support an argument that mass is conserved in the rockcycle.Describe the types of energy present in the rock cycle simulation and the changes caused by energyConstruct an argument that compares and contrasts the four models of the Rock Cycle (dice game, crayon experiment, web interactive,and diagram) to draw conclusions about the essential elements (process, products, and energy) of the rock cycleConstruct an argument about which model for the rock cycle is most effectiveDesign and begin a long-term observational experiment that models limestone weathering by various liquidsCritically read scientific information about rock types and relate the processes of energy flow and matter cycling in the rock cycle to theformation and properties of various rock types.Use previous learning and new sources of information to explain how the three main types of rocks form and the resulting properties ofeach category of rock.Understand how scientists use the results of chemical, radioactivity, and fluorescence testing identify rock and mineral samples.Analyze detailed observations of the limestone drip experiment and attempt to identify patterns in the results.Record the observable properties of a set of rock samplesApply knowledge about macroscopic properties of different rock types and patterns in the observed data to classify a set of unknownsamples and defend the classification.

Students will:Discuss and provide evidence for activities that take place on vastly different time scales to study Earth history.Develop and use a model to examine changes over time in Earth’s history, including important events from geologic time, the evolution oflife, and human history.Apply mathematical concepts and processes to construct a scale analogy of geologic time.Develop models of geologic time at different scales, and examine the changes over time to explain events in Earth’s history.Analyze and interpret data to construct an explanation about the causal relationship between geologic events and the evolution of life.Construct a written argument supported by empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to explain how changing geologic and biologicevents affected one another throughout Earth’s history.Develop and use a model to relate the timeline of a boy’s day to the evidence used to construct the history of planet Earth.Develop and use a model to construct an explanation for how scientists organize Earth’s history using evidence from rock layers and thefossil record.Analyze and interpret patterns in data to determine the location of major events in Earth’s history.Construct an explanation using evidence and reasoning about how changes in the fossil record, over time, serve as evidence for majorevents in Earth’s history, such as asteroid impacts and species extinctions.Critically read scientific texts to explain how evidence from the geologic time scale is used to organize Earth’s history.Construct a scientific explanation to describe what type of evidence is used to organize Earth’s geologic past.





Required Course


Assessment - Exit Slips, quizzes, Labs, Think Pair Share

Critically read scientific texts to explain how geologists and paleontologists obtain evidence about Earth’s history, and the changes thathave occurred over time.Construct a scientific explanation, based on valid evidence and the assumption that theories and laws that describe the natural worldoperate today as they did in the past, to explain Earth’s 4.6 billion year history.

Assessment - Kahoot, Exit Slips, Quiz, Labs

Students will:Examine previous knowledge, a physical model, and a paper model (diagram) to construct a basic explanation of how the water cycleworks.Examine a physical model and a paper model (diagram) to construct a basic explanation of how the water cycle works.Propose improvements to make a physical model more like the system it is representing.Use a paper model of the water cycle to construct an explanation of the processes, sources of energy, and changes of state that watergoes through as it moves through the water cycle.Analyze a graph of water distribution and combine this with previous learning on the water cycle to construct an explanation of how theprocesses in the water cycle limit the amount of fresh water available for drinking.Predict and then observe how ground surface affects water infiltration rate.Make a simple aquifer model and use it to understand how aquifers work.Combine information from texts, video, and the water cycle model to construct an explanation of how the rock cycle and the water cycleare involved in the origin and storage of groundwater.Use multiple text and video resources to construct an explanation of ways humans cause negative impacts on groundwaterPropose solutions to reduce or eliminate human-caused impacts on groundwater resourcesDifferentiate between human-caused impacts to groundwater quality versus groundwater quantity and propose solutions to one type ofimpact.Demonstrate understanding of the water cycle through a short quiz.

Assessment - Quizzes, Exit Slips, Concept Exam

Students will:Have students retrieve their Learning Logs, identify the session objectives, and work in pairs to rewrite the objectives in student-friendlylanguage.Analyze and interpret data to determine similarities and differences among planets within the solar system.Analyze and interpret data to describe patterns within the solar system.Develop and use a model to demonstrate the size of the sun and the bodies of the solar system on the ten-billionth scale.Construct an explanation using models to explain patterns of scale properties of objects in our solar system.Develop and use a model to demonstrate the distances between the bodies of the solar system on the ten-billionth scale.Apply mathematical concepts to calculate the approximate distance the other planets are from the Sun using Astronomical Units.Construct an explanation using models to explain patterns of scale properties of objects in our solar system.Construct written arguments supported by empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to evaluate the limitations of models of theuniverse.

Assessment - Unit Assessment, Quizzes, Labs, Exit Slips

Students will:Predict why the moon appears to change shape in the Earth’s sky.Develop a model to describe the relationship between the Earth, sun, and moon from the perspective of a moon observer in the Northernand Southern hemispheres.Develop and use a model of the Earth-Sun-Moon system to Identify patterns of the phases of the moon.Construct an explanation using models to describe the cause and effect relationship between the Earth-Sun-Moon system and thephases of the moon.Develop and use a model to describe the relationship between the Earth, sun, and moon from the perspective of a moon observer.Construct an explanation using a model that shows the Earth-Sun-Moon relationship and how it causes moon phase patterns.

Standards Covered

SC.6-8.EES2.A.1 Develop and use a model to illustrate that energy from the Earth's interior drives convection which cyclesEarth's crust leading to melting, crystallization, weathering and deformation of large rock formations, includinggeneration of ocean sea floor at ridges, submergence of ocean sea floor at trenches, mountain building andactive volcanic chains. [Clarification Statement: The emphasis is on large-scale cycling resulting from platetectonics that includes changes in rock types through erosion, heat and pressure.]





Required Course


SC.6-8.ESS1.A.2 Develop and use a model of the Earth-sun system to explain the cyclical pattern of seasons, which includesthe Earth's tilt and directional angle of sunlight on different areas of Earth across the year. [ClarificationStatement: Examples of models can be physical, graphical, or conceptual.]

SC.6-8.ESS1.A.3 Develop and use a model to describe the role of gravity in the motions within galaxies and the solar system.[Clarification Statement: Emphasis for the model is on gravity as the force that holds together the solar systemand Milky Way galaxy and controls orbital motions within them. Examples of models can be physical orconceptual.]

SC.6-8.ESS1.B.1 Analyze and interpret data to determine scale properties of objects in the solar system. [ClarificationStatement: Examples of scale properties include the sizes of an object's layers (such as crust andatmosphere), surface features (such as volcanoes), and orbital radius. Examples of data include statisticalinformation, drawings and photographs, and models.]

SC.6-8.ESS1.C.1 Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence from rock strata for how the geologic time scale is usedto organize Earth's history. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on how analyses of rock formations and thefossils they contain are used to establish relative ages of major events in Earth's history. Examples of Earth'smajor events could range from being very recent (such as the last Ice Age or the earliest fossils of homosapiens) to very old (such as the formation of Earth or the earliest evidence of life). Examples can include theformation of mountain chains and ocean basins, the evolution or extinction of particular living organisms, orsignificant volcanic eruptions.]

SC.6-8.ESS2.A.2 Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth's surface atvarying time and spatial scales. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on how processes change Earth'ssurface at time and spatial scales that can be large (such as slow plate motions or the uplift of large mountainranges) or small (such as rapid landslides or microscopic geochemical reactions), and how many geoscienceprocesses (such as earthquakes, volcanoes, and meteor impacts) usually behave gradually but arepunctuated by catastrophic events. Examples of geoscience processes include surface weathering anddeposition by the movements of water, ice, and wind. Emphasis is on geoscience processes that shape localgeographic features, where appropriate.]

SC.6-8.ESS2.B.1 Analyze and interpret data on the distribution of fossils and rocks, continental shapes, and seafloor structuresto provide evidence of the past plate motions. [Clarification Statement: Examples of data include similarities ofrock and fossil types on different continents, the shapes of the continents (including continental shelves), andthe locations of ocean structures (such as ridges, fracture zones, and trenches).]

SC.6-8.ESS2.C.1 Design and develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth's systems driven by energy fromthe sun and the force of gravity. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the ways water changes its state as itmoves through the multiple pathways of the hydrologic cycle. Examples of models can be conceptual orphysical.]

SC.6-8.ESS2.C.2 Research, collect, and analyze data to provide evidence for how the motions and complex interactions of airmasses results in changes in weather conditions. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on how air massesflow from regions of high pressure to low pressure, causing weather (defined by temperature, pressure,humidity, precipitation, and wind) at a fixed location to change over time, and how sudden changes in weathercan result when different air masses collide. Emphasis is on how weather can be predicted within possibleranges. Examples of data can be provided to students (such as weather maps, diagrams, and visualizations)or obtained through laboratory experiments (such as with condensation).]

SC.6-8.ESS2.C.3 Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns ofatmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is onhow patterns vary by latitude, altitude, and geographic land distribution. Emphasis of atmospheric circulationis on the sunlight-driven latitudinal banding, the Coriolis effect, and resulting prevailing winds; emphasis ofocean circulation is on the transfer of heat by the global ocean convection cycle, which is constrained by theCoriolis effect and the outlines of continents. Examples of models can be diagrams, maps and globes, ordigital representations.]

SC.6-8.ESS3.A.1 Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how the uneven distributions of Earth's mineral,energy, and groundwater resources are the result of past and current geoscience processes and humanactivity. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on how these resources are limited and typically non-renewable,and how their distributions are significantly changing as a result of removal by humans. Examples of unevendistributions of resources as a result of past processes include but are not limited to petroleum (locations ofthe burial of organic marine sediments and subsequent geologic traps), metal ores (locations of past volcanicand hydrothermal activity associated with subduction zones), and soil (locations of active weathering and/ordeposition of rock).]

SC.6-8.ESS3.C.1 Analyze data to define the relationship for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of





Required Course


SC.6-8.ESS3.C.1natural resources impact Earth's systems. [Clarification Statement: Examples of data include grade-appropriate databases on human populations and the rates of consumption of food and natural resources(such as freshwater, mineral, and energy). Examples of impacts can include changes to the appearance,composition, and structure of Earth's systems as well as the rates at which they change.]

SC.6-8.ESS3.C.2 Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on theenvironment. [Clarification Statement: Examples of the design process include examining humanenvironmental impacts, assessing the kinds of solutions that are feasible, and designing and evaluatingsolutions that could reduce that impact. Examples of human impacts can include water usage (such as thewithdrawal of water from streams and aquifers or the construction of dams and levees), land usage (such asurban development, agriculture, or the removal of wetlands), and pollution (such as of the air, water, or land).]

SC.6-8.ESS3.D.1 Analyze evidence of the factors that have caused the change in global temperatures over the past century.[Clarification Statement: Examples of factors include human activities (such as fossil fuel combustion, cementproduction, and agricultural activity) and natural processes (such as changes in incoming solar radiation orvolcanic activity). Examples of evidence can include tables, graphs, and maps of global and regionaltemperatures, atmospheric levels of gases such as carbon dioxide and methane, and the rates of humanactivities.]



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