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OBJECTIVES LIST FOR HIGH SCHOOL EARTH SCIENCE (6730)

(12/1/02)

Standard 1: SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY PROCESSES

Abacus # / Std/ Goal/
Obj # /

Objective

/ Criti-cality
Goal 1: Understand philosophy of science inquiry
1 / 1.1.1 / 1. The student will describe the evolution of Wegener’s first observations of continental shape through the Continental Drift theory to today’s widely accepted Theory of Plate Tectonics / ESS
4 / 1.1.2 / 2. The student will explain how understanding the formation of certain rock types can be used to locate valuable resources (e.g. gold and oil deposits) / ESS
Goal 2: Understand mechanics of science/technology processes
7 / 1.2.1 / 3. The student will ask questions that can be answered by collecting data / ESS
10 / 1.2.2 / 4. The student will design an experiment that will answer a specific question / ESS
13 / 1.2.3 / 5. The student will design charts and tables in which to record data / ESS
16 / 1.2.4 / 6. The student will analyze data using graphs, tables, and basic statistical tools, and other mathematical calculations / ESS
19 / 1.2.5 / 7. The student will formulate conclusions based on data analysis / ESS
22 / 1.2.6 / 8. The student will prepare and present his/her findings in a written, oral or multimedia presentation / ESS
Goal 3: Understand use of scientific equipment, materials and safety equipment
25 / 1.3.1 / 9. The student will identify the following scientific equipment and its function:
·  Mineral test kit
·  Digital or triple beam balance
·  Graduated cylinder
·  Maps
o  Topographic
o  Geologic
·  Field guides
o  Rocks and Minerals
o  Fossils
·  Protractors
·  Drawing compasses / ESS
28 / 1.3.2 / 10. The student will demonstrate the correct use of the following scientific equipment:
·  Mineral test kit
·  Digital or triple beam balance
·  Graduated cylinder
·  Maps
o  Topographic
o  Geologic / ESS
Abacus # / Std/ Goal/
Obj # /

Objective

/ Criti-cality
28 (cont) / ·  Field guides
o  Rocks and Minerals
o  Fossils
·  Protractors
·  Drawing compasses

Standard 2: COMPOSITION OF ROCKS

Abacus # / Std/ Goal/
Obj # /

Objective

/ Criti-cality

Goal 1: Classify rocks and describe their formation

100 / 2.1.1 / 1. The student will identify sedimentary rocks as organic clastic and chemical and describe their formation. / EXP
103 / 2.1.2 / 2. The student will know the earth systems have internal and external sources of heat / ESS
106 / 2.1.3 / 3. The student will differentiate between intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks / EXP
109 / 2.1.4 / 4. The student will describe chemical composition, density and formation of igneous rocks based on their physical appearance (e.g., felsic and mafic, intrusive and extrusive) / ESS
112 / 2.1.5 / 5. The student will describe the formation of metamorphic rocks based on contact or regional metamorphism / ESS
115 / 2.1.6 / 6. The student will use the Rock cycle as a model to compare and contrast the formation of sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rock / ESS

Goal 2: Identify chemical composition and physical properties of minerals

118 / 2.2.1 / 7. The student will classify minerals as silicate, carbonate, halide, sulfide, oxide, sulfate or native element based on chemical composition / EXP
121 / 2.2.2 / 8. The student will identify minerals based on the physical properties of luster, color, streak, hardness, cleavage, fracture and specific gravity / EXP

Goal 3: Describe processes responsible for formation of rocks in Idaho

124 / 2.3.1 / 9. he student will identify regional locations where contact and regional metamorphism has occurred (e.g., contact – Lost River Range; regional – Idaho batholith) / ESS
127 / 2.3.2 / 10 The student will identify regional locations where igneous rocks are found (e.g., Hell’s Half Acre, Menan Buttes, and Craters of the Moon) / ESS
130 / 2.3.3 / 11. The student will identify regional locations where sedimentary rocks are found (e.g., Kemmerer, WY, Vernal UT, Hagerman Fossil Bed, and Soda Springs area) / ESS

Standard 3: MAP SKILLS

Abacus # / Std/ Goal/
Obj # /

Objective

/ Criti-cality

Goal 1: Use geographical globes and maps to locate points and to determine distance and direction

140 / 3.1.1 / 1. The student will find the latitude and longitude of points on Earth and locate points given latitude and longitude / EXP

Goal 2: Describe how contour lines show elevation, shape and slope of the land

143 / 3.2.1 / 2. The student will assign elevations to contour lines / EXP
146 / 3.2.2 / 3. The student will describe a feature by studying contour intervals / EXP

Goal 3: Identify landforms and estimate the steepness from contour lines

149 / 3.3.1 / 4. The student will interpret landforms on a topographic map by use of symbols and contour lines / EXP
152 / 3.3.2 / 5. The student will calculate the average slope on a topographic map using elevation and distance / EXP

Standard 4: GEOLOGIC TIME

Abacus # / Std/ Goal/
Obj # /

Objective

/ Criti-cality

Goal 1: Differentiate between absolute and relative time and list methods used for measuring both

160 / 4.1.1 / 1. The student will describe how radioactive decay and radiocarbon dating can be used to identify the age of an organism / ESS
163 / 4.1.2 / 2. The student will determine relative age of rock layers by using accepted scientific concepts (e.g., Laws of Superposition, Law of Cross-cutting Relationships, Law of Included Fragments and Principle of Unconformity) / ESS

Goal 2: List the eras of the geologic timetable and discuss the basis by which they are defined

166 / 4.2.1 / 3. The student will list predominant plant and animal forms present in the Precambrian, Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras / EXP
169 / 4.2.2 / 4. The student will identify major changes in species composition that marked the end of each era / ESS
172 / 4.2.3 / 5. The student will discuss environmental conditions that may have contributed to the extinction of organisms / ESS
175 / 4.2.4 / 6. The student will explain that the evolution of life on earth has changed the composition of the Earth’s atmosphere through time / ESS
178 / 4.2.5 / 7. The student will state Hutton’s Law of Uniformitarianism / ESS
181 / 4.2.6 / 8. The student will attempt to reconcile Hutton’s Principle of Uniformitarianism with the Earth’s changing atmosphere and sporadic as well as gradual changes in species compositions (e.g., meteor impact, climate changes, changes in atmospheric composition, human impact) / EXP

Goal 3: discuss the importance of fossils for interpreting the rock record

184 / 4.3.1 / 9. The student will describe how the trilobite index fossil is used to determine the age of other organisms and events in Earth’s history / ESS

Standard 5: PLATE TECTONICS

Abacus # / Std/ Goal/
Obj # /

Objective

/ Criti-cality

Goal 1: Describe the continents

190 / 5.1.1 / 1. The student will explain that the two primary sources of internal energy are the decay of radioactive isotopes and the gravitational energy from Earth’s original formation / ESS
193 / 5.1.2 / 2. The student will describe the chemical composition of basaltic and granitic crust / EXP
196 / 5.1.3 / 3. The student will describe characteristics which determine whether a tectonic plate is oceanic or continental / EXP

Goal 2: Discuss evidence that supports the theory of plate tectonics

199 / 5.2.1 / 4. The student will describe how Alfred Wegener used continental shape, fossils, and rock formations to describe continental drift / ESS
202 / 5.2.2 / 5. The student will explain that the movement of matter through the solid earth is driven by the earth’s internal sources of energy / ESS
205 / 5.2.3 / 6. The student will describe how concepts from different fields contributed evidence such as magnetic polarity, spreading centers, depth of sediment, age of rock, and heat flow to support the Theory of Plate Tectonics / ESS

Goal 3: Describe different types of plate boundaries and discuss the geologic activity associated with each

208 / 5.3.1 / 7. The student will explain that plate movement is due to convection currents in the mantle / ESS
211 / 5.3.2 / 8. The student will explain that earthquakes occur where plates collide, volcanoes and seafloor spreading occur where plates move apart, volcanoes, mountains and trenches can occur where plates are subducted / ESS

Goal 4: Describe the processes that caused volcanic and earthquake activity in Idaho and surrounding area

214 / 5.4.1 / 9. The student will describe volcanic activity responsible for the formation of Craters of the Moon, Hell’s Half Acre, Menan Buttes and the Snake River Plain / ESS
217 / 5.4.2 / 10. The student will discuss calderic eruptions and relate them to the Yellowstone volcanic system and formation of hotspot volcanoes along the Snake River Plain / ESS
220 / 5.4.3 / 11. The student will discuss events which caused the Mount Borah Earthquake / ESS

Goal 5: Understand earthquakes and their impact

223 / 5.5.1 / 12. The student will describe the nature of S, P, and L waves / ESS
226 / 5.5.2 / 13. The student will use triangulation to locate the center of an earthquake / EXP
229 / 5.5.3 / 14. The student will describe the usefulness of scales such as Mercali and Richter in determining the intensity and effects of earthquakes / ESS

Goal 6: Describe the processes that form mountains

232 / 5.6.1 / 15. The student will differentiate between anticline and syncline / EXP
235 / 5.6.2 / 16. The student will differentiate between normal, reverse and strike-slip fault / EXP
Abacus # / Std/ Goal/
Obj # /

Objective

/ Criti-cality
238 / 5.6.3 / 17. The student will describe fault-block mountains and apply this concept to the formation of the Teton Mountain Range / ESS
241 / 5.6.4 / 18. The student will describe dome mountains and apply this concept to the formation of East, Middle, and Big Southern Buttes / ESS

Standard 6: ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY

Abacus # / Std/ Goal/
Obj # /

Objective

/ Criti-cality

Goal 1: Relate environmental issues in Idaho to its geology

250 / 6.1.1 / 1. The student will identify areas in Idaho susceptible to earthquakes / ESS
253 / 6.1.2 / 2. The student will describe the issue of groundwater use from the following personal and social perspectives:
·  Water quality
·  Movement of water (porosity and permeability) (see also Standard 1, Science Processes)
·  Recharge and discharge (conservation and preservation)
·  Nuclear, agricultural, and industrial pollution
·  Population growth and aquifer use (industrial, agricultural, and residential)
·  Government regulation of groundwater use
·  Technology and the aquifer
o  Bioremediation
o  Deep well monitoring
o  Use of computer modeling
o  Water quality standards
·  Problems with dissemination of accurate information / ESS

ESS = Essential (Students should master these objectives; they will be tested on an End of Course Assessment.)

EXP = Expected (These objectives should be tested on in-class assessments, but are also important for future science learning.)

EXT = Extended (These objectives are suggestions for areas of extended work if there is time.)

©Idaho Falls School District # 91 2002