Grade Level: Elementary Big Idea: Processes That Change the Earth
Knowledge / Reasoning / Skills / ProductsSlow processes include weathering and erosion
Fast processes include landslides, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and floods
/ Describe the processes that change surface of the earth
Compare the factors that contribute to the earth's surface continually changing
Explain and predict expected consequences of both fast and slow changes
Grade Level: 5th Grade Big Idea: Processes That Change the Earth
Explain that water can dissolve earth materials, including minerals and gases
Water is a powerful solvent that dissolves earth materials (mixtures and solutions must be taught prior)
Describe what solvents do
Describe how oceans carry earth materials
Earth materials impact the ocean system through the water cycle
Eventually everything ends up in the ocean
Identify factors that affect watersheds
Describe how interactions of water with earth materials affects watersheds
Explain the results of interactions of water and earth materials
/ Explain interactions of water with earth materials and the results of those interactions (e.g., weathering, erosion by water)
Compare the factors, including results of interactions of water with earth materials, impacting ocean systems and watersheds
/ Explore watersheds and the factors that impact them
Grade Level: 6th Grade Big Idea: Processes That Change the Earth
List the steps in the rock cycle
Explain the relationship between steps in the rock cycle
Explain the effect of constructive and deconstructive forces
Explain that total amount of material that makes up Earth is constant and constantly changing (conservation of mass/matter)
/ Determine how the processes effect the various properties of rocks
Compare various landforms as created by constructive or deconstructive forces
Predict nature of landforms that are affected by constructive/deconstructive forces
Predict what landforms will look like in the future based on past events
/ Use models to investigate the cause and effect relationships in the rock cycle
Grade Level: 7th Grade Big Idea: Earth Processes
Describe the physical properties of the three main layers of the earth's interior
Understand that the model of Earth's interior is based on limited earthquake and volcanic data
Know that models are useful, but are open to revision or rejection as new info is obtained
Recognize that some changes to Earth happen without warning
Recognize that the interactions between the layers impact both the earth and its organisms
/ Analyze the evidence used to infer the layered composition of the earth's interior
Evaluate models of earth's interior based on evidence
Explain interactions between Earth's layers
Describe potential results of interactions of Earth's layers
Predict changes to Earth's surface and atmosphere from available data
Analyze data of the forces and processes that change Earth's surface or atmosphere to generate predictions of the effects
/ Model layers of the Earth
Investigate the forces and processes that change Earth's surface or atmosphere
Grade Level: 8th Grade Big Idea: Processes That Change Earth
I can explain how old the earth and solar system are
I can identify processes that shape the earth
Identify the data that supports the accepted age of the earth/solar system
Identify a variety of landforms found on earth and describe the changes they have gone through over time
Describe various techniques for estimating geological time
Explain how heat flow in the mantle causes changes in the crust
Describe heat transfer inside the earth
/ Compare fast and slow changes to the earth's surface
Evaluate geological dating techniques
Predict the age of rocks and fossils based on data and models
Compare events that occur on Earth's surface on a geologic and human time scale
/ Investigate geological dating techniques
Investigate the forces responsible for changes on earth
Observe models that show the age of rocks/fossils
Observe convection current in liquids
Model the movement of molten rock in the earth
Grade Level: High School Big Idea: Processes That Change the Earth
Identify evidence which supports continental drift
Describe how seismic waves travel and transfer energy
Explain wave behavior (seismic)
Explain that the density differences inside the mantle result in convection currents
Identify rapid/slow changes
Understand that rapid/slow changes impact living organisms
/ Compare/contrast rapid and slow changes
Predict the consequences of rapid/slow changes (on living organisms)
Predict wave behavior (seismic) and energy transfer
List examples of biological (incl. humans) consequences of plate movement
List examples of geological consequences of plate movement (e.g., shape and location of continents, earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis)
Explain the theory of plate tectonics
/ Interpret seismic data to apply knowledge of seismic waves [to] real life phenomena