Essential Outcomes

Earth and Space

1)Scientific knowledge is a way to better understand the unknown.

Core Standard #1

Learning Goals:

a.Students will construct conclusions from observations and inquiries. (Forthcoming)

b.Students will describe how the validity of a model, explanation, or hypothesis can be supported, revised, or rejected. (Forthcoming)

2)Technology has been used to gather evidence to increase our understanding of the universe.

Learning Goals:

a. Students will identify technology that has been developed and used over the last 2000 years. (ES 1.6, ES 2.1, ES 2.2, ES 2.3, ES 2.4)

b.Students will analyze how inventions have changed our understanding of the universe. (ES 1.8)

3)The origin of the universe remains one of the biggest questions (and controversies) in science.

Learning Goals:

a.Students will explain that the universe began 14-15 billion years ago, and is still expanding. (ES 1.4)

b.Students will investigate and explain that gravitational attraction has clumped together matter to form stars and galaxies. (ES 1.2, ES 1.3, ES 1.5, ES 1.7)

4)Gravity was a critical part in the formation of the Solar System.

Learning Goals:

a.Students will classify that the early Earth was very different from present-day Earth. (ES 1.1,ES 1.19,

ES 1.29)

b.Students will explain that the age of the Earth is determined from relative-dating and radioactive-dating methods. (ES 1.28)

5. The theory of plate tectonics describes how Earth’s surface has been shaped over time.

Learning Goals:

a. Students will specify how information on continental drift, the fossil record, and paleomagnetic records support the Plate Tectonic theory. (ES 1.23, ES 1.24, ES 2.5, ES 2.6, ES 2.7)

b. Students will explain how the rock cycle enables us to understand the creation, breakdown, and transformation of the materials that make up the crust of the Earth. (ES 1.22, ES 1.25, ES 1.26, ES 1.27)

6. The Sun is the main source of external energy for the Earth.

Learning Goals:

a. Students will describe how the Sun’s energy is absorbed differently by the air, water, and land surfaces. (ES 1.10, ES 1.13, ES 1.14)

b. Students will specify how these differences create wind and ocean currents that influence weather patterns. (ES 1.15)

c. Students will investigate how these processes can be affected by natural and human factors. (ES 1.12, ES 1.18)

7. Meteorology is the study of all atmospheric phenomena.

Learning Goals:

a. Students will recognize that climate is the average of all weather events for an

area, and is affected by the topography and geography of a region. (ES 1.15,

1.18)

b. Students will understand that both weather and climate involve the transfer of

energy throughout the atmosphere. (ES 1.13)

c. Students will experiment to determine how climate changes affect plants,

people, and other animals. (ES 1.11, ES 1.12, ES 1.16)

d. Students will predict how changes in weather can be determined from

knowledge of how weather systems develop. (ES 1.17)

8. Elements move through the lithosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere in cycles such as the water cycle, carbon cycle, and nitrogen cycle.

Learning Goals:

  1. Students will summarize how solar heating and other thermal processes lead to the distribution of Earth’s water in liquid, solid, and gaseous phases. (ES 1.14,ES 1.20, ES 1.21)
  2. Students will show the cause & effect of the contribution of Earth’s rotation, gravity, climate distributions, and weather systems to the distribution of water over the planet.(ES 1.14)

Earth and Space Science Benchmark/Bundle #1– History of Exploration

Standard Indicator: Standard #1 and Standard #2
ES 1.6 Describe how manned and unmanned space vehicles can be used to increase our knowledge and understanding of the universe.
ES 1.8 Discuss the role of sophisticated technology, such as telescopes, computers, space probes, and particle accelerators, in making computer simulations and mathematical models in order to form a scientific account of the universe.
ES 2.1 Understand and explain that Claudius Ptolemy, an astronomer living in the second century, devised a powerful mathematical model of the universe.
ES 2.2 Understand and describe how in the sixteenth century the Polish astronomer Nicholas Copernicus suggested that all those same motions outlined by Ptolemy could be explained by imagining the Earth was turning on its axis once a day and orbiting around the sun once a year.
ES 2.3 Understand that and describe how Johannes Kepler, a German astronomer who lived at about the same time as Galileo, used the unprecedented precise observational data of the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe.
ES 2.4 Explain that by using the newly invented telescope to study the sky, Galileo made many discoveries that supported the ideas of Copernicus.
Declarative Knowledge / Procedural Knowledge
Concepts /
  1. Technology has been used to gather evidence to increase our understanding of the universe.
  2. Scientific knowledge is a way to better understand the unknown.
/ Processes / Writing Process
Reading Process
Organizing
Ideas / Students will construct conclusions from observations and inquiries. (Forthcoming)
Students will describe how the validity of a model, explanation, or hypothesis can be supported, revised, or rejected. (Forthcoming)
Details /
  • Manned and unmanned space vehicles have increased our knowledge and understanding of the universe.
  • Technology has helped make accurate simulations and models of the Universe.
  • Planet – names, order, relative sizes
  • Satellite – numbers around planets, special features of selected ones
  • Comet – orbits, content
  • Asteroid – location, origin, sizes
  • Telescope – types, advantages/disadvantages, usefulness
  • Ptolemy developed a mathematical model of the universe based on motion in circles and circles on circles
  • Copernicus explained errors in Ptolemy’s model with the idea that Earth turned on its axis, and orbited around the Sun.
  • Galileo, using his early telescope, made many discoveries that supported Copernicus’ ideas. He also discovered many features in the Solar System unknown beforehand.
  • Galileo, Brahe, and Kepler proved Copernicus’ Sun-centered theory from observational data and mathematical information.
/ Skills /
  • Use the Ptolemy solar system to compare to the Copernican map
  • Use Solar System maps to show planetary orbits are elliptical, not circular
  • Compare Solar System models of Ptolemy and Copernicus
  • Compare relative distances of planets from the Sun

Vocabulary /
  • Planet
  • Telescope
  • Satellite
  • Comet
  • Asteroid
  • Claudius Ptolemy
  • Nicholas Copernicus
  • Johannes Kepler
  • Tycho Brahe
  • Galileo Galilei

Earth and Space Science Benchmark/Bundle #2–

Origin and Evolution of the Universe, Galaxies, and Stars

Standard Indicator: Standard #1 and Standard #2
ES 1.2 Differentiate between the different types of stars found on the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram. Compare and contrast the evolution of stars of different masses. Understand and discuss the basics of the fusion processes that are the source of energy of stars.
1.3 Compare and contrast the differences in size, temperature, and age between our sun and other stars
1.4Describe Hubble’s Law. Identify and understand that the “Big Bang’ theory is the most widely accepted theory explaining the formation of the universe.
1.5 Understand and explain the relationship between planetary systems, stars, multiple-star systems, star clusters, galaxies, and galactic groups in the universe.
1.6 Discuss how manned and unmanned space vehicles can be used to increase the knowledge and understanding of the universe.
1.7 Describe the characteristics and motions of the various kinds of objects in our solar system, including planets, accelerators, in making computer simulations and mathematical models in order to form a scientific account of the universe.
1.8 Discuss the role of sophisticated technology, such as telescopes, computers, space probes, and particle accelerators, in making computer simulations and mathematical models in order to form a scientific account of the universe.
2.1 Understand and explain that Claudius Ptolemy, an astronomer living in the second century, devised a powerful mathematical model of the universe.
2.2 Understand and describe how in the sixteenth century the Polish astronomer Nicholas Copernicus suggested that all those same motions outlined by Ptolemy could be explained by imagining the Earth was turning on its axis once a day and orbiting around the sun once a year.
2.3 Understand that and describe how Johannes Kepler, a German astronomer who lived at about the same time as Galileo, used the unprecedented precise observational data of the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe.
2.4 Explain that by using the newly invented telescope to study the sky, Galileo made many discoveries that supported the ideas of Copernicus.
Declarative Knowledge / Procedural Knowledge
Concepts /
  1. The origin of the universe remains one of the biggest questions (and controversies) in science.
  2. Technology has been used to gather evidence to increase our understanding of the universe.
  3. Scientific knowledge is a way to better understand the unknown.
/ Processes / Scientific method
Writing Process
Reading Process
Organizing
Ideas /
  1. .Students will identify technology that has been developed and used over the last 2000 years.
  2. Students will analyze how inventions have changed our understanding of the universe.
  3. Students will investigate and explain that gravitational attraction has clumped together matter to form stars and galaxies.
  4. Students will explain that the universe began 14-15 billion years ago, and is still expanding
  5. Students will construct conclusions from observations and inquiries.

Details /
  • H/R Diagram – star’s size & temperature
  • Evolution of stars – stars life cycle, different life for different size stars
  • Basics of nuclear fusion – combining atomic nuclei to create larger nucleus
  • Hubble’s Law – know how this applies to the arrangement of the universe
  • “Big Bang” theory – how the theory states the beginning of the universe
  • Manned / Unmanned space flight – how these have helped knowledge of space
/
  • Planetary systems – present around most stars, not just our sun
  • Multiple star systems – most stars exist in multiples, not individually
  • Kepler’s Laws – how all help to explain planetary motion
  • Technology – has been used to make new discoveries, and improve previous information
  • Computer simulation – used to plan early spaceflights, and improvements over time have greatly reduced astronaut stress
  • Ptolemaic Solar System – Earth centered, other planets and Sun orbit Earth
  • Copernican Solar System – Sun is center of solar system, planets orbit around Sun
/ Skills / Reading H/R diagrams – compare stars’ size and temperature to locations on the chart
Compare and contrast evolution of different sizes of stars
Vocabulary / Nuclear fusion
Evolution
Hubble, Edwin / Star cluster
Galactic group
Satellite / Comet
Asteroids
Telescope / Computer
Space probe

Earth and Space Science Benchmark/Bundle #3–

Origin of the Solar System and History of the Earth

Standard Indicator: Standard #1 and Standard #2
ES 1.1 Understand and discuss the nebular theory concerning the formation of solar systems.
ES 1.7 Describe the characteristics and motions of the various kinds of objects in our solar system, including planets, satellites, comets, and asteroids.
ES 1.28 Discuss geologic evidence, including fossils and radioactive dating, in relation to Earth’s past.
ES 1.29Recognize and explain the in geologic change, the present arises from the materials of the past in ways that can be explained according to the same physical and chemical laws.
ES 2.5 Explain that the idea that Earth might be vastly older than most people believed made little headway in science until the work of Lyell and Hutton.
Declarative Knowledge / Procedural Knowledge
Concepts /
  1. Gravity played an important part in the formation of the Solar System
  2. Characteristics of motion
  3. Geologic history of Earth’s past
  4. Physical and chemical laws used today were the same in the past
  5. Earth’s age is vastly older than previously believed, due to work of Lyell and Hutton
  6. Nebular theory deals with the formation of the Solar System
  7. Scientific knowledge is a way to better understand the unknown.
/ Processes / Writing Process
Reading Process
Scientific Method
Organizing
Ideas /
  1. Students will recognize the steps in the formation of planetary systems.
  2. Students will describe the motions and characteristics of various objects in our Solar System
  3. Students will explain how Kepler’s laws determine planetary orbits.
  4. Students will discuss evidence, including fossils and radioactive age-dating, relating to Earth’s past
  5. Students will explain how the work of Lyell and Hutton changed people’s concepts about the age of the Earth

Details /
  • Gravity’s influence – contributions from all large bodies to form planets and orbits
  • Age-dating – relative and absolute: used to determine Earth’s geologic history
  • Geological evidence (fossils and radiologic age-dating) of early Earth
  • Earth is older than people used to believe
  • Roles of protoplanets & planetisimals
  • Motions & characteristics of planets, asteroids, comets, and satellites
/ Skills /
  • Use a scale mod el of the Solar System to relate relative distance from the Sun
  • Use model of geologic time to relate different geologic time units

Vocabulary / Gravity
Solar system
Nebular theory / Kepler’s laws
Planetisimal / Protoplanet
James Hutton

Earth and Space Science Benchmark/Bundle #4–

Earth Structures

Standard Indicator: Standard #1 and Standard #2
ES 1.23 Explain motions, transformations, and locations of materials in Earth’s lithosphere and interior. For example, describe the movement of the plates that make up Earth’s crust and the resulting formation of earthquakes, volcanoes, trenches, and mountains.
ES 1.24 Understand and discuss continental drift, sea-floor spreading, and plate techtonics. Include evidence that supports the movement of the plates, such as magnetic stripes on the ocean floor, fossil evidence on separate continents, and the continuity of geological features.
ES 1.26 Differentiate among the process of weathering, erosion, transportation of materials, deposition, and soil formation.
ES 1.27 Illutsrate the various processes that are involved in the rock cycle and discuss how the total amount of material stays in the same through formation, weathering, sedimentation, and reformation.
ES 2.6 Describe that early in the twentieth century the German scientist Alfred Wegener reintroduced the idea of moving continents, adding such evidence as the underwater shapes of the continents, the similarity of life forms and land forms in corresponding parts of Africa and South America, and the increasing separation of Greenland and Europe.
ES 2.7 Explain that the theory of plate tectonics was finally accepted by the scientific community in the 1960’s when further evidence had accumulated in support of it.
Declarative Knowledge / Procedural Knowledge
Concepts /
  1. The theory of plate tectonics describes how Earth’s surface has been shaped over time.
  2. Scientific knowledge is a way to better understand the unknown.
/ Processes /
  • Writing Process
  • Reading Process
  • Research process
  • Rock Cycle processes
– - weathering,
erosion,
deposition,
crystallization,
metamorphism, r
emelting
Organizing
Ideas / 1. Students will specify how information on continental drift, the fossil record, and paleomagnetic records support the Plate Tectonic theory.
2. Students will explain how the Rock Cycle enables us to understand the creation, breakdown, and transformation of the materials that make up the crust of the Earth.
Details /
  • Earth’s layers (4) – arrangement and thicknesses
  • Alfred Wegener – developed Plate Tectonic theory
  • Continental drift is driving certain continents apart, and pushing others together
  • Fossil, geologic, and magnetic evidence supports the theory of continental drift
  • Crust is made up of many geologic pieces called plates
  • Weathering and erosion break down earth materials and transport them to other locations
  • Deposition, burial, and soil formation make up the lithosphere
  • Wegener first described continental drift by citing several pieces of scientificevidence
  • Plate Tectonics was accepted in the 1960’s when scientific evidence supported it and continental drift.
  • Recognize names of tectonic plates
/ Skills /
  • Compare ocean and continental
crust
– thickness,
makeup
  • Investigate why earthquake waves do not move through the core
  • Use tectonic theory to analyze how the Earth has changed over time
  • Investigate the effects of weathering and erosion on the Earth’s surface

Vocabulary / Lithosphere
Mantle
Inner / outer core
Earthquake
Volcano
Richter Scale
Ocean trench
Ocean ridge / Continental drift
Sea-floor spreading
Plate Tectonics
Rock Cycle
Sedimentary
Sedimentation
Igneous / Metamorphic
Deposition
Cementation
Weathering
Erosion

Earth and Space Science Benchmark/Bundle #5 -

Earth Systems/Energy Transfer

Standard Indicator: Standard #1 and Standard #2
ES 1.10, ES 1.12, ES 1.13, ES 1.14, ES 1.18
Declarative Knowledge / Procedural Knowledge
Concepts /
  1. Scientific knowledge is a way to better understand the unknown.
  2. The Sun is the major source of energy for the Earth.
  3. The Sun’s energy is absorbed differently by the air, water, and land surfaces.
  4. These differences create wind and ocean currents that influence weather patterns.
  5. These processes can be affected by natural and human factors
/ Processes / Writing Process
Reading Process
Research process
Scientific Method
Organizing
Ideas /
  1. Earth sciences address planet-wide interacting systems, as wellas interactions with the Solar System.
  2. Explain the importance of heat transfer between and within the atmosphere, land masses, and oceans.
  3. describe the role of photosynthetic plants in changing the Earth’s atmosphere.
  4. understand and explain the role of differential heating and the role of Earth’s rotation on the movement of air around the planet.
  5. Demonstrate the possible effect of atmospheric changes brought on by human and natural activities such as acid rain, smoke, volcanic dust, greenhouse gases, and ozone depletion.

Details /
  • Recognize that the Sun is the source of all Earth’s energy
  • Energy causes air to move (winds), also causes water (oceans) currents
  • Explain how wind (water) currents can be affected by natural and human events.
/ Skills / Investigate the role of industry on Earth’s atmosphere.
Vocabulary / Conduction
Convection
Radiation
Water cycle
Acid rain
Greenhouse gas
Atmosphere
Ozone (depletion)

Earth and Space Science Benchmark/Bundle #6 –