Earth Science Curriculum Overview / 2015-2016
http://science.dmschools.org
Astronomy
(Semester 1) / Understand and apply knowledge of the origin and evolution of the Universe. / Astronomy / · Structure and Elements of the Universe / HS-ESS1-2
HS-ESS1-3
· Structure and Elements of the Solar System / HS-ESS1-1
HS-ESS1-4
History of the Earth
(Semester 1) / Understand and apply knowledge of the origin and evolution of the earth system. / History of the Earth / · Geologic Time and the Evolution of Earth Systems / HS-ESS1-5
HS-ESS1-6
HS-ESS2-1
Dynamic Earth
(Semester 2) / Understand and apply knowledge of energy in the earth system.
Understand and apply knowledge of geochemical cycles. / Dynamic Earth / · Cycles and Processes in the Earth System / HS-ESS2-3
HS-ESS2-5
HS-ESS2-7
HS-ESS2-6
Weather and Climate
(Semester 2) / Understand and apply knowledge of energy in the earth system. / Weather and Climate / · Weather patterns and systems / HS-ESS2-4
HS-ESS3-1
HS-ESS3-6
· Climate and impact on Earth systems / HS-ESS3-5
HS-ESS2-2
HS-ESS2-6
Skill / Skill Standards / Reporting Cluster(s) / Content Topics / Sample Tasks
Reading in Science
Throughout Year / Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to the precise details of explanations or descriptions.
Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; trace the text's explanation or depiction of a complex process, phenomenon, or concept; provide an accurate summary of the text.
Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 9-10 texts and topics.
Assess the extent to which the reasoning and evidence in a text support the author’s claim or a recommendation for solving a scientific or technical problem.
Compare and contrast findings presented in a text to those from other sources (including their own experiments), noting when the findings support or contradict previous explanations or accounts.
By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend science/technical texts in the grades 9–10 text complexity band independently and proficiently. / Reading in Science / · Citing Evidence in Text in Support of or Refuting a Scientific Argument
Skill / Skill Standards / Reporting Cluster(s) / Content Topics / Sample Tasks
Writing in Science
Throughout Year / Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
· Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among the claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
· Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying data and evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both claim(s) and counterclaims in a discipline-appropriate form and in a manner that anticipates the audience's knowledge level and concerns.
· Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.
· Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from or supports the argument presented.
Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. / Writing in Science / · Argumentative and Claims/Evidence Writing / Sample topics for writing could include:
· Climate Change
· Big Bang
· Pangea/Continental Drift
· Geologic Time/Extinctions
· Carbon Dating
Skill / Skill Standards / Reporting Cluster(s) / Content Topics / Sample Tasks
Science Inquiry
Throughout Year / Identify questions and concepts that guide scientific investigations.
Design and conduct a scientific investigation.
Uses technology and mathematics to improve investigations and communications.
Formulates and revises scientific explanations and models using logic and evidence.
Think critically and logically to make the relationships between evidence and explanations.
Use mathematics in all aspects of scientific inquiry.
Communicate and defend scientific procedures and explanations.
Recognize and analyze alternative explanations and predictions. / Science inquiry and process skills / · Scientific Investigative Skills
· Scientific Tool Use and Measurement
http://science.dmschools.org 4