8th grade Science Overview

DRAFT 8^th Grade Pacing Guide FOR 07-08 11/12/07

UNIT 1: STATIC FORCES/BRIDGES

CINQ5 Use appropriate tools and techniques to make observations and gather data.

CINQ6 Use mathematical operations to analyze and interpret data.

C. 23 Describe the qualitative relationships among force, mass

C. 30 Explain how beam, truss and suspension bridges are designed to withstand the forces that act on them

ST: STRONG BRIDGES

Q1 Assessment

UNIT 2 MOTION

C 22. Calculate the average speed of a moving object and illustrate the motion of objects in graphs of distance over time.

C 23. Describe the qualitative relationships among force, mass and changes in motion.

C 24. Describe the forces acting on an object moving in a circular path

ST: REQUIRED EMBEDDED CMT TASK: SHIPPING/SLIDING

UNIT 3 PLANETARY MOTION/PHASES/SEASONS/ECLIPSES

C 28. Explain the effect of gravity on the orbital movement of planets in the solar system.

C 29. Explain how the regular motion and relative position of the sun, Earth and moon affect the seasons, phases of the moon and eclipses.

Q 2 Assessment

UNIT 4 LANDFORMS & CONSTRUCTIVE/DESTRUCTIVE EARTH FORCES

C 18. Describe how folded and faulted rock layers provide evidence of the gradual up and down motion of the Earth’s crust.

C 19. Explain how glaciation, weathering and erosion create and shape valleys and floodplains.

UNIT 5 TECTONIC PLATES

C 20. Explain how the boundaries of tectonic plates can be inferred from the location of earthquakes and volcanoes.

CMT TEST 1^st Week of March

Q3 Assessment

UNIT 6 ROCK CYCLE

D.21 Explain how internal energy of the Earth causes matter to cycle through the magma and the solid earth.

UNIT 7 NATURAL DISASTERS

8.f.3 National Standard

Grades 6-8 Core Scientific Inquiry, Literacy and Numeracy

How is scientific knowledge created and communicated?

Content Standards

Expected Performances

SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

¨ Scientific inquiry is a thoughtful and coordinated attempt to search out, describe, explain and predict natural phenomena.

¨ Scientific inquiry progresses through a continuous process of questioning, data collection, analysis and interpretation.

¨ Scientific inquiry requires the sharing of findings and ideas for critical review by colleagues and other scientists.

SCIENTIFIC LITERACY

¨ Scientific literacy includes speaking, listening, presenting, interpreting, reading and writing about science.

¨ Scientific literacy also includes the ability to search for and assess the relevance and credibility of scientific information found in various print and electronic media.

SCIENTIFIC NUMERACY

¨ Scientific numeracy includes the ability to use mathematical operations and procedures to calculate, analyze and present scientific data and ideas.

C INQ.1 Identify questions that can be answered through scientific investigation.

C INQ.2 Read, interpret and examine the credibility of scientific claims in different sources of information.

C INQ.3 Design and conduct appropriate types of scientific investigations to answer different questions.

C INQ.4 Identify independent and dependent variables, and those variables that are kept constant, when designing an experiment.

C INQ.5 Use appropriate tools and techniques to make observations and gather data.

C INQ.6 Use mathematical operations to analyze and interpret data.

C INQ.7 Identify and present relationships between variables in appropriate graphs.

C INQ.8 Draw conclusions and identify sources of error.

C INQ.9 Provide explanations to investigated problems or questions.

C INQ.10 Communicate about science in different formats, using relevant science vocabulary, supporting evidence and clear logic.

Grade 8 Core Themes, Content Standards and Expected Performances
Content Standards	Expected Performances
Science and Technology in Society – How do science and technology affect the quality of our lives? (PHYS) 8.4 - In the design of structures there is a need to consider factors such as function, materials, safety, cost and appearance. Bridges can be designed in different ways to withstand certain loads and potentially destructive forces.	C. 30 Explain how beam, truss and suspension bridges are designed to withstand the forces that act on them. DISTRICT EMBEDDED TASK: STRONG BRIDGES

Forces and Motion – What makes objects move the way they do? (PHYS) 8.1 - An object’s inertia causes it to continue moving the way it is moving unless it is acted upon by a force to change its motion. The motion of an object can be described by its position, direction of motion and speed. An unbalanced force acting on an object changes its speed and/or direction of motion. Objects moving in circles must experience force acting toward the center.	C 22. Calculate the average speed of a moving object and illustrate the motion of objects in graphs of distance over time. C 23. Describe the qualitative relationships among force, mass and changes in motion. C 24. Describe the forces acting on an object moving in a circular path. REQUIRED EMBEDDED CMT TASK: SHIPPING/SLIDING
Earth in the Solar System – How does the position of Earth in the solar system affect conditions on our planet? (PHYS) 8.3 - The solar system is composed of planets and other objects that orbit the sun. Gravity is the force that governs the motions of objects in the solar system. The motion of the Earth and moon relative to the sun causes daily, monthly and yearly cycles on Earth.	C 28. Explain the effect of gravity on the orbital movement of planets in the solar system. C 29. Explain how the regular motion and relative position of the sun, Earth and moon affect the seasons, phases of the moon and eclipses.

Energy in the Earth’s Systems – How do external and internal sources of energy affect the Earth’s systems? (EARTH) 7.3 - Landforms are the result of the interaction of constructive and destructive forces over time. Volcanic activity and the folding and faulting of rock layers during the shifting of the Earth’s crust affect the formation of mountains, ridges and valleys. Glaciation, weathering and erosion change the Earth’s surface by moving earth materials from place to place.	C 18. Describe how folded and faulted rock layers provide evidence of the gradual up and down motion of the Earth’s crust. C 19. Explain how glaciation, weathering and erosion create and shape valleys and floodplains. C 20. Explain how the boundaries of tectonic plates can be inferred from the location of earthquakes and volcanoes. DISTRICT EMBEDDED TASK: EROSION (MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE CMT IN MARCH)
The Changing Earth – How do materials cycle through the Earth’s systems? (STRAND III) 9.7 - Elements on Earth move among reservoirs in the solid earth, oceans, atmosphere, organisms as part of biogeochemical cycles. Elements on Earth exist in essentially fixed amounts and are located in various chemical reservoirs. The cyclical movement of matter between reservoirs is driven by the Earth’s internal and external sources of energy.	D 21. Explain how internal energy of the Earth causes matter to cycle through the magma and the solid earth. (POSSIBLE 4^th Quarter TOPIC) DISTRICT EMBEDDED TASK: CYCLES
*NATURAL DISASTERS*	NATURAL DISASTERS (NAEP standard)

Science Curriculum Pacing Chart 8^th Grade Integrated Science

Units by Quarter	Power Standards	Significant Tasks	Dates	√
Q1. Unit One: Static Forces and Bridges	C23 Describe the qualitative relationships among force and mass. C30 Explain how beam, truss, and suspension bridges are designed to withstand the forces that act on them.	Which bridge is the strongest?
Q2. Unit Two: Motion	C22 Calculate the average speed of a moving object and illustrate the motion of objects in graphs of distance over time. C23 Describe the qualitative relationships among force, mass, and changes in motion. C24 Describe the forces acting on an object moving in a circular path.	Required CMT embedded task: Shipping and Sliding
Q2. Unit Three: Planetary Motion, Phases, Seasons, and Eclipses	C28 Explain the effect of gravity on the orbital movement of planets in the solar system. C29 Explain how the regular motion and relative position of the sun, Earth, and moon affect the seasons, phases of the moon, and eclipses.	Reasons for Seasons What if moon didn’t exist?
Q3. Unit Four: Landforms, Constructive and Destructive Earth Forces	C18 Describe how folded and faulted rock layers provide evidence of the gradual up and down motion of the Earth’s crust. C19 Explain how glaciation, weathering and erosion create and shape valleys and floodplains.	Erosion Lab
Q3. Unit Five: Tectonic Plates	C20 Explain how the boundaries of tectonic plates can be inferred from the location of earthquakes and volcanoes.	Plate Tectonics STATE CMT TEST MARCH
Q4. Unit Six: The Rock Cycle	D21 Explain how internal energy of the Earth causes matter to cycle through the magma and the solid Earth.
Q4. Unit Seven: Natural Disasters

8th Grade Integrated Science

COURSE OVERVIEW

The 8^th grade Integrated Science course will explore key concepts of physical science. Students will be introduced to qualitative relationships among mass and force as well as speed and distance. Some forces can only act on objects when they touch. Other forces, such as gravity, affect objects from a distance. Students will apply those relationships to explore what happens to objects when forces act on them. Bridges offer a way to get over difficult obstacles. Early bridges were simple, made from available materials such as trees or vines. Today, bridges are more complex. They are designed in ways that consider factors such as function, materials, safety, cost and appearance. However, regardless of their design, bridges must be made to withstand the forces that affect them. In this course, students will explore how forces affect beam, truss, and suspension bridges. Gravity is the force that governs the motions of objects in the solar system. Students will explain how the motions of the sun, Earth, and moon affect the seasons, phases of the moon, and eclipses. Internal forces inside the Earth result in the construction and destruction of different landforms on Earth’s crust. Students will study how tectonic plate interactions, earthquakes, volcanic activity, glaciation, weathering and erosion work to change the face of earth’s crust.

Students will also work to develop skills in scientific inquiry, literacy, and numeracy by questioning, collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data. Students will communicate about science through reading, writing, researching information in both print and electronic media.

UNIT DESCRIPTIONS

FIRST QUARTER

UNIT 1: STATIC FORCES AND BRIDGES

II. UNIT 1: Static Forces and Bridges

Time: Entire quarter

Unit Introduction:

Bridges can be designed in different ways to withstand certain loads and the forces that act on them.

Standards

1. C23 Describe the qualitative relationships among force and mass.

2. C30 Explain how beam, truss, and suspension bridges are designed to withstand the forces that act on them.

3. CINQ1 Identify questions that can be answered through scientific investigation.

4. CINQ2 Read, interpret and examine the credibility of scientific claims in different sources of information.

5. CINQ3 Design and conduct appropriate types of scientific investigations to answer different questions.

6. CINQ4 Identify independent and dependent variables, and those variables that are kept constant, when designing an experiment.

7. CINQ5 Use appropriate tools and techniques to make observations and gather data.

CT State Grade Level Expectations (Draft)

GRADE-LEVEL CONCEPT u Bridges can be designed in different ways to withstand certain loads and potentially destructive forces.

GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS (Forces GLEs 1-4 are also in 8.1)

1. Force is a push or a pull and is described by its strength and direction and can be caused by a moving or a stationary object. Forces are measured in newtons or pounds using scales.

2. Forces can act simultaneously on an object from all directions with different strengths (magnitudes). When the magnitude and direction of all the forces acting on an object are combined, or added together, the total force (net force) determines the object’s motion. Forces in opposite directions are subtracted; forces in the same direction are added.

3. If the strength of all the forces acting on an object from one direction is equivalent to the strength of the forces from the opposite direction, then the forces cancel each other out, and are said to be balanced.

4. Bridges are elevated structures designed to support the movement of objects over a span. Two important forces at work in bridges are tension and compression.

5. Bridges must support their own weight (dead load) and the weight of those objects that will cross over them or act on them from time to time, such as wind, snow and ice (live load). Bridges are kept stable by balancing the load forces with the supporting forces of the structure. These forces can cause parts of the bridge structure to push together (compression) or pull apart (tension).

6. Different bridge designs distribute tension and compression forces in different ways, depending on the shapes of the parts of the structure. The biggest difference among bridge designs is the distances they can cross in a single span. Shapes commonly used in bridge design include arches, triangles and rectangles.

7. Bridges are constructed of different materials whose properties and costs vary. Some materials are strong against compression forces but weak against tension forces; some materials resist fire, corrosion or weathering. Materials commonly used in bridge design include wood, rope, aluminum, concrete and steel.

8. A beam bridge balances the load by concentrating it entirely onto the two piers that support the bridge at either end. When a force pushes down on the beam, the beam bends. Its top edge is pushed together (compression), and its bottom edge is pulled apart (tension). The amount of bend depends on the length of the beam.

9. A truss bridge uses rigid, interlocking beams to form a system of triangles that distribute the load among all parts of the structure, increasing the structural strength of the bridge.

10. A suspension bridge uses cables suspended from tall towers to hold up the deck and distribute the load. The tension and compression forces acting on the beam are distributed among the cables (which experience tension) and the towers (which experience compression).

Engineers and scientists build models of bridges, conduct controlled experiments to learn how they will withstand various stresses, and consider the benefits and trade-offs of various design alternatives.

11. Bridge design is influenced by the length of the span, the properties of the materials and the environmental conditions, as well as by practical considerations, such as the bridge’s appearance, cost of materials or construction site challenges.

12. Bridges can fail because they have faulty parts, are used in ways that exceed what was intended by the design, or were poorly designed to begin with.

SCIENTIFIC LITERACY TERMINOLOGY: balanced/unbalanced forces, net force, load, tension force, compression force, beam bridge, truss bridge, suspension bridge

Essential Questions

What is the relationship between mass and weight?
What affect do balanced and unbalanced forces have on an object’s motion?
What keeps a bridge from falling down?
How does a bridge support its own weight and the weight of a load?
How do different bridge designs balance the forces that act on them?

Essential Content

Force is a push or a pull and is described by its strength and direction.
Mass is the measure of the amount of matter in an object; weight is the force of gravity that depends on mass.
Net force is the combination of all forces acting on an object. They can add or cancel each other depending on direction and strength (magnitude).
Unbalanced forces acting on an object cause a change in the object’s motion.
The most fundamental rule of bridge design is that the net force acting on a bridge must be zero.
Bridges are kept from falling down by balancing action/reaction forces.
Compression is a “pressing together” force. Tension is a “stretching or pulling apart” force.
A beam bridge balances the load of the bridge with the piers that support the bridge.
A truss is a structure composed of thin horizontal and vertical members which is used to reinforce the structural strength of bridges.
The load on a suspension bridge creates tension forces on the cables. The towers and abutments create reaction forces.

Essential Skills:

To identify dependent and independent variables in an experiment.
To measure force using spring scales.
To design an experiment that tests how changing different properties on bridges affects bridge strength.
To read and interpret different scientific sources of information.

Vocabulary:

g. Science Misconceptions:

If an object is at rest, no forces are acting on the object.
A rigid solid cannot be compressed or stretched.

h. Suggested Labs and Activities:

Lab – Sticky Notes
Understanding: Bridges (United Streaming Video and Quiz)
Bridge “capstone” task
Sponge Beam

III. Significant Task: Which bridge is the strongest?

RESOURCES

SPONGE BEAM LAB

WHICH BRIDGE IS STRONGEST

STRONG BRIDGES LAB

READING FOR INFORMATION

CAPSTONE TASK

SAMPLE UNIT ASSESSMENT

SAMPLE BRIDGE LESSONS

SAMPLE BRIDGE UNIT

06-07 QUARTER ONE ASSESSMENT

http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/2001/5/

8.2 UNIT 2 SECOND QUARTER

UNIT 2: MOTION

II. UNIT 2: Motion

Time:

Approximate Dates:

Unit Introduction:

During this unit, students will be introduced to basic concepts about motion. Students will describe the motion of an object based on an object’s position, direction, and speed.

Standards:

C22 Calculate the average speed of a moving object and illustrate the motion of objects in graphs of distance over time.
C23 Describe the qualitative relationships among force, mass, and changes in motion.
C24 Describe the forces acting on an object moving in a circular path.
CINQ1 Identify questions that can be answered through scientific investigation.
CINQ7 Identify and present relationships between variables in appropriate graphs.

CT State Grade Level Expectations (Draft)

GRADE-LEVEL CONCEPT 1: u The motion of an object can be described by its position, direction of motion and speed.

GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS:

1. An object is said to be in motion when its position changes in relation to a point of reference.

2. The speed of an object’s motion can be described as a change in position over a change in time, and is measured in units such as meters per second or miles per hour.

3. Most objects do not move at a constant speed for very long (for example, cars driving through traffic). Average speed takes into account all the different speeds traveled. Average speed is calculated by dividing the total distance traveled by the change in time, regardless of any changes in motion or direction during its travel.

4. Motion of objects can be represented on a position time line graph, with position as the vertical (“y”) axis and time as the horizontal (“x”) axis. Constant speed is represented by a straight, diagonal line. The steepness (slope) of the motion line indicates speed, and the direction of the slant of the motion line indicates direction of motion. A straight horizontal line indicates an object at rest.

GRADE-LEVEL CONCEPT 2: u An unbalanced force acting on an object changes its speed and/or direction of motion.

GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS:

1. In order for an object to change its motion, a push/pull (force) must be applied over a distance.

2. Forces can act between objects that are in direct contact, or they can act over a distance. There are forces of attraction, such as gravity or magnetism, and forces of resistance, such as friction and drag (air resistance). Forces are measured in newtons or pounds using scales.

3. Forces can act simultaneously on an object from all directions with different strengths (magnitudes). When the magnitude and direction of all the forces acting on an object are combined, or added together, the total force (net force) determines the object’s motion. Forces in opposite directions are subtracted; forces in the same direction are added.

4. If the strength of all the forces acting on an object from one direction is equivalent to the strength of the forces from the opposite direction, then the forces cancel each other out, and are said to be balanced. Balanced forces keep an object moving with the same speed and direction, including keeping it at rest.

5. If the net force acting on an object is not zero, then the forces are said to be unbalanced, and the object’s speed or direction will change, changing its motion (acceleration). Acceleration is any change in motion, and occurs when something speeds up, slows down or changes direction. On a position time graph, this would be indicated by a change in the steepness of the motion line, or by a curved line.

6. The greater the unbalanced force on an object, the greater its change in motion (acceleration). The greater the mass of an object, the greater the force needed to change its acceleration. Given the same amount of force, an object with a greater mass will change acceleration less. The total net force acting on an object can be determined by measuring its mass and change in motion (acceleration).

GRADE-LEVEL CONCEPT 3: u Objects moving in circles must experience force acting towards the center.

GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS:

1. Some objects continuously change direction without changing speed, causing them to move in a circular path. Circular motion is caused by a constant unbalanced force that is constantly changing direction and pulling towards the center. If there were no force pulling the object toward the center, it would continue to move in a straight line in the direction it was moving before the force was removed.

SCIENTIFIC LITERACY TERMINOLOGY: Motion, point of reference, speed, constant speed, average speed, position-time graph, slope, force, friction, gravity, inertia, mass, acceleration, balanced/unbalanced forces, net force, circular motion

Essential Questions:

When is an object in motion?
How do you know an object’s speed and velocity?
How can you graph motion?
What are Newton’s Laws of motion?

Essential Concepts:

An object is said to be in motion when its position changes in relation to a point of reference.
The meter is the SI unit of length.
The speed of an object can be determined by dividing the distance the object traveled by the time it took to travel that distance.
The velocity of an object is described by its speed and direction.
A distance versus time graph can be used to analyze the motion of an object.
Acceleration is defined as a change in an object’s speed or its direction.
Inertia is an object’s tendency to resist a change in its motion. Inertia is Newton’s first law of motion.
Force depends on an object’s mass and its acceleration. This is Newton’s second law of motion.
When an object exerts a force on another object, the second object exerts a force on the first object of equal strength but in opposite direction. This is Newton’s third law of motion.
Newton’s second law can be applied to a force causing an object to move in a circular path, but it is not a separate force. It is simply a known force – tension, friction, gravity – causing the circular motion.

e. Essential Skills:

1. To identify and present relationships between variables using appropriate graphs.

f. Vocabulary:

Suggested Labs and Activities

Balloon Rockets

Reading For Information: Isaac Newton

Significant Task: Shipping and Sliding (Guided)

CMT Task ShippingAndSliding Teacher, Student, Rubric

Sample Unit Assessment

Sample Quarter 2 District Assessment, Score Rubric

SECOND QUARTER

UNIT 2: MOTION

UNIT 3: PLANETARY MOTION, PHASES, SEASONS, AND ECLIPSES

II. UNIT 3: PLANETARY MOTION, PHASES, SEASONS, AND ECLIPSES

Time:

Approximate Dates:

a. Unit Introduction:

b. Standards:

C28 Explain the effect of gravity on the orbital movement of planets in the solar system.
C29 Explain how the regular motion and relative position of the sun, Earth, and moon affect the seasons, phases of the moon, and eclipses.

graphs.

CT State Grade Level Expectations (Draft)

GRADE-LEVEL CONCEPT 1: u Gravity is the force that governs the motions of objects in the solar system.

1. Earth is part of a system of celestial bodies that are grouped together around a central star, the Sun. This system includes objects of different masses and composition such as planets, moons, asteroids, minor planets, and comets. These objects move in predictable paths determined by gravity.

2. Gravity is a force of attraction between two objects. The strength of gravitational force depends on the total mass of the two objects and the distance between them. The greater the total mass, the greater the force of gravity. The greater the distance between two objects, the less the force of gravity.

3. The difference between an object’s mass and its weight is explained by gravity. Mass is the measure of the amount of matter in an object; weight is the force of gravity between an object and the celestial body it is on. Bodies in the solar system have different masses; therefore the same object has a different weight on each celestial body.

4. Objects in the solar system are held in their predictable paths by the inward-pulling gravitational attraction of the very massive sun. The interaction of the center-pulling force of gravity with a moving object’s inertia (tendency to keep moving) keeps one object in circle-like motion (revolution) around another. This causes planets to orbit around the center of the solar system and moons to orbit around planets.

5. The Earth and other planets move through space in two ways: rotation on an axis and revolution around the sun. Earth revolves around the sun in a near-circular path, explaining cyclical phenomena such as seasons and changes in visible star patterns (constellations).

6. The time it takes for an object to complete one revolution around the sun depends on the speed at which it is moving and the size of its orbit. Objects more distant from the sun’s gravitational pull move slower than those that are closer. Earth’s period of revolution is about 365 days (year); planets that are more distant from the sun take longer to orbit (revolve) around the sun, resulting in longer years.

GRADE-LEVEL CONCEPT 2: u The motion of the Earth and moon relative to the sun causes daily, monthly and yearly cycles on the Earth.

1. Earth rotates around an axis or rotation, a line going through the center of the earth from the north pole to the south pole. The tilt of Earth’s axis relative to its orbital path, combined with the spherical shape of the earth, cause differences in the amount and intensity of the sun’s light striking different latitudes of the earth.

2. Earth experiences seasons as northern or southern hemispheres are tilted toward the sun over the course of its 365-day revolution period. Earth’s tilt causes seasonal differences in the height of the perceived path of the sun and the number of hours of sunlight. Seasons are not related to a change in distance between the Earth and the Sun, since that distance changes very little.

3. The moon changes its position relative to the earth and sun as it revolves around the earth in a period of about 29 days. The same half of the moon is always reflecting light from the Sun; some of the reflected light reaches Earth. Phases of the moon are explained by changes in the angle at which the sun’s light strikes the moon and is reflected to Earth. The relative position of the Sun, Earth and moon can be predicted given a diagram of a moon phase.

4. Eclipses occur when the moon, Earth and sun occasionally align in specific ways. A solar eclipse occurs when the when the moon is directly between the Earth and the sun (during new moon phase) and the moon blocks the sun’s light, creating a moving shadow on parts of the earth. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth is directly between the moon and the sun (full moon phase), the Earth blocks the sun’s light, casting a shadow over the moon.

Ocean tides on Earth are caused by the moon’s gravitational force pulling on large bodies of water as the Earth and moon move around each other daily. The regular daily and monthly movement of the water (tides) can be predicted.

c. Essential Questions:

What are the two ways in which earth moves in space?
What causes the seasons on Earth?
What two factors affect the strength of the force of gravity between two objects?
What causes the phases of the moon?
What causes an eclipse?

d. Essential Concepts:

Earth moves through space in two ways: rotation and revolution.
The tilt of Earth’s axis causes the cycle of seasons on Earth.
The two factors that affect the strength of the force of gravity between two objects are the mass of the two objects and the distance between them.
Inertia and gravity are the forces that keep one object in orbit around another.
The phases of the moon are caused by the change in the relative positions between the sun, the Earth and the moon.
During a solar eclipse, the moon keeps sunlight from reaching parts of the earth.
During a lunar eclipse, Earth keeps sunlight from reaching the moon.

e. Essential Skills:

f. Vocabulary:

LABS/ACTIVITIES:

Moon Phases

Reason for the Seasons

Eclipse

Tides

Galileo (Reading)

Essay Assessment: What if the moon didn’t exist?

QUARTERLY ASSESSMENT

SEASONS

MOON PHASES

RFI: GALILEO

ASSESSMENT

THIRD QUARTER

II. UNIT 4: Landforms and Constructive and Destructive Forces

TIMING:

APPROXIMATE DATES:

a. Unit Introduction:

b. Standards:

C18 Describe how folded and faulted rock layers provide evidence of the gradual up and down motion of the Earth’s crust.
C19 Explain how glaciation, weathering and erosion create and shape valleys and floodplains.

CT State Grade Level Expectations (Draft)

GRADE-LEVEL CONCEPT 1: u Glaciation, weathering, and erosion change the Earth’s surface by moving earth materials from place to place.

GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS:

1. Earth's surface is constantly being shaped and reshaped by natural processes. Some of these processes, like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, produce dramatic and rapid change. Others, like weathering and erosion, usually work less conspicuously over longer periods of time.

2. Glaciers are large, deep formations of compacted snow and ice. They form in areas where annual snowfall is greater than the seasonal melt, resulting in a gradual build-up of snow and ice from one season to the next.

3. Glaciers continue to build and advance as long as snow and ice continually accumulate; rising temperatures and decreased snowfall cause glaciers to shrink and retreat. Over the past 100 years, glaciers worldwide have tended toward retreat as average temperatures have increased.

4. Glaciers can be hundreds to thousands of meters thick and can extend for many kilometers. Under the pressure of its own weight and the force of gravity, a glacier slowly spreads outwards across a region or moves down a slope.

5. In a process called glaciation, moving glaciers reshape the land beneath them by carving away the soil and rock over which they move. Glaciated valleys are trough-shaped, often with steep vertical cliffs where entire mountainsides were removed by glacial scraping. When the glacier retreats and ice melts, the valley may fill with water to form a river or a lake.

6. Moving glaciers reshape the land around them by transporting material as they move. Glaciers plow along a mixture of loosened soil, gravel and boulders (till), leaving piles that form mounded landforms off to the sides or at the glacier’s end.

7. During the last Ice Age, New England was covered by a glacier; Connecticut’s landscape provides many examples of glacial landforms.

8. Weathering and erosion work together as destructive natural forces. Both are forces that break down rock into small particles called sediments.

9. Weathering is the breakdown of rocks into small particles (sediment) due to physical, chemical, or biological interactions. Physical weathering can result from the repeated freezing and thawing of water entering small cracks or pores in rocks, or from temperature fluctuations causing expansion and contraction. Chemical weathering can occur when water dissolves minerals in certain rock types. Biological weathering can be caused by plant roots or lichens. Rock properties, such as hardness, porosity or mineral content, influence its susceptibility to weathering.

10. Erosion loosens and transports sediment formed by weathering. Moving water can carry away tiny sediments or entire hillsides, riverbanks, beaches, or roadbeds. Rivers, waves or waterfalls can carve landforms such as valleys, canyons, caverns or floodplains. Wind can erode some rock types, carving distinctive formations or creating sand dunes.

CONTENT STANDARD 7.3 – continued

GRADE-LEVEL CONCEPT 2: u Volcanic activity and the folding and faulting of rock layers during the shifting of Earth’s crust affect the formation of mountains, ridges, and valleys.

GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS:

1. Earth’s surface features, such as mountains, volcanoes and continents, are the constantly-changing result of dynamic processes and forces at work inside the Earth.

2. Earth is formed of three basic layers, with the densest being the iron and nickel core. The middle layer, the mantle, of the Earth is composed of mostly light elements such as silicon, oxygen and magnesium and is quite plastic because of its high temperature and pressure. The top layer, the crust, is solid but relatively thin, and it supports large land masses (continents) and oceans.

3. The material supporting the earth’s crust is broken into different “tectonic plates” that float on the material beneath it and move in small amounts very slowly. Continental drift is driven by convection currents in the hot liquid mantle beneath the crust.

4. The presence of plant and animal fossils of the same age found around different continent shores, along with the matching coastline shapes of continental land masses, provides evidence that the continents were once joined.

5. At the locations where two tectonic plates interact, a boundary exists. There are divergent boundaries (where plates move apart causing trenches and new crust to form), convergent boundaries (where plates push together causing folding, faulting and uplift), and transform boundaries (where plates slide past each other causing a build-up of resistance that can result in earthquakes). Connecticut has a great deal of fault rock evidence of crustal separation.

6. The folding and faulting of rock layers during the shifting of the Earth’s crust causes the constructive formation of mountains, ridges and valleys.

7. Mountain formation can be the result of convergent tectonic plates colliding, such as the Appalachians and the Himalayas; mountains may also be formed as a result of divergent tectonic plates moving apart and causing rifting as in East Africa or Connecticut.

8. Most volcanoes and earthquakes are located at tectonic plate boundaries where plates come together or move apart from each other. A geographic plot of the location of volcanoes and the centers of earthquakes allows us to locate tectonic plate boundaries.

9. The geological makeup of Connecticut shows evidence of various earth processes, such as continental collisions, rifting, and folding that have shaped its structure.

SCIENTIFIC LITERACY TERMINOLOGY: Erosion, weathering, glacier, valley, floodplain, core, mantle, folds, fault/fault line, continent, tectonic plate, plate boundary, convection, mountains, volcano, earthquake.

c. Essential Questions:

How does stress in the crust change Earth’s surface?
What processes wear down and build up the surface of the Earth?
What process is mainly responsible for shaping the surface of the land?
How do weathering and erosion affect Earth’s surface?
How do glaciers cause erosion and deposition?
How do scientists determine the relative age of rocks?

d. Essential Concept

Earth’s outer layer is broken into sections called plates.
Stress is created when enormous forces act on rocks to change their shape and volume.
A fault is created when enough stress builds up in rock causing the rock to break.
Plate movement can cause the crust to fold creating mountains and valleys.
Weathering and erosion work together continuously to wear down and carry away the rocks at Earth’s surface.
Glaciers are large masses of ice that move slowly over land.
As a glacier moves over land, the weight of the ice breaks the rock beneath. When it flows downhill, it scrapes away the bedrock under it and carries rock debris with it. When the glacier melts, it deposits the rock fragment creating various landforms.
Scientists use the position of rock layers to determine their relative age. The oldest layers are generally found on the bottom while the younger layers are found on top.

e. Essential Skills

f. Vocabulary

g. Suggested Labs and Activities

How Glaciers Change Land

Faults

Fault Model

How Stress Affects the Earth

Mountains

THIRD QUARTER

II. UNIT 5: PLATE TECTONICS

Time:

Approximate Dates:

a. Unit Introduction:

b. Standards

1. C20 Explain how the boundaries of tectonic plates can be inferred from the location of earthquakes and volcanoes.

CT State Grade Level Expectations (Draft)

GRADE-LEVEL CONCEPT 2: u Volcanic activity and the folding and faulting of rock layers during the shifting of Earth’s crust affect the formation of mountains, ridges, and valleys.

GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS:

10. Earth’s surface features, such as mountains, volcanoes and continents, are the constantly-changing result of dynamic processes and forces at work inside the Earth.

11. Earth is formed of three basic layers, with the densest being the iron and nickel core. The middle layer, the mantle, of the Earth is composed of mostly light elements such as silicon, oxygen and magnesium and is quite plastic because of its high temperature and pressure. The top layer, the crust, is solid but relatively thin, and it supports large land masses (continents) and oceans.

12. The material supporting the earth’s crust is broken into different “tectonic plates” that float on the material beneath it and move in small amounts very slowly. Continental drift is driven by convection currents in the hot liquid mantle beneath the crust.

13. The presence of plant and animal fossils of the same age found around different continent shores, along with the matching coastline shapes of continental land masses, provides evidence that the continents were once joined.

14. At the locations where two tectonic plates interact, a boundary exists. There are divergent boundaries (where plates move apart causing trenches and new crust to form), convergent boundaries (where plates push together causing folding, faulting and uplift), and transform boundaries (where plates slide past each other causing a build-up of resistance that can result in earthquakes). Connecticut has a great deal of fault rock evidence of crustal separation.

15. The folding and faulting of rock layers during the shifting of the Earth’s crust causes the constructive formation of mountains, ridges and valleys.

16. Mountain formation can be the result of convergent tectonic plates colliding, such as the Appalachians and the Himalayas; mountains may also be formed as a result of divergent tectonic plates moving apart and causing rifting as in East Africa or Connecticut.

17. Most volcanoes and earthquakes are located at tectonic plate boundaries where plates come together or move apart from each other. A geographic plot of the location of volcanoes and the centers of earthquakes allows us to locate tectonic plate boundaries.

18. The geological makeup of Connecticut shows evidence of various earth processes, such as continental collisions, rifting, and folding that have shaped its structure.

c. Essential Questions

How do the characteristics of Earth’s crust, mantle, and core differ?
What causes convection currents in Earth’s mantle?
How does the theory of plate tectonics explain the formation, movement, and subduction of Earth’s plates?
What type of movement occurs at each plate boundary? How do the movements affect earth’s crust?

d. Essential Concepts

Earth’s interior is made up of three main layers; the crust, the mantle, and the core. These layers vary greatly in size, composition, temperature, and pressure.
Convection is the heat transfer by the movement of currents within a fluid. Heating and cooling of the fluid mantle, changes in density and gravity combine to cause convection currents in the mantle.
The movement of convection currents in the mantle is the major force that causes plate movements.
As the plates move, they collide pull, apart, or grind past each other, they change Earth’s surface causing earthquakes and creating, among other things, mountains, volcanoes, and deep ocean trenches.

e. Essential Skills

f. Vocabulary