Download Deconstruction - Earth Processes - January 2009

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