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Earth Science 1,2 Units of Study
San Diego Unified School District
High School Instructional Support
3/2/09
3/2/09
Earth Science 1,2 Units of Study
High School Instructional Support
2
Introduction
The San Diego Unified School District Science Curriculum Department is in the process of developing standards-aligned comprehensive Units of Study for each of the major content areas in science. This document will
grow over time as feedback is accumulated through the professional community institutions implemented at the site and district level. The Units of Study are designed to offer teachers a focused context of student
performance outcomes, instructional experiences defined by the adopted curriculum, support resources to meet those objectives, and sample Unit of Study assessments designed to measure student understanding relative
to those performance objectives.
The format of these Units of Study is driven by the California Science Content Standards with topics sequenced by the community of Earth Science teachers during the 2007-2009 Earth Science Course-Alike meetings.
Given that adopted curricular materials and site resources may not match the district-adopted curriculum, the timeline of the Units of Study are stated in terms of blocks of time rather than a mandatory sequence. The
expectation is that students master the content defined by the standards and performance objectives in all of the Units of Study by the completion of the course.
Each unit includes a Timeline, the Content Topic, the District Core Concept addressed by the unit, specific California Science Content Standards addressed, specific student performance objectives, relevant Instructional
Activities found in the adopted curriculum (this will be expanded as supplementary resources are identified), Corresponding Text Section, Supports and Literacy Strategies for scaffolding and special education
accommodations, a list of Enrichment Activities for differentiation purposes, and a collection of Sample Assessments.
Timeline
Topic
District Core Concept
.
District Student Performance Objectives
Supports
CA State Standard
Relevant Activities
Enrichment Activities
Corresponding Text Section
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In some cases the adopted curriculum does not include publisher-provided Supports – Literacy Strategies and Enrichment Activities. There are a number of generic Supports and
Enrichment Activities that may be applied to all course content areas. The limited lists below outline some of the well-known strategies in these areas.
Supports – Literacy Strategies Enrichment Activities
KWL, KWL+, BKWL
Supports – Literacy Strategies Enrichment Activities
Carr, E. and D. Ogle. 1987. “K-W-L Plus: A Strategy for Comprehension and Summarization.” Journal of Reading 30:626-631
Ogle, D. 1986. “K-W-L: A Teaching Model That Develops Active Reading of Expository Text.” reading Teacher 39: 563-570
Acceleration
Skimming and Scanning
Curriculum Compaction
Brody, L. E., & Benbow, C. P. 1987.Accelerative strategies: How effective are they for the gifted? Gifted Child Quarterly, 31, 105–109.
Ausuble, D. 1968. Education Psychology: A Cognitive View, New York: Holt Rinehart and Winston
Winograd, P. 1984. “Strategic Difficulties in Summarizing Texts.” Reading Research Quarterly 19:404-425
Reis, S. M., Burns, D. E., & Renzulli, J. S. 1992. Curriculum compacting: The complete guide to modifying the regular curriculum for high ability
students. Mansfield Center, CT: Creative Learning Press.
List-Group-Label
Independent Study
Taba, H 1967. teacher’s Handbook for Elementary Social Studies. Reading, MA: Addison Wesley
Developing Questions for Reading: Concept Ladder
Gillet, J.W., and C.Temple 1982. Understanding Reading Problems: Assessment and Instruction. Boston: Little, Brown
Word Study: Developing Content Vocabulary
Nagy, W. 1988 Teaching Vocabulary to Improve Reading Comprehension. Newark DE: International Reading Association
Nagy W., and P. Herman. 1987 “Breadth and Depth of Vocabulary Knowledge: Implications for Acquisition and Instruction.” In M. McKeown and M.
Curtis eds., The Nature of
Vocabulary Acquisition. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Karnes, F. & Stephans Kozak, K. 2005 Independent Study for Gifted Learners (The Practical Strategies Series in Gifted Education)
Waco, TX: Prufrock Press Inc.
Treffinger Self-Directed Learning
Treffinger, D. 1975. “Teaching for Self-Directed Learning: a Priority for the Gifted and Talented” Gifted Child Quarterly, Vol. 19, No. 1, 46-59
Sternberg Triarchic Theory of Intelligence-based Instruction
Sternberg, R. J. 1988. The triarchic mind: A new theory of human intelligence. New York: Viking.
Problem-Based Learning
Checkly, K. 1997. Problem-based learning. ASCD Curriculum Update, summer, 3.
Word Study: How to Learn Content Vocabulary Through Context
Harkness Discussion Model / Teaching
Baumann, J.F., and E. J. Kameenui, 1991. “Research on Vocabulary Instruction: Ode to Voltaire.” In J. Flood, J.M. Jensen, D. Lapp, and J.R. Squire,
eds., Handbook on
Teaching English Language Arts. New York: MacMillan
Nagy, W. 1997. “On the Role of Context in First-and Second-Language Vocabulary Learning.” In Schmitt and M.McCarthy, eds., Vocabulary:
Description, Acquisistion, and
Pedagogy, pp. 64-83. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Still Looking for Research...
References for following items to be identified.
Directed Reading Thinking Activity
Haggard, M. 1985. “An interactive Strategies Approach to Content Reading.” Journal of Reading 29:204-210
Strauffer, R. 1969. Directing Reading Maturity as a Cognitive Process. New York: Harper & Row.
Questions Game
McTeague, F. 1996. “The Questions Game.” In A. Chambers, Tell Me: Children, Reading and Talk. Portaland ME: Stenhouse
Textbook Activity Guide
Davey, B. 1986. “Using Textbook Activity Guides to Help Students Learn from Textbooks.” Journal of Reading 29: 489-494
ReQuest
Manzo, A. 1969. “The ReQuest Procedure.” Journal of Reading 13:23-26.
Cornell Note-Taking
Pauk, W. 1974. How To Study in College. Boston : Houghton Mifflin
Academic Notebooks: Writing to Learn
Langer, J.A., and A. Applebee. 1987. How Writing Shapes Thinking. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English
Inquiry and Research: I-Charts
Hoffman, J. 1992. “Critical Reading/Thinking Across the Curriculum: Using I-Charts to Support Learning.” Language Arts 69:121-127
Future Problem Solving Model
Kaplan’s Grid for Curriculum Unit Design
Accessing Multiple Intelligences
Learning Style Evaluation
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Flow inducing activities
Renzulli Enrichment Triad Model
Renzulli’s Schoolwide Enrichment Model
Academies of Inquiry and Talent Development Model
Structure of Intellect Instruction Model
Kohlberg’s Moral Dilemma Discussion
The Purdue Three Stage Model for Gifted Instruction
Learning Enrichment Service
Taba Discovery Approach
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Earth Science 1,2 Sample Pacing Guide (Traditional Schedule)
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Sample Time Line
Topic
Sample Time Line
Topic
Week 1 - 2
Intro to Earth Science and Mapping
Week 1
California Geology
Week 2 - 8
Astronomy
Week 2 - 3
Energy in Earth’s System
Week 9
Earth as a System
Week 4 - 8
Earth’s Atmosphere
Week 9 - 13
Rocks and Geologic Time
Week 9 - 10
Oceanography
Week 14 - 17
Plate Tectonics
Week 11 - 13
Climate (and Weather)
Week 14
Biogeochemical Cycles
Week 15 - 16
Biology Connections
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Timeline
Topic
District Core Concepts
CA State Standard
• Earth Science is the scientific study of Earth and the
universe around it.
0.5 week
I&E, especially 1.a, 1.b, 1.c, 1.d, 1.f, 1.g, 1.j, 1.k, 1.l, 1.m, 1.n
Intro to Earth Science
• Using scientific methods, scientists develop hypotheses and
theories to describe natural phenomena.
District Student Performance Objectives
√ Name the four branches of Earth science.
√ Explain how science is different from other forms of endeavors
√ Analyze how scientific thought changes as new information is collected
Supports
• Pre-Reading Activity – Four-Corner Fold
• Using the Figure – Racetrack Playa p. 4; Scientific Methods p. 10; Levels of Analysis
p. 13
• Discussion – Creating Calendars p. 5; Influences on Natural Systems p. 9; Types of
Reasoning p. 10; Variables and Controls p. 11; Peer Review Pressure p. 14
• Reading Skill Builder – Reading Organizer p. 6; Vocabulary p. 7; Reading Organizer
p. 11
• Activity – Not Your Typical Office Job p. 6; Precision and Accuracy p. 12
• Inclusion Strategies p. 7; p. 10
• Focus on the Standards – 1.k p. 7; 1.f p. 11; 1.b p. 12; 1.c p. 13; 1.j p. 14
• Reteaching – Picture This p. 8; Chart of Scientific Methods p. 15
• Alternative Assessment – Role Play p. 8; Scientific Proposal p. 16; Frontiers of Earth
Science p. 17
• Graphic Organizer – Chain-of-Events Chart p. 14
Relevant Activities
• Making Observation – Quick Lab p. 11
• Sample Size and Accuracy – Quick Lab p. 12
Corresponding Text Section
Holt Earth Science
• Ch. 1 pp. 4-16
Enrichment Activities
• Using the Figure – Doing Science p. 6
• Internet Activity – Ice Cores and Climate p. 6
• Group Activity – Scientific Revolutions p. 7
• Skill Builder – Math p. 12
• Social Studies Connection – Margin of Error p. 13
• Math Practice – Percentage Error p. 13
• Internet Activity – Limitations of Information Systems p. 15
• Debate – Should Science Always be ppled – p. 15
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Sample Assessments for Intro to Earth Science
When scientists pose questions about how nature operates
and attempt to answer those questions through testing ad
observation, they are conducting
(a) research.
(b) predictions.
(c) examinations.
(d) peer reviews.
How much error is there in the smallest measurement of
plate movement?
How much error is there in the largest measurement of
plate movement?
How would you explain the difference between the error
in the smallest measurement and the error in the largest
measurement?
If experimental results do not match their predictions,
scientists generally will
(a) repeat the experiment until the results match.
(b) make the measurements more precise.
(c) revise the working hypothesis.
(d) change their experimental results.
A statement that consistently and correctly describes a
natural phenomenon is a scientific
(a) hypothesis.
(b) theory.
(c) observation.
(d) control.
A possible explanation for a scientific problem is called
a(n)
(a) experiment.
(b) theory.
(c) observation.
(d) hypothesis.
Which of the following statements describes an example
of a physical model?
(a) a model that consists of a graph
(b) a model made up of molded clay, soil and
chemicals
(c) a model that includes equations
(d) a model created using a program
What is the difference between a theory and a hypothesis?
(a) A hypothesis is a possible explanation for a
problem, and a theory is an explanation that is
consistent with all existing tests.
(b) A hypothesis is an explanation that is
consistent with all existing tests, and a theory is a
general statement about the natural world for
which no exceptions have been found.
(c) A hypothesis changes during an experiment,
which results in changes in a theory.
(d) A hypothesis never changes during an
experiment, while a theory is often changed.
A scientist observes that each eruption of a volcano is
preceded by a series of small earthquakes. The scientist
then makes the following statement: “Earthquakes cause
volcanic eruptions.” Is the scientist’s statement a
hypothesis or a theory? Why?
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Timeline
Topic
District Core Concept
1 week
Geologic and
Topographic Mapping
• Different ways to map a curved surface (like the earth’s) onto a
flat surface have different advantages.
District Student Performance Objectives
√ Distinguish between latitude and longitude.
√ Explain how elevation and topography are shown on a map.
√ Describe the three types of information shown in geologic maps.
Supports
• Pre-Reading Activity – Fold Notes p. 52
• Inclusion Strategies - p. 54
• Discussion – Value of Geologic Maps p. 66
• Reteaching – Mapping Vocabulary p. 67
CA State Standard
I&E, especially 1.h
Read and interpret topographic and geologic maps.
Relevant Activities
• On the Grid - Motivate Activity p.53
• Topographic Maps - Quick Lab p. 64
• Contour Maps: Island Construction - Making Models
Lab pp. 74-75
Enrichment Activities
• History Connection – Early Cartographer p. 54
• Inclusion Strategies – p. 60
Corresponding Text Section
Holt Earth Science
• Ch. 3.1 pp. 52-56
• Ch. 3.2: Reading a Map pp.
60-62
• Ch. 3.3 pp. 63-68
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Sample Assessments for Geologic and Topographic Mapping
What type of map is commonly used to locate faults and folds
in beds of rock?
(a) geologic map
(b) topographic map
(c) soil map
(d) isogram map
What location on the map has the steepest
gradient?
(a) location A
(b) location B
(c) location C
(d) location D
In what direction is the river in the
topographic map flowing?
(a) south to north
(b) east to west
(c) northwest to southeast
(d) northeast to southwest
On a topographic map, elevation is shown by means of
(a) great circles.
(b) contour lines.
(c) verbal scales.
(d) fractional scales.
What characteristic is particularly advantageous of topographic
maps?
On a topographic map, which line illustrates a depression?
(a) They are the most accurate maps.
(a) lines that bend in a V
(b) They show elevation.
(b) lines that form a closed loop
(c) The have no distortion.
(c) closed loops that have short perpendicular lines
(d) They can be used to identify a location easily
(d) bold lines
The contour interval is a measurement of
(a) the change in elevation between two adjacent
contour lines.
(b) the distance between mean sea level and any give
contour line.
(c) the length of a contour line.
d) the time needed to travel between any two contour
lines.
Focus on the Standards – Teaching Investigation and
Experimentation 1h to Mastery
Activity – On pieces of graph paper, mark points at different
elevations for various landforms (you can use topographic maps
as reference points). Give each pair of students a piece of graph
paper. Have students create a topographic by connecting points
of equal elevation. Have students describe the landform produced
by each set of elevation points. Alternatively, pass out
topographic maps of different landforms and have students
identify the type of landform.
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Timeline
1 week
Topic
Studying Space
District Core Concepts
• Galaxies are made of billion of stars and comprise most of the
visible mass of the universe.
• Stars differ in their life cycles and that visual, radio, and X-ray
telescopes may be used to collect data that reveal those
differences.
• The Coriolis Effect is due to the Earth’s rotation and causes air
to deflect to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left
in the Southern Hemisphere.
CA State Standards
2.b. Galaxies are made of billions of stars and comprise most of
the visible mass of the universe.
2.d. Stars differ in their life cycles and that visual, radio, and X-ray
telescopes may be used to collect data that reveal those differences
District Student Performance Objectives
√ Describe the characteristics of the universe in terms of time, distance, and
organization.
√ Identify the visible and invisible parts of the electromagnetic spectrum.
√ Explain how telescopes for nonvisible electromagnetic radiation differ from light
telescopes.
√ Explain how the change in apparent positions of constellations provides evidence of
Earth’s rotation and revolution around the sun.
Supports
Relevant Activities
Corresponding Text Section
• Modeling a Pendulum – Quick Lab p. 668
• The Angle of the Sun’s Rays – Quick Lab p. 673
• Comet Meets Jupiter – Inquiry Lab, CRF p. 40-43
• Telescopes – Making Models Lab, CRF p. 44-47
• Pre-Reading Activity – Fold Notes p. 658
• Using the Figure – Man in Space p. 658; Comparing Telescopes p. 663; Time Zone Zigzags p. 671
• Activity – Descriptive Writing p. 659; Telescope Optics p. 662; Role-Playing p 667; Star Viewers p. 669
• Group Activity – Cosmic Timeline p. 660; Splitting Light p. 661
• Disussion – Galactic Address p. 660; Comprehension Check p. 669
• Reading Skill Builder – Paired Summarizing p. 661; Vocab p. 668; Reading Hint p. 670
• Inclusion Strategies - p. 661; p. 670
• Demonstration – Colors of Light p. 661; Heating with Invisible Light p. 662; Coriolis Effect p. 668
• Focus on the Standards – 1d p. 661; I&E 1d p. 670
• Debate – Space Exploration p. 665; Daylight Savings Time p. 672
• Reteaching – Two-column Notes p. 665; Evidence p. 673
• Cultural Awareness – Constellation Stories p. 669
• Graphing Skills – Line Graphs, CRF pp. 25-26
• Graphic Organizer – Venn Diagram p. 670
• Math Practice – Astronomical Unit p. 660
• Skill Builder – Math – p. 660
• History Connection – Seeing the Light p. 662; It’s All About Time p. 670
• Homework – Space Telescopes and Probes p. 664
• Internet Activity – Space Spinoffs p. 665; International Zones p. 671
• Alternative Assessment – Skit p. 665; Science Fiction Stories p. 674; Astronomy
Picture Books p. 675
• Math Skills – Order of Operations and Distance in Space, CRF pp. 23-24
• Math Connection – What Time Is It? P. 671
Holt Earth Science
• Ch. 26 pp. 658-674
Enrichment Activities
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Sample Assessments for Studying Space
Which of the following statements best
describes the organization of the universe?
(a) It is made up of solar systems,
which contain galaxies.
(b) It is made up of a few galaxies and
billions of stars.
(c) It is made up of billions of galaxies,
which contain billions stars.
(d) It is made up of solar systems and
billions of stars.
Telescopes are used both on Earth and in space. What is an
advantage of space-based telescopes?
(a) They are less expensive than land-based telescopes
are.
(b) Earth’s atmosphere does not interfere with spacebased telescopes.
(c) They can detect radio waves, which cannot be
detected by telescopes on Earth.
(d) They do not require lenses or mirrors as telescopes
on Earth do.
Which of the following statements about the electromagnetic
spectrum is true?
(a) It moves slower than the speed of light.
(b) It consists of waves of varying lengths.
(c) The shortest wavelengths are orange and red.
(d) Scientists can only detect waves of visible light.
Concept Mapping
Use the following terms to create a concept map: Galileo,
spacecraft, telescope, constellation, rotation, revolution,
Foucault pendulum, Coriolis effect, equinox, solstice, and
astronomy.
In position 1, the Northern Hemisphere tilts
toward the sun. Which season is this?
(a) winter
(b) spring
(c) summer
(d) fall
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Sample Assessments for Studying Space (continued)
The shorter the wavelength of any type of
electromagnetic radiation, the more energy the
radiation has. Such energy is potentially
harmful to humans. Which might be more
harmful to humans, ultraviolet radiation or
infrared radiation? What about x-rays?
Explain your answer.
Because of Earth’s atmosphere, telescopes for
invisible electromagnetic radiation
(a) work best on Earth’s surface.
(b) do not work at high elevations.
(c) have been launched into space.
(d) are not effective in studying space
Suppose you are in charge of installing the world’s largest
radio telescope on Earth’s surface. Describe where you would
put the telescope for best performance.
How did observations of the sky help farmers and sailors in the
past?
Why do ground-based telescopes that detect invisible radiation
work best at high elevations?
Describe the position of Earth’s axis during winter solstice. How
does this affect seasons in the Northern Hemisphere and in the
Southern Hemisphere?
Astronomers can see planets because planets
(a) reflect light.
(b) emit light.
(c) emit radio waves.
(d) emit X- rays.
The Coriolis effect provides evidence that
(a) Earth rotates on its axis.
(b) Earth revolves around the sun.
(c) The moon revolves around Earth.
(d) Earth has an elliptical orbit.
What are all the frequencies or wavelengths of Seasons are caused by
electromagnetic radiation called?
(a) Earth’s rotation on it’s axis.
(a) visible light
(b) Changes in the angle at which the sun’s rays strike
(b) the electric spectrum
Earth.
(c) the radiation frequencies
(c) The distance of a place from the equator.
(d) the electromagnetic spectrum
(d) Difference in Earth’s time zones.
A constellation’s change in position over several hours is caused
by
(a) Earth’s revolution around the Sun
(b) The tilt of Earth’s axis
(c) Earth’s rotation on its axis
(d) The movement of stars
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Timeline
Topic
District Core Concepts
• The solar system evolved from a nebular cloud of dust and gas
approximately 4.6 billion years ago.
1.5 weeks
Planets of the
Solar System
• Earth-based and space-based astronomy reveal the solar system
is a tiny part of the Milky Way galaxy, which is a vastly larger
system of gas and dust held together by gravity.
• Geological studies of Earth and other planets suggest that the
early Earth was very different from Earth today.
District Student Performance Objectives
√ Explain the nebular hypothesis of the origin of the solar system.
√ Describe how the planets formed.
√ Identify the basic characteristics of the inner planets.
√ Compare the characteristics of the inner planets.
√ Identify the basic characteristics that make the outer planets different from the inner
planets.
√ Compare the characteristics of the outer planets.
Supports
• Pre-Reading Activity – Fold Notes p. 684
• Reading Skill Builder – Reading Organizer p. 686; Paired Summarizing p. 698
• Group Activity – Skit p. 686
• Graphic Organizer – Chain-of-Events Chart p. 688; Comparison Table p. 704
• Reteaching – Flashcards p. 689; Same and Different p. 699; Concept Webs p. 707
• Inclusion Strategies - p. 704
CA State Standards
1.a. The differences and similarities among the sun, the terrestrial
planets, and the gas planets may have been established during the
formation of the solar system.
1.b. The evidence from Earth and moon rocks indicates that the
solar system was formed from a nebular cloud of dust and gas
approximately 4.6 billion years ago.
1.c. Evidence from geological studies of Earth and other planets
suggest that the early Earth was very different from Earth today.
8.b. The composition of Earth's atmosphere has evolved over
geologic time and know the effect of outgassing, the variations of
carbon dioxide concentration, and the origin of atmospheric
oxygen.
Relevant Activities
• Spinning Nebula – Group Activity p. 685
• Water Planetesimals – Quick Lab p. 687
• Crater Analysis – Making Models Lab pp. 714-715
Corresponding Text Section
Holt Earth Science
• Ch. 27.1 pp. 684-690
• Ch. 27.3 pp. 695-700
• Ch. 27.4 pp. 701-708
Enrichment Activities
• Internet Activity – Life on Mars? p. 699; Gravitational Microlensing p. 707
• Technology Connection – Cassini Mission p. 704
• History Connection – Caroline Herschel p. 705
• Group Activity – To Be a Planet or Not? p. 706
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Sample Assessments for Planets of the Solar System
Which of the following processes did NOT happen
during the formation of Earth’s atmosphere?
(a) The amount of carbon dioxide decreased.
(b) Volcanic eruptions released large amounts
of gases.
(c) The amount of oxygen increased.
(d) Oxygen formed ozone, which collected in
a layer in the upper atmosphere.
What is the percentage of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere of Venus?
(a) 3.5 %
(b) 21 %
(c) 95 %
(d) 96.5 %
The first atmosphere of Earth contained
a large amount of
(a) helium.
(b) oxygen.
(c) carbon dioxide.
(d) methane.
The hypothesis that states that the sun
and the planets developed out of the
same cloud of gas and dust is called the
(a) Copernicus hypothesis.
(b) solar hypothesis.
(c) nebular hypothesis.
(d) Galileo hypothesis.
Scientists estimate that the solar
system originated as a solar nebula,
and the sun began to produce its own
energy through nuclear fusion
approximately how many years ago?
(a) 50 million years
(b) 500 million years
(c) 1 billion years
(d) 5 billion years
Which of the following statements describes a way in which the formation of the
inner planets differs from the formation of the outer planets?
(a) The inner planets formed from planetesimals, and the outer planets
formed from comets.
(b) The inner planets formed more moons than the outer planets did.
(c) Because they are closer to the sun, the inner planets formed from
heavier elements than the outer planets did.
(d) Because they are far from the sun, the outer planets are composed of
frozen gases while the inner planets are composed of rock.
When Earth formed, it was hot enough
to melt iron. Which does NOT
describe a reason why Earth was so
hot?
(a) collision of planetesimals
(b) compression of inner layers
(c) radioactive materials
(d) solar energy
Which of the following statements is true of carbon dioxide in Earth’s developing
atmosphere?
(a) Carbon dioxide entered the atmosphere through the process of
outgassing.
(b) Earth’s earliest atmosphere was made up of carbon dioxide.
(c) The earliest organisms used oxygen and released carbon dioxide into
the atmosphere.
(d) Earth’s early atmosphere had more carbon dioxide than it does today.
Alternative Assessment – Cosmic
Cartoons p. 689
Have students create a series of
cartoon strips that illustrates the steps
in the formation of the sun and the
inner ad outer planets from the solar
nebula. Have students use captions to
explain what happened at each stage in
the process.
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Timeline
0.5 week
Topic
District Core Concept
Minor Bodies
of the Solar System
CA State Standard
• Impacts of asteroids on Earth in the past have in some cases
had dramatic effects on the Earth with regards to mass
extinctions.
District Student Performance Objectives
√ Describe the physical characteristics of asteroids and comets.
√ Compare meteoroids, meteorites, and meteors.
Supports
• Using the Figure – Comparing Craters p. 740
• Environmental Connection – Target Earth p. 740
• Reteaching – Crater Features p. 743
1.f
Evidence of the dramatic effects that asteroid impacts have had in
shaping the surface of planets and their moons and in mass
extinctions of life on Earth.
Relevant Activities
Corresponding Text Section
• Crater Eraser – Making Models Lab,
CRF pp. 59-62
Holt Earth Science
• Ch. 28.4 pp. 739-744
Enrichment Activities
• Physics Connection – Unusual Orbits p. 740
Earth Science 1,2 Units of Study
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Sample Assessments for Minor Bodies of the Solar System
Why are scientists concerned about near-Earth asteroids?
(a) Near-Earth asteroids make up only a small percentage of asteroids.
(b) Near-Earth asteroids might strike Earth, causing damage.
(c) Near-Earth asteroids have wide, elliptical orbits.
(d) Near-Earth asteroids are made of carbon materials.
Focus on the Standards – Earth Science 1f to Mastery
Activity – Display images of impact craters on the moon and Earth. Have students
describe and explain similarities and differences. Have students compare the effects
Was the rate of discovery of near-Earth asteroids in 2003 higher or lower than the rate in
(other than craters) of impacts on Earth with those on the moon. Alternatively, have
2000?
students research the scientific evidence for impacts throughout Earth’s history and
present their findings to the class.
How many near-Earth asteroids were discovered in the half-year in which the most
discoveries were made?
Which calendar year had the highest total number of near-Earth asteroid discoveries?
What is the total number of near-Earth asteroids discovered in the last three years shown
on the graph?
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Timeline
0.5 week
Topic
The Sun
District Core Concept
CA State Standards
• Comparing the solar spectrum with the spectra of other stars
shows that the Sun is a typical star.
1.a. The differences and similarities among the sun, the terrestrial
planets, and the gas planets may have been established during the
formation of the solar system.
1.e. The Sun is a typical star and is powered by nuclear reactions,
primarily the fusion of hydrogen to form helium.
District Student Performance Objectives
√ Explain how the sun converts matter into energy in its core.
√ Compare the radiative and convective zones of the sun.
√ Describe the three layers of the sun’s atmosphere.
Supports
• Pre-Reading Activity – Table Fold p. 754
• Using the Figure – Spectra p. 755
• Graphic Organizer – Chain-of-Events Chart p. 756
• Reading Skill Builder – Reading Organizer p. 758
• Inclusion Strategies – p. 758
• Skill Builder – Vocabulary p. 759
• Reteaching – Diagramming the Sun p. 759
Relevant Activities
Corresponding Text Section
• Modeling Fusion – Quick Lab p. 757
• The Size of our Sun – Quick Lab p. 758
Holt Earth Science
• Light Fingerprints – Making Models Lab, CRF pp. 44- • Ch. 29.1 pp. 754-760
47
Enrichment Activities
• Skill Builder – Math p. 756
• History Connection – Reinventing Time ad Space p. 757
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Sample Assessments for The Sun
A nuclear reaction in which atomic nuclei combine is
called
(a) fission.
(b) fusion.
(c) magnetism.
(d) granulation.
In addition to the sun, fusion occurs in all other active
stars. Which of the following statements about fusion to
stars is true?
(a) Only hydrogen undergoes fusion.
(b) Hydrogen undergoes fusion and forms many
different types of elements.
(c) The only product of fusion is helium.
(d) Various types of elements can undergo fusion.
The elements that make up the sun can be identified by
using a spectroscope to
(a) count the number of dark lines in the spectrum
of the sun.
(b) compare the spectrum of the sun to the spectra
of various elements.
(c) subtract the number of dark lines in the
spectrum hydrogen from the spectrum of the sun.
(d) identify which wavelengths of the light are
absorbed in the spectrum of the sun.
Fusion reactions provide power for the stars, such as the
sun. In which part of the sun do these fusion reactions
take place?
(a) layer A
(b) layer B
(c) layer C
(d) layer D
Which of the following statements does NOT describe a
step of fusion?
(a) Two hydrogen nuclei collide and fuse.
(b) A proton joins a proton-neutron pair.
(c) Neutrinos escape the sun.
(d) Two nuclei made up of two protons and one
neutron collide and fuse.
The number of hydrogen atoms that fuse to form a helium
atom is
(a) two.
(b) four.
(c) six.
(d) eight.
What is the sun’s source of energy?
(a) nuclear fission reactions that break down
massive nuclei to form lighter atoms
(b) nuclear fusion reactions that combine smaller
nuclei to form more massive ones
(c) reactions that strip away electrons to form
lighter atoms
(d) reactions that strip away electrons to form
more massive atoms
From what process does the sun get its energy?
What steps does this process follow?
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Timeline
2.5 weeks
Topic
Stars, Galaxies,
and the Universe
District Core Concepts
• Stars differ in their life cycles and that visual, radio, and X-ray
telescopes may be used to collect data that reveal those
differences.
• Galaxies are made of billion of stars and comprise most of the
visible mass of the universe.
• Only the elements hydrogen, helium and lithium formed
shortly after the “Big Bang”. Heavier elements (up to and
including iron) are formed by the process of fusion within the
cores of stars; the remaining elements are produced in super
novas.
CA State Standards
1.d. Evidence indicates that the planets are much closer to Earth than the stars
are.
1.e. The Sun is a typical star and is powered by nuclear reactions, primarily the
fusion of hydrogen to form helium.
2.a. The solar system is located in an outer edge of the disc-shaped Milky Way
galaxy, which spans 100,000 light years.
2.b. Galaxies are made of billions of stars and comprise most of the visible mass
of the universe.
2.c. Know the evidence indicating that all elements with an atomic number
greater than that of lithium have been formed by nuclear fusion in stars.
2.d. Stars differ in their life cycles and that visual, radio, and X-ray telescopes
may be used to collect data that reveal those differences
District Student Performance Objectives
√ Describe how astronomers determine the composition and temperature of stars.
√ Describe one way astronomers measure the distance to stars.
√ Explain how a main-sequence star generates energy.
√ Describe the evolution of a star after its main-sequence stage.
√ Summarize and list evidence for the big bang theory.
Supports
Relevant Activities
Corresponding Text Section
• Parallax – Quick Lab p. 779
• The Expanding Universe – Quick Lab p. 795
• Star Magnitudes – Making Models Lab pp. 802-803
• Pre-Reading Activity – Fold Notes p. 774
• Demonstration – Spectra p. 775
• Focus on the Standards – 2d p. 777; 2a p. 791; 2b p. 791
• Reteaching – Star Temps p.779; Evolution p.787; Galaxy Types p.791; Timeline p.795
• Graphing Skills – Line Graphs & Star Surface Temps, CRF 30 pp. 27-28
• Math Skills – Order of Operations & Distance from Stars to Planets, CRF 30 pp. 25-26
• Using the Figure – Star Mass and Classification p. 781; Identifying Stars p. 784
• Inclusion Strategies – p. 783; p. 794
• Reading Skill Builder – Paired Summ. p. 785; Vocab. p. 786; Anticip. Guide p. 791
• Graphic Organizer – Chain-of-Events Chart p. 786
• Activity – Multimedia Project
• Map Skills Activity – The Milky Way p. 804
• Skills Practice Lab – Blackbody Radiation p. 775
• Internet Activity – Proper Motion p. 777
• Activity – Observing Stars p. 778; Constellations p. 789
• Inquiry Lab – Curving Space-Time p. 779
• Group Activity – Main-Sequence Stars p. 783; Charting the Galaxy p. 804
• Physics Connection – Star Size and Spectra p. 785; Supernova Physics p. 787; New Physics, Old
Universe p. 794
• Debate – SETI p. 785
• Alternative Assessment – Moving Stars p.779; Odd Stars p.787; Expansion Rate p.796
• Skill Builder – Writing p. 790
• Astronomy Connection – Identifying a Galaxy from Within p. 791
Holt Earth Science
• Ch. 30 pp. 774 - 796
Enrichment Activities
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Sample Assessments for Stars, Galaxies, and the Universe
Why do scientists use light years to describe the distance
between Earth and other stars?
(a) Other stars are too close for the distance to be
measured in other units.
(b) Space is extremely vast.
(c) Stars move through space at the speed of light.
(d) Scientists measure the amount of light a star
emits to find out how far it is from Earth.
Which star has the brightest apparent magnitude as seen
from Earth?
(a) Rigel
(b) Betelguese
(c) Mintaka
(d) Sirius
Which of these stars is the coolest?
(a) Arcturus
(b) Betelguese
(c) Mintaka
(d) Vega
The most common element in most stars is
(a) oxygen.
(b) hydrogen.
(c) helium.
(d) sodium.
A star that has the mass of the sun will cease fusion at its
core when it is 10 billion years old. What happens to the
star?
(a) It leaves the main sequence.
(b) It has the same temperature but different
luminosity.
(c) It becomes more stable.
(d) It forms a new star.
The H-R diagram is one tool used by astronomers. Which
of the following statements describes the H–R diagram?
Which of the following statements does NOT describe the
(a) It describes the life cycle of stars.
typical galaxy?
(b) It is used to plot absolute magnitude against
(a) It has a diameter of 100,000 light years.
luminosity.
(b) It contains billions of stars.
(c) Subtract the number of dark lines in the
(c) It is one of billions of galaxies.
spectrum hydrogen from the spectrum of the sun.
(d) It is loosely shaped and carries few stars.
(d) Identify which wavelengths of the light are
absorbed in the spectrum of the sun.
Evidence for the big bang theory is provided by
(a) cosmic background radiation.
(b) apparent parallax shifts.
(c) differences in stellar luminosity.
(d) star patterns called constellations.
Alternative Assessment Poster Project
Have students create a poster that shows the different
classes of stars and their properties, as well as types of
star clusters or regions in galaxies in which different stars
are most likely to be located. Posters should show the
changing composition and physical evolution of the star.
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Timeline
0.5 week
Topic
District Core Concepts
Earth as a System
• A system usually has some properties that are different from
those of its parts, but appear because of the interaction of those
parts.
• Earth is a system composed of the geosphere, atmosphere,
hydrosphere, and biosphere.
District Student Performance Objectives
√ Describe the compositional and structural layers of Earth’s interior.
√ Compare an open system with a closed system.
√ List the characteristics of Earth’s four major spheres.
Supports
• Pre-Reading Activity – Fold Notes p. 26
• Using the Figure – Earth’s Interior Structure p. 28; Overlapping of Spheres p. 33
• Reteaching – Earth’s Interior Structure p. 29; Open and Closed Systems p. 37
• Demonstration - Open and Closed Systems p. 31
• Reading Skill Builder – Paired Summarizing p. 32
• Homework – Systems at Home p. 32
• Skill Builder – Vocabulary p. 33
• Inclusion Strategies p. 33
• Graphing Skills - Composition of Earth’s Atmosphere CRF pp. 24-25
CA State Standard
I&E, especially 1.l
Analyze situations and solve problems that require combining and
applying concepts from more than one area of science.
Relevant Activities
• Testing the Conservation of Mass – Skills Practice
Lab CRF pp. 35-37
Corresponding Text Section
Holt Earth Science
• Ch. 2.1 pp. 26-30
• Ch. 2.2: Earth-System
Science & Earth’s Four
Spheres pp. 31-33
Enrichment Activities
• Physics Connection – Seismic Waves p. 28
• Skill Builder – Writing p. 29
• Space Science Connection – Spheres of Other Planets and Moons p. 33
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Sample Assessments for Earth as a System
Describe three ways in which the atmosphere interacts
with the geosphere.
The diagram above shows the interior layers of Earth.
One type of seismic wave, S waves, cannot travel through
liquids. Which layer of the Earth’s interior does not
transmit S waves?
(a) layer B
(b) layer C
(c) layer D
(d) layer E
Use the following terms to create a concept map:
biosphere, magnetosphere, mantle, atmosphere,
geosphere, hydrosphere, crust, core.
Explain why closed systems typically do not exist on
Earth. Suggest two examples of a closed system created
by humans.
A jar with its lid on tightly s one example of a(n)
(a) open system.
(b) biosphere.
(c) closed system.
(d) ecosphere.
Closed systems exchange energy but do not exchange
(a) gravity.
(b) matter.
(c) sunlight.
(d) heat.
How are scientists able to study the composition and size
of the interior layers of Earth?
(a) by direct observation
(b) by analyzing surface rock samples
(c) by sing seismic waves
(d) by deep-drilling int interior layers
The element that makes up the largest percentage of the
atmosphere is
(a) oxygen.
(b) nitrogen.
(c) carbon dioxide.
(d) ozone.
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Timeline
Topic
1 week
Minerals of the
Earth’s Crust
District Core Concepts
CA State Standard
Rocks are classified according to their chemical composition
and texture.
District Student Performance Objectives
√ Define mineral.
√ Compare the two main groups of minerals.
√ Describe physical properties that help distinguish one mineral from another.
Supports
• Pre-Reading Activity – Fold Notes p. 102
• Focus on the Standards – 1.l p. 104; 9.a p. 106; 1.d p. 111;
• Skill Builder – Vocabulary p. 105
• Activity – Acid Test p. 105; Those are the Breaks p. 110Using Density to Identify
Minerals p. 112
• Group Activity – Mineral Yes or No? p. 103; Growing Crystals p. 106
• Reteaching – Name that Mineral p. 107; Peer Reviewing p. 113
• The Same, But Different – Demonstration p. 109
• Reading Skill Builder – Reading Organizer p. 110
• Inclusion Strategies p. 110
• Graphic Organizer – Comparison Table p. 111
• Discussion – Crystal Powers p. 112
I&E, especially 1.a
Select and use appropriate tools and technology to perform tests,
collect data. analyze relationships and display data
Relevant Activities
• Determining Density - Quick Lab p. 113
• Mineral Identification – Skills Practice Lab pp. 120121
Enrichment Activities
• Internet Activity – Mineral Formation p. 104
• Geology Connection – Mineraloids p. 104
• Homework – Mineral Names p. 105
• Skill Builder – Writing p. 112
Corresponding Text Section
Holt Earth Science
• Ch. 5.1: Characteristics of
Minerals, Kinds of Minerals,
Crystalline Structure pp. 102106
• Ch. 5.2 pp. 109-114
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Sample Assessments for Minerals of Earth’s Crust
What percentage of the weight of Earth’s crust is made of
silicon?
Oxygen makes up 93.8% of Earth’s crust by volume, but
oxygen is only 46.60% of Earth’s crust by weight. How
is this possible?
By comparing the volume and weight percentages of
aluminum and calcium, determine which element has the
higher density.
Minerals can be identified by all of the following
properties except
(a) specimen color.
(b) specimen shape.
(c) specimen hardness.
(d) specimen luster.
The words waxy, pearly, and dull describe a mineral’s
(a) luster.
(b) hardness.
(c) streak.
(d) fluorescence.
A scientist believes that a new mineral has been
discovered. Which of the following characteristics would
NOT characterize the substance as a mineral?
(a) It is organic.
(b) It occurs naturally.
(c) It is a crystalline solid.
(d) It has consistent chemical composition.
The words uneven and splintery describe a mineral’s
(a) cleavage.
(b) fracture.
(c) hardness.
(d) luster.
What determines the hardness of a mineral?
(a) the strength of the bonds among atoms in the
mineral
(b) the number of bonds among atoms in the
mineral
(c) the tendency of the mineral to split along
specific planes
(d) the tendency of the mineral to leave a streak
Alternative Assessment – Flowchart
Have students work in small groups to design a flowchart
that classifies and describes the two main groups of
minerals and their subgroups.
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Timeline
1.5 weeks
Topic
Rocks and
the Rock Cycle
District Core Concepts
CA State Standard
• Rocks are classified according to their chemical composition
and texture. These are broadly defined as igneous,
metamorphic, and sedimentary.
3.b. Principal structures form at the three different kinds of plate
boundaries.
• The rock cycle explains how these different rock types are
form.
3.c. Explain the properties of rocks based on the physical and
chemical conditions in which they formed, including plate tectonic
processes.
District Student Performance Objectives
√ Identify the three major types of rock, and explain how each type forms.
√ Summarize the steps in the rock cycle.
√ Classify igneous rocks according to their composition and texture.
√ Identify sedimentary rock features.
√ Describe the process of metamorphism.
Supports
• Pre-Reading Activity – Fold Notes p. 102
• Discussion – Types of Rocks p. 125; Hand Samples p. 129; Comp. Check p. 137
• Using the Figure – Rock Cycle p. 126; Igneous Struc. p. 133; Limestone Form. p. 136
• Inclusion Strategies p. 126
• Graphic Organizer – Chain-of-Events Chart p. 127
• Reteaching – Rock Cycle Processes p. 127; Igneous Rock Char. p. 133; Sed. Rock p. 139; Metamorphic
Rocks p. 143
• Focus on the Standards – 1.i p. 127; 3.b p. 132; 3.c p. 138 & 142
• Alternative Assessment – Rock Crystallization p. 128; Travel Brochures p. 134; Modeling Sedimentation
p. 140
• Demonstration – Partial Freezing p. 130; Sedimentation p. 135; Metamorphism p. 141
• Reading Skill Builder – Reading Organizer p. 131; Vocabulary p. 133; Paired Summarizing p. 137;
Reading Organizer p. 138; Anticipation Guide p. 142
• Group Activity – Poster Project p. 132
Relevant Activities
Corresponding Text Section
• Classification of Rocks – Skills Practice Lab pp. 150151
• Crystal Formation – Quick Lab p. 130
Holt Earth Science
• Graded Bedding – Quick Lab p. 139
• Ch. 6 pp. 124-144
• Sorting Sediments – Inquiry Lab CRF pp. 46-49
• Metamorphic Rocks – Making Model Lab CRF pp.
50-53
Enrichment Activities
• Geology Connection – Information from Igneous Rocks p. 131
• Homework – Chemical Sedimentary Rock p. 136; Degrees of Metamorphism p. 143
• Chemistry Connection – The Carbon Cycle p. 136
• Internet Activity – Identifying Sedimentary Rock Features p. 138
• Activity – Poster Project p. 142
• Alternative Assessment – Metamorphic Chemistry p. 144
• Skills Worksheet: Math Skills – Significant Digits and Rock Measurement CRF pp. 2526
• Skills Worksheet: Graphing Skills – Ternary Diagrams and Mineral Composition pp.
27-28
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Sample Assessments for Rocks and the Rock Cycle
The diagram above shows several igneous rock
formations. Which of the following processes brings
rocks to Earth’s surface, where they can be eroded?
(a) deposition
(b) weathering
(c) melting
(d) uplift
The splitting of slate into flat layers illustrates its
(a) contact metamorphism.
(b) formation.
(c) sedimentation.
(d) foliation.
What occurs when heat from nearby magma causes
changes in the surrounding rocks?
(a) contact metamorphism
(b) fluid metamorphism
(c) intrusive metamorphism
(d) regional metamorphism
To make a statue, an artist uses a stone that formed from
another type of stone by compression that lacks bands.
Which type of rock is the artist using?
(a) sedimentary
(b) igneous
(c) foliated metamorphic
(d) nonfoliated metamorphic
A mountain in the desert is found to be made from the
remains of ancient ocean organisms. Which type of rock
makes up the mountain?
(a) chemical sedimentary rock
(b) clastic sedimentary rock
(c) organic sedimentary rock
(d) fossilized sedimentary rock
Alterative Assessment – Bulletin Board Display
Have students create a display on a bulletin board that
shows the processes by which rocks form and transform
into other rocks. The basic form of the display should
resemble the figure of the rock cycle, but students may
modify the layout and the size to include other details,
such as the rate of cooling and the magma type for
igneous rocks, the properties and classes of sedimentary
rock, and the textures of metamorphic rocks.
The large, well-developed crystals found in some samples
of granite are a sign that
(a) the lava from which it formed cooled rapidly.
(b) the magma contained a lot of dissolved gases.
(c) the lava from which it formed cooled slowly.
(d) water deposited minerals in the rock cavities.
Concept Mapping Use the following terms to create a
concept map: rock cycle, foliated, igneous rock, intrusive,
sedimentary rock, clastic sedimentary rock, metamorphic
rock, chemical sedimentary rock, extrusive, organic
sedimentary rock, and nonfoliated.
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Timeline
1 week
Topic
The Rock Record
District Core Concepts
CA State Standard
• Rocks are classified according to their chemical composition
and texture. These are broadly defined as igneous,
metamorphic, and sedimentary.
• The rock cycle explains how these different rock types are
form.
District Student Performance Objectives
√ Explain how the law of superposition can be used to determine the relative ages of
rocks.
√ Summarize the limitations of using the rates of erosion and deposition to determine
the absolute age of rock formations.
√ Explain how the process of radioactive decay can be used to determine the absolute
age of rocks.
Supports
• Pre-Reading Activity – Fold Notes p. 184
• Discussion – Rock Layers p. 185; Predications p. 187; Measuring Decay p. 193
• Inclusion Strategies p. 186
• Reading Skill Builder – Reading Hint p. 187; Vocabulary p. 187
• Using the Figure – The Law of Superposition p. 187; Comparing Sedimentary Rock p.
188; Erosion Rate p. 191; Counting Decay p. 194; Methods for Dating Rocks p.195
• Focus on the Standards – I&E 1.k p. 187; I&E 1.i p. 188 & 194
• Graphic Organizer – Spider Map p. 188
• Group Activity – Creating Layers p. 188
• Reteaching – Changing Rocks p. 189; Half Life p. 195
• Activity – Modeling Varves p. 192
• Alternative Assessment – Dating Rocks p. 196
• Graphing Skills – Line Graphs and Radiometric Dating CRF pp. 30-31
I&E, especially 1.i
Analyze the locations, sequences, or time intervals that are
characteristic of natural phenomena (e.g., relative ages of rocks,
locations of planets over time, and succession of species in an
ecosystem).
Relevant Activities
• What’s your Relative Age? – Quick Lab p. 186
• Radioactive Decay – Quick Lab p. 194
• Determining the Relative Age of Rock Strata - CRF
pp. 50-53
Corresponding Text Section
Holt Earth Science
• Ch. 8.1 pp.184-190
• Ch. 8.2 pp. 191-196
Enrichment Activities
• Using the Table – Analyzing Unconformities p. 189
• Math Practice – Deposition p. 192
• Geology Connection – Glacial Lakes p. 192
• Skill Builder – Vocabulary p. 193
• Chemistry Connection – Radioactive Decay of Uranium p. 193
• Environmental Science Connection – Radioactive Waste p. 195
• Math Skills – Algebraic Rearrangements and Half Life CRF pp. 28-29
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Sample Assessments for The Rock Record
The age of a rock in years is the rock’s numerical age, or
(a) index age.
(b) relative age.
(c) half-life age.
(d) absolute age.
The diagram above shows crosscutting taking place in
layers of rock. Which of the letter combinations below
belonged to the same layer of rock before the fault
disrupted the layer?
(a) C and D
(b) C and F
(c) G and I
(d) G and F
The graph above shows the rate of radioactive decay.
How many half-lives have passed when the number of
daughter atoms is approximately three times the number
of parent atoms?
(a) one
(b) two
(c) three
(d) four
Which of the following is NOT a way to determine
absolute age?
(a) examining unconformities
(b) studying the rates of erosion
(c) calculating rates of deposition
(d) counting varves
Concept Mapping Use the following terms to create a
concept map: relative age, law of superposition,
uncomformity, law of crosscutting relationships, absolute
age, radiometric dating, carbon dating.
A scientist used radiometric dating during an
investigation. The scientist used this method because he
or she wanted to determine the
(a) relative age of rocks.
(b) absolute age of rocks.
(c) climate of a past era.
(d) fossil types in a rock.
Alternative Assessment – Illustrations
Have students illustrate each type of rock formation they
read about in this section. Students should label and write
a brief description next to each picture.
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Timeline
Topic
1 week
Geologic Time
District Core Concepts
• Geologic studies of Earth and other planets suggest that the
early Earth was very different from Earth today.
District Student Performance Objectives
√ Summarize how scientists worked together to develop the geologic column.
√ List the major divisions of geologic time.
Supports
• Pre-Reading Activity – Fold Notes p. 210
• Using the Figure – Rock Layers p. 211
• Discussion – Dating Rocks p. 212
• Inclusion Strategies p. 212
• Focus on the Standards – I&E 1.i p. 213
• Skill Builder – Vocabulary p. 213
• Reteaching – Relative Time p. 213
• Graphing Skills – Bar Graphs (Periods of the Mesozoic Era) CRF pp. 24-25
CA State Standard
8.b. The composition of Earth's atmosphere has evolved over
geologic time and know the effect of outgassing, the variations of
carbon dioxide concentration, and the origin of atmospheric
oxygen.
I&E.1.d. Formulate explanations by using logic and evidence.
I&E.1.i. Analyze the locations, sequences, or time intervals that are
characteristic of natural phenomena (e.g., relative ages of rocks,
locations of planets over time, and succession of species in an
ecosystem).
I&E.1.k. Recognize the cumulative nature of scientific evidence.
Relevant Activities
Corresponding Text Section
• Geologic Time Scale – Quick Lab p. 212
Holt Earth Science
• History in the Rocks – Skills Practice Lab pp. 232-233
• Ch. 9.1 pp. 210-214
• Future Earth – Making Models Lab CRF pp. 44-47
Enrichment Activities
• Internet Activity – Extinct Organisms p. 213
• Math Skills – Geometry and Dinosaur Fossils CRF pp. 22-23
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Sample Assessments for Geologic Time
Eons are the longest period of geologic time, followed by
eras, then periods, and finally epochs. If a scientist
Scientists are able to determine the absolute ages of most
wanted to describe when complex human society evolved,
rock layers in a geologic column by using
which geologic time period would the scientist most
(a) the law of superposition.
likely use?
(b) radiometric dating.
(a) eon
(c) rates of deposition.
(b) era
(d) rates of erosion.
(c) period
(d) epoch
During which two periods were Earth’s average global
temperatures the highest?
During which periods did Earth’s average global
temperature decrease?
Based on the graph above, could climate change have
caused the Permian mass extinction? Is climate change a
likely cause of the mass extinction at the CretaceousTertiary boundary? Explain your answer
Which of the following is NOT true of the geologic
column?
(a) It was developed by 19th century scientists and
remains in use today.
(b) It represents a timeline of Earth’s history.
(c) Most of the fossils in the lower layers are of
plants ad animals that no longer exist.
(d) Scientists can use the geologic column to
determine the absolute age of a rock layer.
Geologic periods can be divided into
(a) eras.
(b) epochs.
(c) days.
(d) months.
The geologic time scale is a
(a) scale for weighing rocks.
(b) scale that divides Earth’s history into time
intervals.
(c) rock record of Earths past.
(d) collection of the same kinds of rocks.
Alternative Assessment – Descriptive Essay
Have students use the geologic time scale table as a
starting point to write an essay that describes the history
of life on Earth.
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Timeline
Topic
District Core Concepts
• Evidence for continental drift derives primarily from magnetic
patterns on the seafloor, differences in the age of the
sediments/rocks on the seafloor, and seafloor topography.
2 weeks
Plate Tectonics
• There are three different types of boundaries: convergent,
divergent, and transform. At each type of boundary there are
different geological structures and processes.
District Student Performance Objectives
√ Summarize Wegener’s hypothesis of continental drift.
√ Explain how seafloor spreading provides a mechanism for continental drift.
√ Summarize the theory of plate tectonics.
√ Identify and describe the three types of plate boundaries.
√ Summarize how movements of tectonic plates have influenced climates on Earth.
Supports
• Pre-Reading Activity – Fold Notes p. 238
• Using the Figure – Continental Puzzle p. 239; Seafloor Formation p. 243; Magnetic Polarity p. 245;
Mantle Convection p. 252; Accretion p. 256
• Reading Skill Builder – Paired Sum. p. 240; Vocab p. 248-9; Reading Organizer p. 257
• Inclusion Strategies p. 140
• Discussion – Making Predictions p. 241; Magnetic Polarity Reversals p. 244
• Graphic Organizer – Chain-of-Events Chart
• Activity – Seafloor Sediments p. 242
• Focus on the Standards – 3.a p. 243; 3.b p. 249; 1.k p. 258
• Demonstration – Earth’s Magnetic Field p. 244; Modeling Accretion p. 256
• Reteaching – Ev. for Continental Drift p. 245; Tectonic Proc. p. 253; Peer Rev. p. 259
• Activity – Jigsaw Puzzle p. 247; Modeling Rifting p. 255
• Inclusion Strategies p. 250
CA State Standard
3.a. Features of the ocean floor (magnetic patterns, age, and seafloor topography) provide evidence of plate tectonics.
3.b. The principal structures that form at the three different kinds of
plate boundaries.
3.c. Explain the properties of rocks based on the physical and
chemical conditions in which they formed, including plate tectonic
processes.
6.c. Earth's climate has changed over time, corresponding to
changes in Earth's geography, atmospheric composition, and other
factors, such as solar radiation and plate movement.
Relevant Activities
Corresponding Text Section
• Making Magnets – Quick Lab p. 245
Holt Earth Science
• Tectonic Plate Boundaries – Quick Lab p. 253
• Ch. 10 pp. 238-260
• Seafloor Spreading – Making Models Lab pp. 266-267
Enrichment Activities
• Using the Figure – Mountain Ranges and Fossils p. 240
• Debate – Wegener’s Ideas p. 241
• Skill Builder – Math p. 243
• Alternative Assessment – Persuasive Essay p. 246; Process Models p. 260
• Math Practice – p. 248
• Internet Activity – Earthquakes p. 248; The Paleomap Project p. 258
• Skill Builder – Writing p. 251
• Group Activity – Responses to Climate Change p. 257
• Alternative Assessment – Comparing Scientific Ideas p. 261
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Sample Assessments for Plate Tectonics
Which of the following factors is most important when
determining the types of boundary that forms when two
lithospheric plates collide?
(a) the density of each plate
(b) the size of each plate
(c) the paleomagnetism of the rock
(d) the length of the boundary
At locations where seafloor spreading occurs, rock is
melted away from a midocean ridge. What replaces the
rock as it moves away?
(a) molten rock
(b) older rock
(c) continental crust
(d) compacted sediment
Which of the following was a weakness of Wegener’s
proposal of continental drift when he first proposed his
hypothesis?
(a) an absence of fossil evidence
(b) unsupported climatic evidence
(c) unrelated continent features
(d) a lack of proven mechanisms
Which of the following statements describes a specific
Which of the following statements best describes magma
type of continental growth?
formation at a divergent boundary?
(a) Continents change not only by gaining material
(a) One plate subducts under another as two plates
but also by losing material.
collide, forming magma.
(b) Terranes become part of a continent at
(b) Magma rises as the plates move apart.
convergent boundaries.
(c) Magma forms as two plates slide against each
(c) Ocean sediments move onto land because of
other.
seafloor spreading.
(d) A plate subducts as two plates pull apart,
(d) Rifting adds new rock to a continent and
forming magma.
causes the continent to become wider.
What type of boundary is found between the South
American plate and the African plate?
(a) convergent
(b) divergent
(c) transform
(d) subduction
The San Andreas fault is a major boundary between the
North American plate and the Pacific plate. Earthquakes
occur along this fault because
(a) the plates are spreading.
(b) one of the plates subducts under the other.
(c) the plates slide against each other.
(d) one plate is denser than the other
Alternative Assessment –Tectonic Art
Have students draw examples of the three types of plate
boundaries and label all components. Next to each
drawing, students should list all the geologic features that
are common at each boundary.
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Timeline
1 week
Topic
District Core Concepts
• Earthquakes are caused by lithospheric plates moving against
each other and different scales are used to measure magnitude
and intensity.
CA State Standard
3.d
Know why and how earthquakes occur and the scales used to
measure their intensity and magnitude.
• California geology is the basis of numerous natural hazards
including earthquakes, landslides, volcanoes, unstable cliffs,
and tsunamis.
9.b
Know the principal natural hazards in different California regions
and the geologic basis of those hazards.
Earthquakes
District Student Performance Objectives
√ Explain how the structure of Earth’s interior affects seismic waves.
√ Explain why earthquakes generally occur at plate boundaries.
√ Describe the instrument used to measure and record earthquakes.
√ Summarize the method scientists use to locate an epicenter.
√ Describe the scales used to measure the magnitude and intensity of earthquakes.
Supports
• Pre-Reading Activity – Fold Notes p. 294
• Using the Figure – Kobe Quake p. 294; p. 306
• Demonstration – Elastic Rebound p. 295; Giant Wave p. 305
• Skill Builder – Vocabulary p. 296
• Group Activity - Model Locked Fault p. 296; Model Seismograph p. 301; Safety p. 306
• Discussion – Surface Waves p. 297
• Focus on the Standards – 3.d p. 297; 1.a p. 302; 9.b p. 307
• Inclusion Strategies p. 298; p. 302
• Graphic Organizer – Spider Map p. 299
• Reteaching – Earthquake Maps p. 299; Earthquake Posters p. 303; Questions p. 307
• Alternative Assessment – Earthquake Patterns p. 300; Sizing up Quakes p. 304;
Making Models p. 308
• Reading Skill Builder – Reading Organizer p. 302; Paired Summarizing p. 306
• Graphing Skills – Earthquakes and Pie Graphs p. 27-28
Relevant Activities
Corresponding Text Section
• Seismographic Record – Quick Lab p. 302
• Earthquake-Safe Buildings – Quick Lab p. 306
Holt Earth Science
• Finding an Epicenter – Skills Practice Lab pp.314-315
• Ch. 12 pp. 294-308
• Simulating Earthquakes – Inquiry Lab CRF pp. 44-47
• Earthquakes and Soil – Skills Prac Lab CRF pp. 48-51
Enrichment Activities
• Technology Connection – Seismic Profiling p. 297
• History Connection – Moho Discontinuity p. 298
• Skill Builder – Graphing p. 303
• Math Practice – Magnitudes p. 303
• Debate – Worth the Price p. 307
• Math Skills – Earthquake Magnitude and Exponents CRF pp. 25-26
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Sample Assessments for Earthquakes
Earthquakes result from
(a) the immobilization of faults.
(b) the sudden return of elastically deformed rock
to its undeformed state.
(c) zones where body waves cannot be detected.
(d) movement between layers that make up Earth.
What type of seismic waves are indicated by the points on
the seismogram marked by the letter A?
(a) Love waves
(b) Rayleigh waves
(c) P waves
(d) S waves
How are the waves at point C different from the waves at
point B?
(a) Waves at point C are slower than B.
(b) Waves at point C are less damaging than B.
(c) Waves at point C are S waves, while B re
surface wave.
(d) Waves at point B get their energy from C.
The magnitude of an earthquake can be expressed
numerically by using
(a) only the Richter scale.
(b) only the Mercalli scale.
(c) the Mercalli scale and moment magnitude
scale.
(d) the Richter scale and moment magnitude scale.
Which of the following statements describes the
relationship between the epicenter and focus of an
earthquake?
(a) The focus is the point on Earth’s surface where
the epicenter of an earthquake is located.
(b) The epicenter is the point on Earth’s surface
that lies directly above the focus.
(c) The epicenter is the point where an earthquake
occurs, and the focus is where seismic waves
reach Earth’s surface.
(d) The focus is deeper within the Earth than the
epicenter is.
California has the highest earthquake hazard level in the
United States, as indicated by geological hazard amps.
Why might scientists use geologic hazard maps?
(a) to determine areas that are at higher risk from a
geologic hazard
(b) to predict when an earthquake might occur
(c) to identify stress-related strain in rocks
(d) to monitor gas seepage from strained or
fractured rocks
How far from the epicenter is seismograph B?
How far from the epicenter is seismograph C?
Which seismograph is farthest from the epicenter?
Why is there an 8 min interval between P waves and S
waves in seisomograph B but an 11 min interval between
P waves and S waves in seismogram C?
Alternative Assessment – News Broadcast
Work in small groups to write a script and perform radio
or TV broadcast describing the effects of an earthquake.
Interview a “geologist,” who describes the seismic event
and its cause; an “engineer,” details the effects on
structures; safety bulletins issued by local officials; or
first-person accounts from those who experienced the
disaster. Use animations, sound effects, or compile video
sequences to lend realism to their broadcast simulation.
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Timeline
Topic
District Core Concepts
CA State Standard
• There are different types of volcanoes, which are formed
based on the viscosity and gas content of the lava/magma.
1 week
Volcanoes
• California geology is the basis of numerous natural hazards
including earthquakes, landslides, volcanoes, unstable cliffs,
and tsunamis.
District Student Performance Objectives
√ Explain volcanism.
√ Identify three tectonic settings where volcanoes form.
√ Explain how the composition of magma affects volcanic eruptions and lava flow.
√ Identify the three main types of volcanic cones.
√ List three events that may signal a volcanic eruption.
Supports
• Pre-Reading Activity – Fold Notes p. 318
• Using the Figure – Forming Islands p. 318; Pressure and Magma Formation p. 319;
Volcano Locations p. 320; Lava Flow p. 326; Volcano Types p. 328
• Reading Skill Builder – Reading Organizer p. 320; Vocab p. 320; Reading Hint p. 328
• Inclusion Strategies p. 320; p. 329
• Reteaching – Volcanic Settings p. 323; Volcanoes, Magma and Eruptions p. 329
• Alternative Assessment – Modeling Volcanic Processes p. 324; Modeling Volcano
Formation p. 330
• Demostration – Viscosity p. 325
• Focus on the Standards – 3.e p. 326
• Graphic Organizer – Spider Map p. 327
• Group Activity – Historic Eruptions p. 328
• Graphing Skills – Line Graph and Recording Data p. 20-21
3.e
There are two kinds of volcanoes: one kind with violent eruptions
producing steep slopes and the other kind with voluminous lava
flows producing gentle slopes.
Relevant Activities
• Changing Melting Points – Quick Lab p. 321
• Volcanic Cones – Quick Lab p. 329
• Volcano Verdict – Making Models Lab pp. 336-337
• Lava Flows – Inquiry Lab CRF pp. 35-38
• Magma in Earth’s Crust – Making Models Lab CRF
pp. 39-42
Corresponding Text Section
Holt Earth Science
• Ch. 13 pp. 318-330
Enrichment Activities
• Focus on the Standards – 3.f* p. 321
• Homework – Touring the Mid-Atlantic Ridge p. 322
• Social Studies Connection – Geothermal Energy p. 322
• Skill Builder – Graphing p. 323
• Math Practice – A Lot of Lava p. 326
• Cultural Awareness – Vesuvius-Then and Now p. 326
• Art Connection – The Scream p. 327
• Activity – Poster Project p. 327
• Discussion – Mount St. Helens p. 327
• Astronomy Connection – Extraterrestrial Volcanoes p. 328
• Math Skills – Using Exponents to Express Scientific Measurements CRF pp. 18-19
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Sample Assessments for Volcanoes
Which type of volcano is made up of only pyroclastic
material that results from violent eruptions?
(a) cinder cone
(b) composite volcano
(c) shield volcano
(d) stratovolcano
The illustration above shows volcano activity in the
Cascade region of the Pacific Northwest. How does
activity at point B contribute to volcanic activity at Mount
St. Helens and Mount Adams?
(a) The Juan de Fuca plate is subducting under the
North American plate, producing magma.
(b) The Juan de Fuca plate is spreading away from
the Pacific plate, producing magma.
(c) The volcanic activity is being caused by a hot
spot in the North American plate.
(d) The North American plate is pushing down on
the asthenosphere, producing magma.
At which location does the greatest amount of magma
reach the surface, forming a major zone of volcanism?
(a) hot spots
(b) intrusions
(c) mid-ocean ridges
(d) subduction zones
The Pacific Ring of Fire is caused by
(a) hot spots throughout the Pacific ocean.
(b) subduction of plates along Pacific coasts.
(c) mid-ocean ridges in the Pacific.
(d) fault lines along Pacific coasts.
How does volcanic activity contribute to plate margins
where new crust is being formed?
(a) Where new plates collide at subduction zones,
rocks melt and form pockets of magma.
(b) Between plate boundaries, hot spots may form
a chain of volcanic island.
(c) When plates pull apart at volcanic ridge,
magma creates new ocean floor.
(d) At some boundaries, new crust is formed when
one plate is formed on top of another.
Volcanoes form at various places around Earth, including
subduction zones, divergent boundaries, and hot spots.
Which of the following is an example of a volcanic
formation that is produced at subduction zones?
(a) mid-ocean ridges
(b) mantle plumes
(c) fissures
(d) island arcs
A scientist is studying a volcanic lava flow in Hawaii.
The scientist finds sharp volcanic rock in a large lava
field. Which of the following statements best describes
the lava that the scientist found?
(a) The lava is malfic lava that flowed during a
quiet eruption.
(b) The lava is the least viscous form of malfic
lava.
(c) The rocks that are lapilli that were produced
during an explosive eruption.
(d) The lava has a high silica content and flowed
during a quiet eruption.
Alternative Assessment – Chain-of-Events Charts
Create three chain-of-events charts, one for each type of
volcano: shield, cinder cone, and composite. Direct
students to start each chart with a plate tectonic setting.
Introduce as side chains the magma type and viscosity,
the resulting erupted materials (from smooth lavas to
pyroclastic materials) and the type of eruption that will
occur (explosive or quiet). Each chain will end with one
type of volcano.
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Timeline
Topic
District Core Concepts
CA State Standard
• Many of California’s important economic resources are based
on its geology. Examples include oil and natural gas,
agriculture, ore, and geothermal energy.
0.5 week
CA Geology
• California geology is the basis of numerous natural hazards
including earthquakes, landslides, volcanoes, unstable cliffs,
and tsunamis.
District Student Performance Objectives
√ Describe the three categories of resources in California.
√ Describe the principal natural hazards in California and their geologic basis.
√ Describe the source of California’s fresh water.
Supports
• Reading Checks p. C3, C7, C15, C21, C25
• Maps in Action – Earthquake Hazard Map of California p. C30
• Focus on the Standards – 9.a p. 167 (Ch. 7.3)
9.a. Know the resources of major economic importance in
California and their relation to California's geology.
9.b. Know the principal natural hazards in different California
regions and the geologic basis of those hazards.
9.c. Know the importance of water to society, the origins of
California 's fresh water, and the relationship between supply and
need.
Relevant Activities
• Clean Up Your Act – Inquiry Lab pp. C28-29
Corresponding Text Section
Holt Earth Science
• CA Close-Up pp. 805a-C25
Enrichment Activities
• Science and Technology – “Xena” the Tenth Planet p. C31
• Writing from Research – Water Rights Struggle, Q27 p. C27
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Sample Assessments for CA Geology
Which of the following energy resources provides the
largest percentage of all of the energy used in California?
(a) oil and natural gas
(b) hydroelectric
(c) geothermal
(d) solar
Which of the following energy resources is the most
plentiful renewable energy resource in California?
(a) geothermal
(b) hydroelectric
(c) solar
(d) wind
Which of the following statements about earthquakes in
California is false?
(a) California experiences more than 3
earthquakes each day.
(b) Most earthquakes in California are too small to
feel.
(c) Earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 and greater are
uncommon in California.
(d) Many earthquakes in California happen at
tectonic plate boundaries.
Movement along the San Andreas fault occurs at the
boundary between which two tectonic plates?
(a) the Juan de Fuca plate and the Pacific plate
(b) the Juan de Fuca plate and the North Atlantic
plate
(c) the Pacific plate and the North American plate
(d) the Pacific plate and the Cocos plate
Where are aquifers in California located?
Explain why few localities in California are suitable for
building wind farms.
Describe the relationship between tectonic plate
boundaries and the locations of earthquakes in California.
Explain why parts of California are prone to landslides.
Alternative Assessment – Concept Map
Use the following terms to construct a concept map:
energy resource, hydroelectric, solar-electric generating
plant, oil and natural gas, solar, steam, renewable
resource, wind, dam, nonrenewable resource, oil and
natural gas field, geothermal, and wind farm
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Timeline
2 weeks
Topic
Energy in
Earth’s Systems
District Core Concepts
• Most of the energy available at the Earth’s surface is from the
Sun. However, there is a small amount of geothermal energy
that is generated by the continuing decay of radioactive
elements.
CA State Standard
• Depending on its wavelength, INSOLATION (Incoming Solar
Radiation) is absorbed, reflected, or used in photosynthesis.
1.e. The Sun is a typical star and is powered by nuclear reactions,
primarily the fusion of hydrogen to form helium.
4.a. Know the relative amount of incoming solar energy compared
with Earth's internal energy and the energy used by society.
7.c. The movement of matter among reservoirs is driven by Earth's
internal and external sources of energy.
District Student Performance Objectives
√ Identify the two main sources of energy in the Earth system.
√ Summarize the processes of nuclear fission and nuclear fusion.
√ Explain how geothermal energy may be used as a substitute for fossil fuels.
√ Compare passive and active methods of harnessing energy from the sun.
√
Supports
Relevant Activities
Corresponding Text Section
Holt Earth Science
• Ch. 2.2: Earth’s Energy
Budget pp. 34-35
• Ch. 7.2 pp. 159-164
• Ch. 7.3 pp. 165-168
• Effects of Solar Energy – Ch.2, Quick Lab p. 35
• Energy Transfer - Ch. 2, Inquiry Lab, CRF pp. 40-43
• Solar Collector - Ch. 7, Quick Lab p. 166
• Solar Cooker - Ch. 29, Inquiry Lab, CRF pp. 40-43
• Using the Figure – Energy Budget p. 34; Rock Layers and Density p. 161; Electricity
from Nuclear Fission p. 163; Natural Hot Tub p. 165
• Graphic Organizer – Comparison Table p. 34; Chain-of-Events Chart p. 163
• Identifying Preconceptions – Is It Renewable? p. 159
• Group Activity – Purifying with Pressure p. 160
• Demonstration – Chain Reaction p. 162
• Skill Builder – Vocabulary p. 162; Vocabulary p. 166
• Reteaching – Flashcards p. 164; Energy in Action p. 167
• Alternative Assessment – Letter to the Editor p. 164; Tour Brochure p. 168
• Inclusion Strategies p. 166
• Maps in Action – Wind Power in the United States p. 180
• Physics Connection – The Laws of Thermodynamics p. 34
• Math Practice – Coal Reserves p. 160
• Internet Activity – Resource Locations p. 160; Biomass Potential p. 167
• Focus on the Standards – 7.d• p. 161
• History Connection – Nuclear Theory p. 162
• Debate – Pros and Cons p. 163
• Homework – Fudging Fusion? p. 163
• Group Activity – Modern Mining p. 181
Enrichment Activities
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Sample Assessments for Energy in Earth’s Systems
Energy experts have harnessed geothermal energy by
(a) building dams.
(b) building wind generators.
(c) drilling wells.
(d) burning coal.
The graph above shows predicted world-wide energy
consumption by fuel type between the years 2001 and
2025. Which of the following sources of energy is
predicted to see the greatest increase in usage between
2001 and 2025?
(a) oil
(b) natural gas
(c) coal
(d) renewable
Energy can enter the Earth system from internal sources
through convection and from external sources through
(a) radioactive decay
(b) wave energy
(c) wind energy
(d) solar energy
The splitting of the nucleus of an atom to produce energy
is called
(a) geothermal energy.
(b) nuclear fission.
(c) nuclear fusion.
(d) hydroelectric power.
What processes in the sun produce the energy that reaches
Earth?
(a) fusion of hydrogen atoms to form helium
(b) fission of uranium isotopes
(c) the splitting of atoms into smaller atoms
(d) the burning of helium nuclei
Solar energy is one renewable resource that people often
use. How do people collect solar energy?
(a) They harness the energy by building dams.
(b) They use boxes that have glass tops and allow
the heating of water.
(c) They drill wells to reach hot water.
(d) They burn organic material to release energy.
Earth has internal energy, but it also receives a lot of
external energy. Which of the following statements
describes an external source of energy on Earth?
(a) Earth’s core is hot because of the force of
Earth’s gravity.
(b) Radioactive atoms keep Earth’s interior hot.
(c) Earth gets all of its energy from its formation
(d) The sun warms Earth’s atmosphere and
surface.
Alternative Assessment – Concept Map
Use the following terms to create a concept map:
resource, renewable, nonrenewable, fossil fuel, nuclear
energy, geothermal energy, solar energy, and
conservation.
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Timeline
3 weeks
Topic
District Core Concepts
CA State Standard
The Atmosphere
• The Earth’s atmosphere is currently composed of N2, O2, Ar, and trace gases while in the
distant past it was primarily methane and ammonia and has evolved over time.
• The atmosphere is classified into four layers based on the temperature gradient.
• Depending on its wavelength, INSOLATION (Incoming Solar Radiation) is absorbed,
reflected, or used in photosynthesis.
• Shorter-wave radiation from the Sun passes through the atmosphere and is absorbed by the
Earth.
• Greenhouse gases (CO2, H2O, methane, nitrogen oxide pollutants) absorb long wave (thermal)
radiation emitted by the Earth; this is known as the greenhouse effect.
• Differential heating of the Earth’s surface results in convection cells.
• The Coriolis Effect is due to the Earth’s rotation and causes air to deflect to the right in the
Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.
• The convection cells along with the Coriolis Effect generate the global air circulation patterns.
• The ozone layer is located in the stratosphere and is responsible for absorbing ultraviolet
radiation and varies in response to both naturally occurring and human activities.
4.b. Know the fate of incoming solar radiation in terms of reflection, absorption, and photosynthesis.
4.c. Know the different atmospheric gases that absorb the Earth's thermal radiation and the
mechanism and significance of the greenhouse effect.
5.a. Differential heating of Earth results in circulation patterns in the atmosphere and oceans that
globally distribute the heat.
5.b. Know the relationship between the rotation of Earth and the circular motions of ocean currents
and air in pressure centers.
5.c. Know the origin and effects of temperature inversions.
8.a. Know the thermal structure and chemical composition of the atmosphere.
8.b. The composition of Earth's atmosphere has evolved over geologic time and know the effect of
outgassing, the variations of carbon dioxide concentration, and the origin of atmospheric oxygen.
8.c. Know the location of the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere, its role in absorbing ultraviolet
radiation, and the way in which this layer varies both naturally and in response to human activities.
District Student Performance Objectives
√ Describe the composition of the atmosphere and identify its layers.
√ Explain how radiant energy reaches Earth.
√ Summarize the processes of radiation, conduction, and convection.
√ Explain the Coriolis effect.
√ Describe the global patterns of air circulation, and name three global wind belts.
√ Identify two factors that for local wind patterns.
Supports
• Pre-Reading Activity – Booklet p. 546
• Using the Figure – Storm Watch p. 546; Barometers p. 551; Phantom Images p. 557; Coriolis p. 562
• Demonstration – Air Force p. 547; Observ Photosynthesis p. 548; Modeling Coriolis p. 561
• Reading Skill Builder – Paired Summarizing p. 548; Vocab p. 557; Reading Organizer p. 562
• Activity – Dust Collectors p. 549; Create a Vacuum; Weather Maps p. 551; Magic with Beads p. 555;
Blue and Red Skies p. 556; Comparing Albedos p. 557; It’s a Breeze p. 562
• Focus on the Standards – 8.c p. 549; 5.c p. 553; 5.a p. 563
• Inclusion Strategies p. 552; p. 562
• Reteaching – Name that Sphere p. 553; Peer Reviewing p. 559
• Alternative Assessment – Modeling p. 553; Spectrum of Life p. 559
• Graphic Organizer – Comparison Table p. 563
• Maps in Action – Absorbed Solar Radiation p. 572
• Graphing Skills – Line Graphs and Recording Data (Temp.) CRF pp. 31-32
Relevant Activities
• Barometric Pressure – Quick Lab p. 551
• Light and Latitude – Quick Lab p. 559
• Energy Absorption and Reflection – Inquiry Lab pp.
570-571
• Ultraviolet Protection - CRF pp. 49-52
• Global Air Movement – CRF pp. 53-56
Corresponding Text Section
Holt Earth Science
• Ch. 22 pp. 546-564
Enrichment Activities
• Biology Connection – The Breath of Life p. 548
• Teaching Tip – Making Concepts Relevant p. 549
• Math Practice – Force of the Air p. 550
• Skill Builder – Writing p. 556
• Chemistry Connection – Catalytic Conversions p. 556
• Internet Activity – Global Warming p. 558
• Alternative Assessment – Essay p. 563
• Science and Technology – Energy from the Wind p. 573
• Math Skills – Significant Digits and Wind Measurement CRF pp. 29-30
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Sample Assessments for The Atmosphere
Which of the following best describes the relationship
between atmospheric pressure and altitude?
(a) The atmospheric pressure increases as the
altitude increases.
(b) The atmospheric pressure increases as the
altitude decreases.
(c) The atmospheric pressure varies unpredictably
at different altitudes.
(d) The atmospheric pressure is constant at all
altitudes.
Differential heating of Earth’s atmosphere results in
circulation patterns such as those shown in the figure
above. What happens to the air around location A as the
air warms and decreases in density?
(a) It rises.
(b) It sinks.
(c) It stagnates.
(d) It contracts.
Much of life on Earth became possible in part because the
oxygen levels on Earth increased. Today, the oxygen
levels on Earth stay constant. How is this possible?
(a) Plants produce as much oxygen as is used by
other organisms.
(b) The oxygen produced by plants is broken
down by chlorofluorocarbons.
(c) Oxygen is converted to ozone and is moved to
the outer atmosphere.
(d) The oxygen produced by plants is fixed by
bacteria.
Venus has more greenhouse gases in its atmosphere than
Earth does, and Earth has more greenhouse gases in its
atmosphere than Mars does. Based on this, what can be
concluded about the temperatures on each planet?
(a) Venus is warmer than Earth, but Earth is cooler
than Mars.
(b) Venus, Earth, and Mars all have the same
temperature.
(c) Mars is the warmest place of the three.
(d) Earth is cooler than Venus is and warmer than
Mars is.
As Earth’s atmosphere became warmer over time, more
organisms began to live on Earth. Which of the following
is NOT a direct factor in the warming of Earth’s
atmosphere?
(a) reflection of solar energy
(b) of sun’s radiation
(c) absorption of the sun’s light by Earth’s clouds,
dust, and gases
(d) the greenhouse effect
In the Northern Hemisphere, the Coriolis effect caused
winds moving toward the North Pole to be deflected in
which of the following ways?
(a) Winds are deflected to the right.
(b) Winds are deflected to the left.
(c) Winds are deflected in unpredictable patterns.
(d) Winds are not deflected by the Coriolis effect.
Ozone, a gas molecule made up of three oxygen atoms, is
found in the upper atmosphere. Which if the following
statements best describes ozone?
(a) It is required for photosynthesis.
(b) It breaks down the protective layer that
surrounds Earth.
(c) It absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation.
(d) It is one of the many particulates found in the
atmosphere.
Alternative Assessment – Life’s a Gas
Imagine you are one of the main gases in the atmosphere
(N2, O2, Ar, H20, ozone, or CO2) and write a story
describing your life using words and illustrations.
Identify what gas you are, what layers of the atmosphere
you have resided in, and what happened during your life
the atmosphere. Describe whether you have cycled
through living or non-living things on Earth, interacted
with solar radiation, or reacted with pollutants in the air.
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Timeline
Topic
2 weeks
Oceanography
District Core Concepts
• Properties of ocean water, such as temperature and salinity,
can be used to explain the layered structure of the oceans, the
generation of horizontal and vertical ocean currents, and the
geographic distribution of marine organisms
• Latitudinal bands, or zones, of similar climatic conditions
circle Earth which influence salinity and deep water circulation.
• Differential heating of Earth’s surface and atmosphere by the
sun drives convection within the atmosphere and oceans,
producing winds and ocean currents.
• There is a relationship between the Earth’s rotation and the
circular motions of ocean currents and air in pressure centers.
District Student Performance Objectives
√ Describe the chemical composition of ocean water.
√ Describe the salinity, temperature, density, and color of ocean water
√ Describe how wind patterns, the rotation of Earth, and continental barriers affect
surface currents in the ocean.
√ Explain how differences in ocean water density affect the flow of deep currents.
Supports
• Pre-Reading Strategies – Four-Corner Fold p. 492; Layered Book p. 518
• Using the Figure – Water p.492; Salinity p.496; Density p.499; Tide p.518; Belt p. 521
• Activity – Losing Fizz p. 493; Ocean Surface Temperatures p. 497
• Reading Skill Builder – Paired Summarizing p. 498; Vocabulary p. 522
• Reteaching – Basic Diagrams p. 499; Venn Diagrams p. 523
• Alternative Assessment – Essay p. 500
• Discussion – Beachcombing p. 519
• Demonstration – Modeling Ocean Currents p. 520
• Inclusion Strategies p. 520
• Focus on the Standards – 5.b p. 521
• Graphic Organizer – Comparison Table p. 523
CA State Standard
5.a. Differential heating of Earth results in circulation patterns in
the atmosphere and oceans that globally distribute the heat.
5.b. Know the relationship between the rotation of Earth and the
circular motions of ocean currents and air in pressure centers.
5.d. Know properties of ocean water, such as temperature and
salinity, can be used to explain the layered structure of the oceans,
the generation of horizontal and vertical ocean currents, and the
geographic distribution of marine organisms.
7.b. Know the global carbon cycle: the different physical and
chemical forms of carbon in the atmosphere, oceans, biomass,
fossil fuels, and the movement of carbon among these reservoirs.
Relevant Activities
Corresponding Text Section
• Dissolving Solids – Ch. 20, Quick Lab p. 495
• Density Factors - Ch. 20, Quick Lab p. 499
Holt Earth Science
• Ocean Water Density - Ch. 20, Skills Lab pp. 514-515
• Ch. 20.1 pp. 492-500
• Ocean Currents - Ch. 21, Quick Lab p. 522
• Ch. 21.1 pp. 518-524
• Ocean Currents and Water Temp - Ch. 21, Skills
Practice Lab, CRF 45-48
Enrichment Activities
• Skill Builder – Math p. 495
• Focus on the Standards – 7.d* p. 494
• Homework – Freezing Fresh and Salt Water p. 497
• Environmental Science Connection – Surface-Water Temperatures p. 498
• Geography Connection – Research p. 521
• History Connection – Research p. 522
• Biology Connection – Vertical Ocean Movements p. 523
• Alternative Assessment - Adventure of a Drop p. 524
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Sample Assessments for Oceanography
Which of the following statements about the oceans and
carbon is true?
(a) The oceans contain very little carbon.
(b) The oceans do not ply a role in the cycling of
carbon.
(c) The oceans contain more carbon than the
atmosphere does.
(d) Because the oceans hold carbon, they do not
play a role in climate regulations.
Which of the following statements describes ocean
salinity?
(a) Salinity is lowest in areas where precipitation
is highest.
(b) Salinity is not affected by the freezing of
water.
(c) Salinity does not vary, and the ocean has a
salinity of 34.7%.
(d) Salinity is high in tropical areas.
Which of the following statements is NOT true of the
temperature of ocean water?
(a) Temperature varies depending on the depth ad
location.
(b) The amount of solar energy an area receives
determines temperature.
(c) Temperature is influenced by salinity.
(d) Ocean water freezes at -1.9ºC.
The temperature of ocean water is dependent on all of the
following except
(a) depth.
(b) the amount of solar energy it receives.
(c) water movement.
(d) the number of organisms living in it.
The density of ocean water is influenced by what two
factors?
(a) dissolved gases and dissolved solids
(b) salinity and temperature
(c) water color and thermocline
(d) dissolved carbon and trace elements
Which of the following statements describes dissolved
Based on the figure above, which of the following
gases in the ocean?
statements describes upswelling?
(a) N2 and O2 do not dissolve in ocean water.
(a) Nutrient-rich water moves from the ocean
(b) CO2 can stay dissolved in ocean water for
bottom to the surface.
thousands of years.
(b) Nutrient-rich water moves parallel to the shore.
(c) Ocean water does not release dissolved gasses.
(c) Nutrient-rich water moves parallel to the
(d) Most O2 enters the ocean from rivers.
direction of the wind.
(d) Nutrient-rich water moves from the shore out
to the open ocean.
Alternative Assessment – Ocean Video
Work in groups to produce plans for an animated video or
film bout the concepts covered in this unit. Prepare a
detailed presentation of your plan that you might give a
video producer. Show how you will cover the concepts
using techniques you have seen in films and videos.
Create animated characters to narrate the video, and plan
illustrations, graphs and charts to present the material.
Show sketches and samples of visual materials you plan t
use, including storyboards. Suggest and play appropriate
music and sound effects for various parts of the video.
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Timeline
Topic
District Core Concepts
CA State Standard
• Climate is the long-term average of a region’s weather and depends on
3 weeks
Climate
many factors. Weather (in the short run) and climate (in the long run)
involve the transfer of energy into and out of the atmosphere.
• Climate is affected by latitude, elevation, topography, and proximity to
large bodies of water and cold or warm ocean currents.
• Earth’s climate has changed over time, corresponding to changes in
Earth’s geography, atmospheric composition, and other factors, such as solar
radiation and plate movement.
• Forests and deserts are related to the global air circulation patterns and are
found at high (30° and 90°) and low (0° and 60°) pressure areas,
respectively.
District Student Performance Objectives
√ List the four main types of air masses and explain how they form.
√ Describe how air masses affect the weather of North America.
√ Identify two major factors used to describe climate.
√ Explain how latitude determines the amount of solar energy received on Earth.
√ Describe how different rates at which land and water are heated affect climate.
√ Describe the different types of climates.
Supports
• Pre-Reading Activity – Key Term Fold p. 600; Tri-Fold p. 630
• Demonstration – Coriolis Effect p. 601; Comparing Air Masses p. 602; Latitude and Temp p. 632;
Icecaps Melting p. 644
• Activity – On the Move p. 602; Bulletin Board p. 602; El Nino p. 635; Adaptations p. 638;
Tree Rings p. 641
• Reading Skill Builder – Reading Hint p. 602; Paired Summarizing p. 632; Reading Organizer p. 645
• Inclusion Strategies p. 602; p. 639; p. 643
• Focus on the Standards – 5.a p. 603; 6.b p. 633
• Reteaching – Spider Maps p. 603; Climate Factors p. 635; Flipbook p. 639; Peer Reviewing p. 645
• Alternative Assessment – Electric Quiz Game p. 604; Graphing p. 635; Travel Agent p. 639; Global
Warming in the News p. 645
• Using the Figure – Life Adapts p. 630; Temp Ranges p. 631; Shifting Winds p. 633; Rising Sea p. 645
• Discussion – Name that Climate p. 637
• Graphic Organizer – Cause-and-Effect Map p. 643
• Graphing Skills – Bar Graphs and Climte, Ch. 25 CRF pp. 24-25
5.a. Differential heating of Earth results in circulation patterns in the atmosphere and
oceans that globally distribute the heat.
5.e. Rain forests and deserts on Earth are distributed in bands at specific latitudes.
6.a. Weather (in the short run) and climate (in the long run) involve the transfer of energy
into and out of the atmosphere.
6.b. Know the effects on climate of latitude, elevation, topography, and proximity to large
bodies of water and cold or warm ocean currents.
6.c. Earth's climate has changed over time, corresponding to changes in Earth's geography,
atmospheric composition, and other factors, such as solar radiation and plate movement
7.b. Know the global carbon cycle: the different physical and chemical forms of carbon in
the atmosphere, oceans, biomass, fossil fuels, and the movement of carbon among these
reservoirs.
Relevant Activities
• Evaporation – Ch. 25, Quick Lab p. 634
• Hot Stuff – Ch. 25, Quick Lab p. 644
• Factors that Affect Climate – Ch. 25, Inquiry Lab pp. 653-654
• Particulates in the Atmosphere – Ch. 25, Inquiry Lab, CRF pp.
41-44
• Microclimates – Ch. 25, Skills Practice Lab, CRF pp. 45-48
Corresponding Text Section
Holt Earth Science
• Ch. 24.1 pp. 600-604
• Ch. 25 pp. 630-646
Enrichment Activities
• Math Practice - Specific Heat p. 634
• Physics Connection – Latent Heat p. 634
• Skill Builder – Math p. 638
• Focus on the Standards – 5.f * p. 639; 6.d * p. 643
• Internet Activity – Climate Models p. 642
• Debate – Global Warming p. 642
• Chemistry Connection – Oxygen Isotopes p. 642
• Homework – Volcanoes and Climate p. 644
• Law Connection – Kyoto Protocol p. 645
• Alternative Assessment – Subclimate Story p. 647
• Math Skills – Geometry and Climate, Ch. 25 CRF pp. 22-23
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Sample Assessments for Climate
Differences in air pressure result in the formation of air
masses and fronts. In turn, these differences in air
pressure are caused by
(a) wind.
(b) unequal heating of Earth’s surface.
(c) violent storms.
(d) midlatitude cyclones.
Based on the climatograms above, which of the two cities
is in a tropical climate?
(a) Nashville, TN
(b) Manokwari, New Guinea
(c) Both cities are in a tropical climate.
(d) Neither city is in a tropical climate.
Which month shows the most rainfall for both climates in
the climatograms?
(a) March
(b) June
(c) September
(d) December
Over time, Earth’s climate has changed. Which of the
following was NOT a factor in that change?
(a) plate tectonics
(b) orbital change
(c) human activity
(d) winds
In samples of atmospheric gases taken from ice cores,
high levels of carbon dioxide indicate that the sample is
from a time period that had
(a) a warm climate.
(b) a cool climate.
(c) high amounts of precipitation.
(d) low amounts of precipitation.
Which statement best compares how land and water are
heated by solar energy?
(a) Water heats up faster and to a higher
temperature than land does.
(b) Land heats up faster and to a higher
temperature than water does.
(c) Water heats up more slowly but reaches a
higher temperature than land des.
(d) Land heats up more slowly and reaches a
higher temperature than water does.
Climate is affected by a number of factors, including
latitude, elevation, and proximity to mountains. How
might mountains affect climate?
(a) They increase temperature as air moves over a
mountain.
(b) They cause air to lose moisture as it passes
over the mountains.
(c) They absorb heat slower than other areas do,
changing the climate.
(d) They moderate air temperatures.
Latitude is a determining factor in the type of climate that
a region has. This is due primarily to
(a) the amount of solar energy a latitude receives.
(b) global wind patterns.
(c) the proportion of land to water.
(d) ocean currents.
Alternative Assessment – Graphing
Graph the monthly average precipitation and the high and
low temperatures for a city over the last year. Then, write
a short description of the climate and the factors that
influence it.
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Timeline
Topic
District Core Concepts
CA State Standard
• Solid Earth, oceans, atmosphere, and organisms act as
reservoirs through which elements move as part of biochemical
cycles, e.g. the carbon cycle and nitrogen cycle.
1 week
Biogeochemical Cycles
• The global carbon cycle extends across physical and
biological Earth systems. The different physical and chemical
forms of carbon in the atmosphere, oceans, biomass, fossil
fuels, and the movement of carbon among these reservoirs.
District Student Performance Objectives
√ Identify four processes in which matter and energy cycle on Earth.
√ Describe how petroleum and natural as form and how they are removed from Earth.
Supports
• Focus on the Standards – 7.a pp. 35; 7.b p. 36
• Reading Skill Builder – Reading Hint p. 36
• Using the Figure – Nitrogen Cycle p. 36
• Graphing Skills – Bar Graphs and Composition of Earth’s Atmosphere, Ch. 2 CRF p.
24-25 (also listed in ‘Earth as a System’, Transition Unit)
7.a. Know the carbon cycle of photosynthesis and respiration and
the nitrogen cycle.
7.b. Know the global carbon cycle: the different physical and
chemical forms of carbon in the atmosphere, oceans, biomass,
fossil fuels, and the movement of carbon among these reservoirs.
7.c. Know the movement of matter among reservoirs is driven by
Earth's internal and external sources of energy.
Relevant Activities
• Testing the Conservation of Mass – Ch. 2, Skills
Practice Lab, CRF p. 35-37 (also listed in ‘Earth as a
System’, Transition Unit)
Corresponding Text Section
Holt Earth Science
• Ch. 2.2: Cycles in the Earth
System pp. 36-38
• Ch. 7.2: Fossil Fuels pp.
159-161
Enrichment Activities
• Group Activity – Earth’s Other Cycles p. 37
• Alternative Assessment – Rates of Cycles p. 37
• Focus on the Standards – 7.d * p. 161 (also listed in ‘Energy in Earth’s Systems’, Unit
4)
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Sample Assessments for Biogeochemical Cycles
Which of the following processes is not involved in the
water cycle?
(a) evaporation
(b) transpiration
(c) nitrogen fixing
(d) precipitation
Phosphorous cycles through all spheres except the
(a) geosphere.
(b) atmosphere.
(c) biosphere.
(d) hydrosphere.
Carbon cycles through Earth’s system. During
photosynthesis, carbon is
(a) released from wood as carbon dioxide when
wood is burned.
(b) broken down and released from the remains of
living organisms.
(c) converted by organisms from a gas to
carbohydrates.
(d) released by organisms as carbon dioxide.
Because phosphorous rarely occurs as a gas, the
phosphorous cycle mainly occurs between the
(a) biosphere, geosphere, and hydrosphere.
(b) biosphere, geosphere, and atmosphere.
(c) geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere.
(d) biosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere.
Which of the following describes coal?
(a) It is a nonrenewable resource that formed from
ancient plants.
(b) It is a renewable resource that formed from the
Sun’s energy.
(c) It is a nonrenewable resource that forms in the
presence of oxygen.
(d) It is a renewable resource that contains
hydrocarbons.
How would the removal of decomposers from Earth’s
biosphere affect the carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorous
cycle?
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Timeline
2 weeks
Topic
Biology Connections
District Core Concepts
• Most of the energy available at the Earth’s surface is from the
Sun. However, there is a small amount of geothermal energy
that is generated by the continuing decay of radioactive
elements.
• Geologic studies of Earth and other planets suggest that early
Earth was very different from Earth today.
CA State Standard
4.b. Know the fate of incoming solar radiation in terms of
reflection, absorption, and photosynthesis.
I&E, especially 1.a, 1.d, 1.g, 1.i
District Student Performance Objectives
Relevant Activities
√ Summarize how energy is transferred through an ecosystem.
√ Describe how index fossils can be used to determine the age of rocks.
√ Summarize how evolution is related to geologic change
√ Identify 1 major geologic and 2 major biological developments in the Paleozoic Era.
√ Identify 2 major geologic and biological developments during the Cenozoic Era.
• Studying Ecosystems – Ch. 2, Quick Lab p. 41
• Types of Fossils – Ch. 8, Making Models Lab pp. 206207
• Got Fossils? – Ch. 8, Inquiry Lab, CRF pp. 46-49
• Chocolate Candy Survival – Ch. 9, Quick Lab p. 217
Supports
• Using the Figure – Members of Ecosystems p. 39; Food Webs p. 41; Comparing Bones p. 215; Geologic
Time p. 216; Sea to Land p. 219; Comparing Characteristics p. 222; Mammal Characteristics p. 224
• Activity – Poster Project p. 40; Spacing Footprints p. 199
• Focus on the Standards – I&E 1.l p. 40; 1.d p. 199; 1.i p. 222
• Inclusion Strategies p. 41; p. 198; p. 216
• Reteaching – Food Chains p. 41; Listing p. 199; Life in the Paleozoic p. 219; Create a Brochure p. 225
• Alternative Assessment – Modeling Ecosystems p. 42; Captioned Pictures p. 200; Television Script p.
220; Timeline p. 226
• Map Skills Activity – Concentration of Plant Life on Earth p. 50
• Impact on Society – Biological Clocks p. 51
• Demonstration – Learning Earth’s History p. 197
• Reading Skill Builder – Paired Summarizing p. 198; Reading Organizer p. 222; Vocab p. 223
• Discussion – Handprint History p. 198; Drawing Conclusions p. 217; Body of Evidence p. 218; More
Resources? p. 221; Flowering Plants p. 223
• Mapping Expedition – Where the Hippos Roam pp. 840-841
• Graphic Organizer – Spider Map p. 219
ª Internet Activity – Online Museums p. 223
Corresponding Text Section
Holt Earth Science
• Ch. 2.3 pp. 39-42
• Ch. 8.3 pp. 197-200
• Ch. 9.2 pp. 215-220
• Ch. 9.3 pp. 221-226
Enrichment Activities
• Activity – Ocean-Plant Distributions p. 50
• Internet Activity – Health and Biological Clocks p. 51; Supercontinent p 218
• Group Activity- Fossils in Many Forms p. 198
• Biology Connection – Dinosaurs and Birds p. 199; Primitive Mammals p. 224
• Homework – Survivor: The Real Story p. 217; Horse History p. 225
• Debate – The Current Extinction p. 219; Dinosaur Extinction p. 223
• Teaching Tip – Have Students Teach Others p. 219
• Environmental Science Connection – The Isolation of Antartica p. 224
• Skill Builder – Math p. 224
• Alterative Assessment – Science Consultants p. 227
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Sample Assessments for Biology Connections
Fossils that provide direct evidence of the feeding habits
of ancient animals are known as
(a) coprolites.
(b) molds and casts.
(c) imprints.
(d) trace fossils.
To be an index fossil, a fossil must
(a) be present in rocks that are scattered over a
small geographic area.
(b) contain remains of organisms that lived for
long period of geologic time
(c) occur in small numbers within the rock layers.
(d) have features that closely distinguish it from
other fossils.
The flow of energy in an ecosystem can be illustrated by a
pyramid. Why is less energy available at the top of the
Plants act as the base for the flow of energy through the
pyramid than at the bottom of the pyramid?
biosphere. What is the function of plants in the flow of
(a) Organisms at the top of the pyramid use less
energy?
energy than organisms at the bottom of the
(a) They capture solar energy and use it as food.
pyramid do.
(b) They consume other organisms, absorbing
(b) Organisms at the bottom of the pyramid need
energy.
more energy to survive than organisms at the top
(c) They break down other organisms, releasing
of the pyramid do.
energy into the environment.
(c) At the bottom of the pyramid, organisms must
(d) They absorb solar energy and make it directly
consume other organisms to get energy.
available to other organisms.
(d) As energy moves up the pyramid, some energy
is lost.
Draw an energy pyramid that includes the organisms
shown in the food web diagram on p. 41.
The process by which the remains of an organism are
preserved by drying is called
(a) petrification.
(b) mummification.
(c) erosion.
(d) superposition.
Energy flows through a ecosystem, starting as solar
energy. Which of the following sequences shows the
proper flow of energy through an ecosystem?
(a) solar energy -> consumers -> decomposers
(b) solar energy -> decomposers -> scavengers
(c) solar energy -> producers -> consumers
(d) solar energy -> scavengers -> producers
A fossil that has unusual features is found in many areas
of Earth. It represents a brief period f geologic time but
occurs in small numbers. Would this fossil make a god
index fossil? Explain.
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Sample Assessments for Biology Connections (continued)
Human civilization developed during which of the
following periods of time?
(a) Triassic Period
(b) Jurassic Period
(c) Tertiary Period
(d) Quarternary Period
During which two periods were Earth’s average global
temperatures the highest?
During which periods did Earth’s average global
temperature decrease?
Based on the graph above, could climate change have
caused the Permian mass extinction? Is climate change a
likely cause of the mass extinction at the CretaceousTertiary boundary? Explain your answer.
If Earth formed about 4.6 billion years ago, what
percentage of Earths total history did the Cenozoic Era
fill?
(a) about 1.5 %
(b) about 10.5 %
(c) about 15 %
(d) about 50 %
Which of the following statements best describes the
relationship between evolution and geologic change?
(a) Geologic change does not affect evolution.
(b) Dramatic geologic changes can drive
evolutionary changes.
(c) Evolution can cause geologic change.
(d) Geologic change always causes extinctions.
During various times in Earth’s history, mass extinctions
have occurred. During a mass extinction, enormous
numbers of species die. How do mass extinctions benefit
surviving organisms?
(a) The surviving organisms can consume the dead
organisms.
(b) The mass extinction makes resources available
for surviving organisms.
(c) Mass extinctions prevent the spread of disease
to surviving organisms.
(d) The surviving organisms can adapt to the
environment more easily.
Which of the following statements describes a principle of
natural selection?
(a) The environment has more than enough
resources to support all of the individuals that are
born in a given ecosystem.
(b) Only individuals well-suited to the
environment are likely to survive and reproduce.
(c) Individuals in a healthy population are
identical and have the same traits.
(d) Most species produce plentiful offspring that
will all live until maturity and reproduce.
Concept Mapping
Use the following terms to create a concept map:
geologic time, Paleozoic Era, Mesozoic Era, stromalite,
Precambrian time, eurypterid, crinoid, Cenozoic Era,
trilobite, saurischian, ornithischian, dinosaur, mammal,
and human.