Download Word - New Haven Science

5/6/17
UNIT 1: STATIC FORCES/BRIDGES
CINQ5 Use appropriate tools and techniques to make observations and gather data.
CINQ6 Use mathematical operations to analyze and interpret data.
C. 23 Describe the qualitative relationships among force, mass
C. 30 Explain how beam, truss and suspension bridges are designed to withstand the forces that
act on them
ST: STRONG BRIDGES
Q1 Assessment
UNIT 2 MOTION
C 22. Calculate the average speed of a moving object and illustrate the motion of objects in
graphs of distance over time.
C 23. Describe the qualitative relationships among force, mass and changes in motion.
C 24. Describe the forces acting on an object moving in a circular path
ST: REQUIRED EMBEDDED CMT TASK: SHIPPING/SLIDING
UNIT 3 PLANETARY MOTION/PHASES/SEASONS/ECLIPSES
C 28. Explain the effect of gravity on the orbital movement of planets in the solar system.
C 29. Explain how the regular motion and relative position of the sun, Earth and moon affect the
seasons, phases of the moon and eclipses.
Q 2 Assessment
UNIT 4 LANDFORMS & CONSTRUCTIVE/DESTRUCTIVE EARTH FORCES
C 18. Describe how folded and faulted rock layers provide evidence of the gradual up and
down motion of the Earth’s crust.
C 19. Explain how glaciation, weathering and erosion create and shape valleys and floodplains.
UNIT 5 TECTONIC PLATES
C 20. Explain how the boundaries of tectonic plates can be inferred from the location of
earthquakes and volcanoes.
CMT TEST 1st Week of March
Q3 Assessment
UNIT 6 ROCK CYCLE
D.21 Explain how internal energy of the Earth causes matter to cycle through the magma and the
solid earth.
UNIT 7 NATURAL DISASTERS
8.f.3 National Standard
Grades 6-8 Core Scientific Inquiry, Literacy and Numeracy
How is scientific knowledge created and communicated?
Content Standards
SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY
Expected Performances
C INQ.1
 Scientific inquiry is a thoughtful and
C INQ.2
coordinated attempt to search out,
describe, explain and predict natural
phenomena.
 Scientific inquiry progresses
through a continuous process of
questioning, data collection,
analysis and interpretation.
 Scientific inquiry requires the
sharing of findings and ideas for
critical review by colleagues and
other scientists.
Design and conduct appropriate types of
scientific investigations to answer different
questions.
C INQ.4
Identify independent and dependent
variables, and those variables that are kept
constant, when designing an experiment.
C INQ.5
Use appropriate tools and techniques to
make observations and gather data.
C INQ.6
Use mathematical operations to analyze
and interpret data.
 Scientific literacy includes speaking, C INQ.7
listening, presenting, interpreting,
reading and writing about science.
C INQ.8
SCIENTIFIC NUMERACY
 Scientific numeracy includes the
ability to use mathematical
operations and procedures to
calculate, analyze and present
scientific data and ideas.
Read, interpret and examine the credibility
of scientific claims in different sources of
information.
C INQ.3
SCIENTIFIC LITERACY
 Scientific literacy also includes the
ability to search for and assess the
relevance and credibility of
scientific information found in
various print and electronic media.
Identify questions that can be answered
through scientific investigation.
C INQ.9
Identify and present relationships between
variables in appropriate graphs.
Draw conclusions and identify sources of
error.
Provide explanations to investigated
problems or questions.
C INQ.10 Communicate about science in different
formats, using relevant science
vocabulary, supporting evidence and clear
logic.
Grade 8 Core Themes, Content Standards and Expected Performances
Content Standards
Expected Performances
Science and Technology in Society – How do science and
technology affect the quality of our lives? (PHYS)
8.4 - In the design of structures there is a need to
consider factors such as function, materials, safety, cost
and appearance.
Bridges can be designed in different ways to withstand
certain loads and potentially destructive forces.
C. 30 Explain how beam, truss and suspension bridges a
designed to withstand the forces that act on them.
Forces and Motion – What makes objects move the way
they do? (PHYS)
8.1 - An object’s inertia causes it to continue moving the
way it is moving unless it is acted upon by a force to
change its motion.
The motion of an object can be described by its position,
direction of motion and speed.
An unbalanced force acting on an object changes its speed
and/or direction of motion.
Objects moving in circles must experience force acting
toward the center.
Earth in the Solar System – How does the position of Earth
in the solar system affect conditions on our planet? (PHYS)
8.3 - The solar system is composed of planets and other
objects that orbit the sun.
Gravity is the force that governs the motions of objects in
the solar system.
The motion of the Earth and moon relative to the sun
causes daily, monthly and yearly cycles on Earth.
Energy in the Earth’s Systems – How do external and
internal sources of energy affect the Earth’s systems?
(EARTH)
7.3 - Landforms are the result of the interaction of
constructive and destructive forces over time.
Volcanic activity and the folding and faulting of rock layers
during the shifting of the Earth’s crust affect the formation
of mountains, ridges and valleys.
Glaciation, weathering and erosion change the Earth’s
surface by moving earth materials from place to place.
The Changing Earth – How do materials cycle through the
Earth’s systems? (STRAND III)
9.7 - Elements on Earth move among reservoirs in the
solid earth, oceans, atmosphere, organisms as part of
biogeochemical cycles.
Elements on Earth exist in essentially fixed amounts and
are located in various chemical reservoirs.
The cyclical movement of matter between reservoirs is
DISTRICT EMBEDDED TASK: STRONG BRIDGE
C 22. Calculate the average speed of a moving object an
illustrate the motion of objects in graphs of distance ove
time.
C 23. Describe the qualitative relationships among force
mass and changes in motion.
C 24. Describe the forces acting on an object moving in
circular path.
REQUIRED EMBEDDED CMT TASK:
SHIPPING/SLIDING
C 28. Explain the effect of gravity on the orbital movem
of planets in the solar system.
C 29. Explain how the regular motion and relative positi
of the sun, Earth and moon affect the seasons, phases of
moon and eclipses.
C 18. Describe how folded and faulted rock layers provi
evidence of the gradual up and down motion of the Earth
crust.
C 19. Explain how glaciation, weathering and erosion
create and shape valleys and floodplains.
C 20. Explain how the boundaries of tectonic plates can
inferred from the location of earthquakes and volcanoes.
DISTRICT EMBEDDED TASK: EROSION
(MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE CMT IN MARCH)
D 21. Explain how internal energy of the Earth causes
matter to cycle through the magma and the solid earth.
(POSSIBLE 4th Quarter TOPIC)
DISTRICT EMBEDDED TASK: CYCLES
driven by the Earth’s internal and external sources of
energy.
NATURAL DISASTERS
NATURAL DISASTERS (NAEP standard)
Science Curriculum Pacing Chart
Units by Quarter
Q1. Unit One:
Static Forces and
Bridges
Q1-2. Unit Two:
Motion
Q2. Unit Three:
Planetary Motion,
Phases, Seasons,
and Eclipses
Q3. Unit Four:
Landforms,
Constructive and
Destructive Earth
Forces
Q3. Unit Five:
Tectonic Plates
Q4. Unit Six:
The Rock Cycle
Q4. Unit Seven:
Natural Disasters
Power Standards
C23 Describe the qualitative
relationships among force and
mass.
C30 Explain how beam, truss,
and suspension bridges are
designed to withstand the forces
that act on them.
C22 Calculate the average speed
of a moving object and illustrate
the motion of objects in graphs
of distance over time.
C23 Describe the qualitative
relationships among force, mass,
and changes in motion.
C24 Describe the forces acting
on an object moving in a circular
path.
C28 Explain the effect of gravity
on the orbital movement of
planets in the solar system.
C29 Explain how the regular
motion and relative position of
the sun, Earth, and moon affect
the seasons, phases of the moon,
and eclipses.
C18 Describe how folded and
faulted rock layers provide
evidence of the gradual up and
down motion of the Earth’s
crust.
C19 Explain how glaciation,
weathering and erosion create
and shape valleys and
floodplains.
C20 Explain how the boundaries
of tectonic plates can be inferred
from the location of earthquakes
and volcanoes.
D21 Explain how internal energy
of the Earth causes matter to
cycle through the magma and the
solid Earth.
8th Grade Integrated Science
Significant Tasks
Which bridge is the
strongest?
Required CMT embedded
task: Shipping and Sliding
Reasons for Seasons
What if moon didn’t exist?
Erosion Lab
Plate Tectonics
STATE CMT TEST
MARCH
Dates
√
8th Grade Integrated Science
COURSE OVERVIEW
The 8th grade Integrated Science course will explore key concepts of physical
science. Students will be introduced to qualitative relationships among mass and force as
well as speed and distance. Some forces can only act on objects when they touch. Other
forces, such as gravity, affect objects from a distance. Students will apply those
relationships to explore what happens to objects when forces act on them. Bridges offer a
way to get over difficult obstacles. Early bridges were simple, made from available
materials such as trees or vines. Today, bridges are more complex. They are designed in
ways that consider factors such as function, materials, safety, cost and appearance.
However, regardless of their design, bridges must be made to withstand the forces that
affect them. In this course, students will explore how forces affect beam, truss, and
suspension bridges. Gravity is the force that governs the motions of objects in the solar
system. Students will explain how the motions of the sun, Earth, and moon affect the
seasons, phases of the moon, and eclipses. Internal forces inside the Earth result in the
construction and destruction of different landforms on Earth’s crust. Students will study
how tectonic plate interactions, earthquakes, volcanic activity, glaciation, weathering and
erosion work to change the face of earth’s crust.
Students will also work to develop skills in scientific inquiry, literacy, and
numeracy by questioning, collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data. Students will
communicate about science through reading, writing, researching information in both
print and electronic media.
UNIT DESCRIPTIONS
UNIT DESCRIPTIONS
FIRST QUARTER
UNIT 1: STATIC FORCES AND BRIDGES
II. UNIT 1: Static Forces and Bridges
Time: Entire quarter
a. Unit Introduction:
Bridges can be designed in different ways to withstand certain loads and the
forces that act on them.
b. Standards
1. C23 Describe the qualitative relationships among force and mass.
2. C30 Explain how beam, truss, and suspension bridges are designed to
withstand the forces that act on them.
3. CINQ1 Identify questions that can be answered through scientific
investigation.
4. CINQ2 Read, interpret and examine the credibility of scientific claims in
different sources of information.
5. CINQ3 Design and conduct appropriate types of scientific investigations
to answer different questions.
6. CINQ4 Identify independent and dependent variables, and those variables
that are kept constant, when designing an experiment.
7. CINQ5 Use appropriate tools and techniques to make observations and
gather data.
CT State Grade Level Expectations (Draft)
GRADE-LEVEL CONCEPT  Bridges can be designed in different ways to withstand certain
loads and potentially destructive forces.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS (Forces GLEs 1-4 are also in 8.1)
1. Force is a push or a pull and is described by its strength and direction and can be caused by a
moving or a stationary object. Forces are measured in newtons or pounds using scales.
2. Forces can act simultaneously on an object from all directions with different strengths
(magnitudes). When the magnitude and direction of all the forces acting on an object are
combined, or added together, the total force (net force) determines the object’s motion.
Forces in opposite directions are subtracted; forces in the same direction are added.
3. If the strength of all the forces acting on an object from one direction is equivalent to the
strength of the forces from the opposite direction, then the forces cancel each other out, and
are said to be balanced.
4. Bridges are elevated structures designed to support the movement of objects over a span.
Two important forces at work in bridges are tension and compression.
5. Bridges must support their own weight (dead load) and the weight of those objects that will
cross over them or act on them from time to time, such as wind, snow and ice (live load).
Bridges are kept stable by balancing the load forces with the supporting forces of the
structure. These forces can cause parts of the bridge structure to push together (compression)
or pull apart (tension).
6. Different bridge designs distribute tension and compression forces in different ways,
depending on the shapes of the parts of the structure. The biggest difference among bridge
designs is the distances they can cross in a single span. Shapes commonly used in bridge
design include arches, triangles and rectangles.
7. Bridges are constructed of different materials whose properties and costs vary. Some
materials are strong against compression forces but weak against tension forces; some
materials resist fire, corrosion or weathering. Materials commonly used in bridge design
include wood, rope, aluminum, concrete and steel.
8. A beam bridge balances the load by concentrating it entirely onto the two piers that support
the bridge at either end. When a force pushes down on the beam, the beam bends. Its top
edge is pushed together (compression), and its bottom edge is pulled apart (tension). The
amount of bend depends on the length of the beam.
9. A truss bridge uses rigid, interlocking beams to form a system of triangles that distribute the
load among all parts of the structure, increasing the structural strength of the bridge.
10. A suspension bridge uses cables suspended from tall towers to hold up the deck and distribute
the load. The tension and compression forces acting on the beam are distributed among the
cables (which experience tension) and the towers (which experience compression).
Engineers and scientists build models of bridges, conduct controlled experiments to learn
how they will withstand various stresses, and consider the benefits and trade-offs of various
design alternatives.
11. Bridge design is influenced by the length of the span, the properties of the materials and the
environmental conditions, as well as by practical considerations, such as the bridge’s
appearance, cost of materials or construction site challenges.
12. Bridges can fail because they have faulty parts, are used in ways that exceed what
was intended by the design, or were poorly designed to begin with.
SCIENTIFIC LITERACY TERMINOLOGY: balanced/unbalanced forces, net force, load,
tension force, compression force, beam bridge, truss bridge, suspension bridge
c. Essential Questions
1. What is the relationship between mass and weight?
2. What affect do balanced and unbalanced forces have on an object’s
motion?
3. What keeps a bridge from falling down?
4. How does a bridge support its own weight and the weight of a load?
5. How do different bridge designs balance the forces that act on them?
d. Essential Content
1. Force is a push or a pull and is described by its strength and direction.
2. Mass is the measure of the amount of matter in an object; weight is the
force of gravity that depends on mass.
3. Net force is the combination of all forces acting on an object. They can
add or cancel each other depending on direction and strength (magnitude).
4. Unbalanced forces acting on an object cause a change in the object’s
motion.
5. The most fundamental rule of bridge design is that the net force acting on
a bridge must be zero.
6. Bridges are kept from falling down by balancing action/reaction forces.
7. Compression is a “pressing together” force. Tension is a “stretching or
pulling apart” force.
8. A beam bridge balances the load of the bridge with the piers that support
the bridge.
9. A truss is a structure composed of thin horizontal and vertical members
which is used to reinforce the structural strength of bridges.
10. The load on a suspension bridge creates tension forces on the cables. The
towers and abutments create reaction forces.
e. Essential Skills:
1. To identify dependent and independent variables in an experiment.
2. To measure force using spring scales.
3. To design an experiment that tests how changing different properties on
bridges affects bridge strength.
4. To read and interpret different scientific sources of information.
f. Vocabulary:
1. Force
2. Mass
3. Weight
4. Gravity
5. Friction
6. Net Force
7. Balanced Forces
8. Unbalanced Forces
9. Action/Reaction Forces
10. Tension
11. Compression
12. Pier
13. Abutment
14. Member
15. Load/Decking
16. Beam Bridge
17. Truss Bridge
18. Suspension Bridge
19. Magnitude
g. Science Misconceptions:
1. If an object is at rest, no forces are acting on the object.
2. A rigid solid cannot be compressed or stretched.
h. Suggested Labs and Activities:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Lab – Sticky Notes
Understanding: Bridges (United Streaming Video and Quiz)
Bridge “capstone” task
Sponge Beam
III. Significant Task: Which bridge is the strongest?
RESOURCES
SPONGE BEAM LAB
WHICH BRIDGE IS STRONGEST
STRONG BRIDGES LAB
READING FOR INFORMATION
CAPSTONE TASK
SAMPLE UNIT ASSESSMENT
SAMPLE BRIDGE LESSONS
SAMPLE BRIDGE UNIT
06-07 QUARTER ONE ASSESSMENT
http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/2001/5/
8.2 UNIT 2 SECOND QUARTER
UNIT 2: MOTION
II. UNIT 2: Motion
Time:
Approximate Dates:
a. Unit Introduction:
During this unit, students will be introduced to basic concepts about motion.
Students will describe the motion of an object based on an object’s position,
direction, and speed.
b. Standards:
1. C22 Calculate the average speed of a moving object and illustrate the
motion of objects in graphs of distance over time.
2. C23 Describe the qualitative relationships among force, mass, and changes
in motion.
3. C24 Describe the forces acting on an object moving in a circular path.
4. CINQ1 Identify questions that can be answered through scientific
investigation.
5. CINQ7 Identify and present relationships between variables in appropriate
graphs.
CT State Grade Level Expectations (Draft)
GRADE-LEVEL CONCEPT 1:  The motion of an object can be described by its position,
direction of motion and speed.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS:
1. An object is said to be in motion when its position changes in relation to a point of reference.
2. The speed of an object’s motion can be described as a change in position over a change in
time, and is measured in units such as meters per second or miles per hour.
3. Most objects do not move at a constant speed for very long (for example, cars driving through
traffic). Average speed takes into account all the different speeds traveled. Average speed is
calculated by dividing the total distance traveled by the change in time, regardless of any
changes in motion or direction during its travel.
4. Motion of objects can be represented on a position time line graph, with position as the
vertical (“y”) axis and time as the horizontal (“x”) axis. Constant speed is represented by a
straight, diagonal line. The steepness (slope) of the motion line indicates speed, and the
direction of the slant of the motion line indicates direction of motion. A straight horizontal
line indicates an object at rest.
GRADE-LEVEL CONCEPT 2:  An unbalanced force acting on an object changes its speed
and/or direction of motion.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS:
1. In order for an object to change its motion, a push/pull (force) must be applied over a
distance.
2. Forces can act between objects that are in direct contact, or they can act over a distance.
There are forces of attraction, such as gravity or magnetism, and forces of resistance, such as
friction and drag (air resistance). Forces are measured in newtons or pounds using scales.
3. Forces can act simultaneously on an object from all directions with different strengths
(magnitudes). When the magnitude and direction of all the forces acting on an object are
combined, or added together, the total force (net force) determines the object’s motion.
Forces in opposite directions are subtracted; forces in the same direction are added.
4. If the strength of all the forces acting on an object from one direction is equivalent to the
strength of the forces from the opposite direction, then the forces cancel each other out, and
are said to be balanced. Balanced forces keep an object moving with the same speed and
direction, including keeping it at rest.
5. If the net force acting on an object is not zero, then the forces are said to be unbalanced, and
the object’s speed or direction will change, changing its motion (acceleration). Acceleration
is any change in motion, and occurs when something speeds up, slows down or changes
direction. On a position time graph, this would be indicated by a change in the steepness of
the motion line, or by a curved line.
6. The greater the unbalanced force on an object, the greater its change in motion
(acceleration). The greater the mass of an object, the greater the force needed to
change its acceleration. Given the same amount of force, an object with a greater
mass will change acceleration less. The total net force acting on an object can be
determined by measuring its mass and change in motion (acceleration).
GRADE-LEVEL CONCEPT 3:  Objects moving in circles must experience force acting
towards the center.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS:
1. Some objects continuously change direction without changing speed, causing them to move
in a circular path. Circular motion is caused by a constant unbalanced force that is constantly
changing direction and pulling towards the center. If there were no force pulling the object
toward the center, it would continue to move in a straight line in the direction it was moving
before the force was removed.
SCIENTIFIC LITERACY TERMINOLOGY: Motion, point of reference, speed, constant
speed, average speed, position-time graph, slope, force, friction, gravity, inertia, mass,
acceleration, balanced/unbalanced forces, net force, circular motion
c. Essential Questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
When is an object in motion?
How do you know an object’s speed and velocity?
How can you graph motion?
What are Newton’s Laws of motion?
d. Essential Concepts:
1. An object is said to be in motion when its position changes in relation to a
point of reference.
2. The meter is the SI unit of length.
3. The speed of an object can be determined by dividing the distance the
object traveled by the time it took to travel that distance.
4. The velocity of an object is described by its speed and direction.
5. A distance versus time graph can be used to analyze the motion of an
object.
6. Acceleration is defined as a change in an object’s speed or its direction.
7. Inertia is an object’s tendency to resist a change in its motion. Inertia is
Newton’s first law of motion.
8. Force depends on an object’s mass and its acceleration. This is Newton’s
second law of motion.
9. When an object exerts a force on another object, the second object exerts a
force on the first object of equal strength but in opposite direction. This is
Newton’s third law of motion.
10. Newton’s second law can be applied to a force causing an object to move
in a circular path, but it is not a separate force. It is simply a known force
– tension, friction, gravity – causing the circular motion.
e. Essential Skills:
1. To identify and present relationships between variables using appropriate
graphs.
f. Vocabulary:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Motion
Reference Point
International System of Units
Meter
Distance
Speed
Velocity
Acceleration
Force
10. Friction
11. Gravity
12. Tension
13. Compression
14. Direction
15. Mass
16. Inertia
17. Newton (N)
18. Newton’s First Law of Motion
19. Newton’s Second Law of Motion
20. Newton’s Third Law of Motion
g. Suggested Labs and Activities
1. Penny Drop
2. Crash Test Gummies
Balloon Rockets
Reading For Information: Isaac Newton
Significant Task: Shipping and Sliding (Guided)
CMT Task ShippingAndSliding Teacher, Student, Rubric
Sample Unit Assessment
Sample Quarter 2 District Assessment, Score Rubric
SECOND QUARTER
UNIT 2: MOTION
UNIT 3: PLANETARY MOTION, PHASES, SEASONS, AND ECLIPSES
II. UNIT 3: PLANETARY MOTION, PHASES, SEASONS, AND ECLIPSES
Time:
Approximate Dates:
a. Unit Introduction:
b. Standards:
1. C28 Explain the effect of gravity on the orbital movement of planets in the solar
system.
2. C29 Explain how the regular motion and relative position of the sun, Earth, and
moon affect the seasons, phases of the moon, and eclipses.
11. graphs.
CT State Grade Level Expectations (Draft)
GRADE-LEVEL CONCEPT 1:  Gravity is the force that governs the motions of objects in the
solar system.
1.
Earth is part of a system of celestial bodies that are grouped together around a central star,
the Sun. This system includes objects of different masses and composition such as planets,
moons, asteroids, minor planets, and comets. These objects move in predictable paths
determined by gravity.
2.
Gravity is a force of attraction between two objects. The strength of gravitational force
depends on the total mass of the two objects and the distance between them. The greater the
total mass, the greater the force of gravity. The greater the distance between two objects, the
less the force of gravity.
3.
The difference between an object’s mass and its weight is explained by gravity. Mass is the
measure of the amount of matter in an object; weight is the force of gravity between an
object and the celestial body it is on. Bodies in the solar system have different masses;
therefore the same object has a different weight on each celestial body.
4.
Objects in the solar system are held in their predictable paths by the inward-pulling
gravitational attraction of the very massive sun. The interaction of the center-pulling force
of gravity with a moving object’s inertia (tendency to keep moving) keeps one object in
circle-like motion (revolution) around another. This causes planets to orbit around the center
of the solar system and moons to orbit around planets.
5.
The Earth and other planets move through space in two ways: rotation on an axis and
revolution around the sun. Earth revolves around the sun in a near-circular path, explaining
cyclical phenomena such as seasons and changes in visible star patterns (constellations).
6.
The time it takes for an object to complete one revolution around the sun depends on the
speed at which it is moving and the size of its orbit. Objects more distant from the sun’s
gravitational pull move slower than those that are closer. Earth’s period of revolution is
about 365 days (year); planets that are more distant from the sun take longer to orbit
(revolve) around the sun, resulting in longer years.
GRADE-LEVEL CONCEPT 2:  The motion of the Earth and moon relative to the sun causes
daily, monthly and yearly cycles on the Earth.
1.
Earth rotates around an axis or rotation, a line going through the center of the earth from the
north pole to the south pole. The tilt of Earth’s axis relative to its orbital path, combined
with the spherical shape of the earth, cause differences in the amount and intensity of the
sun’s light striking different latitudes of the earth.
2.
Earth experiences seasons as northern or southern hemispheres are tilted toward the sun over
the course of its 365-day revolution period. Earth’s tilt causes seasonal differences in the
height of the perceived path of the sun and the number of hours of sunlight. Seasons are not
related to a change in distance between the Earth and the Sun, since that distance changes
very little.
3.
The moon changes its position relative to the earth and sun as it revolves around the earth in
a period of about 29 days. The same half of the moon is always reflecting light from the
Sun; some of the reflected light reaches Earth. Phases of the moon are explained by changes
in the angle at which the sun’s light strikes the moon and is reflected to Earth. The relative
position of the Sun, Earth and moon can be predicted given a diagram of a moon phase.
4.
Eclipses occur when the moon, Earth and sun occasionally align in specific ways. A solar
eclipse occurs when the when the moon is directly between the Earth and the sun (during
new moon phase) and the moon blocks the sun’s light, creating a moving shadow on parts of
the earth. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth is directly between the moon and the sun
(full moon phase), the Earth blocks the sun’s light, casting a shadow over the moon.
Ocean tides on Earth are caused by the moon’s gravitational force pulling on large bodies of
water as the Earth and moon move around each other daily. The regular daily and monthly
movement of the water (tides) can be predicted.
c. Essential Questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What are the two ways in which earth moves in space?
What causes the seasons on Earth?
What two factors affect the strength of the force of gravity between two objects?
What causes the phases of the moon?
What causes an eclipse?
d. Essential Concepts:
1. Earth moves through space in two ways: rotation and revolution.
2. The tilt of Earth’s axis causes the cycle of seasons on Earth.
3. The two factors that affect the strength of the force of gravity between two objects
are the mass of the two objects and the distance between them.
4. Inertia and gravity are the forces that keep one object in orbit around another.
5. The phases of the moon are caused by the change in the relative positions between
the sun, the Earth and the moon.
6. During a solar eclipse, the moon keeps sunlight from reaching parts of the earth.
7. During a lunar eclipse, Earth keeps sunlight from reaching the moon.
e. Essential Skills:
f. Vocabulary:
1. Axis
2. Rotation
3. Revolution
4. Orbit
5. Solstice
6. Equinox
7. Force
8. Gravity
9. Mass
10. Weight
11. Inertia
12. Phases
13. Eclipse
14. Solar Eclipse
15. Lunar Eclipse
16. Umbra Penumbra
LABS/ACTIVITIES:
Moon Phases
Reason for the Seasons
Eclipse
Tides
Galileo (Reading)
Essay Assessment: What if the moon didn’t exist?
QUARTERLY ASSESSMENT
SEASONS
MOON PHASES
RFI: GALILEO
ASSESSMENT
THIRD QUARTER
II. UNIT 4: Landforms and Constructive and Destructive Forces
TIMING:
APPROXIMATE DATES:
a. Unit Introduction:
b. Standards:
1. C18 Describe how folded and faulted rock layers provide evidence of the gradual
up and down motion of the Earth’s crust.
2. C19 Explain how glaciation, weathering and erosion create and shape valleys and
floodplains.
CT State Grade Level Expectations (Draft)
GRADE-LEVEL CONCEPT 1:  Glaciation, weathering, and erosion change the Earth’s
surface by moving earth materials from place to place.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS:
1. Earth's surface is constantly being shaped and reshaped by natural processes. Some of these
processes, like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, produce dramatic and rapid change.
Others, like weathering and erosion, usually work less conspicuously over longer periods of
time.
2. Glaciers are large, deep formations of compacted snow and ice. They form in areas where
annual snowfall is greater than the seasonal melt, resulting in a gradual build-up of snow and
ice from one season to the next.
3. Glaciers continue to build and advance as long as snow and ice continually accumulate; rising
temperatures and decreased snowfall cause glaciers to shrink and retreat. Over the past 100
years, glaciers worldwide have tended toward retreat as average temperatures have increased.
4. Glaciers can be hundreds to thousands of meters thick and can extend for many kilometers.
Under the pressure of its own weight and the force of gravity, a glacier slowly spreads
outwards across a region or moves down a slope.
5. In a process called glaciation, moving glaciers reshape the land beneath them by carving
away the soil and rock over which they move. Glaciated valleys are trough-shaped, often
with steep vertical cliffs where entire mountainsides were removed by glacial scraping. When
the glacier retreats and ice melts, the valley may fill with water to form a river or a lake.
6. Moving glaciers reshape the land around them by transporting material as they move.
Glaciers plow along a mixture of loosened soil, gravel and boulders (till), leaving piles that
form mounded landforms off to the sides or at the glacier’s end.
7. During the last Ice Age, New England was covered by a glacier; Connecticut’s landscape
provides many examples of glacial landforms.
8. Weathering and erosion work together as destructive natural forces. Both are forces that
break down rock into small particles called sediments.
9. Weathering is the breakdown of rocks into small particles (sediment) due to physical,
chemical, or biological interactions. Physical weathering can result from the repeated
freezing and thawing of water entering small cracks or pores in rocks, or from temperature
fluctuations causing expansion and contraction. Chemical weathering can occur when water
dissolves minerals in certain rock types. Biological weathering can be caused by plant roots
or lichens. Rock properties, such as hardness, porosity or mineral content, influence its
susceptibility to weathering.
10. Erosion loosens and transports sediment formed by weathering. Moving water can carry
away tiny sediments or entire hillsides, riverbanks, beaches, or roadbeds. Rivers, waves or
waterfalls can carve landforms such as valleys, canyons, caverns or floodplains. Wind can
erode some rock types, carving distinctive formations or creating sand dunes.
CONTENT STANDARD 7.3 – continued
GRADE-LEVEL CONCEPT 2:  Volcanic activity and the folding and faulting of rock layers
during the shifting of Earth’s crust affect the formation of mountains, ridges, and valleys.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS:
1. Earth’s surface features, such as mountains, volcanoes and continents, are the constantlychanging result of dynamic processes and forces at work inside the Earth.
2. Earth is formed of three basic layers, with the densest being the iron and nickel core. The
middle layer, the mantle, of the Earth is composed of mostly light elements such as silicon,
oxygen and magnesium and is quite plastic because of its high temperature and pressure. The
top layer, the crust, is solid but relatively thin, and it supports large land masses (continents)
and oceans.
3. The material supporting the earth’s crust is broken into different “tectonic plates” that float
on the material beneath it and move in small amounts very slowly. Continental drift is driven
by convection currents in the hot liquid mantle beneath the crust.
4. The presence of plant and animal fossils of the same age found around different continent
shores, along with the matching coastline shapes of continental land masses, provides
evidence that the continents were once joined.
5. At the locations where two tectonic plates interact, a boundary exists. There are divergent
boundaries (where plates move apart causing trenches and new crust to form), convergent
boundaries (where plates push together causing folding, faulting and uplift), and transform
boundaries (where plates slide past each other causing a build-up of resistance that can result
in earthquakes). Connecticut has a great deal of fault rock evidence of crustal separation.
6. The folding and faulting of rock layers during the shifting of the Earth’s crust causes the
constructive formation of mountains, ridges and valleys.
7. Mountain formation can be the result of convergent tectonic plates colliding, such as the
Appalachians and the Himalayas; mountains may also be formed as a result of divergent
tectonic plates moving apart and causing rifting as in East Africa or Connecticut.
8. Most volcanoes and earthquakes are located at tectonic plate boundaries where plates come
together or move apart from each other. A geographic plot of the location of volcanoes and
the centers of earthquakes allows us to locate tectonic plate boundaries.
9. The geological makeup of Connecticut shows evidence of various earth processes, such as
continental collisions, rifting, and folding that have shaped its structure.
SCIENTIFIC LITERACY TERMINOLOGY: Erosion, weathering, glacier, valley, floodplain,
core, mantle, folds, fault/fault line, continent, tectonic plate, plate boundary, convection,
mountains, volcano, earthquake.
c. Essential Questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
How does stress in the crust change Earth’s surface?
What processes wear down and build up the surface of the Earth?
What process is mainly responsible for shaping the surface of the land?
How do weathering and erosion affect Earth’s surface?
How do glaciers cause erosion and deposition?
How do scientists determine the relative age of rocks?
d. Essential Concept
1. Earth’s outer layer is broken into sections called plates.
2. Stress is created when enormous forces act on rocks to change their shape and
volume.
3. A fault is created when enough stress builds up in rock causing the rock to break.
4. Plate movement can cause the crust to fold creating mountains and valleys.
5. Weathering and erosion work together continuously to wear down and carry away
the rocks at Earth’s surface.
6. Glaciers are large masses of ice that move slowly over land.
7. As a glacier moves over land, the weight of the ice breaks the rock beneath.
When it flows downhill, it scrapes away the bedrock under it and carries rock
debris with it. When the glacier melts, it deposits the rock fragment creating
various landforms.
8. Scientists use the position of rock layers to determine their relative age. The
oldest layers are generally found on the bottom while the younger layers are
found on top.
e. Essential Skills
f. Vocabulary
1. plate
2. stress
3. volume
4. tension
5. compression
6. shearing
7. fold
8. fault
9. normal fault
10. reverse fault
11. strike-slip fault
12. mountain
13. valley
14. weathering
15. mechanical weathering
16. chemical weathering
17. erosion
18. sediment
19. deposition
20. glacier
21. continental glacier
22. valley glacier
23. relative age
g. Suggested Labs and Activities
How Glaciers Change Land
Faults
Fault Model
How Stress Affects the Earth
Mountains
THIRD QUARTER
II. UNIT 5: PLATE TECTONICS
Time:
Approximate Dates:
a. Unit Introduction:
b. Standards
1. C20 Explain how the boundaries of tectonic plates can be inferred from the location of
earthquakes and volcanoes.
CT State Grade Level Expectations (Draft)
GRADE-LEVEL CONCEPT 2:  Volcanic activity and the folding and faulting of rock layers
during the shifting of Earth’s crust affect the formation of mountains, ridges, and valleys.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS:
10. Earth’s surface features, such as mountains, volcanoes and continents, are the constantlychanging result of dynamic processes and forces at work inside the Earth.
11. Earth is formed of three basic layers, with the densest being the iron and nickel core. The
middle layer, the mantle, of the Earth is composed of mostly light elements such as silicon,
oxygen and magnesium and is quite plastic because of its high temperature and pressure. The
top layer, the crust, is solid but relatively thin, and it supports large land masses (continents)
and oceans.
12. The material supporting the earth’s crust is broken into different “tectonic plates” that float
on the material beneath it and move in small amounts very slowly. Continental drift is driven
by convection currents in the hot liquid mantle beneath the crust.
13. The presence of plant and animal fossils of the same age found around different continent
shores, along with the matching coastline shapes of continental land masses, provides
evidence that the continents were once joined.
14. At the locations where two tectonic plates interact, a boundary exists. There are divergent
boundaries (where plates move apart causing trenches and new crust to form), convergent
boundaries (where plates push together causing folding, faulting and uplift), and transform
boundaries (where plates slide past each other causing a build-up of resistance that can result
in earthquakes). Connecticut has a great deal of fault rock evidence of crustal separation.
15. The folding and faulting of rock layers during the shifting of the Earth’s crust causes the
constructive formation of mountains, ridges and valleys.
16. Mountain formation can be the result of convergent tectonic plates colliding, such as the
Appalachians and the Himalayas; mountains may also be formed as a result of divergent
tectonic plates moving apart and causing rifting as in East Africa or Connecticut.
17. Most volcanoes and earthquakes are located at tectonic plate boundaries where plates come
together or move apart from each other. A geographic plot of the location of volcanoes and
the centers of earthquakes allows us to locate tectonic plate boundaries.
18. The geological makeup of Connecticut shows evidence of various earth processes, such as
continental collisions, rifting, and folding that have shaped its structure.
SCIENTIFIC LITERACY TERMINOLOGY: Erosion, weathering, glacier, valley,
floodplain, core, mantle, folds, fault/fault line, continent, tectonic plate, plate boundary,
convection, mountains, volcano, earthquake.
c. Essential Questions
1. How do the characteristics of Earth’s crust, mantle, and core differ?
2. What causes convection currents in Earth’s mantle?
3. How does the theory of plate tectonics explain the formation, movement, and
subduction of Earth’s plates?
4. What type of movement occurs at each plate boundary? How do the movements
affect earth’s crust?
d. Essential Concepts
1. Earth’s interior is made up of three main layers; the crust, the mantle, and the
core. These layers vary greatly in size, composition, temperature, and pressure.
2. Convection is the heat transfer by the movement of currents within a fluid.
Heating and cooling of the fluid mantle, changes in density and gravity combine
to cause convection currents in the mantle.
3. The movement of convection currents in the mantle is the major force that causes
plate movements.
4. As the plates move, they collide pull, apart, or grind past each other, they change
Earth’s surface causing earthquakes and creating, among other things, mountains,
volcanoes, and deep ocean trenches.
e. Essential Skills
f. Vocabulary
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
crust
mantle
core
pressure
temperature
conduction
7. convection
8. radiation
9. density
10. convection current
11. continental drift
12. sea-floor spreading
13. deep-ocean trench
14. subduction
15. plate tectonics
16. boundary
17. divergent boundary
18. convergent
19. boundary
20. transform boundary
21. earthquake
22. volcano
g. Suggested Activities/Labs
RFI: Alfred Wegner
Pangea
Plate Asssign
CandyQuakes
How Stress Affects the Earth
Floating Continents
Convection Mantle
Snicker
THIRD QUARTER (POST CMT)
UNIT 6: THE ROCK CYCLE
II. UNIT 6: The Rock Cycle
Time:
Approximate Dates:
a. Unit Introduction:
b. Objective:
1. Describe how forces deep inside the Earth and at the surface produce a slow cycle
that builds, destroys, and changes the rocks in the crust.
D 21. Explain how internal energy of the Earth causes matter to cycle through the magma and the
solid earth.
c. Essential Questions:
1. What characteristics do scientists use to classify rocks?
2. What is the role of plate tectonics in the rock cycle?
d. Essential Concepts
1. Scientists use mineral composition, texture, and how the rocks form to classify
rocks into three main groups and a few subgroups.
2. The rock cycle is a series of processes on the Earth’s surface, crust and mantle
that slowly change rocks from one kind to another. These processes are cooling
and hardening, weathering, erosion, deposition, compaction, heat and pressure,
and melting.
3. Plate movements start the rock cycle by helping to form magma, by causing
faulting, folding and other motions to create igneous, sedimentary and
metamorphic rocks.
e. Essential Skills
f. Vocabulary
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
mineral
rock
texture
igneous rock
sedimentary rock
metamorphic rock
heat
8. pressure
9. rock cycle
RFI: James Hutton
FOURTH QUARTER
UNIT 7: NATURAL DISASTERS
II. UNIT 7: Natural Disasters
Time: Entire quarter
a. Unit Introduction:
b. Objectives:
1. Describe how seismic waves carry energy from an earthquake away from the
focus, through Earth’s interior and across the surface and the damage they cause.
2. Describe how volcanoes form when magma erupts through the crust and reaches
the surface.
c. Essential Questions:
1. How does the energy of an earthquake travel through Earth?
2. How can earthquake safety be increased and earthquake damage reduced?
3. How does the change in pressure and expansion of gases inside affect the magma
inside a volcano?
4. How does the silica content of magma affect the type of landform that is formed?
5. How do volcanic belts form along plate boundaries?
d. Essential Concepts
1. Energy from an earthquake travels in waves. The waves can produce severe
movement in the Earth’s crust and surface.
2. Scientists use level of damage, size of waves and amount of energy released to
rate the magnitude of an earthquake.
3. Scientists use seismic waves to locate an earthquake’s epicenter.
4. Data collected from seismographs and fault-monitoring devices is used to monitor
active faults and predict earthquakes.
5. When a volcano erupts, the force created by the expanding gases drives the
magma to either flow out or explode out of the volcano.
6. Scientists classify eruptions according to the amount of silica found in the
magma. Different types of landforms are created by different types of eruptions.
7. Earth’s crust often fractures along plate boundaries allowing magma to reach the
surface.
e. Essential Skills
f. Vocabulary
1. focus
2. epicenter
3. p wave
4. s wave
5. surface wave
6. magnitude
7. seismograph
8. seismogram
9. liquefaction
10. aftershock
11. magma
12. lava
13. viscosity
14. silica
15. quiet eruption
16. explosive eruption
17. pyroclastic flow
18. shield volcano
19. cinder cone volcano
20. composite volcano
21. hot spot
22. Ring of Fire
Science Of Natural Disasters
http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/2007/4/