Download Inside the Earth - Georgia Standards

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The following instructional plan is part of a GaDOE collection of Unit Frameworks, Performance Tasks, examples of Student Work, and Teacher Commentary. Many
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Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Science – Grade 6
Unit Organizer: Geology: Inside the Earth
(Approximate Time: 7 Weeks)
OVERVIEW: Surface and subsurface processes that are involved in the formation and destruction of earth materials are identified in this
unit.
STANDARDS ADDRESSED IN THIS UNIT
Focus Standards:
S6E5. Students will investigate the scientific view of how the earth’s surface is formed.
a. Compare and contrast the Earth’s crust, mantle, and core including temperature, density, and composition.
e. Recognize that lithospheric plates constantly move and cause major geological events on the earth’s surface.
f. Explain the effects of physical processes (plate tectonics, erosion, deposition, volcanic eruption, gravity) on geological features
including oceans (composition, currents, and tides).
Supporting Standards:
S6E5. Students will investigate the scientific view of how the earth’s surface is formed.
g. Describe how fossils show evidence of the changing surface and climate of the Earth.
ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS
Students will understand that:
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the earth is layered with a partly molten, metallic core; a mantle that though solid, is hot enough to flow; and a colder, rigid lithosphere.
lithospheric plates on the scales of continents and oceans constantly move.
major geological events, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and mountain building, result from these plate motions.
some changes in the earth’s surface are abrupt (such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions) while other changes happen very slowly
(such as uplift and wearing down of mountains).
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Unit Organizer: Geology – Inside the Earth
January 2007 y Page 1 of 6
Copyright 2007 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Educators
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Science – Grade 6
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
Topical Essential Questions:
• How are the earth’s layers alike and different?
• What challenges stand in the way of sending explorers to the center of the earth?
• How does the movement of lithospheric plates cause major events on earth’s surface?
• What evidence do scientists have that continents were once joined together?
• Why do mountains often occur in ranges thousands of kilometers long?
• What can fossils tell us about movements of the plates in the past?
KNOWLEDGE:
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The earth is layered with a lithosphere (crust and uppermost mantle), convecting mantle, and a dense metallic core.
Each layer differs in composition, density, and temperature.
Temperature and density increases as depth increases.
The composition of the earth changes with depth and layers.
The crust is the upper part of the rigid lithosphere and is of different composition under land as opposed to the ocean floor.
Below the rigid lithosphere, the mantle consists of hot rock of tar-like consistency, which slowly moves or flows.
The outer core is molten and the inner core is a dense solid.
The lithosphere is divided into separate plates which move very slowly in response to the mantle. Heat from the mantle and core creates
convection currents.
This plate movement causes major geologic events such as volcanoes, earthquakes, and mountain formation.
At the edges or boundaries of the plates, the earth's crust is in motion.
The theory of plate tectonics connects the evidence for the formation, movement, and destruction of the plates.
At divergent plate boundaries such as the mid-Atlantic ridge, new ocean floor is created.
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Unit Organizer: Geology – Inside the Earth
January 2007 y Page 2 of 6
Copyright 2007 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Educators
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Science – Grade 6
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At convergent plate boundaries known as subduction zones, a trench and deep earthquakes mark the zone where a slab of oceanic
lithosphere descends into the mantle, and volcanoes and mountain ranges form on adjacent land.
• When continental crust meets continental crust at a convergent boundary, a collision occurs, resulting in folds, faults, and high
mountains.
• Transform boundaries are where plates slide past each other. They connect other plate boundaries and are characterized by earthquakes.
CONCEPTS:
Plate Tectonics, geologic events/time, Earth processes
LANGUAGE:
Plate Tectonics, Magma, Continental Drift, volcanic activities, convection currents, plate boundaries, fossil evidence, Subduction Rifting
Transform faults Map of plate boundaries Earthquakes Volcanoes
MISCONCEPTIONS
PROPER CONCEPTIONS
The world map is unchanging; or a major change - such as California
separating from North America - could happen within my lifetime.
Moving plates cause major changes in a world map over tens of
millions of years.
Earth has always looked as it does now; Earth began with a
supercontinent called Pangaea, which broke up to make the present
continents.
Pangaea was the most recent of a succession of supercontinents that
have formed and broken up over time.
The mantle is molten everywhere; volcanoes happen whenever the
crust is thin enough for magma to break through.
The mantle is solid but capable of flow (like hot asphalt or fudge).
Only under special conditions (at hot spots and along plate
boundaries) does the mantle or crust melt to make magma, which
may then rise to the surface to make a volcanic eruption.
Earthquakes are random spasms in the earth which suddenly create
major crustal features.
Earthquakes represent sudden breaks in crust continuously stressed
by plate movement. Gradually over time, the same movements result
in major crustal features.
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Unit Organizer: Geology – Inside the Earth
January 2007 y Page 3 of 6
Copyright 2007 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Educators
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Science – Grade 6
EVIDENCE OF LEARNING:
By the conclusion of this unit, students should be able to demonstrate the following competencies:
Culminating Activity:
Goal: To show your knowledge of plate movement and their causes and the uplifting and wearing down of mountains
Role: You are a child in a family that is being forced to relocate
Audience: Your family
Situation: Your mom's job is forcing your family to relocate due to a closing of her office. Your family is given the choice of moving to either
California or Hawaii. Your parents have asked each of their children to create a presentation of information related to each of these states. Your
parents are very concerned about volcanic and earthquake activity in these areas. Since you have taken Earth Science, your parents have asked
you to focus on these aspects of each state.
Performance: Presentation using "Inside the Earth Project Rubric"
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Unit Organizer: Geology – Inside the Earth
January 2007 y Page 4 of 6
Copyright 2007 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Educators
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Science – Grade 6
Inside the Earth Project Rubric
Plate Movement
Uplifting and Wearing
Down of Mountains
4
In addition to including
accurate details about
lithospheric plate
movement and the causes
of major geological events
at each location,
information is also given
that compares these
events at each location
with those common in
Georgia
In addition to including
accurate details related to
the formation and wearing
down of mountains at
each location, project also
gives a comparison of
these events at each
location with those
common in Georgia
3
2
1
Project includes accurate
details about lithospheric
plate movement and the
causes of major
geological events at each
location
Project does include
accurate information
about lithospheric plate
movement and the causes
of major geological events
at each location, but
lacking details; or only
provides information
about one location
Project either does not
include information about
lithospheric plate
movement and the causes
of major geological events
at each location; or
includes inaccurate
information
Project includes accurate
details related to
formation and wearing
down of mountains at
each location
Project does include
accurate information
related to the formation
and wearing down of
mountains at each
location, but lacking
details; or only provides
information about one
location
Project either does not
include accurate
information or is missing
information about the
formation and wearing
down of mountains
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Unit Organizer: Geology – Inside the Earth
January 2007 y Page 5 of 6
Copyright 2007 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Educators
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Science – Grade 6
TASKS
The collection of the following tasks represents the level of depth, rigor and complexity expected of all physical science students to
demonstrate evidence of learning.
Task:
Description:
Discussion, Suggestions for use:
Possible Solution :
SAMPLE OF STUDENT WORK
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Unit Organizer: Geology – Inside the Earth
January 2007 y Page 6 of 6
Copyright 2007 © All Rights Reserved