Download Earth Science Grade

THE COLUMBUS SCHOOL
October 2007
Science Grade 8
Benchmarks 22
Standards, Benchmarks and Specific Content
Earth Science
SC1
Understands atmospheric processes and the water cycle
SC8.1.1
Knows the composition and structure of the Earth’s atmosphere
 Temperature and pressure in different layers of the atmosphere
 Circulation of air masses
 The atmosphere is a mixture of nitrogen, oxygen, and trace gases that
include water vapor
 The atmosphere has different properties at different elevations
SC8.1.2
Knows the processes involved in the water cycle and their effects on climatic
patterns
 Evaporation
 Condensation
 Precipitation
 Surplus run-off
 Percolation
SC8.1.3
Knows the sun is the principle energy source for phenomena on Earth’s
surface
 Wind currents
 The water cycle
 Plant growth
 Convection currents within the atmosphere and oceans produce winds
and ocean currents
October 2007
Earth Science – Grade 8
SC8.1.4
Knows factors that can impact Earth’s climate
 Changes in composition of the atmosphere
 Changes in ocean temperature
 Geological shifts such as meteor impacts
 The advance or retreat of glaciers
 Series of volcanic eruptions
 Tilt of the Earth’s axis and the Earth’s revolution around the sun
 The ways in which clouds affect weather and climate
 Precipitation
 Retention of heat energy emitted from the Earth’s surface
 Clouds, formed by the condensation of water vapor, affect weather and
climate
SC8.1.5
Knows the properties that make water an essential component of the Earth
system
 Its ability to act as a solvent
 Its ability to remain a liquid at most Earth temperatures
 Oceans have a major effect on climate, because water in the oceans
holds a large amount of heat
SC2
Understands Earth’s Composition and Structure
SC8.2.1
Knows that the Earth is comprised of layers defined by both composition and
position
 Composition
(a) Core: dense and iron-rich with some sulfur, oxygen, and nickel
(b) Mantle: thick and made mostly of iron and magnesium
(c) Crust: two types (oceanic and continental)
 Structure
(a) Lithoshpere “rock sphere”
(b) Athsenosphere “weak sphere”
(c) Mesosphere “middle sphere”
(d) Outer Core
(e) Inner Core
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October 2007
Earth Science – Grade 8
SC8.2.2
Identifies the ways in which Plate Tectonics have affected, and continues to
affect, features on Earth’s surface as well as the proof of the existence of
Tectonic Plates
 Sizes, names, and locations of the Tectonic Plates
 Plates constantly move at rates of centimeters per year in response to
movements in the mantle
 Major geological events, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and
mountain building result from these plate motions
 Principal structures that form at the three different kinds of plate
boundaries
 Features of the ocean floor (magnetic patterns, age, and sea-floor
topography) provide evidence of plate tectonics
 Why and how earthquakes occur and the scales used to measure their
intensity and magnitude
SC8.2.3
Identifies rock material at a particular point in the “Rock Cycle” and
understands that it is a process by which rocks change over time due to plate
tectonics, heat, and pressure
 Rock identification at different stages of the “Rock Cycle” (igneous,
metamorphic, and sedimentary)
 Properties of rocks based on the physical and chemical conditions in
which they formed, including plate tectonic processes
 Identification of processes which drive rocks to change from one type to
another (i.e. Igneous to sedimentary, sedimentary to metamorphic, etc.)
 Identification of the processes by which soil is created
 Identification of chemical composition and texture of soils and the layers
in which they are often found
 Identification of the components of soil; weathered rocks and
decomposed organic material from dead plants, animals, and bacteria
SC8.2.4
Understands how topography is reshaped by the weathering of rock and soil
and by the transportation and deposition of sediment
 Water, which covers the majority of the earth’s surface, circulates
through the crust, oceans, and atmosphere in what is known as the
“water cycle”
 Water is a solvent and, as it passes through the water cycle it dissolves
minerals and gases and carries them to the oceans
 Water evaporates from the earth’s surface, rises and cools as it moves to
higher elevations, condenses as rain or snow, and falls to the surface
where it collects in lakes, oceans soil, and in rocks underground
 Living organisms have played many roles in the earth system, including
affecting the composition of the atmosphere, producing some types of
rocks, and contributing to the weathering of rocks
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October 2007
Earth Science – Grade 8
SC8.2.5
Understands how Earth’s history provides insight into the processes we see
today
 The earth processes we see today, including erosion, movement of
lithospheric plates, and changes in atmospheric composition, are similar
to those that occurred in the past. Earth history is also influenced by
occasional catastrophes, such as the impact of an asteroid or comet
 Fossils provide important evidence of how life and environmental
conditions have changed
SC3
Understands the composition and structure of the universe and Earth’s
place in it
SC8.3.1
Knows characteristics and movement patterns of the nine planets in our Solar
System
 Planets differ in size, composition, and surface features
 Planets move around the Sun in elliptical orbits
 Some planets have moons, rings of particles, and other satellites orbiting
them
SC8.3.2
Knows how the regular and predictable motions of the Earth and Moon explain
phenomena on Earth
 The day, the year, phases of the moon, eclipses, tides, shadows
SC8.3.3
Knows characteristics of the Sun and its position in the Universe
 The Sun is a medium-sized star, and the closest star to the Earth
 It is the central and largest body in our Solar System
SC8.3.4
Knows that gravitational force keeps planets in orbit around the Sun and
moons in orbit around the planets
SC8.3.5
Knows characteristics and movement patterns of asteroids, comets, and
meteors
SC8.3.6
Knows that the universe consists of many billions of galaxies, that
incomprehensible distances separate these galaxies and stars from one
another and from the Earth
 Each galaxy contains many billions of stars and planets
 Distances are measured in light years
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October 2007
Earth Science – Grade 8
SC8.3.7
Knows that the planet Earth and our Solar System appear to be somewhat
unique, although similar systems may yet be discovered in the future
SC8.3.8
Knows that astronomy and planetary exploration reveal the solar system’s
structure, scale, and change over time
 Earth’s placement in system includes the moon, the sun, seven other
planets and their moons, and smaller objects, such as asteroids and
comets
 The sun, an average star, and is the central and largest body in the solar
system
 Most objects in the solar system are in regular and predictable motion.
Those motions explain such phenomena as the day, the year, phases of
the moon, and eclipses
 Gravity is the force that keeps planets in orbit around the sun and
governs the rest of the motion in the solar system. Gravity alone holds us
to the earth’s surface and explains the phenomena of the tides
 The sun is the major source of energy for phenomena on the earth’s
surface, such as growth of plants, winds, ocean currents, and the water
cycle. Seasons result from variations in the amount of the sun’s energy
hitting the surface, due to the tilt of the earth’s rotation on its axis and the
length of the day
SC12
Understands the nature of scientific inquiry
SC8.12.1
Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting
careful investigations. As a basis for understanding this concept and
addressing the content in other areas, students should develop their own
questions and perform investigations
 Knows that there is no fixed procedure called "the scientific method," but
that investigations involve systematic observations, carefully collected,
relevant evidence, logical reasoning, and some imagination in developing
hypotheses and explanations
 Understands that questioning, response to criticism, and open
communications are integral to the process of science
 Designs and conducts scientific investigations (e.g., formulates
hypotheses, designs and executes investigations, interprets data,
synthesizes evidence into explanations, proposes alternative
explanations for observations, critiques explanations and procedures)
 Establishes relationships based on evidence and logical argument (e.g.,
provides causes for effects)
 Knows that an experiment must be repeated many times and yield
consistent results before the results are accepted as correct
 Understands the nature of scientific explanations (e.g., use of logically
consistent arguments; emphasis on evidence; use of scientific principles,
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October 2007
Earth Science – Grade 8
models, and theories; acceptance or displacement of explanations based
on new scientific evidence)
SC13
Understands the scientific enterprise
SC8.13.1
Knows that people of all backgrounds and with diverse interests, talents,
qualities, and motivations engage in fields of science and engineering; some
of these people work in teams and others work alone, but all communicate
extensively with others
SC8.13.2
Knows various settings in which scientists and engineers may work (e.g.,
colleges and universities, businesses and industries, research institutes,
government agencies)
SC8.13.3
Knows that throughout history, many scientific innovators have had a difficulty
breaking through accepted ideas of their time to reach conclusions that are
now considered to be common knowledge
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