Download Earth Science- 8.gr- Essential Questions

Earth Systems, Structures and Processes
Essential Standard #: 8.E.1 Understand the hydrosphere and the impact of humans on local
systems and the effects of the hydrosphere on humans
Essential Questions:
8.E.1.1
 What are the properties of water?
 Illustrate the hydrologic cycle and explain the processes involved in recycling water throughout the globe.
 Explain how water is distributed throughout the hydrosphere giving the percentages of where fresh water is
held?
 What energy source allows water to circulate through the Hydrosphere?
 How does the water cycle ensure a constant supply of fresh water on Earth?
 Where are the local rivers and water supplies for Lee County?
 How do evaporation and transpiration differ?
 How do aquifers “clean” groundwater?
 How is water distributed over Earth?
 How do watersheds and river basins differ?
8.E.1.2
 How can humans manage and sustain marine resources?
 How are the zones of the oceans alike/different and how do they work together?
 How has deep sea technology changed over time?
 How does the use of deep ocean technology provide us with a broader understanding of ocean ecosystems
around the world?
 How does temperature, pressure and amount of light change in each zone of the ocean?
 How does life change in each zone of the ocean?
 What is upwelling?
 How does upwelling affect marine life?
 Why is ecotourism important to life in our oceans?
 What is an estuary?
 What features of estuaries make them an ideal habitat for living things?
 What is the relationship between aquatic and terrestrial organisms?
 How do the different ocean zones serve as habitats for the great diversity of organisms in the ocean?
 Why is deep sea exploration important?
8.E1.3
 Discuss how the following factors affect the quality of water supply - temperature, dissolved oxygen, etc.
 What is the importance of dissolved oxygen to marine life?
 What parameters determine if a body of water is healthy?
 How are these parameters tested?
 What is pH and how is it tested?
 If biological factors are not at a healthy range, what precautions can be implemented to prevent the destruction
of bodies of water?
 How do low dissolved oxygen levels affect an aquatic ecosystem?
 How does turbidity affect drinking water?
 How do humans change levels of dissolved oxygen in water systems?
 How can bioindicators be used to determine the health of a body of water?
8.E.1.4:
 How do we monitor the quality of our water?
 What are the standards for water quality?
 How is water treated to make it usable by humans?
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How do pollutants get into the hydrosphere?
How can we be good stewards of our water supply?
How do point and non-point pollution affect water quality?
Why is it important to reduce point source and nonpoint source water pollution?
How does eutrophication occur?
How do nitrates and phosphates relate to eutrophication and dissolved oxygen levels?
Earth History
Essential Standard#: 8.E.2 Understand the history of Earth and its life forms based on evidence
of change recorded in fossil records and landforms.
Essential Questions:
8.E.2.1
 How can the amount of parent material in a rock sample be determined by using half-lives?
 How does the amount of parent material in a sample change as time increases?
 How does the location of an index fossil help determine the age of the rocks around it?
 How does age of a rock at the bottom of a rock formation compare to that of a rock at the top of a rock
formation?
 Explain how fossils provide important evidence of how Earth has changed over time.
 Discuss how a fossil is formed and classify fossils as mold, cast, petrified, preserved, carbonized and trace
fossils.
 Explain how the Geologic Time Scale shows diversity of life forms over Earth’s history.
 Identify the common organisms in each of the following geologic periods: Precambrian, Paleozoic, Mesozoic
and Cenozoic.
8.E.2.2:
 How do ice cores tell scientists about Earth's changing atmospheric makeup?
 How do ice cores change over time?
 How do index fossils help determine the relative ages of rocks?
 How does the sun affect the formation of sedimentary rocks?
 How do magma and lava differ?
 How does the formation of intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks differ?
 How does increasing pressure and temperature affect a rock?
 Explain that the fossil record gives important information about past life and environments on Earth.
 Compare on contrast actual age and relative age of rock.
 Identify ways scientist date the age of rocks such as Law of Superposition and Radioactive dating.
 Explain the role of index fossils in dating rocks.
 Evaluate how artifacts such as ice cores are used to determine the geological history of the Earth.
 Explain how faults are formed and what occurs at fault sites.