Download first quarter syllabus

FIRST QUARTER SYLLABUS
EARTH SCIENCE UNIT
CHAPTER 1 PLATE TECTONICS
LESSON 1: Earth has several layers.
LESSON 2: Continents change position over time.
LESSON 3: Plates move apart.
LESSON 4: Plates converge or scrape past each other.
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LESSON 1
Describe how different densities of materials that make up the Earth their
differences, and how these differences cause movement of the materials.
Compare and contrast the inner and outer core of the Earth.
Compare and contrast the Asthenosphere and Lithosphere.
Create a chart that includes all of Earth’s Layers. Be sure to include a description
along with the thickness of each layer.
What are tectonic plates and where are they located?
LESSON 2
6. Describe the German scientist who developed the theory of continental drift. Be
sure to include all details.
7. Describe convection currents. Compare and contrast convection currents in the
Earth’s oceans and the earth’s crust.
8. Describe the three basic foundations (evidence) that help support the theory of
continental drift.
9. What is Pangaea?
10. What evidence, found on the sea floor, helps support the theory of Plate
Tectonics?
11. What causes Plate Movement? Be sure to use convection and/or convection
current in your answer.
LESSON 3
12. Compare and contrast the following: divergent boundary, convergent boundary
and transform boundary.
13. Compare and contrast mid-ocean ridges and rift valleys.
14. How does magnetic reversals support sea-floor spreading?
15. Describe a “hot spot” in the ocean and use a specific example.
LESSON 4
16. Create a chart that includes the following: oceanic-oceanic crust collision,
continental-continental collision, and continental-oceanic collision.
17. What is a transverse boundary? Give a specific example in your answer.
CHAPTER 2 VIEWS OF EARTH’S PAST
LESSON 1: Earth’s past is revealed in rocks and fossils.
LESSON 2: Rocks provide a timeline for Earth.
LESSON 3: The Geologic time scale shows Earth’s past.
LESSON 1
18. Describe how rocks and fossils give clues to Earth’s past.
19. Describe what “original remains” are and in what three mediums they will occur.
20. Describe the process of fossil formation.
21. Fossils will often form in rocks. They are not considered original remains. In
what 4 ways might these types of fossils appear?
LESSON 2
22. How do tree rings and ice cores give clues to Earth’s past?
23. Describe the term “relative age” and how sedimentary rock can give us this
information.
24. Compare and contrast Igneous and Sedimentary rock layers.
25. Describe “index fossils” and how a geologist might use these fossils.
26. Describe atomic half-life. Be sure to use Radioactive dating in your answer.
27. Compare absolute and relative age.
LESSON 3
28. Describe the term “uniformitarianism”
29. Draw a diagram of the “geologic time scale.”
30. Create a chart that includes the four geologic time divisions.
31. Create a chart that demonstrates the 3 divisions of the Phanerozoic Eon.
CHAPTER 2 CLASSIFICATION OF LIVING THINGS
LESSON 1: Scientists develop systems for classifying living things.
LESSON 2: Biologists use seven levels of classification.
LESSON 3: Classification systems change as scientists learn more.
LESSON 1
32. What is the advantage to scientists of classifying species?
33. Compare and contrast the terms classification and taxonomy.
34. How do scientists classify animals?
35. What do taxonomists study in order to do their job?
36. Compare and contrast physical and genetic evidence taxonomists use to
accomplish their job.
LESSON 2
37. List the seven levels in which organisms may be classified.
38. Describe the contributions of Carolus Linnaeus. Be specific as to his
contributions and the system he developed.
39. What does “binomial nomenclature” mean?
40. What is a genus?
41. Compare and contrast a genus and a species.
42. Explain how a Dichotomous Key can be used.
LESSON 3
43. What are the three kingdom domains?
44. Create a chart that contains all six kingdoms and at least one example of each
kingdom.
45. Create a chart that contains all six kingdoms and a description of each kingdom.
CHAPTER 3 POPULATION DYNAMICS
LESSON 1: Populations have many different characteristics.
LESSON 2: Populations respond to pressures.
LESSON 3: Human populations have unique responses to change.
LESSON 1
46. Describe the three stages through which populations go.
47. Describe the relationship between the terms ecosystem and carrying capacity.
48. What were the four observations made by Darwin concerning population growth?
49. Compare and contrast population density and population size.
50. Describe population spacing. Follow the example in your textbook (page 86) as a
guide to create a different example in your description.
51. Explain the term Age Structure.
52. How can scientists predict population change?
53. Use the example of the Starling population on page 88 to describe population
change.
54. Population growth is limited. Explain why this is true. Use the terms birth, death,
immigration and emigration.
LESSON 2
55. What are limiting factors when discussed in population dynamics?
56. What effects does population density have on a population?
57. Discuss reproductive survival strategies. In doing so compare and contrast
Strategies of Opportunists and Strategies of Competitors.
LESSON 3
58. Humans differ in the way to which they react to change. Describe what these
ways are. Use the terms Habitat Expansion, Technology, History of human
population growth and Population Projections.
59. How does a human population affect the environment?
60. How might the introduction of a new species affect the population already in an
ecosystem?