• Observe the physical surface features and atmospheric characteristics of the Earth using models.
• Gain experience with identifying patterns of circular movement within clouds, vortex, thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes. Use measurement in the context of scientific investigations.
• Explain what happens to solar energy when it reaches the Earth’s surface.
• Describe the layers of the atmosphere.
• Observe and describe the effect of surface temperature on the movement of the air above.
• Determine the basic conditions under which water moves through the air.
• Relate the movement of air within a convection model to the formation of land breezes, sea breezes, and tornadoes.
• Model and describe development of weather and earth’s structure related concepts.
• Analyze weather maps to identify and classify weather characteristics, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and the conditions associated with each.
• Gain experience in how temperature and wind conditions affect global climates.
• Analyze and record wave patterns from seismographs to determine epicenter.
• Gain experience in the causes and locations of earthquakes.
• Understand the structure of the Earth’s interior.
• Recognize that an understanding of the motion of earthquake waves can help scientists formulate hypotheses about the Earth’s interior.
• Classify materials as either brittle or ductile.
• Gain experience in scientists’ current ability to forecast volcanic activity.
• Identify other catastrophic events associated with volcanic activity.
• Understand the formation of landforms created by molten rock.
• Gain experience in sorting and classifying igneous rocks based on color, mineral composition, and texture.
• Analyze igneous rock samples to define samples by name and the conditions under which each was formed.
• Determine how the size of airborne materials affects where and how fast they settle.
• Understand the properties of volcanic ash and the effect of ash on the environment.
• Apply experimental design techniques to plan and conduct investigations.
• Evaluate design solutions.
• Use graphs and table to record data to make accurate predictions and draw conclusions.
• Apply mathematics in the context of science.
• Acquire skills and safe practices to use tools and equipment to make more accurate observations.
• Acquire the vocabulary associated with earth science.
• Use scientific thinking processes to conduct investigations and build explanations:  observing, communicating, organizing, relating and inferring.
• Work collaboratively and relate knowledge to new experiences.
• Understand science safety and follow safe practices.

Assessments:

• Lab experiments
• Performance assessments
• Reflective journals
• Teacher created assessments
• End of unit projects
• Rubrics
• Checklists
• Homework/Class work
• Teacher observations

Catastrophic
Events

Full Option
Science System
Module
(FOSS)

Content:  Physical Science
Develop students’ understanding or the conditions that cause catastrophic events and the effects of their existence.

• Continental shapes, natural landforms, and swirling clouds offer evidence of an active earth and atmosphere.
• Clouds form in the atmosphere above the earth’s surface.
• Heat can be transferred by radiation, conduction, or convection.
• Solar radiation is a major source of energy for weather phenomena.
• The composition, color, and moisture content of a material affect the rate at which it absorbs or reflects solar energy.
• The atmosphere has different properties at different altitudes and is a mixture of nitrogen, oxygen, and trace gases including water vapor.
• Air rises and falls as it is heated or cooled as the surface absorbs or radiates heat.
• Rising water vapor cools, and condenses to form clouds.
• Patterns in atmospheric movement affect weather.
• Convection currents move heat through the troposphere.
• Fronts form at the boundary between two air masses with different temperature, pressure, and humidity conditions.
• The movement and exchange of water between the earth, atmosphere, and oceans is called the water cycle.
• Precipitation, thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes often develop in low-pressure weather conditions (or when warm and cold air masses meet).
• Oceans have a major effect on climate.
• Internal and external processes of the earth cause natural catastrophic events that change or destroy habitats, damage property, and harm or kill humans.
• Risk reduction occurs as people develop knowledge about and look for ways to deal with natural catastrophic events.
• Earthquake waves move through the earth and on, or close to, the earth’s surface in different way, and at different speeds.
• Earthquake waves radiate outward in all directions from its epicenter.
• Major geological events, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and mountain building, often occur in specific locations on the earth and are often associated with plate movement.
• Scientists and engineers construct models to help them understand how complex systems behave.
• Interactions between the rigid lithosphere and the convective mantle cause plate movement which in turn generates most earthquakes and volcanoes.
• Rock responds to the forces cause by plate movement by either folding (bending) or fracturing (breaking).
• Volcanic eruptions have both destructive and constructive effects which include creating landforms by adding new material to the Earth’s surface.
• A relationship exists between the process by which a rock forms and the type of rock produced.
• The rate of cooling of a given solution affects the size of crystals formed.
• The rock cycle is a continuous process in which each of the three basic rock types transforms into one of the other rock types through episodes of mountain building, erosion, sedimentation, melting, and re-crystallization.
• The properties of volcanic ash reveal its general composition and its potential effects on people, property, and the environment.

Internet Links:
http://www.stcms.si.edu/ce/ce.htm

pde.state.pa.us/k12/lib/k12/scitech.doc

education-world.com/
standards/national/science/index.shtm

umtsd.org/Science_list

Achieve.Weatherbug.com

Planned Instruction