Unit 1 Introduction to Earth Science
Big Idea (1) Science & Planet Earth
Essential Questions:
Big Idea (2) Earth's Dimensions and Navigation
Essential Questions:
Big Idea (3) Models & Maps
Essential Questions:
Essential Questions:
- Whats is Science?
- What is Earth Science?
- How is Earth Science Related to Other Sciences?
- Why Study Earth Science?
- How do Scientists Gather & Analyze Data?
- How is Density Determined?
- How do Scientists make & use Graphs?
- How is Technology Changing the Way Scientists Work?
- Students will understand the place of Earth science in the natural world.
- Students will become comfortable with the manipulation of numbers and the need to be good observers.
- Students will understand the concept of density and use a simple equation to solve for it. Students learn to calculate percent error.
- Students will learn to interpret the three basic types of graphs: line, bar, and pie.
- Differentiate between Earth science and the other sciences
- Understand what science is
- Define the major focus of Earth science
- Distinguish among observations, measurements, and inferences
- Use scientific notation
- Understand the metric system
- Define density • Calculate density
- Calculate percent error
- Identify dependent and independent variables
- Interpret the significance of slope on line graphs
- Recognize the significance of pie and bar graphs
- Use the Internet to find elementary facts about Earth science
- Know the differences between GPS and GIS
Big Idea (2) Earth's Dimensions and Navigation
Essential Questions:
- What is Earth's Shape?
- How Large is Earth?
- What are Earth's Parts?
- How is Location Determined?
- Students will be introduced to the various proofs that Earth is a slightly flattened sphere.
- Student will learn the size of Earth and practice using reference tables.
- Students will be introduced to Earth’s major spheres, and develop a basic understanding of each.
- To introduce students to Earth’s basic grid system of latitude and longitude.
- Explain the proofs of Earth’s shape
- Understand how the equator is located
- Explain how sightings of Polaris and the Southern Cross might help them find the equator
- Understand the precision of Earth’s measurements
- Practice determining percent error
- Define the major spheres of Earth
- Understand the characteristics of the major spheres
- Know the difference between latitude and longitude
- Understand how these coordinates are measured
- Know how to subdivide coordinate lines into degrees, minutes and seconds
- Understand the relationships of time and longitude (time zones)
Big Idea (3) Models & Maps
Essential Questions:
- What is a Model?
- What are Compass Directions?
- What are Map Fields?
- What is a Topographic Map?
- Students will understand that many things studied in Earth science are very large or very small. Therefore, they can be difficult to observe or work with. Scientists make models to overcome these difficulties.
- Knowing that Earth acts as a magnet can be used to help us determine directions on Earth.
- Students will be introduced the concept of isolines and the rules that apply to making isoline maps.
- To introduce students to topographic maps and their construction. This topic includes two activities that may be counted toward the required 1200 minutes of laboratory time.
- Students will learn about gradients and practice using them.
- Students will be able to create a profile from a topographic map.
- Students will delve into the use of isoline maps outside the classroom
- Explain the need for models
- Give examples of models used in everyday life
- Explain the essentials needed for any map
- Explain the importance of scale
- Know the basic compass directions
- Explain how a compass works
- Understand Earth’s magnetic field
- Define fields and isolines
- List the rules for making isoline maps
- Draw a simple isoline map
- Define contour lines as an isoline of elevation
- Interpret topographic maps
- Calculate gradient
- Explain gradient
- Calculate gradient
- Interpret landscape features from topographic maps
- Draw profiles using contour lines
- Understand the use of topographic maps in real world scenarios
- Have additional practice using contour maps
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