Grade 8 Unit 1 Exploring Early Earth

Grade Student8 Unit 1 Workbook Exploring Early Earth Grade 8 Unit 1 Teacher’s Companion Exploring Early Earth

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Printed in the United States of America

First Printing, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-948845-42-7

Green Ninja Inc. 421 Loreto Street Mountain View, CA 94041 https://greenninja.org Table of Contents

Lesson Files Lesson 1.2 Planet Earth: The Blue Marble Files...... 1 Lesson 1.4 Fly Away Earth? Part I Files...... 3 Lesson 1.6 Fly Away Earth? Part III Files...... 7 Lesson 1.7 Different Atmospheres Part I Files...... 9 Lesson 1.9 Deep Time: How Old Is Earth? Part I Files...... 13 Lesson 1.10 Deep Time: How Old is Earth? Part II Files...... 17 Lesson 1.11 Deep Time: How Old Is Earth? Part III Files...... 23 Lesson 1.12 Layers of Time Files...... 29 Lesson 1.13 Sediment Core Story Part I Files...... 35 Lesson 1.14 Sediment Core Story Part II Files...... 39 Lesson 1.16 Laws of Motion and Collisions Part II Files...... 43 Lesson 1.17 Laws of Motion and Collisions Part III Files...... 45 Lesson 1.18 Introduction to Scientific Programming Part I Files...... 49 Lesson 1.19 Introduction to Scientific Programming Part II Files...... 53 Lesson 1.20 Introduction to Scientific Programming Part II Files...... 54 Lesson 1.21 Anthropocene: A New Epoch? Files...... 55 Lesson 1.22 Earth Through the Ages: Introduction Files...... 59 Lesson 1.23 Earth Through the Ages: Visual Representations Files...... 61 Lesson 1.24 Earth Through the Ages: Coding Part I Files...... 63 ��...... 65

Name ______Class ______Date ______The Blue Marble Pre-Assessment Answer the questions in the space provided. Do your best to answer each question as thoroughly as possible. It’s okay if you do not know all of the answers!

1. Draw a diagram of our Solar System. Be as detailed as possible, and include labels.

2. What is gravity? Give some examples of the effect of gravity.

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Lesson 1.2-a-blue-marble-pre-assessment Copyright © 2018 1 1 3. Study the diagram below, depicting different layers of rock in a section of the Earth. Which of the layers is oldest and which is youngest? Explain your reasoning.

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4. Describe what you know about meteor impacts.

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5. Throughout this unit, you will be developing models and using computational programming to create and analyze those models. Use some of the commands inside the blocks to solve the problem given.

move if ______then when “start” is clicked when ______key pressed

repeat say ______for ____secs hide stop change forever Problem: You are trying to create a Ping-Pong video game. Write the instructions/ commands to make the game: 1) start and 2) to stop every time the ball goes out of bounds (out of a particular area). ______

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Name ______Class ______Date ______

Non-Contact Forces Demonstrations: Instructions

A. Gravity Demonstration

Procedure:

1. Tie one end of a piece of string, 10-12 inches (25-30 cm) long to a paperclip and the other end of the string to a pencil. Be sure the string is securely tied so it does not slide around on the pencil. 2. Lift the pencil so that the paperclip is suspended above your work area. Draw a diagram of your pencil and the paperclip in the data table below. 3. Change the angle of the pencil two different times, each time making sure that the paperclip is suspended above your work area. Record your observations in the data table below.

Observations: Position (Angle) 1 Position (Angle) 2 Position (Angle) 3

Analysis: 1. For each of the positions, does the orientation of the paperclip change with respect to the Earth’s surface? Explain your answer.

2. What force is at work?

Lesson 1.4-a-non-contact-forces-demonstrations-instructions

3 B. An Attractive Force

Procedure:

1. Place the string, paperclip, and pencil on your workstation so that the string is loose, not taut. Move a magnet near the paperclip. Describe what happens in the space below.

2. Put two or three magnets together, and repeat step one. Describe any differences you noticed.

C. Opposing Forces

Procedure:

1. Using the same string, paperclip, and pencil setup, tape the pencil to your work surface. (Do not tape over where the string is tied.) 2. Take a magnet and move it near the paperclip. Raise the magnet and paperclip up over the pencil so that the string is taut. 3. Very slowly, lift the magnet a little higher until there is space between the magnet and the paperclip so that the paperclip is “floating.” Draw a diagram, and write an explanation of what is taking place.

4. Repeat step 2 above. This time slowly raise the magnet away from the paperclip, and keep lifting the magnet. What happens? Record your observations along with an explanation.

Lesson 1.4-a-non-contact-forces-demonstrations-instructions

4 D. An Invisible Field

1. Using the same string, paperclip, and pencil, securely tape the pencil to a stack of books, blocks, or other objects you have available. 2. Place a ruler below the suspended paperclip. Adjust the length of the string or adjust the number of stacking items so that the end of the paperclip is barely touching the surface of the ruler. Move the ruler so that the paperclip is near the “0” end of the ruler and tape the ruler in place. 3. Move a magnet near the paperclip so that the paperclip “sticks” to the magnet. 4. Slowly pull the magnet back along the ruler until the paperclip just starts to separate from the magnet. Record the distance on the ruler in the Starting Point box in the data table below. 5. Continue to slowly pull the magnet back until the paperclip falls away. Record this distance in the Ending Point box in the data table. 6. Subtract the distances and record the difference in the Magnet Strength box in your data table. 7. Put two of the magnets together. Repeat steps 3-6, recording the distances in the appropriate boxes in the data table. 8. Put three magnets together, and repeat steps 3-6, recording the distances in the appropriate boxes in the data table.

Observations: Number of Starting Point Ending Point Difference Magnets

Analysis: 1. Does the magnet need to actually touch the paperclip to exert a force on it? Explain your answer.

2. What happens when the distance between the magnet and the paperclip increases?

3. What is the relationship between distance and the strength of the magnetic force?

4. Which set of magnets has the most magnetic force? Explain your answer.

Lesson 1.4-a-non-contact-forces-demonstrations-instructions

5 6 Name ______Class ______Date ______

The Big Picture

Group Assignment:

Working with a team of 4-6 students, create a system model of the universe. Your model will be made on poster paper and should:

• Describe the relationships and interactions between components of the solar and galaxy systems that make up the universe • Depict/Explain gravity’s role in these interactions, including the formation of solar systems

Individual Assignment:

Write a summary of your group’s model. Your summary should include:

• The hierarchy relationship of the components of the universe, from galaxies to satellites (moons) • A thorough definition of gravity that explains gravitational force in relation to mass and distance • An explanation of gravity’s role in the formation of the solar system and the motion of objects in the universe • Why we use models to represent systems such as those that made up the universe

Lesson 1.6-b-the-big-picture-model

7 8 Name ______Date ______Class ______

Too Hot, Too Cold, Just Right! A. Spectral Analysis Identify the similarities and differences in the spectra. Carbon Dioxide Methane

Carbon Monoxide Nitric Oxide

Water Ozone

1. Which components are in both Earth and Venus’s atmospheric data? ______

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2. Which components seem to only appear in Earth’s data?

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Lesson 1.7-a-too-hot-too-cold-just-right-worksheet

9 3. To which group of gases do these gases belong? What is their relationship to temperature?

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B. Temperature Comparison: Earth vs. Venus Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Mean Surface -180 to -89 to Temperature 465 -82 to 0 -150 -170 -200 -210 (ºC) 430 58 Mean Distance from the Sun 0.39 0.72 1 1.52 5.20 9.54 19.18 30.06 (AU) Mass of the <~1000 4.8x102 5.1x101 2.5x101 1.9x102 5.4x102 8.6x102 1.0x1026 Atmosphere 0 0 8 6 7 6 5 (kg) Carbon 96% 0.06% 95% Dioxide Nitrogen 4% 78% 2.7% Oxygen 42% 21% Argon 1% 1.6% Methane 2.3% 1.0% Sodium 22% Hydrogen 22% 89.8% 96.3% 82.5% 80% Helium 6% 10.2% 3.2% 15.2% 19% Other 8% <1% 0.7% 0.5%

1. Create a graph comparing the concentrations of Earth and Venus’s major atmospheric components. Think carefully about the type of graph that would best represent this data.

Lesson 1.7-a-too-hot-too-cold-just-right-worksheet

______

B. Temperature Comparison: Earth vs. Venus Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Mean Surface -180 to -89 to Temperature 465 -82 to 0 -150 -170 -200 -210 (ºC) 430 58 2. Compare Earth and Venus’s CO2, their temperatures, the mass of their atmospheres, and their distances from the Sun (e.g., higher vs. lower, greater vs. smaller, farther vs. closer). Mean Distance ______from the Sun 0.39 0.72 1 1.52 5.20 9.54 19.18 30.06 (AU) ______

2 1 1 2 2 2 26 Mass of the <~1000 4.8x10 5.1x10 2.5x10 1.9x10 5.4x10 8.6x10 1.0x10 ______Atmosphere 0 0 8 6 7 6 5 (kg) ______Carbon 96% 0.06% 95% Dioxide 3. Does Earth or Venus have a stronger greenhouse effect? Explain your answer. Nitrogen 4% 78% 2.7% ______Oxygen 42% 21% ______Argon 1% 1.6% ______Methane 2.3% 1.0% Sodium 22% ______Hydrogen 22% 89.8% 96.3% 82.5% 80% 4. What would happen if Earth had no greenhouse effect? Helium 6% 10.2% 3.2% 15.2% 19% ______Other 8% <1% 0.7% 0.5% ______

______1. Create a graph comparing the concentrations of Earth and Venus’s major atmospheric components. Think carefully about the type of graph that would best represent this data. ______

Lesson 1.7-a-too-hot-too-cold-just-right-worksheet

An orbit is the path of a body revolving around an attracting body. All of the planets in our solar system orbit the Sun because the Sun has a gravitational pull on the planets due to its mass. However, the orbit of each planet is different because each planet has a different orbital radius. An orbital radius is the distance from an object to the body which it is orbiting. So, the orbital radius of each planet is the distance between the planet and the Sun.

1. Create a scale to compare the different orbital radiuses of the planets in our solar system. Get creative with your scale units—try and choose something unique! Write down the scale you are using, then create a table to show the different measurements.

2. What is the relationship between the orbital radius and the time it takes a planet to go around the Sun? Draw a diagram to support your answer.

3. What is the relationship between the orbital radius and the temperature of the planet? Explain your reasoning.

Lesson 1.7-a-too-hot-too-cold-just-right-worksheet

Artist’s depiction of early Earth What would our planet be like with no oxygen in the atmosphere? Life would be very different. In fact, there might not be any life at all!

It might surprise you to know that there was little to no oxygen in the atmosphere for billions of years of Earth’s history. Early Earth’s atmosphere was very similar to that of Venus. First, it was likely mostly water vapor which condensed to form the world’s oceans. Then the atmosphere was heavy and toxic, full of large amounts of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and sulfur due to volcanic activity. What changed?

Clues in Earth’s Rock Layers To explain the change in atmosphere, we have to go back billions of years. Much of what we know about Earth’s vast history comes from layers of rock. Large rock formations with alternating bands of silver to black iron oxides and shales, cherts and microbands of iron oxides have been found all over the world, including some discovered in Australia and Minnesota.

Besides being very distinct to look at, these banded-iron formations are also very old. Scientists have dated some of them all the way back to over 3.7 billion years ago! They believe that these rocks were formed in seawater when oxygen combined with dissolved iron in Earth’s oceans.

Banded-iron Formation

Stromatolites are another distinctive kind of rock layer. They are formed by cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria are the only type of bacteria that obtain energy through photosynthesis. In shallow water, these bacteria trap, bind, and cement sedimentary particles. Over time, layers of sediment build up to create formations. These stromatolites are considered some of the world’s oldest fossils. They too occur throughout the world and have been found in the U.S. in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Scientists have dated the oldest of these formations to nearly 3.7 billion years ago. Modern stromatolites in Shark Bay, Australia Early Life and Photosynthesis Early life on Earth dates to around 4 billion years ago. Simple and unicellular, these organisms took nutrients from rocks and water. Then cyanobacteria evolved and began absorbing first infrared and then visible light from sun radiation and giving off oxygen. Stromatolites are evidence of early photosynthesis.

Scientists think that life then began to have a major impact on the environment. By producing oxygen through photosynthesis, our atmosphere changed over time. Oxygen is a very reactive gas so as organisms first released it, it bonded with dissolved iron in the ocean. Banded-iron formations are evidence of that. Then by 2.7 billion years ago, there is evidence of oxygen nearing the breathable levels of today. Eventually, life diversified. With oxygen available, a greater variety of metabolic pathways evolved. Also, the oxygen in the atmosphere was acted on by sunlight to form a protective ozone layer. This protected potential life on land from the sun’s harmful UV radiation. Around 475 million years ago, we have evidence of the first plants on land.

Take a deep breath and inhale. Now exhale. Give thanks to all photosynthesizing life: trees, grass, phytoplankton and more. Without photosynthesizing life, Earth would be a very different place.

Resources: • Timeline of Photosynthesis on Earth https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/timeline-of-photosynthesis-on-earth/ • Evolution of the Atmosphere: Composition, Structure and Energy https://globalchange.umich.edu/globalchange1/current/lectures/Perry_Samson_lectures/evolu tion_atm/ • How Phosphorus Helped Oxygenate Earth’s Atmosphere https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/news/how-phospohorus-helped-oxygenate-earths-atmosphere/

Name ______Date ______Class ______Deep Time: How Old is the Earth? Part One

Personal Time Scale, Part One 1. Think of at least three things that have happened to you and you’d like to remember. Record them in the chart below along with the year and number of years ago the events happened. Note: Choose events you are comfortable sharing with other people. Significant Life Event Year How many years ago?

2. Draw a vertical line below that is as many centimeters as you are old. Place each life event along the timeline at the appropriate measurement. Oldest events should be at the bottom. Label the timeline. You can add more than three events if you’d like. Note: Use a separate sheet of paper if you need more space.

15 Geological Time Scale, Part One 1. Draw a vertical line below. Place each earth event along the timeline. Oldest events should be at the bottom. Label the timeline. Bonus if the timeline is to scale (e.g., one centimeter equals one million years)

16 Name ______Date ______Class ______

Deep Time: How Old is the Earth? Part Two

Geological Time Scale 1. What eon or era will you research? (Include the name and the span of years) Name: Eon/Era (circle one) Years: ______to ______

2. Go online and research your eon or era.

 Brief description of eon/era:

______

______ Record a minimum of seven events below. Use notebook paper if you need more space. If you find conflicting dates, look up multiple sources to choose most accurate. Remember to use only reliable sources (e.g., .edu, .gov, National Geographic or reliable science journal or website). Significant Earth Event Category of event Year(s) Source (website) (geologic, life, other)

Lesson 1.10-a-deep-time-part-two-worksheet

Neogene, 23 mya - 2.6 mya

Paleogene, 65 mya - 23 mya

Lesson 1.10-b-geologic-time-scale-graphic-organizer

Geological Time Scale Graphic Organizer EON: PHANEROZOIC ERA: MESOZOIC Period Geological Life Other

Cretaceous, 145 mya - 65 mya

Jurassic, 201 mya - 145 mya

Triassic, 252 mya - 201 mya

Lesson 1.10-b-geologic-time-scale-graphic-organizer

Geological Time Scale Graphic Organizer EON: PHANEROZOIC ERA: PALEOZOIC Period Geological Life Other Permian, 299 mya - 252 mya

Pennsylvanian, 323 mya - 299 mya

Mississippian, 359 - 323 mya

Devonian, 419 mya - 359 mya

Silurian, 444 mya - 419 mya

Ordovician, 485 mya - 444 mya

Cambrian, 541 mya - 485 mya

Lesson 1.10-b-geologic-time-scale-graphic-organizer

Geological Time Scale Graphic Organizer PRECAMBRIAN TIME Era Geological Life Other

Proterozoic, 2.5 bya - 541 mya

Archean, 4000 mya (4 bya) - 2500 mya (2.5 bya)

Hadean, 4600 mya (4.6 bya) – 4000 mya (4 bya)

Lesson 1.10-b-geologic-time-scale-graphic-organizer

22 Name ______Date ______Class ______Deep Time: How Old is the Earth? Part Three Geological Time Scale 1. Choose 5-10 significant Earth events and complete the chart below. Make sure the events represent all categories (geologic, life, and other). You will share your selections and description of the eon/era with the class. Significant Earth Event Category of event Year(s) Scale (geologic, life, other) measurement

2. Construct a brief (less than three sentence) description of your eon/era. (This will be shared with the class.)

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______3. Use a piece of scratch paper to calculate the distance along the class timeline that each event will fall. If the string is 4.6 meters long then: • 1 meter = 1,000,000,000 or 1 billion years • 1 cm = 1,000,000,000 years = 10,000,000 or 10 million years 10 • 1 mm = 1,000,000,000 years = 1,000,000 or one million years Example: 250 million years ago, Permian Extinction - 95% of marine and 70% of terrestrial species go extinct 250,000,000 million years = 25 centimeters 10,000,000 million year/cm

23 24 Geologic Time Scale Chart

25 Personal Time Scale, Part Two 1. Look back at the significant life events you identified on page 1 of Deep Time: How Old is Earth? Part One and how they fall along the vertical time line. Can you organize those events similar to how the geologic time scale is organized? • Give each “era” a name which characterizes your life events. • Divide each era into two or more periods if necessary and provide a description for each. Note: Choose events you are comfortable sharing with other people. Era Period Description

2. What characteristics and/or events determined the differences between eras and periods in your personal time scale? ______

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3. How does that compare to how eras and periods are differentiated on the geologic time scale? ______

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26 Name ______Date ______Class ______Relative Versus Absolute Dating Take a walk around your neighborhood and schoolyard. How old are some of the features (e.g., buildings, plants, landscaping) you see? How do you know?

1. Observe five features and fill out the chart below. If the date is difficult to determine, try to describe it by how it compares to something else (e.g., the brick in the building is older than the building itself).

Feature Age (description or number) How do you know?

2. Was it easy or difficult to determine the age of things? Explain. ______

Name ______Date ______Class ______Relative Versus Absolute Dating Take a walk around your neighborhood and schoolyard. How old are some of the features (e.g., buildings, plants, landscaping) you see? How do you know?

Feature Age (description or number) How do you know?

2. Was it easy or difficult to determine the age of things? Explain. ______

______Lesson 1.11-c-relative-versus-absolute-dating-homework

Layers of Time: Sequencing Cards SET ONE: SHAPE CARDS

E S Shape Cards: Card 1, Start Here

Q U

E 2 N

C E 3