Earth Science Content Guidelines Grades K-12
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DOCUMENTRESUME ED 342 650 SE 052 538 TITLE Earth Science Content Guidelines Grades K-1?. INSTITUTION American Geological Inst., Alexandria, VA. SPONS AGENCY National Science Foundation, Washington, D.C. REPORT NO ISBN-0-922152-13-6 PUB DATe Aug 91 NOTE 79p. AVAILABLE FROMAmerican Geological Institute, 4220 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22302-1507. PUB TYPE Guides - Classroom Use - Teaching Guides (For Teacher) (052) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC04 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Biology; *Curriculum Guides; *Earth Science; Elementary School Science; Elementary Secondary Education; *Integrated Curriculum; Resource Materials; Science Education; Scientific Literacy; Secondary School Science; Space Sciences ABSTRACT Teams of teachers, other science educazors, and scientists s4t1lected from a national search for project writers have proposed using the following set of questions to guide the inclusion of earth science content into the kindergarten through grade 12 curriculum. The Essential Questions are organized in a K-12 sequence by six content areas: (1) Solid Earth (lithosphere); (2) Water (hydrosphere); (3) Air (atmosphere); (4) Ice (cryosphere);(5) Life (biosphere); and (6) Earth in Space. The questions have been developed within the context of the goals for earth science literacy as reported in Earth Science Education for the 21st Century: A Planning Guide, American Geological Institute, 1991. These goals state that for all students to become literate in science and in earth science they need to become stewards of the Earth; devlopa deep aesthetic appreciation of the history, beauty, simplicity, and complexity of the Earth; understand ways in which earth scientists investigate the Earth; and understand essential earth science concepts, including geologic time, evolution, change, scales, cycles, and resouices. The Essential Questions are organized in a manner intended to guide the sequential development of concepts and subconcepts within each grade level. The Essential Questions in the first section of this report, and the background notes of Key Ideas and Seeking Answers provided in the second section, representone way to frame the diverse content of earth science. (KR) **************************.*****It** ***** ItS***********************%***** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. I MOM es) c.1 Earth Science Content Guidelines Grades K-12 Funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation National Center for Earth Science Education American Geological institute Alexandria, Virginia 'PERMISSION TO REPRODUCETHIS MATERIAL HAS BEENGRANTED BY U S. ORPARTMINT OF Sammie* 01 n. I du< atonal Pesearch and Impromment Julia A. Jackqnn LDUCATIONAL RE SOURCES INFORMATION CENTER IERICi X (NS CIOCurrrant Wen reproduced reCetwed fromtheperlion orOrglin,labon 0,Gphillowl4 r Ptit"C" Changes "aye beim made to anprove TO THE EDUCATIONALRESOURCES raprodrallon Carral4V INFORMATION CENTER IERICI Orrds dr rr ra* oprnlona staled In tn.; cloc "Mat do nOT necrasarlty mpreseni DE Fis posAwnof 2 BEST COPY AVAILULE Printed on Springhill Recycled Offsetpaper Design and cover illustration by Julie DeAlley recyckd iwsper Typeset in Times Roman using Xerox VenturaPublisher Printed by Harper Graphics/St. Mary'sPress Copyright C 1991 by the American GeologicalInstitute, 4220 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22302-1507 Printed and bound in the United States ofAmerica Any pemon who wishes to reproduce ponionsof this report for educationalpur- poses may do so without obtaining permission. Anyonewho wishes to reproduce any pan in another publication must obtain writtenpermission from the American Geological Institute. ISBN 0-922152-13-6 3 i i 41 Contents Introduction 1 Essential Questions in Earth Science 3 Solid Earth 3 Water 6 i Air 8 Ice 10 Life 11 Earth in Space 12 Essential Questions, Key Ideas,Seeking Answers 15 Solid Earth 16 Water 32 Air 44 Ice 55 Life 60 Earth in Space 64 Acknowledgments 74 4 Introduction Teams of teachers, other science edu- Become sftwards of the Earth. catory, and scientists selected from a Stewatdship means making in- nmional search for project writers fanned decisions about using the have proposed using the following set Earth's tesources tad maintaining of questions to guide the inclusion of a high-quality environment. earth science content into the kinder- garten through grade 12 curriculum. Develop a deep aesthetic apprecia- ikon of the histoq, beauty, simplic- The writing teams wete selected to ity, and conylexity of the Earth. work in grade level groupings: K-3, 3-6. 6-9. and 9-12. These growings, Understand ways in which earth similar to those used in modem curric- scientists investigate the Eatth. ulum guides and frameworks, are based on such factors as student devel- Understand essential earth science moot and school organizmion, for concepts including geologic time, example, lower sod upper elementary. evolution, change, scales. cycles, middleijunior high, and senior high and resources. school. Essential Questions integam these The Essential Questions ate organized goals into :tad) of the six content in a K-12 sequence by six content mew FIN example, the section on areas; Solid Earth (lithosphere), Water Solkl Binh incbdes the following: (hydrosphere), Air (atmosphere), Ice How can we use soil? (K-3% Wird (cryosphme), Life (biosphete), and problems are caused by using re- Eatth in Space. The coment organiza- sources? (3-6); What can I do to con- tion reptesents the interacting systems serve Easth sesources7 (6-9); and How that make Earth unique within the does law influence use of the land? (9- Solar System. 12). Seeking omen to these ques- tions leach; to stewardship end The questions have been developed appreciation of tbe Earth. lt also leads within the context of the goals for to an understanding of how humans earth science liftracy as reported in depend on Earth amour= how long Earth Science Education far the 21st it takes the Eat* to provide resources Centwy: A Planning Guide, Ameri- that are not renewable within ow life- can Geological Institute, 1991. These time and how we change our enviton- goals, developed by a consensus- MEM building process, state that for all SW- desis to become literati. in science Questions are considered essential if and in earth science they need to they addiesi the goals stated above and if they make connections between The questions are integrated across the shekels' world and essential con- the K- 12 curriculum, building a hierar- cepts it eat* science. Questions are chy of ideas from simple to complex. essential if they aie wpropriate to ask Some questa= ate repeated in some at each grade level. They are even form at diffesent grade kvels. ills more appropriate if students are likely repetition enctxuages investigaiLig to ask questions themsehes. certain key concepts at later stages of student development. Questions at Essential Questions are listed with a the K-3 level focus on the students' letter (e.g., A., B.. C.) and are gener- immediate 3u:soundings at home and ally divided into numbered sub- in sultool and encourage teachers to questions (e.g., A.1., Al.). This use many activities. At the 3-6 level, organization, from a broad question to the questions focus on the students' a serks of subquestions under the expanding perception of their world broad question, is intended to guide and their ability to observe and de- the sequential development of con- scribe earth science objects and cepts and subconcepts within each events, ht grades K-6, teachers grade kvel. For example, in Water, should integraft earth science with grade level 3-6, questimi E asks, Why other subjects, such as language arts, do we need to be increasingly con- social studies, health, and mathemat- cemed about Earth's water resources? ics. This broad question evokes a wide range of potential content, and the sub- Grade level 6-9 bridges the observa- questions provide the fratnewoit for tional earth science of the primary delineating that content. grades to the more academic, analyti- cal studies of high school and beyond. The first subquestion (question E.1.) In grades 8 and 9, earth &thence is asks, Where does drinking water commonly taught as a one- or two-se- came from? This type of question is a mester course. By stades 9-12, stu- reasonable starting pr int for inquiry, dents are capabk of the most rigorous since it enables the teacher to draw and comptehensive treatment of the upon experiences from the students' intenelationships among the Earth's world. A studem obwrves water com- systems. Because these studeres are log out of the faucet at home and at making decisions about education or school. The teacher could connect employment after high school, ques- this student experience to earth sci- tions awe included that encourage stu- ence concepts, such as fresh water dents to explore how knowledge of sources above and below ground. earth science is used by people in many areas of employment. The remaining subqmstions under question B. ask the student, Where The Essential Questions in the first does waste water go?; How do our ac- section of this report, and the back- tivities affect water?; What can be ground noes of Key Ideas and Seek- done to pinkie cleaner water in the ing Answers psovided in the second future?; and Who owns Easth's water? section, represent one way to frame Investigating these subquestions can the diverse content of eatth science. It provide an unikrstanding of the fol- is the intent of the National Center for lowing concepts: waste water may be Earth Scence Education of the Ameri- nested, but it is not destroyed; waste can Geological Institute that this re- water will eventually evaporate of port serve as a working document to flow imu the ground and to the stimulate further discussion andcaper- oceans; industrial, agricultural, and imentatiun to improve precollege public uses affect water quality; &ple- earth science education. To pram d= of aquifers without recharging additional copies, contact the AOI them reduces water quantity; wise use Publications Center, P.O.