Science Curriculum Unit Planner

Grade: 5 Science Strand: Earth Patterns, Cycles, and Change Curriculum SOL: 5.7 (Part 2 of Earth’s surface) Unit Planner The student will investigate and understand how Earth’s surface is constantly changing. Key concepts include a) identification of rock types; b) the rock cycle and how transformations between rocks occur; c) Earth history and fossil evidence; d) the basic structure of Earth’s interior; e) changes in Earth’s crust due to plate tectonics; f) weathering, erosion, and deposition; and g) human impact.

Time: 3-4 weeks

1. Desired Results Enduring Understandings (BIG Ideas) Earth’s geological features have changed over time. Essential Questions • What are the major layers of the Earth? • How has the Earth’s structure and composition changed its geological features over time? • How are earthquakes and volcanoes similar and different? • How have fossils helped scientists understand Earth’s geological history? • How might the Earth appear a million years from now? • How does the changing of the Earth’s surface affect the economy and the development of residential communities? (Social Studies integration.) Understanding the Standard Essential Knowledge, Skills and Processes Students will: • Scientific evidence indicates that Earth is composed of four concentric layers — crust, mantle, outer core, and • Describe the structure of Earth in terms of its major inner core — each with its own distinct characteristics. layers — crust, mantle, and outer core and inner core The outer two layers are composed primarily of rocky — and how Earth’s interior affects the surface. material. The innermost layers are composed mostly of • iron and nickel. Pressure and temperature increase with Differentiate among the three types of plate tectonic depth beneath the surface. boundaries (divergent, convergent, and transform) and how these relate to the changing surface of Earth • Earth’s thermal energy causes movement of material and the ocean floor (5.6). within Earth. Large continent-size blocks (plates) move • slowly about Earth’s surface, driven by that thermal Compare and contrast the origin of earthquakes and energy. volcanoes and how they affect Earth’s surface. • • Most earthquakes and volcanoes are located at the Describe how people change Earth’s surface and how boundaries of the plates (faults). Plates can move negative changes can be controlled. together (convergent boundaries), apart (divergent boundaries), or slip past each other horizontally Science Vocabulary (transform boundaries, also called strike-slip or sliding boundaries). Shaded words are found in the vocabulary card section in the Teaching Resources book. Starred (*) words are • Geological features in the oceans (including trenches and mid-ocean ridges) and on the continents (mountain mentioned in the Curriculum Framework for the SOL. ranges, including the Appalachian Mountains) are *Boundary, *convergent boundary (move together), *crust,

Arlington Public Schools 2013 caused by current and past plate movements. *divergent boundary (move apart), *earthquake, *fault, *fossil, *inner core, lava, magma, *mantle, *outer core, • Humans have varying degrees of impact on Earth’s *iron, *nickel, *sliding boundary, also known as strike-slip surface through their everyday activities. With careful or transform boundary (slip past each other horizontally), planning, the impact on the land can be controlled. *tectonic plates, *volcano, *pressure, *temperature, *thermal energy, *mid-ocean ridges, *mountain ranges, *Appalachian Mountains, *human impact 2. Assessment Evidence Prior Knowledge Throughout the Unit • Virginia’s natural resources include minerals, rocks, ores, Formative Assessment: and energy resources and they are limited. • Teacher observation of students engaged in cooperative learning investigations. • Fossil fuels are found in the ground and include coal, oil, • KWL and natural gas. • Class created science rubric • Soil is a natural resource that is important to plants and • Science notebook (questions, summaries, charts, animals and should be conserved. drawings) • Informal assessment through observation of • Weathering and erosion occur on the Earth’s surface. students’ participation in hands-on activities and • Types and components of soil. use of vocabulary in classroom discussions. Summative Assessment: • Fossils are evidence of creatures that lived long ago. • Test/assessment Water is necessary for life. • Successful and accurate completion of model of the • River waters flow into the oceans. Earth’s major layers. • Tides are a basic cycle occurring in nature. • Water cycle. • Food chains begin with the sun. • Animals have life needs and specific physical characteristics. 3. Learning Plan References to Adopted Materials:

• Science Fusion – Unit 8 Changes to Earth’s Surface Lesson 1 – “How do weathering and erosion shape Earth’s surface?” Lesson 2 – “How does water change Earth’s surface?” Lesson 3 – “How do movements of the crust change Earth?” Lesson 4 – “How do plates move?”

Suggested Activities: See VDOE ESS sample lessons (weblink below) Review Activities: • Bingo with related vocabulary • Matching – light vocabulary words with their definitions and/or pictures • http://www.rockingham.k12.va.us/resources/elementary/5science.htm

Outdoor Connections: • Erosion in the sandbox (on the playground): Have students use the sandbox at your playground to make a model of erosion/weathering. Challenge them to find materials that would aid in the slowing of weathering or erosion. 4. Resources Trade books: • None specified Web Sites:

Arlington Public Schools 2013 • VDOE Science Standards of Learning and Curriculum Framework: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/science/ VDOE Science Enhanced Scope/Sequence Sample Lesson Plans: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/science/2010/lesson_plans/index.shtml • www.brainpop.com • www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/plates1.html (Information on boundaries, ) • www.EnchantedLearning.com/subjects/astronomy/planets/earth/Continents.shtml (Shows continental drift, Earth’s Crust, and has activity web links, also has volcano information ) • http://kidscosmos.org/mars/kids/kids_volcanoes.php (Volcanoes of Mars and Washington, geology terms, what’s inside a volcano? • http://kidscosmos.org/mars/kids/kids_earthquakes.php (Earthquake section of above link.)

Videos: • Earthquakes (Bill Nye the Science Guy), Disney Educational Productions, c1996 • Volcanoes (Bill Nye the Science Guy), Disney Educational Productions, c2005 • Living Rock: An Introduction to Earth’s Geology, Alpha DVD, c2002 • Continents Adrift: An Introduction to Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics, Rainbow Educational Media, c1995 • Inside Hawaiian Volcanoes, Smithsonian Videos, c1989 • Earth Science in Action: Volcanoes, Schlessinger Media, c2006 • Volcano, DK Vision, c1996 • Volcano!, National Geographic Society, c1989 • Earth Science in Action: Earthquakes, Schlessinger Media, 2006 • All about Earthquakes, (Earth Science for Children), Schlessinger Media, c2005 • Forces of Nature, National Geographic Society, c2004 • Earthquakes, Seismic Sleuths, Discovery Channel, c2000 • Natural Disaster, DK Vision, c1997 • Explosive Earth (Amazing Planet Series), National Geographic Kids Video, c1996 Discovery Education: • TLC Elementary School: Geological Processes. (Gr. 3-5). Run time: 24:36. Download sections include: The Rock Cycle (7 min.), Discovery Channel School. • Moved to 5.7a • Geologist’s Notebook: Digging Through Earth. (Gr. 3-5). Run time: 10:00. United Learning. • Geologist’s Notebook: Why Land Goes Up and Down. (Gr. 3-5). Run time: 11:00. United Learning. • The Living Earth. (Gr. 3-5). Run time: 27:00. Discovery Channel School. • Standard Deviants School Geology: Plate Tectonics. (Gr. 6-8). Run time: 25:00. • A Closer Look at Space: Earth (Gr. 3-5). Run time: 21:00. • Junior Geologist: How Does the Land Build Up? (Gr. 3-5). Run time: 9:01. • Planet Earth: Mountains. (Gr. 3-5). Run time: 40:44.

Arlington Public Schools 2013 • Volcanoes: Mountains of Fire. (Gr. 3-5). Run time: 27:00. Field Trips: • None specified Other: • Sally Ride Science Career Books (see your science lead teacher for more information) • Project WET: K-12 Curriculum and Activity Guide • Project WILD: K-12 Curriculum and Activity Guide • Project WILD – Aquatic: K-12 Curriculum and Activity Guides • Environmental Education Activity Guide: PreK-8, Project Learning Tree

Arlington Public Schools 2013