SMS Unit of Study
Course: Science Teacher(s): Cindy Combs and Sadie Hamm Unit Title: Geologic History of the Earth Unit Length: 8 Days
Unit Overview Focus Question: How can rock strata tell the story of Earth’s history? Learning Objective: The student is expected to construct a scientific explanation based on evidence from rock strata for how the geologic time scale is used to organize Earth’s 4.6-billion-year-old history. Standards Set—What standards will I explicitly teach and Summative Assessment—How will I assess my students after explicitly intentionally assess? (Include standard number and complete teaching the standards set? (Describe type of assessment). standard). MS-ESS1.C.1 The History of Planet Earth: The geologic time Ø Presentation of New Species scale interpreted from rock strata provides a way to organize
Earth’s history. Analyses of rock strata and the fossil record Ø Presentation of Infomercial or Advertisement provide only relative dates, not an absolute scale. .
Ø Unit Exam- Multiple Choice, Short Answer, Extended Response MS-ESS1-4 Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence from rock strata for how the geologic time scale is used to organize Earth’s 4.6-billion-year-old history.
Time, Space, and Energy Time, space, and energy phenomena can be observed at various scales using models to study systems that are too large or too small.
Construct a Scientific Explanation Construct a scientific explanation based on valid and reliable evidence obtained from source (including students' own experiments) and the assumption that theories and laws that describe the natural world operate today as they did in the past and will continue to do so in the future.
Common Core ELA/Literacy SMS Unit of Study
RST.6-8.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts.
WHST.6-8.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
Common Core Mathematics
6.EE.B.6 Use variables to represent numbers and write expressions when solving a real-world or mathematical problem; understand that a variable can represent an unknown number, or, depending on the purpose at hand, any number in a specified set.
7.EE.B.4 Use variables to represent quantities in a real-world or mathematical problem, and construct simple equations and inequalities to solve problems by reasoning about the quantities.
Program Review, FAL, & LDC Connections—How will I integrate writing and/or arts & humanities or PLCS in this unit? Vocabulary—What content vocabulary words (Tier 3) are essential? What FAL or LDC Module is included in this unit? Fossil Record Geologic Time Scale Rock Strata Program Review Evidence- Diagram of Law of Superposition Law of Superposition
Instructional Sequence Formative Day/Date Standard # Daily Learning Target(s) Instructional Activity Assessment SMS Unit of Study
Day 1/ MS-ESS1.C.1 Ø I can identify Teacher: Introduce Focus Question: How can rock strata similarities and tell the story of Earth’s history? FA- 1. Class differences. Discussions Students: View image and discuss the following questions:
1. What do you notice about the rock formations in this photograph? 2. What sequence of events could explain the patterns you see? 3. How are these rock patterns similar and different from those in other landscapes you have seen?
Students will Journal responses the discussion questions.
Teacher: Use pre-discussion questions in lesson to initiate class discussion and engage students. Project image of different footprints over top of each other.
Students: Use the projected image and provided clues to determine who left the scene last. Discuss at your table and make a final decision. What evidence did you use to make your decision?
Teacher: Discuss aloud.
Teacher/Students: Create PDSA.
Students: Homework-Read Dating Rocks. Answer MC Questions and be ready to discuss in class tomorrow.
SMS Unit of Study
Day 2/ MS-ESS1.C.1 ü I can explain the Teacher: Use homework to discuss the different ways of FA-2 Homework Law of determining age of rocks. questions. Superposition. Students: One student should place one hand in center of FA-3 Exit Slip table. Others follow. Decide whose hand is oldest, not by age but by time. Answer questions on direction sheet in journal.
Use Reference Sheet: What Happened First to determine order of events. Answer questions in journal.
Teacher: Monitor groups as they work and assist as needed. Check each group for correct answers. Use questioning techniques to guide students who are incorrect to the correct answer.
Students: Complete Exit Slip Homework- Law of Superposition Worksheet. Day 3,4, 5 MS-ESS1.C.1 ü I can use the Teacher:- Go over Homework and answer any questions. FA-4 Class geologic time scale Divide the class into small groups. discussion to discuss order of questions events. Students: Working in small groups to create a geologic time scale. Answer questions in journals.
Teacher:- Monitor students as they complete activity. Use post discussion questions to debrief activity.
SMS Unit of Study
Day 6 MS-ESS1.C.1 ü I can use the Law of Teacher: Go over directions for assessment. SA-1 Diagram of Superposition to Law of determine when Students: Follow directions to create a law of Superposition events occurred. superposition diagram.
Day 7 MS-ESS1.C.1 ü I can analyze rock Teacher: Discuss what an index fossil is. Go over FA 5- MS-ESS1-4 strata and the fossil directions for activity. Constructed record in a model to Explanation determine relative Students: Color code fossils. Cut out geologic columns age of rock layers. and line them up correctly. Glue into journals. Determine which fossils are index fossils and glue them into journal. Answer questions in journal. Construct a scientific explanation to describe how the Law of Superposition, the Geologic Time Scale, and index fossils aid geologist in determining age of rock layers. Day 8 MS-ESS1.C.1 ü Students: Take Unit Exam. SA-2 Unit Exam MS-ESS1-4