8^th Grade Earth Science Curriculum Map

Month/Unit	Essential Questions	Expectations	Project/ Activity	Assessment	Resources	Standards
Sept. / Science Fair and Astronomy	How does science work and how do we add to it?	Students will: -design an experiment -analyze data	Science Fair Thumb Wrestling	Homework Science Fair experiment Writing	Textbook Prentice-Hall Earth Science Explorer Library Internet Tech	1.7 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 6.1 3.2 6.4 6.6
Oct. / Astronomy	What’s new? Where is the Earth and how is it unique?	Students will: -choose and summarize current events science news -learn the planets -understand gravity -understand scale -understand and know facts about the sun and eclipeses	Current events Textbook work Solar system model Parallax Improv	Discussion Paragraph writing Structures Improv project Exams Webquest – see library webpage under Hubbard Sun Webquest	Library Internet Videos -“October Sky” -TLC Assignment Discovery Textbook Tech	6.3 4.4.1 4.4.2 4.4.3 4.1.1 5.2
Nov. / Minerals and Rocks	Why do people care about rocks? How are rocks and history related?	Students will: -learn the rock cycle -learn definition of mineral -be exposed to geologic time scale -know and understand what fossils are and what they are used for -understand process of dating -understand concept of evolution	Rock Story Rock Song Rock Lab Mine ad	Tests Rock Lab Mine Ad	Library Internet Videos “Rock Lab” Textbook Tech	4
Dec. / Plate Tectonics Jan. / Plate Tectonics	How does the surface of Earth change?	Students will: -learn concept of plate tectonics -learn about faults -understand plate boundaries -know the interior layers of the Earth	Webquest	Webquest Test	Library Internet Videos “When Dinosaurs Roamed America” Textbook Tech	4
Feb. / Volcanos and Meterology	What causes weather and how does it affect us?	Students will: --learn concept of plate tectonics -learn about faults -understand plate boundaries -know the interior layers of the Earth	Newspaper puzzle Webquest Plate map Fault models Wegner study	Writing Activities Test Wegner study	Library Internet Videos “Living on a Changing Planet” Textbook Tech	4
March/ Avalanche	What causes weather and how does it affect us?	Students will: -understand air has mass -know the layers of atmosphere -know the water cycle -understand and be able to recognize fronts -understand how wind works -practice reading weather using technology	Air demos Activities on Lizard Head with San Juan Field School	Demo Explanations Tests Writing Field Trip	Library Internet Videos – provided by SJFS Textbook Tech San Juan Field School	4
April/ May/ June Resources	What is life? How does Earth support life and how do humans impact this?	Students will: -learn about renewables -learn about local environmental issues -understand electricity and how to conserve it -learn how an ecosystem functions -review scientific method -understand population pressures	Telluride Institute Field Trip Research paper Presentation	Research paper Presentation	Library Internet Videos “Earth in the Balance” Textbook Tech Telluride Institute	5 1