Science Grade 6 Curriculum Guide West Contra Costa Unified School District
Pacing is based on current (2016) version of Draft California Science Framework o http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/sc/cf/scifw2nd60daypubreview.asp Textbook: Prentice Hall. California. Focus on Earth Science. © 2008.
Instructional Segments 1. Earth’s Place in the Solar System Patterns of the apparent motion of the sun, the Moon, and stars in the sky can be observed, described, predicted, and explained with models. Galaxies consist of stars, gases, and a collection of objects, including planets, their Moons, and asteroids that are held in orbit by gravitational forces. 2. Atmosphere: Cycles of Energy Human activities, such as the release of greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels, are major factors in the current rise in Earth’s mean surface temperature (global warming). 3. Atmosphere/Hydrosphere: Cycles of Matter Water continually cycles among land, ocean, and atmosphere via transpiration, evaporation, condensation and crystallization, and precipitation as well as downhill flows on land 4. Geosphere, External Processes The geological time scale interpreted from rock strata provides a way to organize Earth’s history. 5. Geosphere, Internal Processes Plate tectonics is the unifying theory that explains the past and current movements of the rocks at Earth’s surface and provides a framework for understanding the geological history.
5. Geosphere, Internal Processes Plate tectonics is the unifying theory that explains the past and current movements of the rocks at Earth’s surface and provides a framework for understanding the geological history. Instructional Segment
5. Geosphere, Internal Processes
Guiding Questions
How can the shapes of landforms at the surface help us understand processes that are going on deep within the Earth? How can understanding plate motions help us locate resources (energy, mineral, and water) and protect ourselves from natural hazards?
Phenomena
Performance Expectation
Suggested Lessons/Activities
Energy on Earth comes from the sun. Earth’s core is very hot. There are different kinds of rocks. Some mountains or hills are smooth from erosion. Others are still jagged.
MS-ESS2-1 Develop a model to describe the cycling of Earth’s materials and the flow of energy that drives this process .
Melting, Crystallization, Weathering, Deformation, Sedimentation Wind, water, erosion Describe how processes work together to make minerals and rocks Rock cycle Energy (from sun and Earth’s interior) flows through Earth’s processes that cause change How long do these processes take? What is the size/scale of these events? Students create models to describe changes
Resources
Textbook p. ? p. ? MS-ESS2-1 Evidence Statement
Instructional Segment
5. Geosphere, Internal Processes
Guiding Questions
How can the shapes of landforms at the surface help us understand processes that are going on deep within the Earth? How can understanding plate motions help us locate resources (energy, mineral, and water) and protect ourselves from natural hazards?
Phenomena
Events that cause fast change in Earth’s surface, such as earthquakes, or volcano eruptions. Events that occur slowly such as continental drift.
Performance Expectation
MS-ESS2-2 Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth’s surface at varying time and spatial scales.
Suggested Topics/Activities
Processes at Earth’s surface can be big or small, fast or slow (landslides vs. plate motions, uplift of mountains) Geoscience processes: surface weathering, deposition by movements of water, ice, wind. Geoscience processes build slowly, then punctuate with a catastrophic event (earthquake, volcano, meteor impact)
Resources
Textbook p. ? p. ? MS-ESS2-2 Evidence Statement
Instructional Segment
5. Geosphere, Internal Processes
Guiding Questions
How can the shapes of landforms at the surface help us understand processes that are going on deep within the Earth? How can understanding plate motions help us locate resources (energy, mineral, and water) and protect ourselves from natural hazards?
Phenomena
Shapes of continents fit together Similar fossils found on different continents
Performance Expectation
MS-ESS2-3 Analyze and interpret data on the distribution of fossils and rocks, continental shapes, and seafloor structures to provide evidence of the past plate motions.
Suggested Topics/Activities
Map of early land mass before drift with bands of similar fossils and similar rocks Locations of ocean structures (trenches, ridges, fracture zones) Continental drift, plate movement Students interpret data to provide evidence for plate motion New crust forms at the ridges in oceans and moves away from the ridges
Resources
Textbook p. ? p. ? MS-ESS2-3 Evidence Statement
Instructional Segment
5. Geosphere, Internal Processes
Guiding Questions
How can the shapes of landforms at the surface help us understand processes that are going on deep within the Earth? How can understanding plate motions help us locate resources (energy, mineral, and water) and protect ourselves from natural hazards?
Phenomena
Performance Expectation
Gas and oil come from fossil fuels buried underground
MS-ESS3-1 Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how the uneven distributions of Earth’s mineral, energy, and groundwater resources are the result of past and current geoscience processes
Suggested Topics/Activities
Resources are limited and typically non-renewable Time scale for replenishment Petroleum Metal ores Soil Human dependence on natural resources Resources are distributed unevenly, due to past and current geoscience processes Mineral, energy, groundwater resources. Examples, sources, human impact
Resources
Textbook p. ? p. ? MS-ESS3-1 Evidence Statement
Instructional Segment
5. Geosphere, Internal Processes
Guiding Questions
How can the shapes of landforms at the surface help us understand processes that are going on deep within the Earth? How can understanding plate motions help us locate resources (energy, mineral, and water) and protect ourselves from natural hazards?
Phenomena
Performance Expectation
Suggested Topics/Activities
Recent or familiar historic severe weather examples Warning systems for severe weather Warning sirens, storm shelters
MS-ESS3-2 Analyze and interpret data on natural hazards to forecast future catastrophic events and inform the development of technologies to mitigate their effects.
Interior processes: Volcanic eruptions, earthquakes Surface processes: mass wasting, tsunamis Severe weather: hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, drought Warning systems for predictable severe weather—global and local Earthquakes not predictable Data for these events: maps of location, magnitude, frequency Finding patterns Frequency, severity, types of damage caused by natural hazards Technologies for mitigating effects.
Resources
Textbook p. ? p. ? MS-ESS2-2 Evidence Statement
