Price Laboratory School Curriculum
Content Area (Course): Earth Science                Grade Level: 9          
 
Grade Level Std # Content Standard Bmk # Benchmark PLS Unit/Activities ITBS   ITED Other Assessments
               
9 1 Understands key ideas about the solid Earth          
      1.1 Knows that energy resources are derived from the upper layers of the lithosphere (crust) by drilling and mining; they include fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas), nuclear fuels and geothermal sites.      
      1.2 Knows that materials of the lithosphere are the source for all soils.      
      1.3 Knows the Earth's dimensions may be determined by direct or indirect measurements.      
      1.4 Knows the Earth's composition and structure are known from detailed studies of surface materials, volcanoes, drill hole samples, and inferences made from geophysical data.      
      1.5 Knows that physical and chemical laws control the formation and characteristics of minerals and rocks.      
      1.6 Knows all rocks may undergo changes by long-term exposure to different environments. The rock cycle represents these changes.      
      1.7 Knows that relative ages of rocks and events in Earth's history can be determined by applying the laws of uniformitarianism, original horizontally, superposition, cross-cutting relationships, and inclusions.      
      1.8 Knows that the age of the Earth and individual events in history can be determined by various radiometric dating techniques.      
      1.9 Knows that Earth's lithosphere is composed of large pieces called plates, which can be oceanic, continental, or both. The plates move in response to seafloor spreading, to give the appearance of what Alfred Wegener called continental drift.      
      1.10 Knows that evidence of plate movement includes continental fit, age of the sea floor, studies of Earthquake foci, paleomagnetism and magnetic reversals, and direct measurement using satellites. The rate of plate movements is measured in centimeters per year.      
      1.11 Knows that unequal heat distribution beneath the crust and in the mantle may be the cause of plate movement. These unequal heat distributions and plate movements can cause rifting, sea-fioor spreading, plate collision, and plate subduction. Local hot spots have also been detected.      
      1.12 Knows that Earth's continental and oceanic features are mostly the result of movements of lithospheric plates.      
      1.13 Knows that maps of the Earth's surface and subsurface are used to convey the accurate position of various features; maps depict differences in elevations, and the distribution of Earth materials (soil, rock formations, water, and fossil fuels).      
      1.14 Knows that aerial photographs, satellite images, computer-enhanced images, radar, and computer modeling are among the tools and technologies used to study the land.      
      1.15 Knows that active geologic processes at Earth's surface may present risks in using many land areas.      
9 2 Understands key ideas about water          
      2.1 Knows that, in the water cycle, water undergoes constant changes in location, phase [state], and energy level.      
      2.2 Knows that new water is introduced into the atmosphere and hydrosphere by volcanic activity and [predominantly small] comet impacts.      
      2.3 Knows that ocean currents (which transfer large volumes of warm and cold waters) profoundly affect world climatic patterns.      
      2.4 Knows that large bodies of water, such as oceans, produce a moderating effect upon climate and are responsible for erosion and deposition by waves in coastal areas.      
      2.5 Knows that gaseous exchanges between ocean waters and their organisms and the atmosphere result in variations in atmospheric composition.      
      2.6 Knows that many mineral, petroleum, and gas resources were formed in ancient oceans.      
      2.7 Knows that both renewable and non-renewable resources come from present-day oceans. These resources include minerals, energy, food, and drinking water.      
      2.8 Knows that huge amounts of water are stored underground in the openings between mineral and rock fragments.      
      2.9 Knows that the abundance of underground water is directly related to climatic factors; its quality and availability are dependent upon the Earth materials through which it moves and the possible influence of surface activities.      
      2.10 Knows that human activities (such as agriculture, manufacturing, mining, and development of population centers) demand enormous amounts of water and can produce deleterious effects upon a subsurface water source that supports them.      
      2.11 Knows sufficient precipitation results in waters flowing on the surface in rills and valleys as runoff, as well as in static accumulations in basins and in areas with limited slope.      
      2.12 Knows all bodies of surface water undergo change within a comparatively short span of geologic time. Streams change in position, gradient, and discharge. Lakes fill with sediment and may become eutrophic.      
      2.13 Knows the kinetic energy of flowing surface water causes the water to erode the landscape over which it flows. When the level of kinetic energy of a stream diminishes, the stream may deposit sediment on the landscape.      
9 3 Understands key ideas about the air          
      3.1 Knows the atmosphere is a mixture of gases that absorbs, transmits, reflects, and radiates solar energy. The composition of the atmosphere has changed through geologic history.      
      3.2 Knows the atmosphere is relatively thin compared to the Earth's dimensions and provides life on Earth with a protective shell against harmful solar radiation. The four layers of the atmosphere are defined by a temperature profile that changes with altitude. The lowest layer (troposphere) is where most weather occurs; it also contains the gases essential to life. The layer above the troposphere (stratosphere) contains the highest concentration of ozone. This gas effectively absorbs ultraviolet radiation from the Sun. The mesosphere and thermosphere also interact with solar radiation but have less direct effect on life than the lower layers.      
      3.3 Knows the atmosphere interacts with the Earth's crust, water, and life: The chemical interaction between these spheres includes the rock cycle, water cycle, oxygen cycle, carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, and sulfur cycle.      
      3.4 Knows the physical properties of water and its abundance have significant effects on weather. Water can absorb and transfer tremendous amounts of heat energy, particularly during changes in phase during evaporation and condensation.      
      3.5 Knows different types of clouds can be useful in studying and predicting the weather.      
      3.6 Knows low and High pressure areas have a significant effect on weather. The rotation and transverse motion depend on their latitude and prevailing wind belts.      
      3.7 Knows the wind blows as a result of differential heating, which results in differences in atmospheric pressure.      
      3.8 Knows weather fronts are borders between air masses of different temperature and moisture. Changes in weather and possible precipitation are associated with weather fronts.      
      3.9 Knows the development and maintenance of a pressure system is significantly affected by elevation of landforms, like mountain ranges, and the extent of surface water bodies, like the Great Lakes and oceans.      
      3.10 Knows the observation, measurement, and analysis of the atmosphere are the basis for preparing weather forecasts. Recent advances in technology, such as computer modeling, enable us to make better forecasts. Weather forecasts are used in agriculture, aviation, commerce, as well as for use by the media and general population.      
      3.11 Knows atmospheric hazards, like severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes, are associated with the development of significant low pressure centers (cyclones).      
9 4 Understands key ideas about ice          
      4.1 Knows that as thick masses of ice (glaciers) accumulate on land, they will move either downslope or outwardly by plastic-like flow of the ice and slippage due to water in the ice.      
      4.2 Knows movement of glaciers over land surfaces results in the formation of characteristic erosional and depositional features.      
      4.3 Knows long-term changes in solar radiation reaching the earth's surface (insolation) would alter the volume of year-round ice. Changes in the volume of glacial ice would result in global changes of sea level, weather patterns, and climate.      
      4.4 Knows advances of ice sheets during the Pleistocene caused large surface areas to be modified by erosional gouging and general abrasion, whereas, in the marginal zones of thinning ice, large volumes of sediment were deposited. Both processes produced dramatic effects upon the land and its surface drainage.      
      4.5 Knows we can learn about past climates by investigating layers of ice (ice stratigraphy). Entrapped pollens, volcanic dust, and gases found in the layers can imply the atmosphere's temperature and composition in the past.      
      4.6 Knows the cryosphere provides potential hazards on the land and in the oceans. Widespread melting of the Earth's glaciers and snow fields would cause worldwide rise of sea level. Widespread accumulation of ice would cause glaciers to spread over land now occupied by humans.      
9 5 Understands key ideas about life          
      5.1 Knows that during the first two billion years on earth, only single-cell microorganisms existed. Once cells with nuclei appeared about a billion years ago, increasingly complex multicellular organisms have flourished.      
      5.2 Knows fossils reveal information such as how (meat eaters or plant-eaters) and where (marine or terrestrial) the organisms lived, their physical structures (vertebrate or invertebrate); anatomical features (e.g., teeth),; and chemical composition (e.g., shells).      
      5.3 Knows the study of fossils and their distribution provides information on water temperatures, depths, and composition (fresh or marine), and contributes to our understanding of paleogeography and the changes that have taken place during Earth's history.      
      5.4 Knows the succession of fossil assemblages in the stratigraphic column provides insight into the changes in life forms through exceedingly long intervals of time.      
9 6 Understands key ideas about Earth in space          
      6.1 Knows the historical events that displaced the idea that the earth was the center of the universe.      
      6.2 Knows the universe is estimated to be over ten billion years old, and that its entire contents expanded explosively from a hot, dense, chaotic, massive      
      6.3 Knows the Solar System includes the Sun, planets with their moons and planetary rings, comets, asteroids, and meteors.      
      6.4 Knows Earth is unique: As a planet in the Solar System, the Earth has some unique features that include liquid water, plant and animal life, large Moon, and atmosphere with mostly nitrogen and oxygen.      
      6.5 Knows the nebular theory states that the Solar System began as a large cloud of gas and dust called a nebula about five billion years ago.      
      6.6 Knows the distances between objects in the Solar System and galaxy are so great that they have to be measured through indirect techniques [in astronomical units, light years, and parsecs.]      
      6.7 Knows how to produce and interpret scale models and drawings.      
      6.8 Knows the Solar System is part of a large system of stars called the Milky Way galaxy. The Solar System revolves around the center of the galaxy.      
      6.9 Knows because of the vast distances in the Universe, the light reaching our eyes and instruments from distant objects is millions of years old. Thus, our present view is actually a view of history.      
      6.10 Knows that gravity is a force that exists between any two masses. The magnitude of the force is proportional to the masses and weakens rapidly with increasing distance between them.      
      6.11 Knows the large number of stars in the Universe increases the probability that there is life elsewhere. Other forms of life may exist.      
      6.12 Knows the energy of an isolated atom or molecule changes in definite jump from one value to another, with no possible value in between. This fact allows scientists to study the composition of distant objects (such as stars and galaxies) as well as their relative motion toward or away from us.      
      6.13 Knows the forces holding the nucleus of an atom together are much stronger than the electromagnetic force. That is why such great amounts of energy are released from the nuclear reactions in the sun and other stars.      
      6.14 Knows and can explain the cause of the seasons.      
      6.15 Knows the relationship between a person's location on the earth and the apparent daily and annual motions of the sky, including the sun.      
      6.16 Knows that to live beyond the atmosphere, people need to create an artificial environment similar to the conditions near the Earth's surface.      
      6.17 Knows the Universe has been expanding, with the galaxies moving farther apart, for billions of years.      
9 7 Understands key ideas about the nature of science and scientific inquiry          
      7.1 Knows how to formulate a testable hypothesis.      
      7.2 Knows scientists view the universe as a vast single system and the rules that govern it are the same everywhere. The rules may be simple or complex, but scientists believe they can be understood through careful, systematic study.      
      7.3 Knows that the usefulness of a model can be tested by comparing its predictions to actual observations. However, a close match does not necessarily mean that the model is the only "true" model, just that it is one that happens to work.      
      7.4 Knows most changes that take place in the scientific view are small modifications of prior knowledge. Occasionally major shifts occur in the scientific view of how the world or the universe work, but these are rare.      
      7.5 Knows that the testing, revising, and occasional discarding of theories, new and old, never ends. This process leads to an increasingly better understanding of how things work in the world but not to absolute truth.      
      7.6 Knows progress in all fields of science depends on intelligence, hard work, imagination, and even chance.      
      7.7 Knows that tables, graphs, and symbols are alternative ways of representing data and relationships that can be translated from one to another.      
      7.8 Knows that extremely large and small numbers can be represented in many different ways that make them easier to work with and compare to one another.