Assessment Map
Big Idea:
The Earth is a system consisting of four major interacting components: geosphere (crust, mantle, and core), atmosphere (air), hydrosphere (water), and biosphere (the
living part of Earth). Physical, chemical, and biological processes act within and among the four components on a wide range of time scales to continuously change
Earth’s crust, oceans, atmosphere, and living organisms. Earth elements move within and between the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere as part of
geochemical cycles.
Standard(s):
Timeline: 3 weeks
E2.1A Explain why the Earth is essentially a closed system in terms of matter.
E2.1B Analyze the interactions between the major systems (geosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere,
biosphere) that make up the Earth.
E2.1C Explain, using specific examples, how a change in one system affects other Earth systems.
E2.3A Explain how carbon exists in different forms such as limestone (rock), carbon dioxide (gas),
carbonic acid (water), and animals (life) within Earth systems and how those forms can be beneficial or
harmful to humans.
Key vocabulary: atmospheric change, hydrosphere,
Vocabulary activities:
atmosphere, ozone, water vapor, biogeochemical cycle,
Write definitions from book on flashcards or study guide format
biosphere, carbon cycle, emissions, evaporation, organic
with notebook paper, discuss definitions that are not in book,
matter, geosphere
vocabulary bingo, highlight key words in vocabulary
I can statements:
Review: I can name the four systems of Earth.
E2.1A I can state why the earth is a closed system in terms of matter (new evidence to disprove).
E2.1B I can analyze how the earth systems interact with one another.
E2.1C I can use examples to show how a change in one system affects the other systems.
E2.3A I can explain where carbon exists in the four systems.
E2.3A I can explain how the different forms of carbon, in the systems, are harmful or beneficial to humans.
Knowledge
Reasoning
1. State why Earth was once
considered to be a closed
system using energy and
matter.
2. List 4 Earth systems
Describe Assessment
and Timeline
Assessment 1:
Out the door question
Performance Skills
1. Recognize elements
containing carbon as
existing in the
atmosphere, hydrosphere,
biosphere, and/or the
geosphere ( Ex: Co2 is in
the atmosphere and the
hydrosphere, carbon is in
methane gas in the
atmosphere
2. Analyze, in a given
situation, how one system
affects another.
3. Predict what will happen
to other systems when one
system is changed in a
specific way.
Method
Product
1. Recreate carbon in carbon
cycle with balloon activity.
2. Explain how carbon is harmful or
beneficial to humans.
Type of Reasoning
Analysis and
Intervention
reasoning
Predict what might happen.
Reteach with another
example
reasoning
Label substances in systems discussion
Student Response
Another out the door
Assessment 2:
Matching
Fix the matching
Assessment 3:
Diagram carbon cycle
reasoning
Diagram and label systems
View and re-teach
individuals
Gallery walk to look at
each other’s work
Represent carbon cycle
physically
Assessment 5:
skill
Recreate carbon cycle
Guide them as they do it.
redo
T chart
skill
Evaluation
Discuss with individuals
They fix it.
Assessment 4: