Weekly Indicators – 4th Quarter
Week
Big Ideas/Indicators
1&2
We are learning to:
Benchmark PS-F:
Explain how energy may
change form or be
redistributed but the total
quantity of energy is
conserved.
Benchmark PS-H:
Trace the historical
development of scientific
theories and ideas, and
describe emerging
issues in the study of
physical sciences.
3&4
ES - Benchmark A:
Explain how evidence
from stars and other
celestial objects provide
information about the
processes that cause
changes in the
composition and scale of
the physical universe.
ES - Benchmark C:
Explain the 4.5 billionyear-history of Earth and
the 4 billion-year-history
of life on Earth based on
observable scientific
evidence in the geologic
record.
A. Describe radioactive substances as unstable nuclei that undergo random spontaneous nuclear decay emitting
particles and/or high-energy wavelike radiation.
B. Summarize how nuclear reactions convert a small amount of matter into a large amount of energy. (Fission involves
the splitting of a large nucleus into smaller nuclei; fusion is the joining of two small nuclei into a larger nucleus at
extremely high energies.)
C. Describe advances and issues in physical science that have important, long-lasting effects on science and society
(e.g., atomic theory, quantum theory, Newtonian mechanics, nuclear energy, nanotechnology, plastics, ceramics and
communication technology).
We are looking for:
1a. alpha/beta particles and gamma waves are types of radiation that are emitted from an unstable nucleus (when an
imbalance of protons to neutrons exist in the nucleus)
2a. radioactive decay is the emission of alpha or beta particles or gamma rays in a spontaneous nuclear reaction
1b. distinguish between fission and fusion reactions (Fission involves the splitting of a large nucleus into smaller nuclei;
Fusion is the joining of two small nuclei into a larger nucleus at extremely high energies.)
2b. during both fission and fusion small amount of matter is converted to a large amount of energy
3b. fusion releases more energy than fission
4b. fission occurs in nuclear power plants
1c. advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power and weapons (Science and technology)
We are learning to:
A. Describe that stars produce energy from nuclear reactions and that processes in stars have led to the formation of
all elements beyond hydrogen and helium.
B. Describe the current scientific evidence that supports the theory of the explosive expansion of the universe, the Big Bang,
over 10 billion years ago.
C. Explain that gravitational forces govern the characteristics and movement patterns of the planets, comets and asteroids in the
solar system.
We are looking for:
1a. Fusion is the reaction that powers a star
2a. Hydrogen and helium are the energy sources for stars
3a. All elements that have more mass than hydrogen and helium are created by the fusion of smaller elements in the
star
4a.Stars go through stages of life, each stage gives information about the star i.e age and temperature
5a. Energy of a star travels from the core outward through radiation (light) and convection
1b. Big Bang Theory created the universe
2b. Evidence that supports the Big Bang Theory includes red shift, blue shift and cosmic background radiation
1c. Stars are born from a cloud of gas and dust that condenses due to gravity
2c. Gravity holds the solar system together and keeps planets in order around the sun
3c. Eclipses and phases of moon are caused by the relative positions of earth, sun and moon
4c. Tides are caused by differences in the pull of the moons gravity on different areas of earth
5
ES - Benchmark C:
Explain the 4.5 billionyear-history of Earth and
the 4 billion-year-history
of life on Earth based on
observable scientific
evidence in the geologic
record.
6&7
ES - Benchmark E:
Explain the processes
that move and shape
Earth's surface.
We are learning to:
A. Explain how geologic time can be estimated by multiple methods (e.g., rock sequences, fossil correlation and radiometric
dating)
We are looking for:
1a. Relative age of rock can be determined by using superposition (the bottom layer is the oldest)
2a. Fossil correlation is using fossils within the rock layers to determine relative age of the rock
3a. Absolute age of rocks can be determined by radioactive/radiometric dating (using half life of radioactive isotopes within the
rock to determine the age)
We are learning to:
A. Explain how the slow movement of material within Earth results from thermal energy transfer (conduction and
convection) from the deep interior and the action of gravitational forces on regions of different density.
B. Explain the results of plate tectonic activity (e.g., magma generation, igneous intrusion, metamorphism, volcanic
action, earthquakes, faulting and folding).
C. Explain sea-floor spreading and continental drift using scientific evidence (e.g., fossil distributions, magnetic reversals
and radiometric dating).
We are looking for:
1a. The characteristics of the layers of the earth (crust, mantle, core, lithosphere, asthenosphere)
2a. The evidence that supports the characteristics of the layers of the earth. (Moho discontinuity/boundary, seismic
waves)
3a. Thermal energy is transferred through the earths layers by conduction and convection
1b. Plate tectonics describes the large scale movement of the earths lithosphere
2b. Plates tectonic movement causes convergent boundaries (plates come together), divergent boundaries (plates
spreading apart), and transform fault boundaries (plates sliding past each other)
3b. The movement at the plate boundaries causes various earth processes to occur (for example, mid-oceanic ridges,
volcanoes, hot-spots, earthquakes, geysers, mountains)
1c. Sea-floor spreading occurs at a divergent plate boundary where less dense material in the mantle is forced upward to
the surface
2c. Continental drift is a theory that earth’s surface is made of large moving plates
3c. Explain the evidence for sea-floor spreading (age of lithosphere and magnetic reversals) and continental drift (puzzlelike fit, fossil clues, climate clues, rock clues, migration pattern clues)
8
ES - Benchmark B:
Explain that many
processes occur in
patterns within the
Earth's systems.
We are learning to:
A. Explain the relationships of the oceans to the lithosphere and atmosphere (e.g., transfer of energy, ocean currents and
landforms).
B. Explain climate and weather patterns associated with certain geographic locations and features (e.g., tornado alley,
tropical hurricanes and lake effect snow).
We are looking for:
1a. energy is transferred between the lithosphere and atmosphere through the oceans (hydrosphere) which moderates the
temperature of the earth (sea breezes and land breezes)
2a. the heating of Earth's landforms and atmosphere by the sun, creates air masses and different pressure systems which
drive convection currents within the atmosphere (cold front, warm front, stationary front)
1b. Climate is the average weather over a long period of time in a region
2b. Weather is daily changes in the atmosphere
3b. Earths surface features (great plains, lakes, mountains, islands) and geographical location (latitude, earths tilt, rotation)
affect climates
9
ES - Benchmark F:
Summarize the historical
development of scientific
theories and ideas, and
describe emerging
issues in the study of
Earth and space
sciences.
We are learning to:
A. Use historical examples to explain how new ideas are limited by the context in which they are conceived; are often
initially rejected by the scientific establishment; sometimes spring from unexpected findings; and usually grow slowly
through contributions from many different investigators (e.g., heliocentric theory and plate tectonics theory).
B. Describe advances and issues in Earth and space science that have important long-lasting effects on science and
society (e.g., geologic time scales, global warming, depletion of resources and exponential population growth).
We are looking for:
1a. Summarize the historical development of scientific theories and ideas
1b. Describe emerging issues in the study of Earth and space sciences.