MYP unit planner
Unit title
Unit 3 Earth’s Systems; Rocks and Minerals/Plate
Tectonics
Teacher(s)
Megan Bonafede and Claudia Murphy (2013-2014)
Subject and grade
level
Science Year 1
Time frame and
duration
8 weeks
Learner Profile
Inquirer, thinkers, communicators
Stage 1: Integrate significant concept, area of interaction and unit question
Trans disciplinary Theme/Global
Context
Global contexts provide shared
starting points for inquiry into what
it means to be internationally
minded. Intercultural
understanding and global
engagement through these
contexts build on the powerful
themes of global significance that
structure teaching and learning in
the PYP.
How the world works/Scientific
and technical innovation
Significant concept(s)
What are the big ideas? What do
we want our students to retain for
years into the future?
The Earth is a dynamic system
that is constantly changing.
Geoscience processes provide
resources needed by society but
also cause natural hazards that
present risks to society; both
involve technological challenges,
for the identification and
development of resources and for
the mitigation of hazards.
MYP unit question
What processes are in place that cause
change?
Assessment
What task(s) will allow students the opportunity to respond to the unit question?
What will constitute acceptable evidence of understanding? How will students show
what they have understood?
Scientific Investigation
Which specific MYP objectives will be addressed during this unit?
D Scientific Inquiry
-with guidance, articulate the problem or research question to be test by a scientific
investigation consistent with the level of complexity of the units of work covered
-ask questions of the type: “What will happen if?”, “Why does this happen when?”,
and make predictions (“If I do this, then this will happen…”), consistent with the level
of complexity of the nits of work covered.
E Processing Data
-with guidance, analyse data/information to identify trends, patterns and
relationships, and use the data to convey understanding/interpretation
F Attitudes in Science
-work effectively as individuals and as part of a group by collaborating with others
Which MYP assessment criteria will be used?
Criterion D: Scientific Inquiry
Criterion E: Processing Data
Criterion F: Attitudes in Science
Stage 2: Backward planning: from the assessment to the learning activities through inquiry
Content
What knowledge and/or skills (from the course overview) are going to be used to
enable the student to respond to the unit question?
What (if any) state, provincial, district, or local standards/skills are to be addressed?
How can they be unpacked to develop the significant concept(s) for stage 1?
What interactions between the air, water, and land function as forces to form
and change rocks and minerals?
-Draw or make a model of the earth showing layers (lithosphere, hydrosphere, and
atmosphere)
-State that rocks are made of minerals.
-Identify mineral samples based on physical properties using identification testsstreak, hardness, cleavage and luster, and reaction to acid.
-Examine several common fossils and match them to their environment of formation,
and the order in which they existed throughout time (superposition).
-Explain how a fossil forms and what type of rock it is usually found in, and why.
-Identify the three classes of rocks (metamorphic, igneous, and sedimentary) and
describe their formation.
-Use a diagram of the rock cycle to determine geological processes that led to the
formation of a rock type
-Describe the process of weathering
-Describe soil formation (citing weathering) and list each of its components.
-Explain how sediment is transferred through the agents of gravity, wind, water, and
glaciers.
How does continuous change in Earth’s surface occur?
Define and explain the processes behind earthquakes, volcanoes, ocean basin
formation, and mountain building.
- Plot the location of recent earthquake and volcanic activity on a map and
identify patterns of distribution
Using a model, label the layers of the earth and describe the properties of each layer
including temperature, pressure, and composition.
Describe the difference in wave behavior in different layers of the earth and what
these differences signify (that there are different layers).
Explain that movements of the crust cause layers to become faulted, folded, or
displaced.
State that the evidences of continent shape, and geological feature and fossil
correlation suggest that Continental Drift did occur.
The Earth’s crust is broken into plates that float on the plastic upper mantle.
Convection cells in the mantle are responsible (the force) for the movement of the
continents.
Identify the direction of plate movement given a world plate map with the different
types of plates labelled with their geological features.
Vocabulary
Earthquakes
Mountain Building
Interior
Convection current
Mantle
Inner core
seismic
Fold
Earthquakes
Continental drift
Mantle
Convection cells
Mid-ocean range
Igneous
Characteristics
Magma
Fossil
Rock
Physical property
Mineral streak
Hydrochloric acid
Glaciers
Geologic processes
Weathering
Volcanoes
Ocean basins
Heat flow
Crust
Outer core
Earthquake waves
Fault
Displaced layer
Gravity
Plate tectonics
Convection
Sea floor spreading
Sedimentary
Metamorphic
Environments
Lava
Superposition
Mineral
Rock-former
Mineral hardness
Sediment
Rock cycle
Erosion
Melting
Crystallization
Agents of metamorphism-heat,
pressure, chemicals
Cementation
Organic material
Crust
Hydrosphere
Recrystallization
Compaction
Soil
Lithosphere
Sphere
water
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
MS-ESS2-1. Develop a model to describe the cycling of Earth’s materials and the
flow of energy that drives this process. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the
processes of melting, crystallization, weathering, deformation, and sedimentation,
which act together to form minerals and rocks through the cycling of Earth’s
materials.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include the identification
and naming of minerals.]
MS-ESS2-2. Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience
processes have changed Earth’s surface at varying time and spatial scales.
[Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on how processes change Earth’s surface at
time and spatial scales that can be large (such as slow plate motions or the uplift of
large mountain ranges) or small (such as rapid landslides or microscopic
geochemical reactions), and how many geoscience processes (such as
earthquakes, volcanoes, and meteor impacts) usually behave gradually but are
punctuated by catastrophic events. Examples of geoscience processes include
surface weathering and deposition by the movements of water, ice, and wind.
Emphasis is on geoscience processes that shape local geographic features, where
appropriate.]
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.
Next Generation Science Core Ideas
ESS1.C: The History of Planet Earth
Tectonic processes continually generate new ocean sea floor at ridges and destroy
old sea floor at trenches. (HS.ESS1.C GBE) (secondary to MS-ESS2-3)
ESS2.A: Earth’s Materials and Systems
All Earth processes are the result of energy flowing and matter cycling within and
among the planet’s systems. This energy is derived from the sun and Earth’s hot
interior. The energy that flows and matter that cycles produce chemical and
physical changes in Earth’s materials and living organisms. (MS-ESS2-1)
The planet’s systems interact over scales that range from microscopic to global in
size, and they operate over fractions of a second to billions of years. These
interactions have shaped Earth’s history and will determine its future. (MS-ESS2-2)
ESS2.B: Plate Tectonics and Large-Scale System Interactions
Maps of ancient land and water patterns, based on investigations of rocks and
fossils, make clear how Earth’s plates have moved great distances, collided, and
spread apart. (MS-ESS2-3)
Approaches to learning
How will this unit contribute to the overall development of subject-specific and
general approaches to learning skills?
Information Literacy
-Selecting and organizing information
-making connections between a variety of resources
-researching from a variety of sources using a range of technologies
-identifying primary and secondary resources
Thinking
-inquiring and applying knowledge and concepts
Transfer
-making connections
Communication
-presentation skills using a variety of media
-using and interpreting a range of content-specific terminology
Learning experiences
Teaching strategies
How will students know what is
expected of them? Will they see
examples, rubrics, templates?
How will we use formative assessment to
give students feedback during the unit?
How will students acquire the
knowledge and practise the skills
required? How will they practise
applying these?
Do the students have enough prior
knowledge? How will we know?
General Skills: Students will follow
safety procedures, use appropriate
units for measured or calculated
values, recognize and analyze
patterns/trends, classify objects
according to and established scheme,
develop dichotomous key, sequence
events, identify cause-and-effect
relationships, and interpret results.
What different teaching methodologies will
we employ?
How are we differentiating teaching and
learning for all? How have we made
provision for those learning in a language
other than their mother tongue? How have
we considered those with special
educational needs?
Formative Assessments
-Quick writes
-labs
Teaching Methods
-Use of graphic organizers
-Short answer responses
-Cornell Notes
-Philosophical Chairs
General Skills: Safely and accurately -Socratic Seminars
use the following measuring tools:
-WICOR Strategies
metric ruler, balance, stopwatch,
-Other AVID Science specific strategies
graduated cylinder, thermometer,
spring scale, and voltmeter.
Differentiated Teaching
-Plot locations on the Earth’s surface
using latitude and longitude, indicate
its position on a map and determine
the latitude and longitude of a given
-Pre-teaching vocabulary
-Graphic organizers
-Use of small group read alouds
-Guided notes
location on a map
-Scaffolded questions
-Generate and interpret field maps
including topographic maps.
-Model the Layers of the Earth
-Determine the amount of the surface
of the earth that is covered with
water.
-Discuss all the formats of water
found on the earth – ground water,
glaciers, icebergs, lakes, oceans, and
water vapor.
-Show a Moh’s scale of hardness and
look at several samples at several
levels relate the hardness of everyday
objects to the chart (fingernail, penny,
nail, glass).
-observe different fossils
-Compare and contrast different
samples of rocks from rock cycle
-demonstrate how rocks weather
-Look at soil under a magnifier and
look at components.
-Plot process of a rock cycle diagram
-Plot occurrences on maps and draw
conclusions.
-Use a slinky to simulate the
difference between wave behavior in
different mediums or layers of the
earth.
-Label and identify layers of the earth
using a model or diagram.
-Use foam layers or models of
geologic cross sections to sequence
events.
-Sequence events and show that
layers begin or are laid down
horizontally.
-Label the processes that could have
caused different strata situations.
-Field trip to view road cuts or stream
beds, etc…
-Cut out continents and try to fit them
back together.
-Look at fossil similarities on both
sides of the Atlantic Ocean.
-Match fossils and mountain ranges
on both sides of the Atlantic- Africa
and South America.
-Model the process of breakup with
sponge continents and soapy water.
-The student will describe the process
of convection using a model, sketch,
or drawing.
-Show a model of convection using a
hot plate and various materials.
-Calculate the rate of movement of
the continents over time
(Interdisciplinary with math)
-Reference the inferred properties of
the Earth’s Interior Chart from the
ESRT
-Plot earthquake locations of a world
map using longitude and latitude.
-Locate areas of future seismic
activity.
-Sketch in the direction of movement
for the plates.
Resources
What resources are available to us?
How will our classroom environment, local environment and/or the community be
used to facilitate students’ experiences during the unit?
-newspapers
-maps
-Encarta CD
-AVID Write Path Science Guide
Ongoing reflections and evaluation
In keeping an ongoing record, consider the following questions. There are
further stimulus questions at the end of the “Planning for teaching and
learning” section of MYP: From principles into practice.
Students and teachers
What did we find compelling? Were our disciplinary knowledge/skills challenged in
any way?
What inquiries arose during the learning? What, if any, extension activities arose?
How did we reflect—both on the unit and on our own learning?
Which attributes of the learner profile were encouraged through this unit? What
opportunities were there for student-initiated action?
Possible connections
How successful was the collaboration with other teachers within my subject group
and from other subject groups?
What interdisciplinary understandings were or could be forged through collaboration
with other subjects?
Assessment
Were students able to demonstrate their learning?
How did the assessment tasks allow students to demonstrate the learning objectives
identified for this unit? How did I make sure students were invited to achieve at all
levels of the criteria descriptors?
Are we prepared for the next stage?
Data collection
How did we decide on the data to collect? Was it useful?
Figure 12
MYP unit planner