Communicate Scientific Ideas
about the way stars, over their
life cycle, produce elements.
First semester
Describe how the Earth is a
closed system and that all
elements and nutrients cycle
between the solid Earth,
oceans, atmosphere and
organisms.
January-February
Plan and conduct an
investigation of the properties
of water and its effects on Earth
materials and surface
processes.
February, Lab Report Aquifers
Develop a quantitative model to
describe the cycling of carbon,
nitrogen and sulfur among the
hydrosphere, atmosphere,
geosphere, and biosphere.
Develop a model based on
evidence of Earth’s interior to
describe the cycling of matter
by thermal convection.
January February
March
EARTH SCIENCE: Nuclear fusion
in the sun’s core is introduced in
The Solar Interior on SE/TE pages
689-690. The life span of the sun is
presented in Stellar Evolution on
SE/TE pages 707-714.
Feedback in Earth System’s is
introduced in Precambrian Earth,
SE/TE pages 364-365;
Precambrian Life, 367-368;
Climate
Changes, SE/TE pages 600-603,
606-607.
Students investigate erosion by
water in “Streamflow” on TE page
160. Students plan and conduct
an investigation into delta
formation in the Build Science
Skills feature on TE page 167.
Students investigate alluvial
fans in “Desert Water Erosion” on
TE page 201. Students conduct
an investigation into the effect of
water on erosion in Investigation
5 on Lab page 47-52. Students
conduct an investigation into the
effect of rivers on erosion in
Investigation 6A on Lab pages
53-58. They conduct an
investigation into the erosion by
groundwater in Investigation 6B
on Lab pages 59-64. Students
also conduct an investigation
into the effect of glaciers on
Earth’s topography in
Investigation 7 on Lab pages 6568.
The carbon cycle is introduced in
The Carbon Cycle on SE/TE page
85.
Information on these ideas is
introduced in Earth’s Layered
Structure on SE/TE pages
233-237; in The Process of
Sea- Floor Spreading on
SE/TE pages 257-258; and in
Mechanisms of Plate Motion
on SE/TE pages 270-271.
Assess major environmental
problems caused by human
actions.
April-May
Information about the impact of
human activities on natural systems
is introduced in Protecting
Resources on SE/TE pages 113-117.
Evaluate or refine a
technological solution that
reduces impacts of human
activities on natural systems.
April-May
Information about a possible
solution that could be simulated
with computers is introduced in
Climate Changes on SE/TE pages
600-603 and 606-607.
Use a computational
representation to illustrate the
relationships among Earth
systems and how those
relationships are being modified
due to human activity.
April-May
Information about real-world
based problems relating to
energy production and
conservation is introduced in
Renewable and Nonrenewable
Resources on SE/TE pages 9495; in Fossil Fuels on SE/TE
pages 95-96; in Tar Sands and
Shale on SE/TE pages 97-98;
and in Alternate Energy Sources
on SE/TE pages 102-107.
Create a computational
simulation to illustrate the
relationships among
management of natural
resources, the sustainability of
human populations, and
biodiversity.
April-May
Computational representation
of the relationships among
Earth systems and how these
relationships are being modified
due to human activity are
introduced in Climate Changes
on SE/TE pages 600-603 and
606-607.