Norris Altadonna
Subject/Grade Area:
Matter/ 6th Grade Science
Unit 4
Unit Title/Focus:
Curriculum Unit Earth Systems, Structures,
Earthquakes, Volcanoes & Plate Tectonics
Clarifying Objective:
Clarifying Objective: 6.E.2.1 & 2.2
Weeks: 4-7 (20 days)
Stage 1- Desired Results
Essential Standard
6.E.2 Understand the structure of the earth and how interactions of constructive and destructive forces have resulted
in changes in the surface of the Earth over time and the effects of the lithosphere on humans.
Clarifying Objectives:
6.E.2.1 - Summarize the structure of the earth, including the layers, the mantle and core based on the relative
position, composition and density (3.01 NCSCOS)
6.E.2.2 – Explain how crustal plates and ocean basins are formed, move and interact using earthquakes, heat flow
and volcanoes to reflect forces within the earth.
Essential Questions
Knowledge & Skills
What is the structure of the Earth?
Students know:
- the forces that shape the lithosphere including:
- Layers
What is the concept of plate tectonics?
- The mantle
-Core
-Relative position, composition and density
How are mountains, volcanoes and ocean basins
formed?
crustal plate movement and oceanic basin formation,
earthquakes, heat flow and volcanoes to reflect forces within the
earth
How do earthquakes occur?
What kind of geological events happen with plate
movement?
earthquakes.
Primary Waves
Secondary waves
Surface Waves
Vertical Alignment
What skills and knowledge already acquired in previous years and how can I get the students to assess and build
on upon that knowledge?
Learning Progressions
What is the structure of the Earth? (Ocean Basins need to be addressed)
- Analyze/describe the forces that shape the lithosphere including:
- layers, the mantle, core and relative position, composition and density
Crustal plate movement (geological events)
How do we know the continents drift?
-Describe how scientists developed the theory of plate tectonics.
-Identify different plate boundaries.
How volcanoes/mountains are formed?
- Describe how the folding of rock can form mountains.
- Explain how movement along faults can form mountains.
- Explain how volcanoes erupt.
- Identify the types and locations of different volcanoes.
Where and how earthquakes are formed?
- Explain what happens when plates move apart or one plate scrapes past another plate.
- Evaluate causes of plate movement and the resulting geologic changes on Earth.
Stage 2- Assessments Evidence
Performance Tasks/ Formative Assessment
Summative Assessment
Water Fountain
Teacher made Edmodo Assessment
Sticky Notes Red light, Yellow Light, Green Light World Book Online Science Power Assessment
Parking Lot
Open Ended Writing Assessment
Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down
Edmodo Quiz
Vocabulary
inner core/ outer core/ mantle /crust /earthquake/ volcano/ lava
Tier 1
Tier 2
Tsunami/ acid rain/ epicenter/ geyser/
Tier 3
divergent/ convergent/ transform/ boundaries/ rift valley/ magnetic reversal/ hot spot
subduction/ continental-continental collision/ oceanic-oceanic subduction
oceanic-continental subduction/ aftershock/ liquefaction/ folded mountain/ fault-block
mountain/folding /faulting/ lithosphere/asthenosphere/ tectonic plate/ continental drift/ Pangaea
mid-ocean ridge/ convection/ convection current/ theory of plate tectonics/ fault/ stress/
pyroclastic flow/ seismograph
Resources:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ParrMr?ob=0&feature=results_main Mr. Parr Song
http://paul-a-heckert.suite101.com/understanding-convection-currents-a63549
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kpoko_l34ZE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mB2pzhWUaiU&feature=related Plate Tectonic explanation video (8mins.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCSJNBMOjJs&feature=related Nat’l Geo. Colliding Continents (50mins)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9DMiy_DVok&feature=related Tsunami footage from Survivors 2004 (11mins)
Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0p_6G5GIeo&feature=relmfu Earthquake/Tsunami footage from survivors 2004
(10mins) part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceym2c18OQM&feature=related Japan tsunami 2011 (5:45mins) Port warehouse
district being flooded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w60q8PpG18o&feature=related Japan Earthquake/Tsunami with English
speaking narrator/eyewitness (1:43mins)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rn3oAvmZY8k Liquefaction during Japan earthquake 2011 (3:08mins)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqHw1hMEkAQ&feature=fvsr acid rain Washington, DC (2:30mins)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EEYGrtvRMo Acid Rain Movie (3:20)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvG_N7eqMWk Pyroclastic flow (2:30mins)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cvjwt9nnwXY&feature=related Pyroclastic flow with English narration
(1:12mins)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4zA_YPCyHs&feature=related Geyser Animation (2:56mins)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tShhZvvIM84 (1:41mins)
Technology Standards
6.TT.1
Select appropriate technology tools to gather
data and information (e.g., Web-based
resources, e-books, online communication
tools, etc.). Example-World Book Online,
Edmodo, Google Docs
6.TT.2
Select appropriate technology tools to organize
data and information (e.g., word processor,
database, spreadsheet, graphic organizer, audio and
visual recording, online collaboration tools, etc.).
Example-MicroSoft Word- Shape Art (graphic
organizers)
6.TT.3
Select appropriate technology tools to present data
and information effectively (multimedia, audio and
visual recording, online collaboration tools, etc.).
Example- Photostory
Literacy Standards
1) Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of
science and technical texts. (example-science world
magazine, argumentative writing response)
6) Analyze author’s purpose in providing explanation,
describing a procedure, or discussing an experiment in
text. (example-have students write a book review,
pygmy shrew)
Writing Standards
2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a
topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information
through the selection, organization, and analysis
of relevant content.
f. Provide a concluding statement or section that
follows from the information or explanation
presented.