2015 – 2016 Earth and Space Topics to be Covered
(Combinations of Chapters to be Tested/Project Work)
Course (at a glance)
Test 1: Introduction to Earth Science / Chapter 1 Minerals / Chapter 2 Rocks
view of Earth, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere, lithosphere, Earth sciences, composition, structure and properties of minerals, mineral groups, rock cycle, igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks
Test 2: Chapter 3 Weathering, Soil and Mass Wasting / Chapter 4 Running Water and Ground Water
mechanical and chemical weathering, soil profile and types, controls and triggers of mass wasting, hydrologic cycle, streams, valley development, movement of groundwater, environmental problems of groundwater, geologic work of groundwater
Test 3: Chapter 5 Glaciers, Deserts, and Wind / Chapter 6 Earthquakes and Earth’s Interior
glacier erosion and deposits, causes of glaciation, deserts, processes in arid climates, wind deposits and erosion
Test 4: Chapter 7 Plate Tectonics / Chapter 8 Igneous Activity
earthquake prediction and destruction, continental drift, plate boundaries, Pangaea, plate tectonics now and in the future, volcanic types and eruptions, Igneous activity related to plate tectonics
Test 5: Chapter 10 Geologic Time / Chapter 11 Earth History: A Brief Summary
Short history of geology, types of dating for geologic time scale, difficulties in calculating geologic time, different eras of time
Test 6: Chapter 14 Composition, Structure and Temperature in the Atmosphere / Chapter 15 Moisture
weather and climate, composition of the atmosphere, earth’s rotation and revolution for the seasons, heat transfer, greenhouse effect, controls of temperature, temperature measurement and data, changes of state, humidity, stability of air, cloud formation, forms of precipitation, measuring precipitation
Test 7: Chapter 16 Air Pressure and Wind / Chapter 17 Weather Patterns and Severe Storms / Chapter
18 Climate
air pressure, general circulation of the atmosphere, how wind is measured, air masses, fronts, thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, climate system, climate classification

Test 8: Chapter 19 Earth’s Place in the Universe / Chapter 20 Touring Our Solar System
ancient astronomy, constellations, positions in the sky, motions of earth, earth-moon system, planets of the solar system and their moons, minor members of the solar system
Test 9: Chapter 21 Light, Astronomical Observations, and the Sun / Chapter 22 Beyond Our Solar
System
study of light, astronomical tools, the Sun, properties of stars, stellar evolution, galaxies, big bang theory
Test 10: Chapter 12 Ocean Waters and the Ocean Floor / Chapter 13 The Restless Ocean
composition of and resources of seawater, Earth beneath the sea, ocean floor and mid-ridges, surface currents, deep-ocean circulation, tides, wave erosion and refraction, shoreline features and erosion
Projects (computer-lab based) these are broad descriptions, rubric will be given to students
Project 1: (choice of research into volcanoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, flooding, meteorite impacts, soil erosion or air and water pollution) explanation of what goes into one of the above and history of that phenomenon taking place through presentation and a paper
Project 2: (Global Warming through human and natural processes) students will be divided into groups and will choose the human or natural impact of global warming and debate in class as well as provide a short paper on their data that they find
Project 3: (students will have a choice to research a planet excluding Earth or research on extra solar planets, black holes, various observatories both on Earth and in space, or deep space phenomena, etc.) explanation of research will be through presentation and a paper
Project 4: (Oceanography Poster with all terms) This will be presented to the class and needs to have all information on it.