“Know – Understand – Do” Organizer
Course: Science
Grade(s): 6th
Topic: Inside the Earth Unit
School/District:
/Glynn County
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Which Standards are students learning in this unit?
S6E5. Students will investigate the scientific view of how the earth’s surface is formed.
a. Compare and contrast the Earth’s crust, mantle, and core including temperature, density, and
composition.
e. Recognize that lithospheric plates move constantly and cause major geological events on the
earth’s surface
f. Explain the effects of physical processes (plate tectonics, erosion, deposition, volcanic eruption,
gravity) on geological features including oceans (composition, currents, and tides).
S6E3. Students will recognize the significant role of water in earth processes.
c. Describe the location and subsurface topography of the world’s oceans
By the end of this unit, students will be able to…….
Know
The earth is layered with a
lithosphere (crust and
uppermost mantle), convecting
mantle, and a dense metallic
core.
Understand
The earth is layered with a
partly molten, metallic core; a
mantle that though solid, is hot
enough to flow; and a colder,
rigid lithosphere.
Do
Label the four layers of the
earth.
The definition of density and
composition.
Lithospheric plates on the
scales of continents and oceans
constantly move.
Compare and contrast each
layer in terms of its
temperature, density, and
composition.
Each layer differs in
composition, density, and
temperature.
Temperature and density
increases as depth increases.
The composition of the earth
changes with depth and layers.
The crust is the upper part of
the rigid lithosphere and is of
different composition under
land as opposed to the ocean
floor.
Convection cell in the mantle is
causing the lithospheric plates
to move.
Major geological events, such
as earthquakes, volcanic
eruptions, and mountain
building, result from these plate
motions.
Some changes in the earth’s
surface are abrupt (such as
earthquakes and volcanic
eruptions) while other changes
Investigate and analyze
different models of the Earth.
Compare and contrast basalt
(oceanic crust) and granite
(continental crust) rocks and
determine their densities.
Design and construct a model
of interior of the earth. Label
the layers.
Write a summary or create a
presentation using the
information found through
different websites and include
Below the rigid lithosphere, the
mantle consists of hot rock of
tar-like consistency, which
slowly moves or flows.
The outer core is molten and
the inner core is a dense solid.
The lithosphere is divided into
separate plates which move
very slowly in response to the
mantle. Heat from the mantle
and core creates convection
currents.
This plate movement causes
major geologic events such as
volcanoes, earthquakes, and
mountain formation.
At the edges or boundaries of
the plates, the earth's crust is in
motion.
The theory of plate tectonics
connects the evidence for the
formation, movement, and
destruction of the plates.
At divergent plate boundaries
such as the mid-Atlantic ridge,
new ocean floor is created.
At convergent plate
boundaries known as
subduction zones, a trench and
deep earthquakes mark the
zone where a slab of oceanic
lithosphere descends into the
mantle, and volcanoes and
mountain ranges form on
adjacent land.
Location of the ring of fire.
When continental crust meets
continental crust at a
happen very slowly (such as
uplift and wearing down of
mountains).
information about the density,
composition, and temperature
of each of the Earth’s layers.
Moving plates cause major
changes in a world map over
tens of millions of years.
Explain why we have not been
able to explore the earth’s
layers by drilling through the
crust.
Pangaea was the most recent of
a succession of supercontinents
that have formed and broken up
over time.
The mantle is solid but capable
of flow (like hot asphalt or
fudge). Only under special
conditions (at hot spots and
along plate boundaries) does
the mantle or crust melt to
make magma, which may then
rise to the surface to make a
volcanic eruption.
Earthquakes represent sudden
breaks in crust continuously
stressed by plate movement.
Gradually over time, the same
movements result in major
crustal features.
Composition and currents of
oceans can be impacted by
physical processes such as
weathering, erosion, and plate
tectonic movements.
Explain how the study of
seismic waves helped scientists
diagram the interior of the
Earth.
Design an original children’s
storybook to explain the results
of tectonic plate movements
and its effects on earth.
Identify the subsurface
topography of the world’s
oceans.
Explain the connection between
the effects of plate tectonics and
the location of ocean floor
topographic features.
Use print and web sources to
research the topography of the
ocean floor.
Identify location of the world’s
oceans on a map.
Draw or make clay model
cross-section diagrams of ocean
topographical features.
Write a one page report about
the conditions which formed
the subsurface topography, and
include information about the
location, composition, and
processes of formation for each
topographic feature
Research and write about a
convergent boundary, a
collision occurs, resulting in
folds, faults, and high
mountains.
current event impacted by
plate tectonic movement
(recent volcano eruption,
tsunami, or earthquake).
Transform boundaries are
where plates slide past each
other. They connect other
plate boundaries and are
characterized by earthquakes
and tsunamis.
Answer reading
comprehension questions
about the author Jules Verne
who wrote “Journey to the
Center of the Earth”