Science Essential Standards Unit Development
Unit Topic
Essential Standards
Goals and Objectives
Concepts Being
Studied
Essential Questions
Essential Information
Geology
EEn.2.1 Explain how processes and forces affect the lithosphere.
EEn.2.1.1 Explain how the rock cycle, plate tectonics, volcanoes, and earthquakes
impact the lithosphere.
EEn.2.1.2 Predict the locations of volcanoes, earthquakes, and faults based on
information contained in a variety of maps.
EEn.2.1.3 Explain how natural actions such as weathering, erosion (wind, water and
gravity) and soil formation affect Earth’s surface.
EEn.2.1.4 Explain the probability of and preparation for geohazards such as landslides,
avalanches, earthquakes and volcanoes in a particular area based on available data.
EEn.2.2 Understand how human influences impact the lithosphere.
Een.2.2.1 Explain the consequences of human activities on the lithosphere (such as
mining, deforestation, agriculture, overgrazing, urbanization, and land use) past and
present.
EEn.2.2.2 Compare the various methods humans use to acquire traditional energy
sources (such as peat, coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear fission, and wood).
Shaping of the earth’s surface through plate interactions such as rifting or mountain
building
Shaping the earth’s surface through erosion and deposition
Causes of earthquakes and volcanoes and faults
Identifying risks of geologic hazards for our local area and preparing safety plans
Man’s impact on the environment
Resource management
How does plate movement change the shape of the lithosphere?
How do agents of erosion change the shape of the earth’s surface?
Where do earthquakes and volcanoes occur on the earth?
What are the risks of earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides or avalanches in our area,
and how can we prepare?
What are the effects of human activity on shorelines and mountainsides, especially in
development and artificial stabilization efforts?
In what ways are humans impacting the lithosphere and maximizing sustainable use of
natural resources?
Map reading skills used to locate earthquake and volcano hazard zones along plate
boundaries.
Identify faults as the cause of earthquakes
Identify the subduction zones and hot spots as the cause of volcanoes
Describe the possible interactions at plate boundaries
Define deposition and erosion and identify the results of each.
Identify the consequences of various types of land use such as urbanization,
deforestation, and agriculture
Identify detrimental human impacts on the lithosphere.
List ways to maximize sustainable use of natural resources
Explore alternative energy technologies in order to get a more complete picture of
possible sources of energy for human use.
Essay Questions
Imagine that you are magma inside a volcano. Describe a possible journey that would
carry you through becoming an igneous rock, then a sedimentary rock, and finally a
metamorphic rock.
Describe the process of subduction. What landforms result?
Compare and contrast wind and water as agents of erosion.
Compare and contrast Mauna Loa volcano with Mt. St. Helens. Compare the type of
volcanic structure that is formed and the type of eruption.
Compare the differences between living in Pompeii and experiencing the 79AD
eruption of Mt. Vesuvius with living in modern times and experiencing the eruption of
Mt. Pinatubo in 1991.
List and describe the pros and cons of renewable vs. nonrenewable energy resources.
How are deforestation, overgrazing, and urbanization harmful to Earth?
Project Ideas
Students will develop Power Point presentations on assigned volcanoes
Students will do a webquest on plate tectonics
Students will build card stock buildings in order to analyze what kinds of structures are
safest during an earthquake
Students will choose a geologic hazard that is of concern in their area, and develop
posters or presentations to educate people about the hazard and safety precautions.
They could alternatively put together the appropriate disaster supplies, and donate
them to a charity.
Technology
Power point presentations on volcanoes
Webquest on plate tectonics
Virtual Earthquake—online simulation that allows students to identify the epicenter of
an earthquake and to determine its magnitude
Turning Point clickers used for assessment
Probeware and accelerometers to determine the strength of s-waves (evaluate the
cardstock buildings)
Labs, Experiments,
Activities, etc.
Resources
Assessment
Comparing the viscosity of substances to model lava types
Building models of faults
Building models of the seafloor to demonstrate mid-ocean ridges and trenches
Using slinkies to demonstrate earthquake waves
Cookie mining lab
Mapping earthquake and volcanoes on a world map
Candy bar plate tectonics
Computer lab
Data projector
Work sheets/copies
Maps
Candy bars
Slinkies
Cardstock
Text book
Probeware and accelerometers
Turning Point clickers
Turning Point Student Response System
Quick Writes
Exit cards
Lab Reports
Essay questions
Unit tests
Exam