8th Grade Science
Unit 2: Inside Earth and Geologic Time
Lafayette Parish School System
2013-2014
LPSS Science Teacher Leader Cadre
Debora Ajala – EA Martin
Phobe Boutte – LJ Alleman
Charlene Jackson – Scott
Jodie LeBlanc – Judice
Bill Lee – Paul Breaux
Bridget Trahan – LPSS Science Lead Teacher
Lafayette Parish School System
2013-2014 Curriculum Map
Grade: 8th Science Unit 2: Inside Earth and Geologic Time
Time Frame: September 23 – November 11
(7 Weeks)
Unit Description and Student Understandings: This unit introduces the layers that form Earth with a focus on the theory of plate tectonics. The unit includes the
identification of minerals and rocks and the study of the rock cycle. Students develop an understanding that rocks are made of minerals and use established procedures to identify
mineral samples. Research on the rock cycle shows student understandings of the dynamic processes that result in the formation of other rocks. Ending with an awareness of the
four density layers of Earth, students gain an understanding of the theory of plate tectonics. This unit focuses on fossils and the evidence of past geologic eras that fossils provide.
The methods used to understand the changes experienced by Earth and other planets since their formation are also emphasized. The activities in this unit are also intended to
explore Earth’s historical data and geological principles used to study Earth’s composition, age, and processes that affect Earth’s form. Students understand that Earth is always
changing, yet ever the same, involving the processes that shape the surface today and throughout geologic time. Students learn that rock layers in outcrops can be correlated and
read, revealing the geologic history of an area and the beginnings of life. Students develop an understanding that various types of geologic and biological evidence provide an
awareness of the development of life.
Guiding Questions:
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12.
Can students discuss convection currents as an explanation of plate tectonics?
Can students compare causes and locations of earthquakes and volcanoes?
Can students classify a given rock or a mineral by its appearance and other physical characteristics?
Can students explain what changes the identity of one rock formation to another?
Can students describe how certain fossils are indicators of ancient environments and how the evolutionary developments of life forms are inferred from the
fossil record?
Can students describe how the relative age of a rock is determined?
Can students suggest how to correlate discontinuous rock columns from around the world?
Can students explain how scientists know what conditions existed on Earth long ago?
Can students describe the types of evidence that are available to scientists to interpret the history of Earth?
Can students describe how geologists are able to discern the geologic history of a region by using rock layers?
Can students distinguish between relative and absolute dating and describe how actual geologic ages can be measured using known rates of radioactive
decay?
Can students demonstrate their knowledge of the relationships between improvements in technology and subsequent discoveries in space?
Key Concepts:
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Describe the structure of the four density layers of Earth (crust, mantle, outer core, inner core)
Identify the effects of convection currents on tectonic plates of Earth’s crust and upper mantle (volcanoes, earthquakes, ocean floor spreading, mountain
building, faulting, and folding)
Describe natural disasters, predict their effects, and classify them as constructive or destructive forces (earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions,
tsunamis, etc.)
Identify the characteristics of and classify major rocks and minerals
Describe or illustrate the rock cycle and differentiate among igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rock
Explain the significance of fossils and why similar fossils are found on two or more separate continents
Provide or select examples of changes over time that have allowed various species to survive or that illustrate similarities in structures of animals. Fossil
evidence may be used
Identify processes and data used to determine the age of Earth
Identify the motivation for and value of space exploration
8th Grade Science 2013-2014
Lafayette Parish School System
2013-2014 Curriculum Map
Grade: 8th Science Unit 2: Inside Earth and Geologic Time
Time Frame: September 23 – November 11
(7 Weeks)
Vocabulary:
Interactive Science Textbook Ch. 4 pg. 135
Interactive Science Textbook Ch. 5 pg. 163
Interactive Science Textbook Ch. 6 pg. 209
Interactive Science Textbook Ch. 7 pg. 239
GLEs
ES-8 (E)
Identify and describe the four
density layers of Earth (ESS-MA1)
CCSS Literacy
Standards
NGSS Practices
Instructional Strategies
Probe: Is it a Rock?
Literacy Strategy: Learning Log
Prompts:
”What is the difference between rocks and minerals?”
“How can you tell if a substance is a mineral?”
Interactive Science Textbook:
Chapter 4 Lesson 1 pgs. 136-141 Discuss
Chapter 4 Lesson 2 pgs.142-149
LCC Activity 4: The Layers of Our Earth (2 days)
 Substitute Earth Model Investigation based on
information from
http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~braile/indexlinks/educ.htm
Differentiation
(Enrichment/Remediation Strategies)
Scroll down to Plates, Earthquakes and
Volcanoes:
http://middleschoolscience.com/earth.htm
Presentations on the Earth’s Layers:
http://science.pppst.com/layers.html
http://scienceclass.net/Geology/earth_structure.htm
http://scign.jpl.nasa.gov/learn/plate1.htm
United Streaming (Discovery Education) – What’s Inside the
Earth?
ES-10 (E)
Illustrate the movement of
convection currents (ESS-MA2)
Changes 4 Integrated Science video and assessment
Interactive Science Textbook:
Chapter 4 Lesson 3 pgs. 150-153
LCC Activity 5: Convection Currents (1 day)
 Teacher demo both parts
Change 5 Integrated Science video and assessment
ES-9 (C)
Explain the historical
development of the theories of
8th Grade Science 2013-2014
Interactive Science Textbook:
Chapter 5 Lesson 1 pgs. 164-167
Chapter 5 Lesson 2 pgs. 168-173
http://education.sdsc.edu/optiputer/flash/convect
ion.htm
http://www.cdm.org/i/Resources/Articles/Magic
-School-Bus-Convection.pdf
http://www.tectonic-forces.org/pt04.htm
http://www.absorblearning.com/media/attachme
nt.action?quick=12p&att=2775
Make convection currents- from Kids Crossing
Hands-on Activities: www.eo.ucar.edu/kids
http://scienceclass.net/Geology/plate_tectonics.htm
Lafayette Parish School System
2013-2014 Curriculum Map
Grade: 8th Science Unit 2: Inside Earth and Geologic Time
Time Frame: September 23 – November 11
(7 Weeks)
plate tectonics, including
continental drift and sea-floor
spreading (ESS-M-A2)
ES-11 (E)
Illustrate the movements of
lithospheric plates as stated
in the plate tectonics theory
(ESS-M-A2)
ES-12 (I)
Identify the edges of plate
boundaries as likely areas of
earthquakes and volcanic action
(ESS-M-A3)
ES-13 (E)
Describe the processes
responsible for earthquakes and
volcanoes and identify the
effects of these processes (e.g.,
faulting, folding) (ESS-M-A3)
ES-16 (I)
Compare the physical
characteristics of rock and
8th Grade Science 2013-2014
Chapter 5 Lesson 3 pgs. 174-179
LCC Activity 6: Plate Tectonics
 Part A: (1 day)
Plate Tectonic Summary Chart
 Modeling Lab (1 day)
Stages 7, Change 5 Integrated Science video and assessment
United Streaming (Discovery Education) - Continents Adrift
Also addresses GLE 11
Interactive Science Textbook: pgs. 168-179
Chapter 5 Lesson 2 pgs. 168-173
Chapter 5 Lesson 3 pgs. 174-179
Addressed in LCC Activity 6
Interactive Science Textbook:
Chapter 5 Lesson 5 pgs. 188-191
LCC Activity 3: Earthquakes and Volcanoes
 Part A: (1 day)
a. Literacy Strategy: Student Questions for Purposeful
Learning (SQPL)
b. Read article Understanding Plate Motions
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/understanding.html
Teacher note: see also My Plate’s Faster Than Your
Plate
 Part B: (1 day)
a. Literacy Strategy: Graphic organizer – Ring of Fire
http://pubs.usgs.gov/publications/text/historical.
html
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/dynamic.html
- Dynamic Earth
http://scienceclass.net/Geology/plate_tectonics.htm
http://glencoe.mcgrawhill.com/sites/0078778026/student_view0/unit3/
chapter10/standardized_test_practice.html
http://pubs.usgs.gov/publications/text/understan
ding.html
http://science.pppst.com/platetectonics.html
http://pubs.usgs.gov/publications/text/understan
ding.html
http://www.platetectonics.com/book/index.asp
Virtual Seismologist Activity
http://www.sciencecourseware.org/Virtual
Earthquake/
Change 6 Integrated Science Video and Assessment
Also addresses GLE 13
Interactive Science textbook:
Chapter 5 Lesson 4 pgs. 180-187
Chapter 5 Lesson 6 pgs. 192-193
http://glencoe.mcgrawhill.com/sites/0078778026/student_view0/unit3/
chapter10/internet_lab.html
Addressed in LCC Activity 3
http://science.pppst.com/earthquakes.html
Interactive Science textbook:
Chapter 6 Lesson 2 pgs. 222-225
http://science.pppst.com/rocks.html
LCC Activity 2: Rocks and the Rock Cycle
Classifying and Identifying Rocks
Lafayette Parish School System
2013-2014 Curriculum Map
Grade: 8th Science Unit 2: Inside Earth and Geologic Time
Time Frame: September 23 – November 11
(7 Weeks)
mineral specimens to observe
that a rock is a mixture of
minerals (ESS-M-A5)

Part A: (1 day)
a. Categorizing rocks
 Part B: (1 day)
Uses and economic values of rocks (start in
class/finish at home)
 Part C: (1 day)
a. Literacy Strategy: Graphic organizer - rock
cycle
 Part D: (1 day)
a. Ride the Rock Cycle Game
http://geologyonline.museum.state.il.us/tools/lessons/6.4/lesson.p
df
b. Literacy Strategy: Story Chain – based on
experiences in game
Relevance in everyday life- http://mii.org
http://glencoe.mcgrawhill.com/sites/0078778026/student_view0/brain
pop_movies.html#
Stages 8 Integrated Science Video and assessment
ES-18 (E)
Describe how sedimentary,
igneous, and metamorphic
rocks form and change in the
rock cycle (ESS-M-A6)
ES-17 (E)
Describe the properties of
minerals (e.g., color, luster,
hardness, streak) (ESS-M-A5)
United Streaming (Discovery Education) - Basics of
All About Rocks and Minerals
Also addresses GLE 18
Also addresses GLE 17
Interactive Science textbook:
Chapter 6 Lesson 2 pgs. 222-225
Chapter 6 Lesson 3 pgs. 226-229
http://glencoe.mcgrawhill.com/sites/dl/free/0078778026/164213/0004
4683.html
Addressed in LCC Activity 2
Interactive Science Textbook:
Chapter 6 Lesson 1 pgs. 210-221
LCC Activity 1: Mineral Identification: Use Mineral Webquest
(See LCC)
a. Virtual Mineral ID Lab
b.
Literacy Strategy: Vocabulary Cards
Vocabulary Terms: cleavage, color, crystal
system, fracture, hardness, luster, Moh’s
Hardness Scale, streak, texture
Also addresses GLE 16
Probe: Mountaintop Fossil
Intro: The Great Fossil Find
8th Grade Science 2013-2014
Geology
http://sciencespot.net/Pages/classearth.html
Lafayette Parish School System
2013-2014 Curriculum Map
Grade: 8th Science Unit 2: Inside Earth and Geologic Time
Time Frame: September 23 – November 11
(7 Weeks)
ES-31 (E)Compare fossils from
different geologic eras and
areas of Earth to show that life
changes over time (ESS-M-B1)
ES-34 (E)
Apply geological principles to
determine the relative ages of
rock layers (e.g., original
horizontality, superposition,
cross-cutting relationships)
(ESS-M-B3)
Interactive Science Textbook:
Chapter 7 Lesson 1pgs. 240- 245
http://science-class.net/Geology/geologic_time.htm
Literacy Strategy: Learning Log
- Prompt: Where have you seen fossils? How does the
study of fossils help us to understand Earth’s history?
http://glencoe.mcgrawhill.com/sites/dl/free/0078778026/164155/0007
6703.html
LCC Activity 3: Reconstructing Gondwanaland (2 days)
- Part A: Literacy Strategy: SQPL
Article – Geodiversity Gondwana
Part B: Construction of Gondwana and class discussion
Interactive Science Textbook:
Chapter 7 Lesson 2 pgs. 246-251
http://glencoe.mcgrawhill.com/sites/0078778026/student_view0/unit4/
chapter14/standardized_test_practice.html
LCC Activity 1: Relative Dating, Just Not Your Cousin
- Part A: Random Letter Cards (1 day)
- Part B: Index Fossils (1 day)
Also Addresses GLE 31
LCC Activity 2: Getting to the Core it
- Candy Coring
- Note: Students with peanut allergies need to be
considered
Stages 9 Integrated Science video and assessment
Clues 10 Integrated Science video and assessment
ES-35 (E)
Describe how processes seen
today are similar to those in the
past (e.g., weathering, erosion,
lithospheric plate movement)
(ESS-M-B3)
ES-30 (I)
Interpret a geologic timeline
(ESS-M-B1)
Also Addresses GLE 35
Interactive Science Textbook:
Chapter 7 Lesson 2 pgs. 246-251
Addressed in LCC Activity 6
Interactive Science Textbook:
Chapter 7 Lesson 4 pgs. 256-259
Chapter 7 Lesson 6 pgs. 264-275
LCC Activity 4: Earth’s Timeline (3 days)
US: Prehistoric Earth (SRCD)
US: Rocks, Fossils and Earth History
Also Addresses GLE’s 31, 32
LCC Activity 6: What Came First? (2 days)
- Part A: Students collect illustrations (such as pictures of
8th Grade Science 2013-2014
http://science.pppst.com/fossils.html
http://glencoe.mcgrawhill.com/sites/0078778026/student_view0/unit4/
chapter13/standardized_test_practice.html
http://glencoe.mcgrawhill.com/sites/0078778026/student_view0/unit4/
chapter13/section_2_self-check_quiz-eng_.html
http://www.geosociety.org/educate/LessonPlans
/Relative_Age.pdf
Adventures at Dry Creek
www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/education/explotime.ht
ml
Lafayette Parish School System
2013-2014 Curriculum Map
Grade: 8th Science Unit 2: Inside Earth and Geologic Time
Time Frame: September 23 – November 11
(7 Weeks)
-
ES-32 (I)
Interpret a timeline starting
with the birth of the solar
system to the present day (ESSM-B2)
ES-33 (I)
Use historical data to draw
conclusions about the age of
Earth (e.g., half-life, rock
strata) (ESS-M-B2)
ES-48 (C)
Communicate ways that
information from space
exploration and technological
research have advanced
understanding about Earth, the
solar system, and the universe
(ESS-M-C8)
ES-49 (C)
Identify practical applications
of technological advances
resulting from space
exploration and scientific and
technological research (ESS-MC)
themselves as a baby and through the years)
Part B: Formation of Louisiana
Show video “Vanishing Wetlands, Vanishing Future”
from Barataria Terrebonne National Estuary
Also Addresses GLE’s 33, 35
Interactive Science Textbook:
Chapter 7 Lesson 5 pgs. 260-263
Chapter 7 Lesson 6 pgs. 264-275
Addressed in LCC Activity 4
Interactive Science Textbook:
Chapter 7 Lesson 2 pgs. 246-251
Chapter 7 Lesson 3 pgs. 252-255
LCC Activity 5: Half of What?
- Part A: Radioactive Decay Investigation
Part B: Penny Half Life Activity can be used – use the version
you prefer
LCC Activity 7: Technology and Today’s Understandings of
Earth
-
Will be addressed in Unit 7 and 8
Also Addresses GLE 49
LCC Activity 7: Technology and Today’s Understandings of
Earth
-
Will be addressed in Unit 7 and 8
Also Addresses GLE 48
UNIT 2 BENCHMARK ASSESSMENT NOVEMBER 11
8th Grade Science 2013-2014