P-2, Advanced Proficiency, 6th Grade, Earth Science
Unit Plan
6th Grade Science - Earth Science
UNIT BACKGROUND
Unit Number and Title: Unit 2: Earth’s Structure and Plate Tectonics
Grade Level: 6
Subject/Topic: Earth Science
Key Words: Crust, Mantle, Core, Lithosphere, Athenosphere, Convection, Conduction, Earthquakes, Volcanoes, Mountain Building, Continental
Drift, Plate Tectonics
Length (in weeks / days): 16 Days (3.5 Weeks)
Semester: 1
Step 1: Creating Vision and Planning for Assessment
Unit GOAL
Technical:
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Quantitative: Students will average 80% mastery of rigorous standards on the unit test.
Qualitative: Students will gain important foundational knowledge regarding Earth science spanning plate tectonics theory to the layers of the
Earth to convection and conduction.
Motivating Vision of Student Success:
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Students who achieve at least 80% mastery of rigorous standards on the weekly quizzes will be recognized as “Great Geologists”.
Students who achieve at least 80% mastery of rigorous standards on the unit test will be recognized as “Expert Earth Scientists.”
Unit Plan – Planning For Assessment
How will I measure my Unit Goal?
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Mastery of objectives on the Unit Test
How will I measure progress toward the Unit Goal?
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Pretest, Quizzes, Daily “Do Now”, Independent Practice, Labs, Performance Tasks
Unit Plan - What’s The Big Idea?
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Plate Tectonics and Earth’s Structure
Energy in the Earth’s System
Heat
Investigation and Experimentation
Unpacking Your Standards
Unit Plan – Standards for this Unit
1a - Students know evidence of plate tectonics is derived from the fit of the continents; the location of earthquakes, volcanoes, and midocean ridges;
and the distribution of fossils, rock types, and ancient climatic zones.
1c - Students know lithospheric plates the size of continents and oceans move at rates of centimeters per year in response to movements in the
mantle.
1e - Students know major geologic events, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and mountain building, result from plate motions.
1b - Students know Earth is composed of several layers: a cold, brittle lithosphere; a hot, convecting mantle; and a dense, metallic core.
3c - Students know heat flows in solids by conduction (which involves no flow of matter) and in fluids by conduction and by convection (which
involves flow of matter).
4c - Students know heat from Earth's interior reaches the surface primarily through convection.
Unit Plan – Enduring Understandings
Unit Plan – Essential Questions
To meet the standards, students will need to
To understand, students will need to
Unit Plan – Tasks
What are the tasks implied by the verbs in the standards?
understand that:
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Heat can be transferred through
conduction and convection.
The Earth is divided into layers: the
crust, the mantle, and the core.
The lithosphere includes the crust and
the upper layer of the mantle.
The theory of plate tectonics explains
plate movements and how the surface
of the Earth changes.
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consider such questions as:
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What would happen to the Earth
if the core ran out of heat?
What are similarities and
differences between conduction
and convection?
What relationships exist
between the layers of the Earth?
How does heat from the Earth’s
interior reach the surface?
Why have major geological
events in history occurred?
What is plate tectonics theory
and what evidence do we have
that it is accurate?
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Identify the layers of the Earth on a diagram and
explain the relationship among the layers.
Compare and contrast conduction and convection.
Explain how heat from Earth’s interior reaches the
surface primarily through convection.
Explain how lithospheric plates the size of continents
and oceans, move at rates of centimeters per year in
response to movements in the mantle.
Explain how major geologic events, such as
earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and mountain
building, result from plate motions.
Unit Plan – Achievement Targets
To understand, students will need to have knowledge of:
Concepts:
Layers of the Earth
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The layers of the Earth: crust, mantle, and core
The lithosphere and asthenosphere
Conduction and Convection
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To understand, students will need to be able to:
Layers of the Earth
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Identify the layers of the Earth on a diagram and explain the
relationship among the layers. (1b)
Conduction and Convection
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Compare and contrast conduction and convection. (3c)
Cold liquids and gases are more dense that warm liquids and gases
How Heat from the Earth’s Interior Reaches the Surface
Circular motion of liquids and gases in a convection current results
from differences in density
 Explain how heat from Earth’s interior reaches the surface
primarily through convection. (4c)
How Heat from the Earth’s Interior Reaches the Surface

Heat from the Earth’s interior reaches the surface primarily
through convection.
Plate Movement
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Plate Movement
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Explain how lithospheric plates the size of continents and oceans,
move at rates of centimeters per year in response to movements in
the mantle. (1c)
Plates are constantly in motion.
Geologic Events
Geologic Events
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Geologic events such as earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain
building are caused by plate motions.
Explain how major geologic events, such as earthquakes, volcanic
eruptions, and mountain building, result from plate motions. (1e)
Plate Tectonics Theory
Plate Tectonics Theory
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The fit of the continents, location of earthquakes, volcanoes, and
midocean ridges, and the distribution of fossils, rock types, and
ancient climatic zones provide evidence for the theory of plate
tectonics.
Vocabulary:
Layers of the Earth
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Crust
Mantle
Core
Lithosphere
Asthenosphere
Conduction and Convection
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Convection – liquids and gases
Conduction – solids
Flow of matter
Thermal energy
Determine how the fit of the continents, the location of
earthquakes, volcanoes, and midocean ridges, and the distribution
of fossils, rock types, and ancient climatic zones provide evidence
of plate tectonics. (1a)
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Convection current
How Heat from the Earth’s Interior Reaches the Surface
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Plates
Plate Movement
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Transform boundaries
Divergent boundaries
Convergent boundaries
Geologic Events
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Faults
Earthquakes
Volcanoes
Volcanic eruption
Mountain
Mountain building
Plate Tectonics
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Continent
Continental drift
Fossils
Rock types
Ancient climatic zones
Steps 2 and 3: Misunderstandings & Lesson Objectives
Standard
Daily Lesson Objective(s)
# of
Potential Misunderstandings
days, 1
Lesson Plan Notes
day =
xx min.
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1b - Students know Earth is
composed of several layers: a cold,
brittle lithosphere; a hot, convecting
mantle; and a dense, metallic core.
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3c - Students know heat flows in
solids by conduction and in fluids by
conduction and by convection.
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SWBAT identify the location of the
.5
layers of the Earth.
SWBAT identify characteristics of
the layers.
.5
SWBAT explain the relationship
among the layers.
1
SWBAT describe conduction.
SWBAT describe convection.
SWBAT explain what causes
convection currents.
SWBAT illustrate a convection
current.
SWBAT compare and contrast
conduction and convection.
Demonstration: How is
The interior of the Earth is cold. an apple like Earth?
(pg. 12)
.25
.25
.25
Cold objects are more dense
than hot objects.
Demonstration: How
can heat cause motion
in a liquid? (pg. 15)
Convection currents blend the
layers within the Earth.
Performance Task:
Journey to the Center
of the Earth Travel
Brochure
.25
.5
4c - Students know heat from Earth's
interior reaches the surface primarily
through convection.
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1c - Students know lithospheric
plates the size of continents and
oceans move at rates of centimeters
per year in response to movements in
the mantle.
1e - Students know major geologic
events, such as earthquakes, volcanic
eruptions, and mountain building,
result from plate motions.
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
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SWBAT explain how heat from
Earth’s interior reaches the surface
primarily through convection.
SWBAT explain that convection
currents cause shifting of the
lithospheric plates.
SWBAT state the rate at which
continents and oceans move each
year.
.5
.5
.5
SWBAT describe the characteristics
1
and types of earthquakes.
SWBAT describe the characteristics
1
and types of volcanic eruptions.
SWBAT describe the process and
Continents do not move.
Continents move because of
earthquakes.
Lab: Hot Plates (pg.
38)
Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions
Lab: Stress in the Crust
and mountain building happen
(pg. 44-45)
superficially and do not require
any other layers of the Earth.
Jigsaw: Types of
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1a - Students know evidence of plate
tectonics is derived from the fit of
the continents; the location of
earthquakes, volcanoes, and
midocean ridges; and the distribution
of fossils, rock types, and ancient
climatic zones.

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types of mountain building.
SWBAT explain how earthquakes,
volcanic eruptions, and mountain
building are the result of plate
motions.
SWBAT describe the organization of
the continents.
SWBAT identify the location of
earthquakes, volcanoes, and
midocean ridges.
SWBAT identify the distribution of
fossils, rock types, and ancient
climatic zones.
SWBAT explain how the fit of the
continents, location of earthquakes,
volcanoes, and midocean ridges, and
the distribution of fossils, rock types,
and ancient climatic zones provide
evidence for plate tectonics theory.
SWBAT describe plate tectonics
theory.
1
Plates collide like bumper cars.
1
volcanoes
Gallery: Compare
pictures of mountains
with different types of
faults. (pg. 46-47)
Lab: Modeling
Movement Along
Faults (pg. 52-53)
Lab: How well do the
continents fit together?
(pg. 32)
Lab: Mapping
Earthquakes and
Volcanoes (pg. 82)
1
1
1
1
1
Unit Review and Assessment
2
Total
16
Plate tectonics theory is a fact.
Lab: How are seeds
moved from place to
place? (pg. 21)
Lab: Stations that lead
students to put together
the theory of plate
tectonics
Performance Task:
Presentation on
evidence for plate
tectonics theory
1 Day of Review Unit
Test (60 minutes)
Step 4: Sequencing & Scaffolding Objectives on Calendar
September
Monday (60 min)
Tuesday (45 min)
Wednesday (60 min)
Thursday (60 min)
Friday (60 min)
4
5
Begin UNIT 2: PLATE
TECTONICS AND
EARTH’S
STRUCTURE
Pretest for Unit 2 (10
min)
3
LABOR DAY
10
SWBAT explain that
convection currents
cause shifting of the
lithospheric plates.
SWBAT describe
convection.
SWBAT describe
conduction.
SWBAT explain what
SWBAT identify the
causes convection
location of the layers of currents.
the Earth.
SWBAT compare and
SWBAT identify
contrast conduction and
characteristics of the
convection.
layers.
Demonstration: How can
Demonstration: How is heat cause motion in a
an apple like Earth? (pg. liquid? (pg. 15)
12)
11
12
6
SWBAT illustrate convection currents.
SWBAT explain how heat from Earth’s
interior reaches the surface primarily
through convection.
Jigsaw: Types of
volcanoes
SWBAT explain the
relationship among the
layers.
Quiz #1 (1b, 3c, 4c)
Performance Task: Journey
Performance Task: Journey to the Center of
to the Center of the Earth
the Earth Travel Brochure
Travel Brochure
13
SWBAT describe the
SWBAT describe the
SWBAT describe the process and types of
characteristics and types characteristics and types
mountain building.
of earthquakes.
of volcanic eruptions.
Lab: Stress in the Crust
SWBAT state the rate (pg. 44-45)
7
Gallery: Compare pictures of mountains
with different types of faults. (pg. 46-47)
14
SWBAT explain how
earthquakes, volcanic
eruptions, and mountain
building are the result of
plate motions.
at which continents
and oceans move each
year.
Quiz #2 (1c, 1e)
Lab: Modeling Movement
Along Faults (pg. 52-53)
Lab: Hot Plates (pg.
38)
17
SWBAT describe the
organization of the
continents.
18
19
SWBAT identify the
location of earthquakes,
volcanoes, and midocean
ridges.
SWBAT identify the
distribution of fossils,
rock types, and ancient
climatic zones.
Lab: How well do the
Lab: Mapping
continents fit together?
Earthquakes and
(pg. 32)
Volcanoes (pg. 82)
Lab: How are seeds
moved from place to
place? (pg. 21)
26
24
Review
25
Unit 2 Test
Begin UNIT 3:
SHAPING EARTH’S
SURFACE
20
21
SWBAT explain how the fit of the
SWBAT describe plate
continents, location of earthquakes,
tectonics theory.
volcanoes, and midocean ridges, and the
distribution of fossils, rock types, and
Quiz #3 (1a)
ancient climatic zones provide evidence for
plate tectonics theory.
Performance Task:
Presentation on evidence
Lab: Stations that lead students to put
for plate tectonics theory
together the theory of plate tectonics