Unit: Earth Systems
Grade: 8
Stage 1: Desired Results
Enduring Understandings
(every EU needs to be represented in the essential question)
Students will understand that…
Student will be able to describe how catastrophic events impact the Earth
Students will understand that plate tectonics cause land features resulting from changes over time
Familiar with
Knowledge (fact to know)
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What are tectonic plates and how they move
3 basic tectonic plate movements
Types of landforms resulting from plate tectonics
How do the layers of the Earth influence plate
tectonics.
 How plate tectonics influences climate and
environments
 How climate and environmental changes
influence habitats and extinction of species
Essential questions
TEKS
How do Plate Tectonics cause changes in the
land and weather patterns?
TEKS 7.14 The student knows that natural events and
human activity can alter Earth systems. The student is
expected to:
A. describe and predict the impact of different
catastrophic events on the Earth
TEKS 8.14 The student knows that natural events and
human activities can alter Earth systems. The student
is expected to:
B. analyze how natural or human events may have
contributed to the extinction of some species
TEKS 8.14 The student knows that natural events and
human activities can alter Earth systems. The student
is expected to:
A. predict land features resulting from gradual
changes such as mountain building, beach
erosion, land subsidence, and continental drift
TEKS 8.12 The student knows that cycles exist in
Earth system. The student is expected to:
C. predict the results of modifying the Earth’s
nitrogen, water, and carbon cycles
TEKS 8.14 The student knows that natural events and
human activities can alter Earth systems. The student
is expected to:
C. describe how human activities have modified
soil, water, and air quality
What are catastrophic events and what drives
these events?
How do human activities cause changes in the
land and climate patterns?
Skill (apply , do)
Vocabulary
 tectonic plate
 continental drift
 sea-floor spreading
 magnetic reversal
 plate tectonics
 convergent boundary
 subduction zone
 divergent boundary
 transform boundary
 folding
 faulting
 tension
 compression
 stress
 strain
 uplift
 subsidence
 water cycle
 carbon cycle
 nitrogen cycle
 ocean current
 surface current
 coriolis effect
 deep current
 upwelling
 continental deflection
 salinity
 climate
 weather
Stage 2: Assessment Evidence
Performance Task:
(be sure to create an assessment rubric for the performance task as well)
Your task is to assess the ideal locations for Disaster Response Stations throughout the world.
You are a member of a risk assessment team, analyzing the various regions around the world for
the best possible locations where high risk disasters occur. You will need to convince the United
Nations Council on your findings and they will provide you with funding to implement your
Disaster Response Station (DRS). You will need to complete the following:
 Create a power point / poster board presentation to elaborate the details of your research for a
DRS location
 Submit a written report on your group presentation
 Vote for 4 DRS locations as a member of the UN Council by individual written justification of
the 4 best presentations
Other evidence:
(Quizzes, tests, academic prompts, self-assessments, etc.
note – these are usually included where appropriate in Stage 3 as well)
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Labs & activities with conclusion questions
Quiz
Benchmark exams
Student demonstration
Group assessment
Stage 3: Learning Activities
(Steps taken to get students to answer Stage 1 questions and complete performance task)
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Dr. Surpless power point & pictures to demonstrate plate tectonics.
Cornell notes
Pangaea puzzle
Geologic Time scale. P 443
Movement of Plate Boundaries using index cards & soil.
Modeling the 3 types of faults.
Cheesy land forms / plate boundaries
Oh the pressure – representing the folding & faulting (6th grade book p 474)
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/tryit/tectonics/ (animated types of plate boundaries)
Climate changes and the gases / particulate matter that change them (research on
atmospheric gases and particulates and how changing the content of these gases affect
climate)
What a Volcano Vomits! (students learn what is dispersed in air when a volcano erupts…how
these gases change atmosphere)
Mythical Mountains: how landforms influence climate (work in progress)
Brain POP – Natural Disasters
Climate & Topography
Where Do I Go?
GRASP
GOAL:
Your task is to assess the ideal locations for Disaster Response Stations throughout
the world.
ROLE:
You are a member of a risk assessment team, analyzing the various regions around
the world for the best possible locations where high risk disasters occur.
AUDIENCE:
You will need to convince the United Nations Council on your findings and they will
provide you with funding to implement your Disaster Response Station (DRS)
SITUATION:
No area is risk free. Your challenge is to assess areas of greatest and least risk for
the following catastrophic events:
 Earthquakes
 Volcanoes
 Tsunami
 Tornado
 Avalanche
 Hurricanes / Typhoons
 Flooding / Mudslides
AND…As a member of the UN Council you must listen to each assessment to
participate in a collective vote and submit an individual written justification of your
vote, selecting the top 4 areas of greatest need for the DRS locations.
PRODUCT:
You will create a poster / power point representing your findings to the UN Council.
You must include a map of the location of your DRS.
You must create a written proposal of your findings including research and analysis.
STANDARDS:
See Rubric
Earth Systems – DRS Locations
CATEGORY
Poster /
Power Point
25 points
3 - Exceeds
2 - Meeting
1 - Approaching
Our poster / power
point is thorough and
complete;
exceptionally clear;
easy to follow;
Information is
explained in-depth
including research,
analysis, and
graphics (pictures /
maps).
Our poster / power
point is substantial;
generally clear and
easy to follow.
Information is
sufficient including
research, analysis,
and graphics
(pictures & maps).
Our poster / power
point lacks clarity and
is difficult to follow;
Information is
incomplete lacking
research, analysis,
and graphics
(pictures & maps).
Majority of group
members
demonstrate a
proficient collective
and independent
understanding of
their presentation
(with minimal
assistance required)
One to two members
demonstrate a
general
understanding of
their presentation
Our written product is
concise, clear,
contains no
grammatical and/ or
spelling errors and
contains detailed
usage of scientific
vocabulary
Our written product is
clear, contains very
few grammatical
and/or spelling errors
and competent usage
of scientific
vocabulary
Our written product
lacks clarity, contains
many grammatical
and/or spelling errors
and less than
competent usage of
scientific vocabulary
Student has written a
detailed, in depth
justification on their
vote for selected DRS
locations
Student has written a
complete justification
on their vote for
selected DRS
locations
Student has written
an incomplete
justification on their
vote for selected DRS
locations
Oral Presentation All group members
demonstrate a
25 points
rigorous collective
and independent
understanding of
their presentation
and its content
Writing Skills
25 points
Voting
(Individual
Written
Explanation)
25 points
Date Created: Oct 13, 2007
A Model of Three Faults
Grades 7-12
Adapted from the USGS Learning Web Lesson Plans
Background
One of the most frightening and destructive phenomena of nature is a severe earthquake and its terrible
aftereffects. An earthquake is a sudden movement of the Earth, caused by the abrupt release of strain that has
accumulated over a long time. For hundreds of millions of years, the forces of plate tectonics have shaped the
Earth as the huge plates that form the Earth's surface slowly move over, under and past each other. Sometimes
the movement is gradual. At other times, the plates are locked together, unable to release the accumulating
energy. When the accumulated energy grows strong enough, the plates break free. If the earthquake occurs in
a populated area, it may cause many deaths and injuries and extensive property damage.
Today we are challenging the assumption that earthquakes must present an uncontrollable and unforecastable
hazard to life and property. Scientists have begun to estimate the locations and likelihoods of future damaging
earthquakes. Sites of greatest hazard are being identified and designing structures that will withstand the
effects of earthquakes.
Materials
Objective
Students will observe fault movements on a model of the earth's surface.
Time Needed
1 or 2 Class periods
Materials Needed (per group)
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Physiographic map of the world
Crayons or colored pencils
Scissors
Tape or glue
Metric ruler
Construction paper
Fault Model Sheet (included)
Instructions
1. Have students work in pairs or small groups.
2. Display the fault models in the classroom after the activity.
3. An excellent world physiographic map, showing the ocean floor, can be obtained from the National
Geographic Society.
Application Phase
1. Explain that faults are often (but not always) found near plate boundaries and that each type of fault is
frequently associated with specific types of plate movements. However, you can probably find all types
of fault movement associated with each type of plate boundary.
o Normal faults are often associated with divergent (tensional) boundaries.
o Thrust faults are often associated with convergent (compressional) boundaries.
o Strike-slip faults are often associated with transform (sliding) boundaries.
2. Ask the following questions:
o What kind of faults would you expect to find in the Himalaya Mountains? Why?
o What kind of faults would you expect to find along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge? Why?
o What kind of fault is the San Andreas Fault? Is California likely to "fall off into the Pacific
Ocean"? Why?
3. Explain that not all faults are associated with plate boundaries. Explain that there is a broad range of
faults based on type, linear extension, displacement, age, current or historical activity and location on
contintental or oceanic crust. Have students research examples of non-plate boundary faults.
4. Explain to students that the stresses and strains in the earth's upper layers are induced by many
causes: thermal expansion and contraction, gravitational forces, solid-earth tidal forces, specific volume
changes because of mineral phase transitions, etc. Faulting is one of the various manners of mechanical
adjustment or release of such stress and strain.
5. Have students research and report on the types of faults found in your state.
Extension
1. Have students Identify the fault movements in the recent Loma Prieta, California earthquake.
2. Have students research the fault histories and recent theories concerning the Northridge, California
Earthquake, the New Madrid, Missouri, and the Anchorage, Alaska fault zones.
Coloring Key
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Rock Layer X - green
Rock Layer Y - yellow
Rock Layer Z - red
River - blue
Road - black
Railroad tracks - brown
Grass - green
Part 1
Exploration Phase
1. You may wish to introduce this activity by asking students:
o Can you name a famous fault?
o What happens when giant fractures develop on the Earth and the pieces move relative to one
another?
2. Illustrate compressive earth movements using a large sponge by squeezing from both sides, causing
uplift. Using a piece of latex rubber with a wide mark drawn on it, illustrate earth tension, by pulling the
ends of the latex to show stretching and thinning.
3. Have students construct a fault model using the Fault Model Sheet. Instructions to students:
4. Color the fault model that is included according to the color key provided.
o Paste or glue the fault model onto a piece of construction paper.
o Cut out the fault model and fold each side down to form a box with the drawn features on top.
o Tape or glue the corners together. This box is a three dimensional model of the top layers of the
Earth's crust.
o The dashed lines on your model represent a fault. Carefully cut along the dashed lines. You will
end up with two pieces. You may wish to have your students tape or glue a piece of
construction paper on the side of the two fault blocks along the fault face. This will help with the
demonstration.
Note that an enlarged version of the fault block model can be made for classroom demonstrations.
5. Have students develop a model of a normal fault.
o Instructions to students: Locate points A and B on your model. Move point B so that it is next to
Point A. Observe your model from the side (its cross-section). Have students draw the normal
fault as represented by the model they have just constructed.
Concept Development
1. Ask the following questions:
o Which way did point B move relative to point A?
o What happened to rock layers X, Y and Z?
o Are the rock layers still continuous?
o What likely happened to the river? the road? the railroad tracks?
o Is this type of fault caused by tension, compression or shearing?
2. Explain that this type of fault is known as a normal fault.
3. Have students label their drawing "normal fault".
4. Many normal faults are found in Nevada. This is because Nevada is located in a region called the Basin
and Range Province where the lithosphere is stretching.
Part 2
Exploration Phase
Have students develop a model of a thrust fault. Instructions to students:
Locate points C and D on your model. Move Point C next to point D. Observe the cross-section of your model.
Have students draw the thrust fault as represented by the model they have just constructed.
Concept Development
1. Ask the following questions:
o Which way did point D move relative to point C?
o What happened to rock layers X, Y and Z?
o Are the rock layers still continuous?
o What likely happened to the river? the road? the railroad tracks?
o Is this type of fault caused by tension, compression or shearing?
2. Explain that this type of fault is known as a thrust fault.
3. Have students label their drawing "thrust fault".
4. An example of a thrust fault is the fault in which the Northridge earthquake occurred. The thrusting
movement raised the mountains in the area by as much as 70 cm.
Part 3
Exploration Phase
Have students develop a model of a strike-slip fault. Instructions to students:
Locate points F and G on your model. Move the pieces of the model so that point F is next to point G.
Have students draw an overhead view of the surface as it looks after movement along the fault.
Concept Development
1. Ask the following questions:
o If you were standing at point F and looking across the fault, which way did the block on the
opposite side move?
o What happened to rock layers X, Y, and Z?
o Are the rock layers still continuous?
o What likely happened to the river? the road? the railroad tracks?
o If the scale used in this model is 1 mm = 2 m, how many meters did the earth move when the
strike-slip fault caused point F to move alongside point G? (Note that this scale would make an
unlikely size for the railroad track!) If there were a sudden horizontal shift of this magnitude it
would be about five times the shift that occurred in the 1906 San Andreas fault as a result of
the San Francisco earthquake.
o Is this type of fault caused by tension, compression or shearing?
2. Explain that this type of fault is known as a strike-slip fault.
3. Have students label their drawing "strike-slip fault".
4. Explain to the students that a strike-slip fault can be described as having right or left-lateral movement.
If you look directly across the fault, the direction that the opposite side moved defines whether the
movement is left-lateral or right-lateral. The San Andreas fault in California is a right-lateral strike-slip
fault.
Model
Climate & the Topography
Students travel from table to table with a basic map, and
analyze various maps: precipitation, relative humidity,
topography, climate zones (vegetation), average annual
temperature. Each table will have key questions to answer.
At the end, a class discussion will take place discussing how
regional climate is influenced by topography.
Where Do I Go?
Students have animal cards that will be placed in different
biome regions based on their needs. Students will place
fictitious animals into biome regions that best fit their needs.
Each biome will experience a catastrophic event that will
change their climate and students will discuss possible
outcomes of the different species. (work in progress)
ONLINE RESOURCES
BrainPop FREE Natural Disasters (earthquakes, tornadoes, volcanoes, tsunamis, hurricanes,
thunderstorms!)
With teacher resource sheets
http://www.brainpop.com/science/naturalhazards/naturaldisasters/
This is the worksheet forr the Earthquake BrainPop
http://sciencespot.net/Media/platetect.pdf
17!, yes 17 web links in one place ranging from climate to the center of the Earth
http://students.seg.org/kids/index.html
Climate Connections: videos from National Geographic and NPR
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9657621
Calculate you Carbon Footprint
http://www.nativeenergy.com/Splash/liveearth/liveearth.html?LiveEarth
Faces of Earth for Educators Resource
http://www.facesofearth.tv/
Facts and Myths and Current Events
http://captainplanetfoundation.org/default.aspx?pid=6&tab=environment
Of course The Science Spot is an overall great Middle School Resource
http://sciencespot.net/
Earth Science Links and Activities
http://sciencespot.net/Pages/classearth.html
Mary Poarch has the best variety of overall resources
http://www.science-class.net/Geology/Geology.htm
Maps, maps, maps
North America and the World
http://www.geographic.org/maps/