Lafayette Parish School System
2013-2014 Curriculum Map
Environmental Science Unit 1: Introduction--Environmental Earth
Time Frame: 6 weeks— August 19, 2013—September 23, 2013
Unit Description and Student Understandings: In this unit, science is used to study and understand the complex interactions between humans and their
environments, economics and environmental policy, and Earth’s environmental systems will all be explored This unit focuses on the atmosphere, lithosphere, and
hydrosphere and how changes in these areas might impact living organisms in the environment; this includes how scientists uncover, research, and solve
environmental problems; the best balance of human interests and needs with the health of the environment; and how do nonliving parts of Earth’s systems
provide the basic materials to support life. Because they need to know the difference between living and non-living things the students will be introduced to basic
building blocks of chemistry and the building block of life in biology. Students will be able to identify Earth’s five interconnected spheres, describe the important
of selected components, examine biogeochemical cycles, and describe processes and theories associated with major changes in Earth’s surface .
Guiding Questions:
1. Can students explain and provide examples of how investigations can be observational, descriptive, literature surveys, classification exercises, or
experimental?
2. Can students employ science lab safety procedures/ techniques?
3. Can students locate and effectively utilize emergency safety equipment?
4. Can students explain how environmental sciences help us to understand the natural world? **
5. Can students explain what it means to do science”?**
6. Can students explain what happens to a scientific study after the data has been gathered and the results are analyze?**.
7. Can students identify Earth’s five interconnected spheres and explain the importance of selected components?
8. Can students describe the processes that alter Earth’s surface environment and identify the impact of selected processes?
9. Can students explain what properties of matter airhost important to environmental systems?**
10. Can students explain what types of systems play roles in environment?**
11. Can students apply the concept of systems as it applies to environmental studies?
12. Can students apply concept knowledge of biosphere structure and interaction?
13. Can students explain the characteristics of Earth’s geosphere, biosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere?**
14. Can students relate the roles of the oxygen, carbon, and phosphorus cycles to the existence/ survival of the Earth’s life forms?
15. Can students explain how nutrients cycle through the environment?
16. Can students discuss the stages of the hydrologic cycle and relate them to energy release/absorption and with regard to the introduction and
filtering of pollutants?
17. Can students relate geologic processes to the development of photosynthesis and discuss the use of fossils and radioactive isotopes in studying the
history of Earth’s atmosphere?
Key Concepts:
 Explain the focus of environmental science.
 Describe the recent trends in human population and resource consumption.
 Explain what science is.
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Environmental Science 2013-2014
Lafayette Parish School System
2013-2014 Curriculum Map
Environmental Science Unit 1: Introduction--Environmental Earth
Time Frame: 6 weeks— August 19, 2013—September 23, 2013
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Describe the process of science.
Describe the major roles of the scientific community in the process of science.
Explain the study of environmental science.
Describe two basic concepts of economics.
Explain the relationship between economics and the environment.
Describe the ways that economics are working toward sustainability
Explain the purpose of environmental policy
Describe the history of U.S. environmental policy
Describe the direction of current U.S. environmental policy
Identify major international institutions involved in environmental policy
Discuss different approaches to environmental policy
List the steps involved in the environmental policy process
Differentiate among an atom, an element, a molecule, and a compound.
Discuss how various macromolecules are essential to life.
Identify some unusual properties of matter
Describe two major ways that Earth’s systems interact
Define Earth’s geosphere, lithosphere, biosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere.
Describe the parts of Earth’s geosphere.
Describe Earth’ s biosphere and atmosphere,
Discuss the water cycle.
Explain the law of conservation of matter applies to the behavior of nutrients in the environment.
Describe the carbon cycle.
Describe the events of the phosphorus
Explain the importance of bacteria to the nitrogen cycle
Vocabulary List:
Environment, environmental science, environmentalism, natural resource, renewable natural resource, nonrenewable natural resource, sustainable,
fossil fuel, ecological footprint, hypothesis, prediction, independent variable, dependent variable, controlled study, data, peer review, theory, ethics,
environmental ethics, economics, supply, demand, cost-benefit analysis, ecological economics, environmental economics, non-market value, market
failure, ecolabeling, policy, environmental policy, Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), command-and-control approach, subsidy, green tax, capand-trade, lobbying, matter, atom, element, nucleus, molecule, compound, hydrocarbon, solution, macromolecule, protein, nucleic acid,
carbohydrate, lipid, pH, feedback loop, erosion, geosphere, lithosphere, biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, crust, mantle, core, tectonic plate,
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Environmental Science 2013-2014
Lafayette Parish School System
2013-2014 Curriculum Map
Environmental Science Unit 1: Introduction--Environmental Earth
Time Frame: 6 weeks— August 19, 2013—September 23, 2013
landform, deposition, evaporation, transpiration, precipitation, condensation, aquifer, groundwater, law of conservation of matter, nutrient,
biogeochemical cycle, primary producer, photosynthesis, consumer, decomposer, cellular respiration, eutrophication, nitrogen fixation.
GLEs
CCSS Literacy
Standards
NGSS Practices
Instructional Strategies
(Activity directions are found in the Unit folder in
documents on LPSS Blackboard)
SI-10-Given a
description of an
experiment, identify
appropriate safety
measures(SI-H-A7)
Textbook Correlations: Chapters 1, 3, 9
SE-6-Analyze the
consequences of
changes in selected
divisions o f (e.g.),
ozone depletion,
global warming, acid
rain)
Textbook Correlations: Chapters 1, 3, 9
SI-2-Describe how
investigations can be
observation,
description, literature
survey, classification
or experimentation(SIH-A2)
SI-3 Plan and record
step-by-step
procedures for a valid
investigation, select
equipment/materials
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Environmental Science 2013-2014
th
grade Science
Focus: Safety in the science lab
Activity 1: Opening Safety Activity
Differentiation
(Enrichment/Remediation Strategies)
www.youtube.com/ (type in search-safety in
the science classroom then select a video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q5i6A_zY
eQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjJz85bQq
dM
Survey
http://dnr.louisiana.gov/enviroquiz1.ssi,
Focus: Knowledge about Environmental IQ?
Activity 2 Pre-Course Survey: What’s Your Environmental Science
IQ (SE GLEs: 6, 12, 19, 26)
Textbook Correlations: Chapters 1, 3, 9
Answers
http://dnr.louisiana.gov/enviroquiz2.ssi.)
Lafayette Parish School System
2013-2014 Curriculum Map
Environmental Science Unit 1: Introduction--Environmental Earth
Time Frame: 6 weeks— August 19, 2013—September 23, 2013
and identify variables
and controls (SI-H-A2)
SI-7 Choose
appropriate models to
ex plain scientific
knowledge or
experimental results
(e.g., objects,
mathematical
relationships, plans,
schemes, examples,
role playing, computer
simulations) (SI-HA4)
Textbook Correlations: Chapters 1, 3, 9
split-page notetaking strategy (view literacy
strategy descriptions)
Focus: Earth and It’s Systems
(http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEPC/W
WC/1991/earth.html
Activity 3: Introduction to Earth Systems and to Note Taking (SI
GLE: 7; SE GLE: 1)
http://gpc.edu/~pgore/Earth&Space/GPS/Eart
h-systems.html (pages 3-15)
Earth Systems
Activity 6: Change in the Weather (SI GLEs: 6, 7; ESS GLEs: 8, 9)
Earth: the Apple of our Eye
www.farmland.org/news/audiovideo/AVArchiv
e.asp#
“The Apple as Planet Earth”
SI-6 Use technology
when appropriate to
enhance laboratory
investigations and
presentations of
findings (SI-H-A3)
Focus: What Makes up the Earth?
learning logs (view literacy strategy
descriptions)
Activity 4: The Biosphere (SI GLEs 2, 4, 6, 7; SE GLEs: 1,
6)
http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEC/AEF
/1995/kobayashi_biospheres.html.
SI-9. Write and defend
a conclusion based on
logical analysis of
experimental data (SIH-A6) (SI-H-A2
Focus: What Makes up the Earth?
RAFT writing strategies (view literacy strategy
descriptions)
Activity 5: Surface Changes and the Environment (SI
GLEs: 6, 7, 9, 11, 12; SE GLE: 6; ESS GLE: 12)
NASA Classroom of the Future-Exploring the
Environment module, Volcanoes,
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Environmental Science 2013-2014
www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/volcanoes/volcan
o.html and the RAFT writing assignment
(www.lpb.org/education/classroom/itv/envirot
acklebox/teacherguide/module4/4natln1.htm
Lafayette Parish School System
2013-2014 Curriculum Map
Environmental Science Unit 1: Introduction--Environmental Earth
Time Frame: 6 weeks— August 19, 2013—September 23, 2013
The Earth: Work in Progress Lesson 1 Activity:
Natural Disaster Lists
www.lpb.org/education/classroom/itv/envirot
acklebox/teacherguide/module4/4natln1.htm)
.
SI 6-7
Use technology when
appropriate to
enhance laboratory
investigations and
presentations of
findings (SI-H-A3)
Activity 6: Change in the Weather (SI GLEs: 6, 7; ESS
GLEs 8, 9)
www.nhc.noaa.gov).
SI-4 I Conduct an
investtigation that
includes multiple trials
and re-cord, organize,
and dis-play data
appropriately(SI-H-A2)
Focus: Our Environment?
New Orleans, a Natural History website
www.NewOrleansHistory.net .
Activity 7: Change Closer to Home (SI GLEs: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12;
SE GLE: 6; ESS GLE: 20)
http://www.loyno.edu/lucec/mrddocs/11.doc.
SI-5. E
Focus: The Various Cycles
Utilize mathematics,
organizational tools,
and graphing skills to
solve problems (SI-HA3)
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Environmental Science 2013-2014
www.nhc.noaa.gov
www.ametsoc.org/careercenter/careers.html#
meteorologistscareer
www.black-collegian.com/career/careerreports/meteorology2006-2nd.shtml
www.theweatherchannelkids.com/weather_e
d/careers_in_meteorology
Activity 8: Biogeochemical and Hydrologic Cycles (SI GLE: 2, 5, 6, 7,
10, 12; SE GLE: 7; ESS GLEs: 2, 13, 15)
Activity 9: Establishing a Compost Bin (SI GLEs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9,
10, 12; SE GLEs: 5, 8, 9)
https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/nint
h-grade-biology-lesson?fd=1
Building a Soda Bottle Bioreactor,
http://compost.css.cornell.edu/soda.html,
provides instruction for building a soda-
Lafayette Parish School System
2013-2014 Curriculum Map
Environmental Science Unit 1: Introduction--Environmental Earth
Time Frame: 6 weeks— August 19, 2013—September 23, 2013
bottle compost bin.
http://compost.css.cornell.edu/monitor/monit
oring.html,
http://compost.css.cornell.edu/monitor/monit
oring.html,
http://compost.css.cornell.edu/monitor/monit
oring.html,
SI-8. Give an example
of how new scientific
data can cause an
existing scientific
explanation to be
supported, revised, or
rejected (SI-H-A5)
SI-9 Write and defend
a conclusion based on
logical analysis of
experimental data (SIH-A6) (SI-H-A2)
SI-10 Given a
description of an
experiment, identify
appropriate safety
measures
Textbook Correlations: Chapters 1, 3, 9
Focus: What Makes up the Earth?
Activity 10: Evidence of Atmospheric Oxygen (SI GLEs: 6, 8; SE GLE:
6; ESS GLE: 21)
Activity 8: Biogeochemical and Hydrologic Cycles (SI GLE: 2, 5, 6, 7,
10, 12; SE GLE: 7;
Activity 10: Evidence of Atmospheric Oxygen (SI GLEs: 6, 8; SE GLE:
6; ESS GLE: 21)
Environmental Science 2013-2014
http://www.nature.com/ngeo/journal/v6/n1/f
ull/ngeo1684.html
http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/Atm
osphere/global_circulation_lsop_video.html
Focus: What Makes up the Earth?
(SI-H-A7)
th
“Do all forms of life on Earth require oxygen in
their environment?”Develop a web quest that
includes the URLs for teacher-selected
websites and also includes guiding questions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_rF1pmk
KdM
Lafayette Parish School System
2013-2014 Curriculum Map
Environmental Science Unit 1: Introduction--Environmental Earth
Time Frame: 6 weeks— August 19, 2013—September 23, 2013
SE1. I Evaluate
selected theories
based on supporting
scientific evidence (SIH-B1)
Textbook Correlations: Chapters 1, 3, 9
RAFT writing strategies (view literacy strategy
descriptions)
Activity 5: Surface Changes and the Environment (SI GLEs: 6, 7, 9,
11, 12; SE GLE: 6; ESS GLE: 12)
www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/volcanoes/volcan
o.html and the RAFT writing assignment
(www.lpb.org/education/classroom/itv/envirot
acklebox/teacherguide/module4/4natln1.htm
www.lpb.org/education/classroom/itv/envirot
acklebox/teacherguide/module4/4natln1.htm
SE12.C Cite evidence
that scientific
investigations are
conducted for many
different reasons (SIH-B2)
Textbook Correlations: Chapters 1, 3, 9
ESS GLEs: 2, 13, 15)
Building a Soda Bottle Bioreactor,
http://compost.css.cornell.edu/soda.html,
provides instruction for building a sodabottle compost bin.
Activity 9: Establishing a Compost Bin (SI GLEs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9,
10, 12; SE GLEs: 5, 8, 9)
http://compost.css.cornell.edu/monitor/monit
oring.html,
SE1. I Describe the
abiotic and biotic
factors that
distinguish Earth’s
major ecological
systems (SE-H-A1)
Textbook Correlations: Chapters 1, 3, 9
(http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEPC/W
WC/1991/earth.html
SE6.C- Analyze the
consequences of
changes in selected
Textbook Correlations: Chapters 1, 3, 9
Survey
http://dnr.louisiana.gov/enviroquiz1.ssi,
Activity 2 Pre-Course Survey: What’s Your Environmental Science
Answers
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Environmental Science 2013-2014
Activity 3: Introduction to Earth Systems and to Note Taking (SI
GLE: 7; SE GLE: 1)
Lafayette Parish School System
2013-2014 Curriculum Map
Environmental Science Unit 1: Introduction--Environmental Earth
Time Frame: 6 weeks— August 19, 2013—September 23, 2013
divisions of the
biosphere (e.g.,
ozone depletion,
global warming,
acid rain) -
IQ (SE GLEs: 6, 12, 19, 26)
http://dnr.louisiana.gov/enviroquiz2.ssi.)
SE-7. I Illustrate the
flow of carbon, water,
oxygen, nitrogen, and
phosphorus through
an ecosystem (SE-HA6) (LS-H-D1)
Textbook Correlations: Chapters 1, 3, 9
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_rF1pmk
KdM
SE-5. Examine and
discuss the major
stages of succession,
describing the
generalized sequential
order of the types of
plant species (SE-HA4)
Textbook Correlations: Chapters 1, 3, 9
Activity 8: Biogeochemical and Hydrologic Cycles (SI GLE: 2, 5, 6, 7,
10, 12; SE GLE: 7; ESS GLEs: 2, 13, 15)
ESS GLEs: 2, 13, 15)
Activity 9: Establishing a Compost Bin (SI GLEs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9,
10, 12; SE GLEs: 5, 8, 9)
Building a Soda Bottle Bioreactor,
http://compost.css.cornell.edu/soda.html,
provides instruction for building a sodabottle compost bin.
http://compost.css.cornell.edu/monitor/monit
oring.html,
http://compost.css.cornell.edu/monitor/monit
oring.html,
http://compost.css.cornell.edu/monitor/monit
oring.html,
SE-12. Give examples
and describe the
effect of pollutants on
selected populations
(SE-H-A11)
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Environmental Science 2013-2014
Textbook Correlations: Chapters 1, 3, 9
Activity 2: Pre-Course Survey: What’s Your Environmental IQ? (SE
GLES: 6, 12, 19, 26)
Survey
http://dnr.louisiana.gov/enviroquiz1.ssi,
Answers
http://dnr.louisiana.gov/enviroquiz2.ssi.)
Lafayette Parish School System
2013-2014 Curriculum Map
Environmental Science Unit 1: Introduction--Environmental Earth
Time Frame: 6 weeks— August 19, 2013—September 23, 2013
SE-5 Examine and
discuss the major
stages of succession,
describing the
generalized sequential
order of the types of
plant species (SE-HA4)
Textbook Correlations: Chapters 1, 3, 9
Activity 9: Establishing a Compost Bin (SI GLEs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9,
10, 12; SE GLEs: 5, 8, 9)
Building a Soda Bottle Bioreactor,
http://compost.css.cornell.edu/soda.html,
provides instruction for building a sodabottle compost bin.
http://compost.css.cornell.edu/monitor/monit
oring.html,
http://compost.css.cornell.edu/monitor/monit
oring.html,
http://compost.css.cornell.edu/monitor/monit
oring.html,
SE - 9.
ESS GLEs: 2, 13, 15)
Textbook Correlations: Chapters 1, 3, 9
Activity 9: Establishing a Compost Bin (SI GLEs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9,
10, 12; SE GLEs: 5, 8, 9)
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Environmental Science 2013-2014