Unit Lesson Plan – The History of Planet Earth
Teacher:
Time Frame:
6
Grade:
Subject:
15 Days
School:
PSI Middle School Science
NGSS/DCI
MS-ESS1.C: The History of Planet
Earth
Instructional Objective:
MS-ESS2-1:
Instructional Objective:
MS-ESS1-4:
The geologic time scale interpreted from rock strata provides a way to
organize Earth’s history. Analyses of rock strata and the fossil record
provide only relative dates, not an absolute scale. (MS-ESS1-4)
http://www.nextgenscience.org/msess1-earth-place-universe
Develop a model to describe the cycling of Earth’s materials and the
flow of energy that drives this process.
Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence from rock strata
for how the geologic time scale is used to organize Earth’s 4.6-billionyear-old history.
Essential Questions
(What questions will the student be able to answer as a result of the instruction?)
1. What materials make up our Earth?
2. How can rocks and fossils help us make a chronology of Earth’s history?
Knowledge & Skills
(What skills are needed to achieve the desired results?)
By the end of this unit, students will know:




By the end of this unit, students will be able to:
The layers of the Earth
The 3 types of rocks
The job of paleontologists
How we can determine the age of objects found
within the Earth
 Demonstrate skills similar to those of a paleontologist
 Use rock strata to determine the relative age of fossils
 Demonstrate how radiometric dating can help scientists
determine the absolute ages of objects
Assessment
(What is acceptable evidence to show desired results (rubrics, exam, etc.)? Attach Copy
During the Smart Notebook lesson designed to introduce concepts, students will be continually questioned on these
concepts using a combination of class work/homework questions and the SMART Response system. Classwork and
Homework questions will be discussed as a class and misconceptions will be addressed by the teacher prior to the
formal evaluations listed below.
Quiz 1: Layers of the Earth/Rock Cycle
Lab 1: Fossil Layers Activity
Lab 2: Cookie Excavation
Lab 3: Vertebrate Fossil Webquest
Lab 4: Radiometric Dating Webquest
Unit Test
(What is the sequence of activities, learning experiences, etc, that will lead to desired results (the plan)?
Day
Topic
Classwork
Homework
1
Earth’s Layers
Slides 4-19;
Earth Layers Classwork
Earth’s Layers Homework
www.njctl.org
6th Grade PSI
The History of Planet Earth
2-3
Three Types of Rocks
Slides 20-38;
The Rock Cycle Classwork
Three Types of Rock
Homework
4
Rock Exploration
Rock Exploration
Classwork
Study for Quiz
5
Layers of the Earth/Rock
Cycle Quiz
Quiz
N/A
6
Early Life on Earth
Slides 39-50;
Fossil Layers Activity Day 1
Early Life on Earth
Homework
7
Early Life on Earth
Slides 51-54;
Fossil Layers Activity Day
2;
Early Life on Earth
Classwork
Finish activity worksheet
8
Early Life on Earth
Slide 55;
Cookie Excavation Activity
Finish activity worksheet
9-10
Early Life on Earth
Slide 56;
Vertebrate Fossil
Webquest
Finish webquest
11
Rock Strata
Slides 57-70;
Half-Life Classwork
N/A
12
Rock Strata
Slide 71;
Radiometric Dating
Webquest
N/A
13
Rock Strata
Slides 72-75;
Rock Strata Classwork
Rock Strata Homework
14
Review Game
Smart Board Game;
Study Guide
Study Guide
Study for Test
15
Unit Test
Test
N/A
*While there are many slides for each topic, several slides within the notebook are hidden and won’t be
used during instructional time.
**HW Problems are currently not scaffolded from least to most difficult, but are instead listed in order of
topic. Teacher should pay special attention at the end of each class period when assigning HW so that
only problems related to the topic that was taught are being assigned.
***Pacing guide is based on 40minute class periods, you may need to adjust based on your school’s
schedule.
www.njctl.org
6th Grade PSI
The History of Planet Earth