THE HIDDEN NATURE & MOVEMENT OF PLANET EARTH: Earth Science and what it Means for Us in the Pacific Northwest
Essential Questions:
- What is the nature of the Earth beneath our feet & how can we know?
- What makes the Pacific Northwest look the way it does?
- How and where can I read the Earth's autobiography?
- How can I prepare for whatever the Earth has in store?
Content:
- Layers of the Earth
- Convection & Plate Tectonics
- Earthquakes & Volcanoes
- Mineral & Rock type identification
- The Rock cycle
- Geology of the Pacific Northwest: 4-day field trip to Mt St. Helens
- Emergency preparedness
Skills and Processes:
- Interpreting seismographs to infer the layers of the Earth
- Modeling global plate tectonics and predicting geologically active (and hazardous) locations
- Identifying rock type and common minerals
- Reading topographic maps, geologic maps, and satellite images to understand regional geography
- Preparing yourself and your family for possible Earth hazards
Assessment:
- Adopt a tectonic plate project and presentation
- Layers of the Earth seismograph lab conclusion
- Rock & Mineral ID quiz
- Rock Cycle Story
- Mt. St. Helens field notes
- Emergency preparedness plan
Resources:
- Vocano!
- NSTA Project Earth Science: Geology Curriculum
- NSTA Earth Science Puzzles
- Road Guide to Mt. St. Helens
- Prentice Hall- Dynamic Earth
- Smithsonian institute - Volcanology Website
Multicultural Dimension:
- Native American mythology of Mt. St. Helens
Integrated Learning:
- Historical perspectives and theories on the nature of the Earth
- Rock cycle writing assignment
- The exponential scale of the Richter Scale
- reading and interpreting maps