Grade 9 Earth And Space Science Course Outline (1.0 Credit)
The Earth and Space Science course is a course focusing on the study of space, geologic structures and forces, the waters on our planet, and the atmospheric forces that shape our world. Students will explore the Earth’s spheres including the geosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, atmosphere, and the cycles of the Earth such as the water and carbon cycle. Students will learn about scientific inquiry, geologic time, space exploration, the solar system, and the universe.
Upon completion of the course, students will be sensitized to various moral and environmental issues being brought to the fore by research of the universe and other areas of earth and space structure and function of the various cells, tissues, and integrated systems of the body. The course is designed to lay the groundwork then move into various human systems.
Course Outline
Course Introduction
- Course Description
- Introduction
- Understanding Plagiarism
- Pretest
- Assignment: Pretest
- MLA Formatting
- MLA Formatting MSWord
- MLA Documentation
- MLA Citation
- MLA Incorporating Sources
The Nature of Science
- What is Science?
- Scientific Methodology
- Handout: Scientific Methodology Matching Exercise
- Assignment: Scientific Methodology Matching Exercise
- Graphing Data
- Types of Graphs
- The Application of Science
- Essay: The Nature of Science
- Quiz: The Nature of Science
Standards of Measurement
- The Metric System
- Instruments Used in Measurement
- Metric System Conversions
- Handout: Standards of Measurement Written Practice
- Assignment: Standards of Measurement Written Practice
Earth Basics
- The Earth’s Interior
- Assignment: Earth’s Interior
- Magnetism & Gravity
- Assignment: Magnetism and Its Uses
- The Earth’s Five Spheres
- The Earth’s Energy
- The Origin of Life on Earth
- The Earth’s Cycles
- Quiz: Earth Basics
Earth Chemistry
- 4 States of Matter
- Atomic Theory
- Resources and Energy
- Essay: Earth Chemistry Writing Practice
- Assignment: Nuclear Power: The Pros and Cons
- Quiz: Earth Chemistry
Weather and Climate
- The Atmosphere
- Handout: The Atmosphere
- Assignment: The Atmosphere
- Temperature and Atmospheric Pressure
- Weather
- Severe Weather and Storms
- Global Air Circulation
- Predicting the Weather
- Climate
- Global Climate Change
- Handout: Cloud Project
- Assignment: Cloud Project
- Quiz: Weather and Climate
Weathering and Erosion
- Weathering and Erosion
- Soil
- Glacier Erosion
- Essay: Glaciers Written Practice
- Water Erosion
- Wind Erosion
- Handout: Erosion WebQuest
- Assignment: Erosion WebQuest
- Quiz: Weathering and Erosion
The Oceans
- Features of the Ocean
- Motions of Water
- Waves
- Handout: Characteristics of Ocean Waves
- Assignment: Characteristics of Ocean Waves
- Quiz: The Oceans
Mid-Term Exam
- Midtest
- Assignment: Midtest
- Quiz: Earth and Space Science Mid-Term Exam
Space and the Solar System
- History and Future of Space Exploration
- Instruments and Technology
- Essay: Space Age Technolgy
- Spectroscopy and EM Spectrum
- Assignment: The Electromagnetic Spectrum
- Measuring Astronomical Distances
- Laws of Motion: Kepler and Newton
- Our Solar System
- Handout: Characteristics of Our Solar System
- Assignment: Characteristics of Our Solar System
- Formation of Earth
- Formation of the Moon
- Assignment: Origin of Earth’s Moon
- Essay: Formation of the Moon Writing Practice
- The Sun
- Relationships of the Earth, Moon, and Sun
- Quiz: Space and the Solar System
Stars and the Universe
- Formation of the Universe
- Matter in the Universe
- Handout: Stars and the Universe
- Assignment: Stars and the Universe
- Galaxies
- Assignment: Normal and Active Galaxies
- Measuring Astronomical Distances
- Constellations
- Assignment: Constellations
- Stars
- Comets & Asteroids
- Assignment: Stellar Evolution
- Quiz: Stars and the Universe
The Dynamic Earth
- Plate Tectonics
- Earthquakes
- Volcanoes
- Assignment: Volcano Formation
- Volcanic Regions
- Examples of Volcanic Eruptions
- Handout: Mt. St. Helens Volcano WebQuest
- Assignment: Mt. St. Helens Volcano WebQuest
- Plutonic Activity
- Predicting Eruptions and Warning Systems
- Handout: Predicting Earthquakes
- Assignment: Predicting Earthquakes
- Quiz: The Dynamic Earth
History of Earth
- Evolution and the Fossil Record
- Evidence of Evolution
- Geologic Time
- Relative Time Scale
- Radiometric Time Scale
- Atomic Clock Methods
- Date by Radiometric Methods
- Age of Earth
- Handout: Geologic Times Written Practice
- Assignment: Forecasting Earth’s Future
- Assignment: Geologic Times Written Practice
- Quiz: History of Earth
Final Exam
- Post-test
- Assignment: Post-test
- Quiz: Earth and Space Science Final Exam
Course Evaluation
- Handout: Course Evaluation
- Assignment: Course Evaluation
