5.1 Strand
Earth’s major systems are the geosphere (solid and molten rock, soil, and sediments), the hydrosphere (water and ice), the atmosphere (air), and the biosphere (living things, including humans). Within these systems, the location of Earth’s land and water can be described. Also, these systems interact in multiple ways. Weathering and erosion are examples of interactions between Earth’s systems. Some interactions cause landslides, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions that impact humans and other organisms. Humans cannot eliminate natural hazards, but solutions can be designed to reduce their impact.
Standard(s) 5.1.1: Analyze and interpret data to describe patterns of Earth’s features. Emphasize most earthquakes and volcanoes occur in bands that are often along the boundaries between continents and oceans while major mountain chains may be found inside continents or near their edges. Examples of data could include maps showing locations of mountains on continents and the ocean floor or the locations of volcanoes and earthquakes. (ESS2.B)
Practices
Analyzing and Interpreting Data Analyzing data in 3–5 builds on K–2 experiences and progresses to introducing quantitative approaches to collecting data and conducting multiple trials of qualitative observations. When possible and feasible, digital tools should be used.
-
Analyze and interpret data to make sense of phenomena using logical reasoning.
Disciplinary Core Ideas
ESS2.B: Plate Tectonics and Large-Scale System Interactions
The locations of mountain ranges, deep ocean trenches, ocean floor structures, earthquakes, and volcanoes occur in patterns. Most earthquakes and volcanoes occur in bands that are often along the boundaries between continents and oceans. Major mountain chains form inside continents or near their edges. Maps can help locate the different land and water features areas of Earth.
Cross Cutting Concepts
Patterns
Patterns can be used as evidence to support an explanation.
Storyline Narrative
To begin this storyline students will investigate the phenomenon, a volcano rapidly formed in a field in Paricutin. Students will obtain information about a volcano that grew in a field in Paricutin, Mexico over the course of 9 years, destroying the village.
Then students will obtain information about other North American examples of volcano and earthquake activity and mountain ranges to analyze patterns in the data. They will look at volcanoes in the area of Paricutin to understand and reason that the occurrence of that volcano was part of a pattern rather than a random act. From there, students will look at examples and nonexamples of volcanoes, earthquakes, and mountain ranges to further analyze and interpret data to find patterns of Earth’s features. Finally, when given a map with known volcano and/or earthquake occurrences, students identify which location is more likely to have the next occurrence and support their answer using the data from their investigations?
Site Feedback
Utah Science
Curriculum Consortium
Tyson Grover
Annette Nielson
Storyline Narrative 6.1.2
SEEd Standard 6.1.2 asks students to develop and use a model to describe the role of gravity and inertia in orbital motions of objects in our solar system.
Students begin this storyline engaging in asking questions about why the planets the orbit the sun. Students will observe the solar system using Universe Sandbox and use the patterns they observe to generate questions that help them answer why planets orbit the sun. Students are left asking the question, what are the forces that keep the planets from floating away?
Students create a model to explain that the planets revolve and stay in an orbital pattern around the sun. Students discuss what forces keep the planets from floating away. Students explore by investigating how gravity is affected by different properties as they adjust mass and distance. Students use this understanding of gravity to develop a model of what is happening in our solar system. Students discover gravity is a force that is increased as mass increases or as the distance decreases. Gravity decreases as mass decreases or as distance increases. This leaves students questioning why the planets don’t get pulled into the sun by gravity.
Students discuss the patterns they see and predict what would happen to the planets when the sun’s gravity is taken away. Students develop their model of the system further as they investigate with a marble and a hoop to explain the phenomena. Students communicate that an object in motion will stay in motion unless acted upon by an outside source, also known as inertia. Students then ask the question, how do planets gain inertia?
Students investigate how magnets, which exhibit similar characteristics as gravity, come together. Students observe that as magnets come together, the system begins to spin. Students elaborate by developing and using a model of the solar system to construct an explanation of how gravity and inertia work together to form systems. Students further their model by using a chain to observe that as matter circulates in space around an axis, it causes the matter to move outward from the center, compressing and forming a disc-like shape. Students observe this pattern on various scales, including sun-planets and planets-moons.
To evaluate student’s proficiency students are assessed on their use of evidence in their constructed explanations of the phenomena.
Episode 1
​
Question
Why do planets orbit the sun?
Snapshot
Students observe the solar system using Universe Sandbox. Students use this observation to generate specific questions to help them answer why planets orbit the sun.
Conceptual Understandings
The planets revolve in an orbital pattern around the sun. Planets stay in the same orbital motion and pattern as they revolve around the sun.
What are the forces that keep planets from floating away?
Conceptual Understandings
Gravity is a force that is increased as mass increases or as the distance decreases. Gravity decreases as mass decreases or as distance increases.
Why is the sun’s gravity not pulling the planets into the sun?
Snapshot
Students discuss gravity and what they understand about the force. They investigate how gravity is affected by different properties as they adjust mass and distance. They use this understanding of gravity to develop a model to describe what is happening in our solar system.
Episode 2
​
Question
What are the forces that keep planets from floating away?
Episode 3
​
Question
Why is the sun’s gravity not pulling the planets into the sun?
Snapshot
To observe the other force that is keeping the planets in orbit, students observe the absence of the sun’s gravity within the solar system using Universe Sandbox. Students discuss the pattern they see and predict what will happen to the planets. Students develop this model further as they use a marble and hoop to help explain this phenomena.
Conceptual Understandings
Newton’s first law, an object in motion stays in motion unless otherwise acted upon. (They don’t necessarily learn the words - Newton’s first law, but understand the process.) This resistance to change is known as inertia.
What keeps planets in orbit?
Conceptual Understandings
The combination of gravity and inertia is what keeps planets in their orbit.
Why do the planets stay in their particular orbit?
Snapshot
Students observe how magnets, which exhibit similar characteristics as gravity, as they come together. Students observe that when magnets come together they begin to spin. Students observe images of interstellar clouds in the universe, taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. They then watch a short video that simulates what happens as matter in these clouds comes together. They use their model to construct an explanation of how gravity and inertia work together to form systems, in particular our solar system.
Episode 4
​
Question
What keeps planets in orbit?
Episode 5
​
Question
Why do the planets stay in their particular orbit?
​
Snapshot
To develop students model further, students spin a chain to observe how as matter circulates in space around an axis, it moves outward from the center, compressing and forming a disk-like shape. Students look for patterns within our solar system where it seems this trend is followed.
Conceptual Understandings
As matter spins around an axis, matter compresses and spins outward. Causing the matter to become disk-like. We see this pattern in various scales: Sun-planets and Planet-moons.
Can I use my model to describe the role of gravity and inertia in orbital motions of objects in our solar system?