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 6.2.2
Storyline continued from 6.2.1
SEEd Standard 6.2.2 asks students to develop a model to predict the effect of heat energy on states of matter and density. Students should emphasize the arrangement of particles in each state of matter and during phase changes.
Students engage by observing solid, liquid, and gaseous substances to understand how the structure of the molecules in each state of matter determines many of its properties. Students classify substances into the different states of matter based on the behavior of the molecules in each substance. Students reason that the structure of the molecules in a substance determine its properties. Students ask questions how substances can change from one state of matter to another.
Students explore by observing patterns in a system in which energy is added to different states of matter. Students will develop models to show how energy changes the states of matter. Students are asked the question “what is heat?” As students construct explanations to describe heat, they are presented with a phenomenon of toothpicks connected by wax to a metal rod.
Students are asked to explain what caused the toothpicks to drop off the spoon in order as a flame was held on the opposite end of the spoon. Students will model the movement of molecules in each part of the system when heat energy is added. Students learn that molecules are always moving and heat energy causes the molecules to move faster and collide with other molecules. This causes the molecules of a substance to spread out.
Students then investigate and elaborate on how heat energy affects the density of substances. By observing hot water floating on cold water, students reason that heat energy causes the molecules of a substance to speed up and spread apart which will lower the density of that substance. Students ask questions about what happens when heat is removed from a system. Students are presented with a variety of systems in which heat energy is both added and removed, including melting, evaporating, condensing, and freezing.
Students are evaluated as they model heat energy as it flows in and out of each system to show that heat energy always flows from high energy to low energy and its effect on matter.
Conceptual Understandings
The molecules in solids, liquids, and gases are arranged and behave in different ways. This arrangement causes the objects to have certain characteristics, including different densities. Molecules constantly move and vibrate more freely depending on which state it is in.
How do substances change from a solid to a liquid or liquid to a gas?
Snapshot
Students observe a solid, liquid, and gaseous substance and record the characteristics of each. Students reason about the relationship between the characteristics of the different types of matter and what they know about the behavior of atoms and molecules. Students construct models to represent and explain the molecular structure of a solid, liquid, and gaseous substance.
Episode 4
​
Question
How are molecules organized in the states of matter?
Episode 5
​
Question
How do substances change from a solid to a liquid or liquid to a gas?
Snapshot
Student will observe patterns in a system in which energy is added to different states of matter. Students will develop models to show the changes in the states of matter.
Conceptual Understandings
Matter changes state according to the total heat energy within the system.
How do substances change from a solid to a liquid or liquid to a gas?
Conceptual Understandings
Molecules are always moving. Heat energy causes molecules to vibrate and collide with other molecules. More energy equals more movement. This causes a change in the amount of molecules in a given space.
How does heat affect the density of molecules?
Snapshot
Students reason about the behavior of molecules in changing states of matter at a scale we cannot observe. Students model the movement of molecules in each of the states of matter when heat energy is added.
Episode 6
​
Question
What is heat?
Episode 7
​
Question
How does heat affect the density of molecules?
Snapshot
Students observe and model how the density of a substance changes when heat is added.
Conceptual Understandings
Heat causes the density of a substance to change by speeding up the molecules and causing them to spread slightly apart.
What happens when heat is removed from a system?
Conceptual Understandings
Increases and decreases in energy cause changes in the arrangement and behavior of molecules in each state of matter. Heat always flows from high energy to low energy.
What factors affect how energy is transferred?
Snapshot
Students model and explain how increases and decreases in heat energy cause changes in the states of matter. Students will track heat energy as it flows in and out of a system to model the changes in the structure of the unobservable molecules.
Episode 8
​
Question
What happens when heat is removed from a system?