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 8.2.4
Standard 8.2.4 : Use computational thinking to describe a simple model for waves that shows the pattern of wave amplitude being related to wave energy. Emphasize describing waves with both quantitative and qualitative thinking. Examples could include using graphs, charts, computer simulations, or physical models to demonstrate amplitude and energy correlation.
Student Friendly Objective: I can draw a model that shows the patterns of how a wave’s amplitude is related to the energy of the wave.
Episode 1: Phenomenon: Students will make observations about the Nakalele Blowhole phenomenon, come up with a possible explanation for the phenomenon, and ask questions about the patterns they observed. They will share their observations and questions with the class.
Episode 2: In this episode the students will be using computer simulation models and physical models to become familiar with what a wave is. They will identify examples of different types of waves and the parts of a wave (i.e. amplitude, wavelength, and frequency). They will identify that it is energy that is transferred by a wave, not matter.
Episode 3: Students will conduct an experiment to discover how wave height (amplitude) is related to wave energy. They will transform gravitational potential energy to mechanical wave energy by dropping an object from different heights into a bin half filled with water. Using computational thinking the students will graph their results and describe the patterns they observe between the initial energy of the object and the resulting water motion.
They will then practice interpreting graphs of real data to recognize that there is a pattern of wave amplitude being related to wave energy. They will write a cause and effect statement in their journal relating the amount of energy to the resulting wave amplitude.
Episode 4: Students will observe that changing the energy of a sound wave changes how we hear it by placing ringing tuning forks in water. They will then use musical instruments, computer and physical simulation models to identify that changing the amplitude and wavelength of a sound wave causes us to hear different volumes and notes.
Episode 5: In this episode students will observe that visible light can be split into different colors. They will use a video and a computer simulation model to discover that the types of energy that are part of the electromagnetic spectrum, including visible light, are different only because of their wavelengths. The students will use computational thinking to plan and conduct an experiment to discover how changing the amplitude of a light wave causes us to see it differently.
Conceptual Understandings
The Nakalele Blowhole on Maui will blast water high into the air but it does not follow a regular pattern.
What is a wave? What are the parts of a wave?
Snapshot
Students will make observations about the Nakalele Blowhole phenomenon, come up with a possible explanation for the phenomenon, and ask questions about the patterns they observed. They will share their observations and questions with the class.
Episode 1
​
Question
What causes the Nakelele Blowhole to blast water a hundred feet into the air?
Episode 2
​
Question
What is a wave and what are the parts of a wave?
Snapshot
Students use computer simulation models and physical models to become familiar with what a wave is. They will identify examples of different types of waves and the parts of a wave They will identify that energy is transferred by a wave, not matter.
Conceptual Understandings
Waves transfer energy from one place to another. Two main kinds of waves are longitudinal and transverse waves. The maximum vertical displacement of a wave is its amplitude while the distance the wave travels before it repeats is the wavelength. Frequency is the number of wave peaks that pass a point in a given amount of time.
How is energy connected to the amplitude and wavelength of a wave
Conceptual Understandings
There is a pattern between the amplitude of a wave and the energy it contains. The higher the amplitude, the higher the energy. This characteristic is true for many different types of energy waves.
What do you hear as the wavelength changes?
What do you hear as the amplitude changes?
Snapshot
Students conduct an experiment to discover how wave height (amplitude) is related to wave energy. They will transform gravitational potential energy to mechanical wave energy by dropping an object from different heights into a bin half filled with water. Using computational thinking the students will graph their results and describe the patterns they observe between the initial energy of the object and the resulting water motion.
They will then practice interpreting graphs of real data to recognize that there is a pattern of wave amplitude being related to wave energy. They will write a cause and effect statement in their journal relating the amount of energy to the resulting wave amplitude.
Episode 3
​
Question
How is energy connected to the amplitude and wavelength of a wave?
Episode 4
​
Question
What do you hear as the wavelength changes?
What do you hear as the amplitude changes?
Snapshot
Students will observe that changing the energy of a sound wave changes how we hear it by placing ringing tuning forks in water. They will then use musical instruments, computer and physical simulation models to identify that changing the amplitude and wavelength of a sound wave causes us to hear different volumes and notes.
Conceptual Understandings
Long wavelengths produce low sounds; short wavelengths produce high sounds.
High amplitudes (blowing harder = more energy) produce loud sounds; low amplitudes produce soft sounds.
What do you see as the wavelength changes?
What do you see as the amplitude changes?
What happens to the wave energy as it goes away from the source?
Conceptual Understandings
The amount of light energy decreases rapidly as distance from the source increases because the amplitude of the light waves is decreasing.
Snapshot
In this episode students will observe that visible light can be split into different colors. They will use a video and a computer simulation model to discover that the types of energy that are part of the electromagnetic spectrum, including visible light, are different only because of their wavelengths. The students will use computational thinking to plan and conduct an experiment to discover how changing the amplitude of a light wave causes us to see it differently.
Episode 5
​
Question
What do you see as the wavelength changes?
What do you see as the amplitude changes?
What happens to the wave energy as it goes away from the source?