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.
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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 8.4.2 - 8.4.3
Episode 1
Gathering: Put students into small groups. Ask them to predict how much water they think is wasted while brushing their teeth with the water running. One student in their group to brush their teeth while other students collect the quantity of water being wasted by catching it in the gallon jugs. Time the students for 1 minute and then have them look at the data.
Reasoning: Students will discuss and interpret the data they just collected. They will come up with questions about water usage.
Communicate: Students will share their questions as a class. As a class you will discuss with them how they would explore and find out the answers to the questions they have.
Episode 2
Gathering: Students will make a list of all the ways that they use water on a daily basis. They will predict the quantity of water they think they use in a day. They will individually use a water use calculator to figure out the quantity water they use. http://www.home-water-works.org/calculator
Reasoning: Students will discover their average water consumption, create a class graph to illustrate their results. They will find someone who either had more usage or less usage than them. They will discuss and interpret the data to find out what the difference is between the usage in their households. As a class you will discuss surprises or things they learned. They will come up with questions they have about water usage.
Communicate: Students as homework will go home and have a discussion with their parents about what they found out during class and share the estimated amount of water use and ways to possibly reduce it. They will come back and share ideas of how to reduce water useage with the class.
Episode 3
Gathering: Put students in small groups and have them write as many examples as possible of natural resources on sticky notes.
Students will develop their own mental model (description) of what what a renewable resource and a nonrenewable resource is (without looking it up). Student groups will share their models/definitions and come up a common explanation as a class. Students will look up actual definitions and make any changes to their model (description).
Reasoning: Students will group their sticky notes into renewable and nonrenewable categories. They will define the pattern between renewable resources and nonrenewable resources
Communicate: The class will create a master list of renewable and nonrenewable resources. Students will have a discussion of how they think this may affect the environment.
Episode 4
Gathering:In groups students will choose a resource from the list created in episode 3 ie: food, fresh water, minerals, agriculture, recreation areas, energy sources including; solar energy, fossil fuels, wind energy etc. Students will research rates at which the resources are used, and how the use of these resources affects the earth and its systems.
Reasoning: Students will discuss in groups and develop an argument using evidence as to how the use of the resource affects the earth.
Communicate: Students will create a short presentation to share with the rest of the class. During their presentation be sure to include their argument using evidence on how the use of this natural resource affects the earth. They should include counter arguments as well.
Episode 5
Gathering: Students will use the information they found in Episode 4. They will review the information they researched.
Reasoning: Students will use the information they researched to design a solution to either monitor or mitigate (reduce) the effect of the use of natural resources.
Communicate: Students will present their solution to their classmates. In the next episode students will spend time determining how well the solution meets the criteria and constraints of the problem.
Episode 6
Gathering: Student will be in groups so that they have 4 different natural resources in each group of 4. Students will explain to the group the problem with the usage of their natural resource. They will then present the solution they have designed to solve the problem. They must address the effect of their solution on the problem.
Reasoning: Each student will reflect individually on each of the presented solution proposals. They will focus on the questions; Is this going to drastically change people’s lives? Is this going to drastically change the access to the necessary resources”.
Communicate: Students will communicate back to the person who designed the solution the problems they see with the solution. They must use evidence to support their argument as to whether the solution will have the desired effect on the problem. The students can then have a discussion on whether the changes would be possible solutions.
Episode 1
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Question
What are the amount of resources individually consumed?
Snapshot
One student will brush their teeth with the group they will collect the quantity of water used with the water running collect and interpret data to demonstrate how much water is used.
Conceptual Understandings
We use a lot of water when we do simple things like brush our teeth
How much water do I use when I brush my teeth? How much water do I use every day? How does the water usage affect the environment?
Conceptual Understandings
Large quantities of water are used by each person every day. There are certain things that may reduce the water usage. The hope is that they will find out some of the things that may help reduce the usage.
How can we reduce the water usage? How does this affect the environment? Is there enough water in our area to sustain the number of people living here? What uses the most water? Is the water we use renewable? What other things do we use that affect the environment?
Snapshot
Students will predict the quantity of water they use, and use a estimation calculator to find data that is closer to actual quantity of their personal family water usage. Then students will come up with further question about water usage.
Episode 2
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Question
How does my consumption affect the availability of these resources?
Episode 3
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Question
Is water a renewable or unlimited resource?
Snapshot
Students will come up with a mental model of the differences between natural resources, that are renewable and nonrenewable and then categorize the examples by recognizing the patterns of what renewable and nonrenewable resource are
Conceptual Understandings
Some resources are renewable and some are nonrenewable.
How does the use of these resources affect the Earth’s systems?
Conceptual Understandings
Students should discover ways that the use of resources changes the environment on the earth and how quickly some resources are being used.
How does the use of these resources affect the Earth’s systems?
Snapshot
Students will obtain information through research of a natural resource and identify how quickly it is being used as well as how its use is affecting the earth and its systems. They will explain this cause and effect relationship through a presentation with the class.
Episode 4
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Question
How does the use of these resources affect the Earth’s systems?
Episode 5
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Question
How can we monitor or mitigate the effects of the use of natural resources?
Snapshot
Have students explore ideas and design a solution to monitor and mitigate the potential effects of the use of the natural resource they researched in episode 4. Have students create something to propose their solution to the legislature.
Conceptual Understandings
Possible ways to reduce the impact of the use of natural resources.
How well do these design solutions solve the problem without causing drastic changes in society?
Conceptual Understandings
Possible ways to solve the problem of natural resource use.
Snapshot
Students will look at other students design solutions and reflect on whether the solution will meet the criteria and constraints of the problem. They will explore if the solution will have the desired effects on the environment.
Episode 6
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Question
How well do these design solutions solve the problem without causing drastic changes in society?