Earth Science provides students with a basic knowledge of the natural world that will serve as the foundation for more advanced secondary and postsecondary courses or earth science-oriented technical careers. There is a strong emphasis on the use and development of inquiry skills through labs, hands-on activities, and classroom demonstrations.
The Earth Systems Georgia Standards of Excellence are designed to continue student investigations that began in K-8 Earth Science and Life Science curricula on the connections among Earth’s systems through Earth history. These systems – the atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, and biosphere – interact through time to produce the Earth’s landscapes, ecology, and resources. These standards engage the students in constructing explanations of phenomena fundamental to the sciences of geology and physical geography, including the early history of the Earth, plate tectonics, landform evolution, the Earth’s geologic record, weather and climate, and the history of life on Earth. GA Standards of Excellence
1st Semester
Unit 1 Intro to Earth and the Universe Intro to Earth Quiz on Aug 18; Unit 1 Test on August 28
Topics: Measurements, Earth's Systems, Maps, Time Zones, Big Bang, Telescopes, Electromagnetic Spectrum, Galaxies (all presentations available on Google Classroom)
Chapters: Chapter 1, Chapter 2.2, Chapter 3, Chapter 26, Chapter 30
Classwork: Measurements Lab, Bermuda Triangle Mapping Activity, Nightmare Land Topography Activity, Universe Lab (all assignments available on Google Classroom)
Review: Intro to Earth Quizlet, The Universe Quizlet, Youtube Videos, Intro to Earth Gimkit, The Universe Gimkit, Study Guide
Unit 2 Solar System Planets Quiz on Sept 8; Test on September 22
Topics: Solar System Formation, Formation of Earth, Planets, Asteroids/Comets/Meteors, The Moon, Tides, Seasons
Chapters: Chapter 25.3, Chapter 27, Chapter 28
Classwork: Planet Travel Brochure Project (Due Sept 13), Solar System Formation Cut-n-paste, Solar System Scale Model, Planet Stations, Moon Phases Flip Book, Tides Graphing Lab
Review: Quizlet, Youtube Videos, Gimkit, Review Guide
Unit 3 Plate Tectonics Unit 3 Quiz on Sept 26; Test on October 8
Topics: Layers of the Earth, Continental Drift, Sea-floor Spreading, Plate Tectonics, Convection Currents, Plate Boundary Types, Ring of Fire
Classwork: Earth's Layers Foldable, Rock Layers of Earth WS, Continents on the Move, Sea Floor Spreading Article and Qs, Convection Currents Cut-n-Paste, Boundary Types Gallery Walk, Boundary Map Practice, Ring of Fire Video Qs
Unit 4 Earthquake and Volcano Hazards Earthquake Quiz on Oct 20; Test on October 24
Topics: Earthquake waves, Triangulation, Earthquake magnitude, volcano types, magma/lava formation, hazards
Classwork: Epicenter Practice, Epicenter Lab, Earthquake Articles, Making Inferences Reading, Types of Volcanoes Graphic Organizer
Unit 5 Rock Cycle Quiz on November 3; Test on November 14
Topics: Minerals, Rocks, Weathering and Erosion, and Soil
Classwork: Rock and Mineral Reference Table Practice, Rock and Mineral ID Lab, Weathering vs Erosion WS, Weathering Stations, Soil Texture Triangle Practice
Review: Quizlet, Youtube, Gimkit, Rock and Mineral Identification
Unit 6 Natural Resources Quiz on December 1; Test on December 8
Topics: Non-renewable resources, Nuclear Energy, Renewable Energy, Ores and Mining
Classwork: Nonrenewable energy foldable, Fossil Fuel Graphing, Carbon Footprint Activity, Nuclear Energy Article and Questions, Renewable Resources Graphic Organizer, Birdseed Mining Lab
Semester 1 Exam Exams on December 16-19 (1st-Dec 16, 2nd/3rd-Dec 17, 4th/5th-Dec 18, 6th/7th-Dec 19)
Topics: Units 1-6
Review: See all previous unit resources above
2nd Semester
Unit 7 Freshwater (Chapter 15, Chapter 16) Quiz on Jan 9; Test on January 24
Topics: Water Budget, River Systems, Watersheds, Flooding and Lakes, Groundwater
Classwork: Fresh vs Salt water Venn Diagram, Freshwater Video Questions, Take Me to the River Worksheet, Freshwater Foldable, A River Runs Through it City Council, GA Watershed Research, Where did the Water Go? Activity, Groundwater Diagram, Water Concept Map, Escape Room Review
Unit 8 Oceanography (Chapter 18.2-18.3, Chapter 23, Chapter 24; Chapter 25.1-25.2) Quiz on February 4; Test on February 12
Topics: Ocean basins, Global ocean, Ocean floor mapping, Ocean water chemistry, Currents, Coastal Erosion and Deposition
Classwork: Ocean Basins Coloring, One Ocean Video Questions, Ocean Floor Mapping Lab, Why is the Ocean Salty? Reading, Deep Sea Vents Reading and Coloring, CTD Lab, Rubber Ducks Current Mapping, Surface Ocean Currents Map Practice, Ocean Wave Erosion and Deposition Worksheet
Unit 9 Atmosphere (Chapter 19) Quiz on February 27; Test on March 6
Topics: Layers of the Atmosphere, Wind, Humidity, Clouds
Classwork: Atmosphere Graph Practice, Layers of the Atmosphere Foldable, Layers of the Atmosphere Graphing, Atmosphere Lab Stations, Planetary wind and Moisture belts map practice, Atmosphere Quiz, Dewpoint and relative humidity data table Practice, Cloud Poster, Task Card Review
Unit 10 Weather ( Chapter 20, Chapter 21) Quiz on March 13; Test on March 26
Topics: Air Masses, Fronts, Severe Weather, Weather Forecasting, Station Models
Classwork: Air Mass Foldable, Air Mass Guided Practice, Fronts Map, Air Masses and Fronts WS, Masses and Fronts Quiz, Hurricane Data Activity, Making Inferences Writing prompt, Station Model Guided Practice, Station Model Lab, Task Card Review
Unit Climate (Chapter 17.3, Chapter 22) Quiz on April 3; Test on April 22
Topics: Weather vs Climate, Climate Zones, Climate Factors, Causes of Climate Change, Ice Ages
Classwork: Weather vs Climate KWL and Practice, Climate Zones Foldable, Climate Zones Activity, Climate Factors Foldable, Imaginary Continent Activity, Latitude and Temperature Graphing Activity, Climate Quiz, Be a Dendroclimatologist Data Activity, Review
Unit 12 Geologic Time Scale (Chapter 8, Chapter 9) Quiz on April 30; Test on May 8
Topics: Relative Dating, Deposition and Unconformities, Fossils, Absolute Dating, Geologic Time Scale
Classwork: Relative Dating Practice, Unconformity Practice, Index Fossils Foldable, Relative Dating and Fossils Quiz, Radioactive Dating Activity, Geologic Time Scale Football Field, Lost Worlds Video and Questions, Review
Semester 2 Exam Exams on May 15-20
Unit 1: Intro to Earth (Chapter 1)
Unit 2: The Universe(Chapter 5)
Unit 3: The Solar System (Chapter 4)
Unit 4: Plate Tectonics (Chapter 6.1-6.3)
Unit 5: Minerals & Rock Cycle (Chapter 2, 7)
Unit 6: Hazards (Chapter 6.4)
Unit 7: Natural Resources (Chapter 3, 11)
Unit 8: Freshwater Hydrology (Chapter 8)
Unit 9: Oceanography
Unit 10: Atmosphere (Chapter 9.1)
Unit 11: Weather (Chapter 9.2)
Unit 12: Climate (Chapter 9.3)
Unit 13: Geologic Time (Chapter 10)
Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to investigate the composition and formation of Earth systems, including the Earth's place in the solar system.
Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to understand how plate tectonics creates certain geologic features, landforms, Earth materials, and geologic hazards.
Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to explore the actions of water, wind, ice, and gravity as they relate to landscape change.
Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to understand how rock relationships and fossils are used to reconstruct Earth's past.
Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to investigate the interaction of solar energy and Earth's systems to produce weather and climate.
Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about how life on Earth responds to and shapes Earth systems.