Earth Science

Each unit below is taught for approximately five to twenty days.

Unit 1: Scientific Investigation

SOLs: ES.1 a, c, e, f and ES.2 a, b, c, d

Scientific Investigation and the Nature of Science

  • Introduction to the Branches of Earth Science
  • Technology
  • Scientific Method/Graphs/Data
  • Metric System/Instruments
  • Matter/Density

Unit 2: Meteorology

SOLs: ES.11 a, b, c, d and ES.12 a, b, c, d

Earth and Space Systems

  • Atmosphere
  • Weather
  • Climate

Unit 3: Plate Tectonics

SOLs: ES.7 a, b

Earth Materials and Processes

  • Plate Tectonics
  • Earthquakes
  • Volcanoes

Unit 4: Rocks and Minerals

SOLs: ES.4 a, b, ES.5 a, b, c, and ES.6 a, b, c, d

Earth Materials and Processes

  • Minerals
  • Nonrenewable/renewable Resources
  • Rocks/Rock Cycle

Unit 5: Weathering and Erosion

SOLs: ES.8 a, b, c, d, e, f

Earth Materials and Processes/Earth Resources and Human Interactions Minerals

  • Weathering and Soils
  • Groundwater and Freshwater
  • Erosion and Deposition

Unit 6: Geologic Time

SOLs: ES.9 a, b, c, d

Cosmology, Origins and Time

  • Clues to the Past
  • Geologic Time

Unit 7: Oceanography

SOLs: ES.10 a, b, c, d, e

Earth and Space Systems/Cosmology, Origins and Time

  • Oceanography
  • Ocean Motion

Unit 8: Astronomy

SOLs: ES.3 a, b, c, d and ES.13 a, b

Earth and Space Systems

  • Solar System
  • Stars and Galaxies
  • The Sun-Earth-Moon System
  • Space Exploration

Unit 9: Geology of Virginia

SOLs: ES.4b, ES.6c, ES.8f, ES.9d, ES.10e

Earth Materials and Processes

  • Physiographic Regions
  • Topography
  • Maps
  • Rivers and Watersheds
  • Virginia Resources
  • Virginia Geologic Time

The remainder of the days will be used for SOL Review and Enrichment Activities.