Earth Science

Learning Goal:

• I can name the parts of the sun and describe how energy travels through the sun.
• I am familiar with the fusion reaction in the sun and how it produces helium and energy.

Estimated Time for The Week: 60 minutes

Learn & Practice:

1. Read the slides About The Sun & Parts Of The Sun.
2. Study the diagram on slide #11.
3. Read about Nuclear Fusion In The Sun on slide #12.
4. Review your knowledge with this Layers of the Sun Quizlet -- complete the Flashcards, Match, and Test).
5. Watch this The Sun: Crash Course in Astronomy video.
6. Complete the Quizizz over the episode.
7. Solve the riddle on slide #15. (The answer is on the final slide.)

Learning Goal:

I can describe the composition of the atmosphere and the parts of the atmosphere.

Estimated Time for The Week: 1 hour & 30 minutes total

Learn & Practice:

Engage:

• Watch this video on the layers of the atmosphere.
• Go outside and look at the sky. List at least 5 observations. For example: Are there clouds? Describe the clouds. Do all the clouds look alike? (Do any of the clouds look like Mrs. Bowen or Mr. Baker? 😊) Are they moving? Are all the clouds moving in the same direction and at the same speed? Close your eyes. Is there wind? Does the wind feel warm or cool? What is the temperature? How does the air feel (humid, dry etc.)? Do you remember what the part of the atmosphere we stand in is called?

Explore:

• Spend 90 seconds writing down as many questions as you can think of about the things you observed in the atmosphere.
• Now take 15 or 20 minutes to do some research to answer the questions you posed about the things you noticed in the atmosphere.

Learn & Explain: Use the content below to learn some key information. Take notes as you learn:

• Explore Essential Vocabulary: Atmosphere.
• Read these slides on the atmosphere.
• Review Focus on the Atmosphere, Composition of the Atmosphere, and Vertical Structure of the Atmosphere.
• Test your knowledge by answering these quiz questions.

Elaborate: Use the resources below to go deeper and apply the learning to new levels.

• NASA: Climate Kids - Atmosphere

Do & Connect:

• Make a diagram of the layers of the atmosphere.
  1. Include the troposphere, tropopause, stratosphere, stratopause, mesosphere, mesopause, and thermosphere.
  2. Include the altitude at which each layer begins and ends.
  3. Indicate whether each layer gets hotter or colder as you increase in altitude.
  4. Put a star in the coldest layer of the atmosphere.
  5. Put a cloud in the sphere that is known as the weather sphere.
  6. Put the ozone layer in the proper layer of the atmosphere.
  7. Indicate which layer of the atmosphere does not have a well defined upper limit.
  8. Compare your diagram to this image to check your results.
• Solve this riddle. The answer is on the final slide.

Learning Goal: Describe the factors that cause temperatures to vary from place to place and from time to time on Earth.

Estimated Time for The Week: 1 hour

Learn & Practice

Engage:

• Look at this image. It is a picture of a snow capped mountain existing near snow-free lowlands.
• Imagine being at the beach in this photo on a sunny summer afternoon. Answer the questions on the slide, and then check your answers here.

Explore:

• Spend 90 seconds thinking about temperatures on Earth. Try to draw in information we discussed in our Oceanography unit during this exploration:
  1. What is temperature?
  2. Is there only one way to calculate temperature?
  3. Do all places at the same latitude have the same temperatures?
  4. Why do some areas at the equator have mountains that have snow capped peaks?
  5. Why does a beach heat up during the day and cool down quickly at night?
  6. Is the Atlantic or Pacific ocean colder? Pick an ocean and tell me why.
  7. What are windward and leeward coasts?
  8. How do clouds affect daytime temperatures? How do they affect nighttime temperatures?
  9. List some other questions you can think of about the different temperatures found on Earth.
• Now take 15 to 20 minutes to do some research to answer the above questions.

Learn & Explain: Use the content below to learn some key information. Take notes as you learn:

• Explore Essential Vocabulary
• Read these slides on temperature variations on Earth
• Review your understanding with these 7 questions. This is the last section on the atmosphere, and these questions cover what you learned in the last three lessons over the atmosphere. You can check your answers here.
• Take this vocabulary quiz. Check your answers here.
• Test your knowledge by answering these quiz questions

Elaborate: Use the resources below to go deeper and apply the learning to new levels.

• This slide shows the explosive 1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in the Philippines. How would you expect global temperatures to respond to the ash and debris that this volcano spewed high into the atmosphere? Speculate about how a change in temperature might impact one or more of the spheres of the Earth system. Check your response here.

Do & Connect:

• Review this image. Earth’s axis is inclined at 23.5° to the plane of its orbit. What if the inclination of the axis changed? Answer the following questions that address this possibility:
  1. How would seasons be affected if Earth’s axis were perpendicular to the plane of its orbit?
  2. Describe the seasons if Earth’s axis were inclined 40°. Would the Arctic and Antarctic circles be located in the same places?
  3. Check your answers here.
• Solve this riddle. The answer is on the final slide.