7th Grade -- Earth Science
Course Description: Grade Seven Science is a year-long, standards-based course in Earth Science. Its purpose is to activate the intellectual curiosity of adolescent learners about their world and the wonders of science. Students develop their inquiry skills as they explore science concepts. Students will be asked to observe, infer, predict, collect data, communicate, collaborate, and problem solve around Earth Science topics.
The course will focus on the following topics:
The nature of scientific discovery
The composition of the Earth
Rocks and minerals
Earth’s dynamic systems
Solar system and astronomy
Earth's weather
Alternative energy and the environment
The nature of scientific discovery: Students will be able to explain, in basic terms, the process by which scientific knowledge is advanced through the peer-review process. They will appreciate that scientific understanding changes over time and that technological changes can lead to scientific discoveries, and vice versa.
The composition of the Earth: Students will be able to describe current theories of the formation of the Earth and Moon. They will be able to explain Earth’s layered structure and give some attributes of each of Earth’s layers.
Rocks and minerals: Students will be able to identify some basic minerals and describe their attributes. They will be able to make informed opinions about the type of a rock and how it was formed by observing its characteristics. They will be able to explain how rocks are “recycled” by Earth through the rock cycle.
Earth’s dynamic systems: Students will be able to identify the transfer of heat from Earth's interior, through convection, as driving plate tectonics. Students will understand the forces that give rise to earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain building. They will be able to explain how these factors are important in the Pacific Northwest and other parts of the world. They will also understand how weather, climate and erosion play a role in creating the landforms with which we are familiar.
Solar system and astronomy: Students will demonstrate an understanding of the Earth-Moon-Sun system by modeling the phases of the Moon and describing the alignments required for solar and lunar eclipses. They will be able to describe our solar system and the life cycle of our Sun. They will appreciate the vastness of space and be able to explain many of the challenges presented by space travel.
Earth's weather: Students will be able to identify the uneven heating of Earth's surface by the sun and Earth's rotation as the driving forces in global weather patterns. They will be able to explain what an "air mass" is and how the interaction of different air masses, at fronts, gives rise to familiar weather patterns.
Alternative energy and the environment: Students will examine the variables which influence the effectiveness of solar and wind energy, investigate other possible "green" energy sources, and contrast the impact of these alternatives with current energy sources.
Textbooks and materials: This course utilizes the "Catastrophic Events" kit from STC/MS, as well as several texts from Prentice Hall's Science Explorer series. Referenced texts include: Inside Earth, Earth’s Changing Surface, Astronomy, and Environmental Science
Web resources: For more information about the "Catastrophic Events" kit and the principles it explores, visit http://www.stcms.si.edu/stcms.htm. Go directly there by clicking here.