The Earth's Structure, the Earth as Dynamic and Ever-Changing, Science Graduation Standard #2-- Using Scientific Models
Essential Questions:
~What is the structure of the interior of the Earth? ~How do scientists study the interior of the Earth? ~What is the current scientific model of the Earth's interior? ~Why does the Earth have a magnetic field? ~How does the Earth's interior make the Earth's surface dynamic and ever-changing?
Science Graduation Standard #2: Using scientific models in the fields of earth and space science, life science, chemistry, and physics.
Students will use and evaluate models to make predictions and inferences, explore relationships, and communicate ideas.
Unit 4 Performance Indicator: Develop a model based on evidence of Earth’s interior to describe the cycling of matter by thermal convection. -I can explain convection -I can describe Earth’s layered interior -I can develop a model to accurately describe the cycling of matter by thermal convection within Earth
Class Notes and Activity Guides
Websites and Internet Resources
Video Links
Begin Unit 4 here, by downloading this document about Journeying to the Center of the Earth
Bozeman Science Video: Scientific Models Video: What is a scientific model? Scientific Model of the Earth: What is the Earth's interior like, and how do scientists know? Download this document and then either print it out, or just fill it out in digital form. The document contains a link to a website that you will need to use in order to answer the questions, so be sure to open that website before you print the document.
SEISMOLOGY AND SEISMIC WAVES: Computer Modeling of seismic wave movement inside of the Earth. Video: Introduction to seismology: studying earthquakes to learn about our Earth. Video: A video on the movements of seismic waves as they meet different layers of the Earth.
Activity: Complete a CER table for scientific claims about the Earth's interior. That CER activity can downloaded here and then opened for your use.
Forms of Heat Energy: Follow this link to an interactive website that defines, and makes distinctions between, the three ways that heat is transferred through objects, between objects, and through space. In your notes, clearly describe the processes of conduction, convection, and radiation as they relate to heat energy.