EARTH SCIENCE SYLLABUS



Earth Science Syllabus

Mr. Paris

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Contact info:

Email (best):Jparis2@schools.

Course Description:

Earth Science is a course in which the student will engage in scientific inquiry, demonstrate proficiency in scientific disciplines, and acquire the facts, concepts, principles and approaches through which he/she can understand the earth, its inhabitants and its relationship to the universe. 

Curriculum: There are four major areas of study in this course:

1) The Earth’s Composition and Structure-this will include layers of the Earth, rock and mineral characteristics, use of rocks and minerals, plate tectonics, volcanoes, earthquakes, earthquake zones, and subduction.

2) The Atmosphere-this will include the water cycle and human population, atmospheric structure, atmospheric energy, and the ocean currents effects on land and weather.

3) The Structure of the Universe- this will include structure of the Earth, moon, sun system, planets, stars, and galaxies.

4) The Human Effects- this will include information on Earth’s resources and population, and human culture and environmental policy.

UNIT SEQUENCE

UNIT 1 THE EARTH IN SPACE (3 weeks / 15 lessons)

UNIT 2 THE DYNAMIC CRUST (4 weeks / 20 lessons)

UNIT 3 MINERALS & ROCKS (3 weeks / 15 lessons)

UNIT 4 SURFACE PROCESSES & LANDSCAPES (4 weeks / 20 lessons)

UNIT 5 EARTH’S HISTORY (3 weeks / 15 lessons)

UNIT 6 METEOROLOGY (5 weeks / 25 lessons)

UNIT 7 EARTH’S CLIMATE (4 weeks / 20 lessons)

UNIT 8 THE SOLAR SYSTEM & THE COSMOS (3 weeks / 15 lessons)

Student Materials:

1. notebook for class and separate lab notebook

2. pen and pencils

3. Earth Science Reference table

4. Folder to collect handouts

5. portfolio to monitor progress

Grading Categories and Weights:

25% Tests/Unit Assessments

25% Lab Reports

10% Homework

15% Portfolio

25% Participation

PROJECTS/PAPERS: Research Projects will be given throughout the semester. These include, but are not limited to, research papers, presentations, researching given topics, and visual aides. There will most likely be a project for each unit. Some of these projects will be on an individual basis, while some will be group projects. Projects, papers and presentations that give more that a one week notice of the due date will have penalties given for late turn in…even if you have an excused note for the due date.

LAB ACTIVITES: The course ends in June with a Regents Exam. To be eligible to take this exam, every student must complete 1200 minutes of in-class laboratory activities. Each lab report must be submitted and completed in a separate lab notebook. Incomplete labs do not count towards the regents requirement. This will be split into 600 minutes per semester. The lab schedule and completion spreadsheet will be posted in the classroom and on the website. The content of the labs parallels the content of the class.

CLASSWORK/HOMEWORK: Daily class work will sometimes be monitored by participation or by work turned in by you in class. Class participation is very important and is needed for you to get the best out of each class. I am very open to class discussion and encourage new thoughts.

Policies in the Classroom and Laboratory:

• Your behavior in class and lab is expected to good natured, courteous, mature, and respectable. If we have a problem hopefully we can work it out together, if not you will get a warning, and lastly I will refer you to an administrator and call your parents/guardians.

• Lab safety will also be administered during lab time. There should be no ‘horse playing’ or negative behavior/actions that would endanger yourself and others.

• Please be on time and prepared for class. Class participation is directly related to your ability to be prepared with text, workbook, notebook, pens, pencils, etc.

• Cheating and plagiarizing will not be tolerated and will result in a zero. If you are aware that someone is cheating off your work and you let it happen, you will also resort to having a zero. Refer to your agenda for further guidelines.

• Students are expected to DO THEIR OWN WORK AT ALL TIMES!! Students will be allowed to work in groups, but all write ups and graded assignments must be done individually (unless specifically stated by the teacher).

• Extra Credit: There will be some opportunities for extra credit during reviews, on papers and random assignments throughout the semester.

• Grades are based on the standard 100 point scale, A=100-90, B=89-80, C=79-70, D=69-65, F= cooler)

13. Vertical rays can only happen between 23.5 N and 23.5 S

14. Bodies of water moderate temperature (smaller temperature range)

15. Know this table:

|Date |Location |Sunrise |Sunset |

|June 21 |Tropic of Cancer (23.5°N) |NE |NW |

|September 23 |Equator (0°) |East |West |

|December 21 |Tropic of Capricorn (23.5°S) |SE |SW |

|March 21 |Equator (0°) |East |West |

16. The sun appears to move at a rate of 15°/hour

17. Use the Earth Science Reference Tables (P. 1, 4, 14, and 15)

Unit 8: Astronomy

OBJECTIVES:

1. Use eccentricity in context and know how to determine it.

2. Understand the relationships between: the planets’ distance from the Sun, gravitational force, period of revolution, and speed of revolution

3. Determine the changing length of a shadow based on the motion of the Sun

4. Describe the relationship between gravity and inertia and its effects on the orbits of planets or satellites

5. Describe what causes each of the motions: daily cycle, yearly cycle, seasons, moon phases, eclipses, and tides

6. Describe how the force of gravity changes as the masses and distance between two objects changes

7. Describe the paths of the planets as an ellipse around the Sun with the Sun as one focus

8. Earth is orbited by one moon and many artificial satellites

9. Earth rotates at 15 °/hour

10. The Earth’s rotation is the basis for time measurements

11. Describe the Foucault Pendulum, the Coriolis Effect as evidence for the Earth’s rotation.

12. Describe the evidence for the Earth’s rotation and revolution.

13. Describe the changes in position of the Earth relative to the Sun throughout the year and how this affects us on Earth

14. Describe how the apparent path of the Sun changes throughout the year

15. Describe how the oceans are affected by the moon

16. Describe the Geocentric Model and the Heliocentric Model

17. Develop a scale model of a planet and/or distances

18. Describe the current theories on the origin of the universe and evidence for it (cosmic background radiation and red-shift)

19. Describe the changes stars go through in their life cycle and how each stage is different (H-R Diagram)

20. Describe how the planets came about and the general characteristics of them

21. Define asteroids, comets and meteors

THINGS TO REMEMBER:

1. The universe began as a big explosion - “The Big Bang Theory”

2. Our solar system is located in one of the outer arms of the Milky Way Galaxy

3. The Earth rotates from W to E (CCW as you look down at North Pole) every 24 hours

4. Earth Revolves CCW around the Sun in 365.25 days (=> Leap year)

5. All celestial objects appear to rise in the east and set in the west moving around the Polaris

6. We see the moon in phases because it is revolving around the Earth (remember: half is always lit up)

7. Some planets show retrograde (backwards) motion because Earth passes them in space

8. The lower the altitude of the Sun, the longer the shadow

9. Foucault’s Pendulum and the Coriolis Effect prove that the Earth rotates on its axis

10. Earth is closest to the Sun in the winter (perihelion) but we have less direct rays

11. Earth is farthest from the Sun in the Summer (aphelion) but we have more direct rays

12. The closer a planet is to the Sun, the shorter its period of revolution

13. Use the Earth Science Reference Tables (P. 1 & 15)

Hints for taking the Regents and doing better:

1. USE THE REFERENCE TABLES!!!

2. Relax, you’ve already completed part of the test...the practical

3. Answer EVERY question...don’t leave any blank

4. Take your time...You have 3 hours to take this

5. Read ALL introductory paragraphs and directions

6. Study the diagrams and underline key words

7. Draw diagrams to help visualize concepts where needed

8. Use a straight edge to read graphs, mark points on graphs, and to measure distances

9. If certain words confuse you, replace them with a different word, then read the question again (ex.- substitute “false” with “not true”)

10. Don’t leave any questions blank. A guess is usually better than nothing at all.

11. Read all choices before deciding on the answer. Sometimes questions have good and better answers. Always choose the best answer.

12. If you are not sure on a question, narrow down the choices.

13. Ask yourself “is this in the Reference Tables or can I use them to help me?”

14. Double check your work, and change answers if you are positive you should change them. (Your first response is usually the best one)

15. Look up the formulas, plug in information and write out the work you do.

16. Skip over questions giving you a tough time. Come back to them. Usually later questions will help you out.

17. Have a healthy meal and a good night’s sleep the night before.

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