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Untitled Document

ChevronTexaco
LAUSD
AGI
EarthComm™
Implementation Project

Recommended Curriculum Sequence
For EarthComm™: Earth's Dynamic Geosphere


VOLCANOES


Getting Started, Scenario, Chapter Challenge, and Assessment Criteria (1 class period)
Activity 1 - Where are the Volcanoes? (2-3 class periods)

  • Think About It (warm-up); Investigate - Talk through: Step 1; Students do Steps 2-5
  • Digging Deeper

Activity 2 - Volcanic Landforms (2-3 class periods)

  • Think About It, Investigate Steps 1-7
  • Digging Deeper, Check Your Understanding

Activity 3 - Volcanic Hazards: Flows (2 class periods)

  • Think About It, Investigate Part A
  • Part B: Replace with Video for the Model/Real World Connection

Activity 4 - Volcanic Hazards: Airborne Debris (1 class period)

  • Think About It; Talk through the Figures & Graphs of VEI vs. plume height

Activity 5 - Volcanoes and the Atmosphere (1 class period)

  • Think About It (warm-up); Investigate step 1 (students make predictions); Class discussion of steps 2-3; Teachers does Step 4 as demonstration
  • Digging Deeper

Activity 6 - Volcanic History of Your Community (2 class periods)

  • Think About It; Investigate Part A (students refer to Digging Deeper as needed)
  • Investigate Part B (students refer to Digging Deeper as needed)

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PLATE TECTONICS


Getting Started, Scenario, Chapter Challenge, Assessment Criteria (1 class period)
Activity 1 - Taking a Ride on a Lithospheric Plate (2 class periods)

  • Think About It (warm-up) and Investigate Part A as a teacher-led discussion
  • Investigate Part B - Provide a photocopy of plate motion calculator results for school to students (steps 1-2). Have students complete step 3 a to 3e.
  • Digging Deeper. Have students describe in their own words four lines of evidence that the Earth's lithospheric plates move: GPS, Magnetic striping in seafloor basalts, Ages of rocks on the seafloor, and Mid-ocean ridge system.

Activity 2 - Plate Boundaries and Plate Interactions (2 class periods)

  • Think about it and Investigate Part A
  • Do Investigate Parts B as teacher-led discussion
  • Digging Deeper, Answer questions 1, 3 on page 83 and question 2a-g on page G84

Activity 3 - What Drives the Plates? (1-2 class periods)

  • Think About It; Investigate Parts A-C as a teacher-led discussion/demo.
  • Digging Deeper; Develop question that unifies ideas about flow of matter and energy in the earth.

Activity 4 - Effects of Plate Tectonics (2 class periods)

  • Think About It, Investigate step 2 as a demonstration; students do steps 1, 3-7. Refer students back to relevant work from Volcanoes chapter.
  • Check your understanding #2 & #3. What geographic features would you expect to see different types of plate boundaries?
  • Nova Video: The formation of the Himalayas.

Activity 5 - The Changing Geography of Your Community (1-2 class periods)

  • Think About It and Investigate
  • Digging Deeper, questions 2-3, what type of features would you expect to see at each type of plate boundary?

Chapter Challenge (2 class periods)

  • Report Preparation
  • Presentation

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EARTHQUAKES


Getting Started, Scenario, Chapter Challenge, Assessment Criteria (1 class period)
Activity 1 - An Earthquake in Your Community (2 class periods)

  • Think About It; Investigate Parts A through C rotating in groups.
  • Digging Deeper; questions 2 and 4 on page G128. Question 4a page 124 rephrase as "Can you detect any discernible difference in wave speed?" Question 3 on page 129.

Activity 2 - Detecting Earthquakes Waves (2 class periods)

  • Think About It; Investigate - Do 1 and 2 as a demo, students do steps 3-7.
  • Check Your Understanding Question 2a, 4; Understanding and Applying questions 1a and 4a-b

Activity 3 - How Big Was It? (2 class periods)

  • Think About It; Investigate Part A
  • Digging Deeper; Check Your Understanding questions 3-5; Understanding and Applying questions 1 and 3

Activity 4 - Earthquake History of Your Community (1 class period)

  • Think About It; Investigate - Do as a teacher led activity but with students having maps; Look at question #2 and explain within the activity.
  • Digging Deeper - Check Your Understanding questions 1, 2, and Understanding and Applying question 1 (question 3 as an extension). Make the connection to Belmont site.

Activity 5 - Lessening Earthquake Damage (1-2 class periods)

  • Think About It; Investigate 2a-d, 3, do step 5 using local seismic hazard map from web.
  • Check Your Understanding questions, Understanding and Applying question 1.

Chapter Challenge (1-2 class periods)

  • Report Preparation
  • Presentation

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