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Grade 8 |
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Standard 2.0 Earth/Space Science: Students will use scientific skills and processes to explain the chemical and physical interactions (i.e., natural forces and cycles, transfer of energy) of the environment, Earth, and the universe that occur over time.
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Standard 2.0 Earth/Space Science: Students will use scientific skills and processes to explain the chemical and physical interactions (i.e., natural forces and cycles, transfer of energy) of the environment, Earth, and the universe that occur over time.
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A. Materials and Processes That Shape A Planet
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A. Materials and Processes That Shape A Planet
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2. Cite evidence to demonstrate and explain that physical weathering and chemical weathering cause changes to Earth materials.
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a. Identify examples of physical weathering, such as the effect of wind, ice, etc. and describe the changes caused in each.
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b. Describe the changes in materials caused by each of the chemical weathering processes listed:
- Rusting/tarnishing
- Dissolving by acid rain
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c. Compare physical and chemical weathering and provide examples if changes caused in Earth materials or features by each of these processes.
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4. Differentiate among sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks based upon the processes by which they are formed.
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a. Identify and describe the processes that form sedimentary rock.
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b. Identify and describe the processes that form igneous rocks.
- Volcanic eruptions
- Igneous intrusions
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c. Identify and describe the processes that form metamorphic rocks.
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d. Cite features that can be used as evidence to distinguish among the three types of rocks and relate these features to the processes that form each rock type.
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e. Describe the processes that change one form of rock into another (rock cycle).
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B. Earth History
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B. Earth History
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1. Explain how sedimentary rock is formed periodically, embedding plant and animal remains and leaving a record of the sequence in which the plants and animals appeared and disappeared.
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a. Explain how sedimentary rock buried deep enough may be reformed by pressure and heat and these re-formed rock layers may be forced up again (uplift) to become land surface and even mountains.
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b. Cite evidence to confirm that thousands of layers of sedimentary rock reveal the long history of the changing surface of the Earth.
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c. Explain why some fossils found in the top layers of sedimentary rock are older then those found beneath in lower layers.
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2. Recognize and explain that fossils found in layers of sedimentary rock provide evidence of changing life forms.
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a. Recognize how different types of fossils are formed, such as petrified remains, imprints, molds and casts.
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b. Recognize and explain that the fossil record of plants and animals describes changes in life forms over time.
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C. Plate Tectonics
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C. Plate Tectonics
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1. Recognize and describe the internal and external structure of the Earth.
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a. Recognize and describe that the Earth's mantle
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b. Recognize and describe that the Earth's core
- Is at the center of the Earth
- Is very hot
- Is dense and metallic
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c. Identify and describe the Earth's crust.
- The solid crust consists of separate plates
- The plates constantly move in different directions due to convection currents
- The plates interact with one another as a result of plate motion.
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2. Recognize and explain how major geologic events are a result of the movement of Earth's crustal plates.
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a. Recognize and describe the evidence for plate movement.
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b. Recognize and explain that major geologic events (earthquakes, volcanic activity, sea floor spreading) occur along crustal plate boundaries.
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D. Astronomy
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D. Astronomy
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1. Recognize that objects of our solar system are interrelated.
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1. Identify and describe the components of the universe.
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a. Recognize that Earth and its closest star, the sun, are part of a disk-shape galaxy of stars and that our galaxy is one of billions of galaxies.
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a. Recognize that a galaxy contains billions of stars that cannot be distinguished by the unaided eye because of their great distance from Earth, and that there are billions of galaxies.
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b. Construct models with accurate scale that represent the position of the Earth relative to the sun and to other planets.
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b. Identify that our solar system is a component of the Milky Way Galaxy.
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c. Identify and describe the general pattern of movement of all objects in our solar system.
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c. Identify and describe the various types of galaxies
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d. Recognize that the pull of gravity causes the pattern of motion of celestial objects.
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d. Identify and describe the type, size, and scale, of the Milky Way Galaxy.
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2. Identify and explain celestial phenomena using the regular and predictable motion of objects in the solar system.
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a. Identify and describe the relationships among the period of revolution of a planet, the length of its solar year, and its distance from the sun.
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b. Identify and explain the relationship between the rotation of a planet or moon on its axis and the length of the solar day for that celestial object.
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c. Identify and explain the cause of the phases of the moon.
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d. Describe how lunar and solar eclipses occur.
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e. Identify and describe how the shape and location of the orbits of asteroids and comets affect their periods of revolution.
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3. Recognize and explain the effects of the tilt of Earth's axis.
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a. Recognize and describe that Earth's axis is tilted about 23¼° from vertical with respect to the plane of its orbit and points in the same direction during the year.
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b. Recognize and describe that as Earth orbits the sun, the tilt of Earth's axis causes
- Changes in the angle of the sun in the sky during the year
- Seasonal differences in the northern and southern latitudes
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c. Recognize and describe how the tilt of Earth's axis affects the climate in Maryland.
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4. Recognize and explain how the force of gravity causes the tides.
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a. Identify and describe the cause of high and low tides.
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E. Interactions of Hydrosphere and Atmosphere
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E. Interactions of Hydrosphere and Atmosphere
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1. Cite evidence to explain the relationship between the hydrosphere and atmosphere.
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a. Describe the composition of the atmosphere and hydrosphere.
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b. Recognize and describe the water cycle as the distribution and circulation of Earth's water through the glaciers, surface water, groundwater, oceans, and atmosphere.
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c. Identify and describe how the temperature and precipitation in a geographic area are affected by surface features and changes in atmospheric and ocean content.
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2. Recognize and describe the various factors that affect climate.
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a. Identify and describe how the temperature and precipitation of an area are affected by surface and ocean features.
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b. Recognize and describe the global effects of volcanic eruptions, greenhouse gases, and El Nino.
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3. Identify and describe the atmospheric and hydrospheric conditions related to weather systems.
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a. Identify and describe weather patterns associated with high and low pressure systems and the four frontal systems using appropriate data displays including weather maps.
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b. Identify and describe the atmospheric and hydrospheric conditions associated with the formation and development of hurricanes, tornadoes, and thunderstorms.
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c. Identify and describe how various tools are used to collect weather data and forecast weather conditions.
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