Digital Unit Plan Template

Unit Title: Exploring the Great Earth

Name: Sara Arif

Content Area: Earth Science

Grade Level: 6

CA Content Standard(s)/Common Core Standard(s):

Plate Tectonics and Earths Structure
1. Plate tectonics accounts for important features of Earths surface and major geologic events. As a basis for understanding this concept:
Students know evidence of plate tectonics is derived from the fit of the continents; the location of earthquakes, volcanoes, and midocean
ridges; and the distribution of fossils, rock types, and ancient climatic zones.
Students know Earth is composed of several layers: a cold, brittle lithosphere; a hot, convecting mantle; and a dense, metallic core. Students
know lithospheric plates the size of continents and oceans move at rates of centimeters per year in response to movements in the mantle.
Students know that earthquakes are sudden motions along breaks in the crust called faults and that volcanoes and fissures are locations where
magma reaches the surface
Students know major geologic events, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and mountain building, result from plate motions.
Students know how to explain major features of California geology (including mountains, faults, volcanoes) in terms of plate tectonics.
Students know how to determine the epicenter of an earthquake and know that the effects of an earthquake on any region vary, depending on
the size of the earthquake, the distance of the region from the epicenter, the local geology, and the type of construction in the region.
Shaping Earths Surface
2. Topography is reshaped by the weathering of rock and soil and by the transportation and deposition of sediment.
Heat (Thermal Energy) (Physical Sciences)
Heat moves in a predictable flow from warmer objects to cooler objects until all the objects are at the same temperature
Energy in the Earth System
3. Many phenomena on Earths surface are affected by the transfer of energy through radiation and convection currents.
Big Ideas/Unit Goals:

Essential Questions:
What are the different structures of Earth?
In which ways is Earth alive?
How does the Earths surface move?
What is underneath the surface of our planet?
Goals:
Students recognize major geologic events, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and mountain building, result from plate motions and are
able to illustrate their understanding.
Students understand geological systems and functions and are able to demonstrate the different concepts.
Students must be able to illustrate or model plate tectonics and Earths functions
Unit Summary:
Subject Area: Earth Science
Grade Level: Grade 6
This unit in Earth Science will focus on the history of Earth and how this planet has evolved over time. We will also learn about the structure of Earth,
including its anatomy underneath the surface as well as the plates that make up the surface. We will learn how the plates function and interact in
different ways with each other by making model projects. In addition, we will learn about different geological events that take place as a result of plate
tectonics. We will be working on assignments and projects this unit that will help you understand these concepts from a visual and hands-on
perspective. As a class, you will be sharing ideas and keeping logs of information and your own thoughts in journals like a detective! Together, we
will set out to explore the great Earth!
Assessment Plan:
Entry-Level:
Formative:
Summative:
Brainstorming and discussion: What are some
Students will demonstrate understanding by
Students must create a poster that will
activities that occur on Earth that may suggest it completing a quiz on plate tectonics.
demonstrate understanding of all the concepts
is alive?
learned in this section. Students will present
their poster to the class and will give a brief
explanation of their work. They will also share
what they thought was interesting in this unit.
Lesson 1
Student Learning
Acceptable Evidence
Lesson Activities: Students will be taught with a presentation lecture and will be required to
Objective: Students
(Assessments): Students follow along by taking notes and completing the supplementary Guided Notes activity that
know evidence of plate
will demonstrate
will be provided. This activity engages students and requires them to infer from the
tectonics is derived from
understanding by
presentation and answer questions based on their understanding.
the fit of the continents;
completing a quiz on
the location of
plate tectonics.
earthquakes, volcanoes,
and mid-ocean ridges;

and the distribution of

fossils, rock types, and
ancient climatic zones
Lesson 2
Student Learning
Objective: What are the
different structures of
Earth? Students
understand geological
systems and functions.

Lesson 3
Student Learning
Objective: Students must
be able to illustrate or
model plate tectonics and
Earths functions

Acceptable Evidence:
Students will create a
diagram of the Earth's
structure and must label
the different parts and
include a brief description
of the sections.

Lesson Activities: The Plate Tectonics and Earth's Structure web-based assignment requires
students to access the provided websites to research and answer the questions in the activity
(internet access is required). Questions are based on what we're covering in class regarding
Earth's layers and structure and plate tectonics and boundaries.

Acceptable Evidence:
Students must create a
poster that will
demonstrate
understanding of all the
concepts learned in this
section. Students will
present their poster to the
class and will give a brief
explanation of their work.
They will also share what
they thought was
interesting in this unit.

Lesson Activities:
Students will create a graphic organizer assignment on plate tectonics. They will organize
data and apply their understanding of information that is covered in this unit and will use
Chapter 8 in the CPO Focus on Earth Science textbook (link provided to students and is
listen below) as a guideline.
Students will fill use their knowledge of concepts to fill in the graphic organizer and will be
required to draw different plate tectonic variations.

Unit Resources:
http://www.nhusd.k12.ca.us/userfiles/file/CPOScience/ES%20student%20ebook.pdf
Emerald Planet: How Plants Changed Earth History, by David Beerling (2007)
Understanding Earth, by John Grotzinger and Tom Jordan (2010)

Useful Websites:
http://geology.com/articles/what-is-earth-science.shtml
http://www.livescience.com/46252-earth-science.html
http://www.livescience.com/52414-earths-core-formed-long-ago.html?li_source=LI&li_medium=more-from-livescience
http://www.livescience.com/37529-continental-drift.html?li_source=LI&li_medium=more-from-livescience
https://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/navigation/home.cfm
http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/earth/the-dynamic-earth/plate-tectonics-article/