TABLE OF CONTENTS - Lindbergh School District

Strand 5: Processes and Interactions of the Earth’s Systems (Geosphere, Atmosphere and Hydrosphere)
2. Earth’s Systems (Geosphere, Atmosphere and Hydrosphere) interact with one another as
they undergo change by common processes
Major Objectives IS Suggested Activities
These samples activities offer ideas and are
not meant to limit teacher or student
Concept C: Continual changes in the Earth’s
materials and surface that result from internal
and external processes is described by the rock
cycle
Scope and Sequence – Rock Cycle and Plate
Tectonics
resourcefulness
Suggested Assessments
These samples assessments offer ideas and are
not meant to limit teacher or student
resourcefulness
a. Explain how heating and cooling in the
mantle layer leads to the formation of
metamorphic rocks and some igneous rocks
R
a. Teacher will provide examples of
metamorphic and igneous rocks. Teacher
will use video and diagrams to explain
their origins. (1.2; 1.3; 4.5)
a. Students will identify rock samples as
igneous or metamorphic from provided
samples.
b. Make inferences about the formation of
igneous and metamorphic rocks from their
physical properties (e.g., crystal size indicates
rate of cooling, air pockets or glassy texture
indicate volcanic activity)
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b. Students will investigate various rock
igneous and metamorphic samples. They
will compare crystal size, air pockets and
other physical properties. (1.2; 1.3; 1.6;
1.8; 4.5)
b. Students will draw conclusions about the
origins of several metamorphic or igneous
samples after investigating their
properties.
c. Explain and diagram the external and internal
processes of the rock cycle (e.g., weathering
and erosion, sedimentation, compaction,
heating, recrystallization, and resurfacing due
to forces that drive plate motion)
R
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c. Teacher will provide a diagram of the
complete rock cycle. (1.8; 1.10)
c. Students will explain the process at work
in the rock cycle.
Concept D: Changes in the Earth over time can
be inferred through rock and fossil evidence
Scope and Sequence – Rock Cycle and Plate
Tectonics
Grades 6 & 8
a. Describe the methods used to estimate
geologic time and the age of the Earth (e.g.,
techniques used to date rocks and rock layers,
presence of fossils)
a. Teacher will provide examples of the
evidence of Earth’s long geologic history
(weathering or mountains, radioactive
dating, seafloor spreading, fossils, etc.).
(1.6; 1.8)
a. Students will explain how Earth’s
magnetic pole reversals were used to
explain seafloor spreading.
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