| WATER PLANET MODULE MATRIX |
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CONCEPTS |
READING AND WRITING |
ASSESSMENT |
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1. |
SOLAR SYSTEM |
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• The solar system comprises nine planets
and various other bodies orbiting the
Sun, a typical star composed mostly of
hydrogen and helium.
• Solar-system bodies can be put into
categories, such as gas giants, terrestrial
planets, and satellites.
• Gravity is a pulling force that constantly
changes the direction of travel of planets
to maintain them in orbits around the Sun. |
• A Tour of the Solar System
• Ramon E. Lopez
• Why Doesn't Earth Fly Off into Space?
• Mae Jemison: Astronaut
• Summary: Solar System
• Science Notebook: Students record and
organize information about the solar
system.
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Pretest
Embedded Assessment
• Science Notebook
Benchmark Assessment
• I-Check 1
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2. |
SWINGERS |
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• A pendulum is a mass that is free to swing
around a point.
• A variable is anything that you can change
in an experiment that might affect the
outcome.
• In a controlled experiment the
independent variable is changed in order
to determine how that variable affects
the outcome of the experiment. All other
variables are controlled. |
• Galileo
• Graphing Data
• Summary: Swingers
• Science Notebook: Students record,
organize, and display pendulum data
using conventional graphing language
and methods.
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Embedded Assessment
• Teacher observation
• Response sheet
Benchmark Assessment
• I-Check 2
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3. |
WATER VAPOR |
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• Evaporation is the process by which liquid
water changes into water vapor, a gas.
• Temperature and surface area affect the
rate of evaporation.
• Condensation occurs when water vapor
touches a cool surface and changes into
liquid.
• Evaporation and condensation contribute
to the movement of water through the
water cycle. |
• Drying Up
• Evaporation
• Surface-Area Experiment
• Condensation
• Summary: Water Vapor
• Science Notebook: Students record and
analyze evaporation and condensation
data.
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Embedded Assessment
• Response sheet
• Science Notebook
Benchmark Assessment
• I-Check 3
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4. |
HEATING EARTH |
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• The different energy-absorbing properties
of earth materials can lead to uneven
heating of Earth’s surface.
• Cold fluids are denser than warm fluids.
• Convection currents result from uneven
heating of Earth’s surface.
• Compressed air exerts pressure equally in
all directions.
• Earth’s atmospheric pressure decreases
with distance above Earth’s surface. |
• Uneven Heating
• Wind!
• The Pressure Is On!
• Summary: Heating Earth
• Science Notebook: Students write an
experimental plan, record data, and
analyze and display those data. They
make labeled diagrams of convection
currents and write explanations of the
observable effects of atmospheric pressure. |
Embedded Assessment
• Science Notebook
• Response sheet
Benchmark Assessment
• I-Check 4
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5. |
WEATHER |
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• Most of Earth’s water (97%) is salt water.
• Weather is the condition of the atmosphere
at a given place and time: the amount of
heat, moisture, pressure, and movement.
• Solar energy drives weather.
• Severe weather occurs when one or more
variables is extreme, resulting in conditions
that are dangerous or destructive.
• Weather maps display weather conditions
and can be used to forecast weather. |
• Where Is Earth’s Water?
• Earth’s Water
• The Water Cycle
• Severe Weather
• Weather Maps
• California Water Map
• Summary: Weather
• Science Notebook: Students write causes
and effects of severe weather.
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Embedded Assessment
• Quick write
• Science notebook
Benchmark Assessment
• I-Check 5
Posttest
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| page 5 of 8 |