Rockingham County Public Schools

Earth Science Benchmarks

A Guide for Parent Involvement

 

Students should expect to keep a complete notebook of all work for the entire year. Good attendance and study habits help ensure success in studentsÕ first high school science course, and on the end-of-course SOL test that is required to verify the credit earned. Passing the course and the Earth Science SOL test will give students the option of exempting the final exam for the class.  Note that due to multiple science teachers using limited supplies, the order of the listed topics may vary by teacher. 

 

 

 

1st Nine Weeks

 

Introduction to Earth Science (ES.2a, ES.11c, ES.12d,e)

 

Earth as a system

á Lithosphere,

á Hydrosphere,

á Atmosphere,

á Biosphere

 

Basic study areas

á Astronomy,

á Geology,

á Oceanography,

á Meteorology

 

Where/What is Earth? (ES.2c, ES.4, ES.12c)

 

Astronomy overview with

á focus on the Solar System

 

Detailed tour of the Solar System

 

Space program history

á exploring the Solar System

 

Focus on Earth facts and unique characteristics

á compare with other planets

á seasons

á time zones

á moon phases

á eclipses

 

Review/application of the scientific method (ES.1)

 

Measuring applications in scientific investigations

á mass

á volume

á density

á distance

á temperature

 

Collecting data using technology

 

Presenting and interpreting data

 

Utilizing scientific reasoning

 

Earth materials- Minerals (ES.1c,d; ES.5, ES.7)

 

Basic Chemistry review

á elements/atoms,

á compounds/molecules

á mixtures

 

Physical and Chemical properties of matter

 

Minerals

á Identification

á Properties

á Economic uses/value

 

 

 

 

2nd Nine Weeks

 

Earth materials- Rocks and their origins (ES.1c,d; ES.6, ES.7, ES.8b, ES.9a,b)

 

Intrusive and extrusive

á Intrusions

á Extrusions

á Volcanoes

 

Weathering and Soils

á Chemical weathering

á Mechanical weathering

á Sediments

á Soil development

 

Sedimentary Rocks

á Clastic

á Chemical

 

Metamorphic Rocks

á Foliated

á Non-foliated

 

The Rock Cycle

á Summary of rock orginis

 

Tectonic Processes (ES.1b,c,e; ES.2, ES.3, ES.8b,c; ES.11d)

 

Plate Tectonics

á Lithospheric plates

á Mantle convection

á Divergent plate edges

á Convergent plate edges

á Transform plate edges

 

Earth quake/ seismic activity

 

Rock deformation

á Folding

á Faulting

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3rd Nine Weeks

 

Landscape Development (ES.1b,c; ES.2a, ES.3, ES.8b, ES.9)

 

Erosion and deposition

 

Agents of landscape development

á Gravity/mass wasting

á Running water

á Wind

á Glaciers

á Waves

 

Groundwater and karst topography

 

Watershed systems in Virginia

 

Topographic Maps

á Interpretation of landforms

á Latitude

á Longitude

 

Earth History (ES.10)

 

Relative and absolute age-dating

Fossil record

Geologic Time Scale

 

Geology of Virginia (ES.7, ES.8a, ES.9f, ES.10)

 

Physiographic provinces

Geologic history

Resources

á Renewable vs. nonrenewable

 

The World Ocean (ES.2a, ES.3, ES.9, ES.11)

 

Water distribution, Water Cycle

 

Physical and chemical changes

á Tides

á Waves

á Currents

á Stored heat and its  affect on weather

 

Economic resources

 

Influence of tectonic processes

 

Environmental issues and the impact of human activities

 

 

 

 

4th Nine Weeks

 

The Atmosphere (ES.1a,b; ES.2a, ES.3a,b; ES.11c, ES.12, ES.13)

 

Meteorology, Weather, Climate

 

Composition, layers, changes over time

 

Impact of natural phenomena and human activity

 

Comparison with other planets

 

Weather instruments, weather data, and maps

 

Weather Patterns

á Winds

á Humidity

á Air pressure

á Temperature

á Cloud formation

á Air masses

á Fronts

á Storms

á Forecasting

 

Summarize relationships among the interactive parts of the EarthÕs System

 

Return to Outer Space (ES.1e, ES.2, ES.4, ES.14)

 

Review EarthÕs place in the Solar System

á The galaxy

á The universe

 

Evolution of the stars and our Sun

 

H-R Diagram

 

Galaxies and the Universe

 

Origin of the Solar System and the Universe

 

Space Exploration

 

Earth Science End-of-Course SOL TEST REVIEW

 

Students should:

1.   Review all class notes, quizzes, and tests.

2.   Practice test-taking skills with sample questions.

3.   Be well-rested and prepared for the SOL test.

 

Teachers should:

1.   Use example questions as warm-ups or for analysis by the class.

2.   Provide students with practice web sites that have released SOL test questions available in a quiz or game format.

3.   Hold review sessions that cover the Essentials from the Earth Science Curriculum Framework provided to teachers by the VA Department of Education.

 

The Earth Science EOC SOL Test

 

Projects/ labs (as time allows)

 

 

 

**  The numbers throughout the Benchmarks refer to the Virginia Science Standards of Learning objectives.  For example, ÒES.4Ó refers to Earth Science SOL objective number Ò4Ó.