Earth Science
Children's Books
Flash, Crash, Rumble, and Roll By Franklyn M. Branley, True Kelley. Illus. By True Kelley. (1999). 32p. HarperCollins Publishers, (978-0064451796). Gr. K-4.
This book is an introduction and explanation of thunderstorms. It can easily be used in a weather unit. Find this book here: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/flash-crash-rumble-and-roll-franklyn-mansfield-branley/1102381196?ean=9780064451796&itm=1&usri=9780064451796 |
Weather Forecasting By Gail Gibbons. Illus. Gail Gibbons. (1993). 32p. Aladdin, (978-0689716836). Gr. 3-4.
This is a book about how weather forecasters predict the weather. It introduces some tools meteorologists use. A good book for introducing weather forecasting tools while teaching the weather unit. Find this book here: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/weather-forecasting-gail-gibbons/1102404330?ean=9780689716836 |
Weather By Seymour Simon. (2006). 40p. HarperCollins Publishing, (9780060884390). Gr. 4-7.
This book explains how general weather conditions are formed. It uses simple but well researched text, the author gives a concise explanation of the forces in nature which creates various weather conditions. Find this book here: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/weather-seymour-simon/1100866082?ean=9780060884390 |
Technology Resources
Instructional Resources
The Kids Book of Weather Forecasting: Build a Weather Station, "Read" the Sky & Make Predictions! By Mark Breen, Kathleen Friestad. (2008). 141p. Williamson Books, (9780824968236). Gr. 2-6.
This fact-filled book is arranged in eight chapters, and guides the reader through the observation process. Instructions for keeping a weather log and the importance of detailed, accurate records is explained. Directions for making and using simple weather instruments are found throughout the text. Included are the anemometer, which measures wind speed; the barometer; the Beaufort scale spinner, measuring how hard the wind is blowing; and the hair hygrometer, which measures the humidity using a strand of hair. Instructions are also given for making the psychrometer, a rain gauge and a wind vane.Find this book here: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-kids-book-of-weather-forecasting-mark-breen/1111919535?ean=9780824968236 |
Weather Station - how to create a weather station for the classroom, including tools and assessments.
Assessment Resources
Children's Books
The Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System By Joanna Cole, Bruce Degen. Illus. Bruce Degen. (1992). 40p. Scholastic, Inc., (978-0590414296). Gr. PreK-3.
This book gives a basic understanding of the solar system that students will be able to build on in the future. It could be used at almost any time during a solar system sections, but would be a great way to introduce the order of planets. Find this book here: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/magic-school-bus-lost-in-the-solar-system-joanna-cole/1100836846?ean=9780590414296&itm=1&usri=9780590414296 |
The Planets in Our Solar System By Franklyn M. Branley. Illus. By Kevin O'Malley. (1998). 32p. HarperCollins Publishing, (978-0064451789). Gr. K-4.
This book talks about the "8 planets" in our solar system. This is a good opportunity to remind/explain to the students how scientific ideas can change over time. This is a good book for information about planets. Find this book here: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/planets-in-our-solar-system-franklyn-m-branley/1102396517?ean=9780064451789 |
Professor Astro Cat's Frontiers of Space By Dominic Walliman. Illus. By Ben Newman. (2013). 64p. Flying Eye Books, (978-1909263079). Gr. 2-6.
This book is a journey of space, giving a broader view than just our solar system. It would be a good book to use to finish up the unit on the Solar System, giving the students a broader look on space and reviewing the solar system. Find this book here: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/professor-astro-cats-frontiers-of-space-dominic-walliman/1114767947?ean=9781909263079 |
Technology Resources
Make a Solar System - This is an interactive game where students can build their own solar system.
Where is the Planet - This is a game where students pick the planet identified in the question.
Explore the Solar System - This is an interactive site created by NASA. Students can click on parts of the solar system to learn facts about them.
Instructional Resources
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Space Vocabulary for Kids - This worksheet gives space words and definitions along with a fill in the blank section, putting the vocabulary worlds in context.
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Planet Size Comparison - This is a blog, it gives good examples of how to compare the size of planets for kids.
Assessment Resources
Children's Books
How Did That Get in My Lunchbox? By Christine Butterworth. Illus. By Lucia Gaggiotti. (2011). 32p. Candlewick Press, (9780763650056). Gr. K-3.
This book illustrates how and where food is grown. The book focuses on foods children would be familiar with, and is a good introduction into natural resources. Find this book here: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-did-that-get-in-my-lunchbox-christine-butterworth/1111586068?ean=9780763650056&itm=1&usri=9780763650056 |
V is for Virginia, By E. J. Sullivan. Illus. By Ernie Eldredge. (2006). 24p. Sweetwater Press AL, (978-1581735260). Gr. 2-6.
This book gives a brief description of Virginia's history as well as describing the natural resources in Virginia. This book would be a good source to introduce Virginia's natural resources. Find this book here: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/v-is-for-virginia-e-j-sullivan/1008262438?ean=9781581735260&itm=1&usri=9781581735260 |
Common Ground: The Water, Earth, and Air We Share By Molly Bang. (1997). 32p. Scholastic, Inc., (9780590100564). Gr. 3-7
This is a book that illustrates the use of natural resources. When each resource is obtained there is a short-term and a long-term effect. This book would be good when discussing natural resources as well as the effect humans have on the environment. Find this book here: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/common-ground-the-water-earth-and-air-we-share-molly-garrett-bang/1018215351?ean=9780590100564 |
Technology Resources
Instructional Rescoures
Virginia Natural Resources - This is a science background page on natural resources in Virginia, designed for teachers.
Virginia's Natural Resource Guide - This is a site from Virginia.gov with all the resource information about Virginia
Virginia Agriculture Map - This is an activity sheet for Virginia agriculture provided by Virginia.gov.
Fun Agriculture Facts - This is a page full of fun facts about different foods.
Assessment Resources
Earth Science SOLs
4.6 The student will investigate and understand how weather conditions and phenomena
occur and can be predicted.
Key concepts include:
occur and can be predicted.
Key concepts include:
- a) weather phenomena;
- b) weather measurements and meteorological tools; and
- c) use of weather measurements and weather phenomena to make weather predictions.
In order to meet this standard, it is expected that students will:
- Design an investigation in which a thermometer is used to compare air temperatures over a period of time.
- Analyze the changes in air pressure occurring over time, using a barometer, and predict what the changes mean in terms of changing weather patterns.
- Illustrate and label high and low pressures on a map.
- Differentiate between the types of weather associated with high and low pressure air masses. Illustrate and label high and low pressure air masses and warm and cold fronts.
- Differentiate between cloud types (i.e., cirrus, stratus, cumulus, and cumulo-nimbus clouds) and the associated weather.
- Compare and contrast the formation of different types of precipitation (e.g., rain, snow, sleet, and hail).
- Recognize a variety of storm types, describe the weather conditions associated with each, and explain when they occur (e.g., thunderstorms, hurricanes, and tornadoes).
- Analyze and report information about temperature and precipitation on weather maps.
- Measure wind speed, using an anemometer.
- Measure precipitation with a rain gauge.
- Design an investigation in which weather data are gathered using meteorological tools and charted to make weather predictions.
In order to meet these standards, it is expected that teachers know:
- Temperature is the measure of the amount of thermal energy in the atmosphere.
- Air pressure is due to the weight of the air and is determined by several factors including the temperature of the air.
- A front is the boundary between air masses of different temperature and humidity.
- Cirrus, stratus, cumulus, and cumulo-nimbus clouds are associated with certain weather conditions.
- Cumulus clouds are fluffy and white with flat bottoms. They usually indicate fair weather. However, when they get larger and darker on the bottom, they become cumulo-nimbus clouds. Cumulo-nimbus clouds may produce thunderstorms.
- Stratus clouds are smooth, gray clouds that cover the whole sky (block out direct sunlight). Light rain and drizzle are usually associated with stratus clouds.
- Cirrus clouds are feathery clouds. They are associated with fair weather. Cirrus clouds often indicate that rain or snow will fall within several hours.
- Extreme atmospheric conditions create various kinds of storms such as thunderstorms, hurricanes, and tornadoes.
- Different atmospheric conditions create different types of precipitation.
- Meteorologists gather data by using a variety of instruments.
- Meteorologists use data to predict weather patterns.
- A barometer measures air pressure.
- An anemometer measures wind speed.
- A rain gauge measures the amount of precipitation.
- A thermometer measures the temperature of the air.
4.7 The student will investigate and understand the organization of the solar system.
Key concepts include:
Key concepts include:
- a) the planets in the solar system;
- b) the order of the planets in the solar system; and
- c) the relative sizes of the planets.
In order to meet this standard, it is expected that students will:
- Name the eight planets and describe whether they are a terrestrial planet or a gas giant.
- Sequence the eight planets in the solar system based on their position from the sun. (Mercury is the first from the sun, Venus is the second, etc.)
- Sequence the eight planets in the solar system based on size (Jupiter is the largest, Saturn is next, etc.)
- Construct a simple model of the sun and the planets in our solar system.
In order to meet these standards, it is expected that teachers know:
- Our solar system is ancient. Early astronomers believed that Earth was the center of the universe and all other heavenly bodies orbited around Earth. We now know that our sun is the center of our solar system and eight planets, a handful of dwarf planets, 170 named moons, dust, gas, and thousands of asteroids and comets orbit around the sun.
- Our solar system is made up of eight planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
- Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are considered terrestrial planets. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are called gas giants.
- Mercury is closest to the sun and is a small, heavily cratered planet. Mercury looks like our moon. Since Pluto’s reclassification from planet to dwarf planet, Mercury is now the smallest planet in our solar system.
- Venus is second from the sun. It is similar to Earth in size and mass, and has a permanent blanket of clouds that trap so much heat that the temperatures on the surface of Venus are hot enough to melt lead.
- Earth is third from the sun. Earth’s atmosphere, the liquid water found on Earth, and its distance from the sun, among many other factors, make Earth a haven for life.
- Mars is fourth from the sun. The atmosphere on Mars is thin and there is a vast network of canyons and riverbeds on the red planet. Scientists hypothesize that Mars once supported a wet, warm Earth-like climate.
- Jupiter is fifth from the sun. Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and is considered a gas giant. Jupiter has no solid surface.
- Saturn is sixth from the sun. Early scientists thought Saturn was the only planet with rings, but we now know that all four gas giants (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) have rings.
- Uranus is seventh from the sun. Uranus is a gas giant.
- Neptune is eighth from the sun. Neptune appears blue through telescopes and is a gas giant.
- The eight planets sorted by size from largest to smallest are: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Earth, Venus, Mars, and Mercury.
- Pluto is no longer included in the list of planets in our solar system due to its small size and irregular orbit. Many astronomers questioned whether Pluto should be grouped with worlds like Earth and Jupiter. In 2006, this debate led the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the recognized authority in naming heavenly objects, to formally reclassify Pluto. On August 24, 2006, Pluto's status was officially changed from planet to dwarf planet.
- A new distinct class of objects called "dwarf planets" was identified in 2006. It was agreed that "planets" and "dwarf planets" are two distinct classes of objects. The first members of the dwarf planet category are Ceres, Pluto and 2003 UB313, given the name Eris. More dwarf planets are expected to be announced by the IAU in the future.
- What differentiates a dwarf planet from a planet? For the most part, they are identical, but there is one key difference: A dwarf planet has not "cleared the neighborhood" around its orbit, which means it has not become gravitationally dominant and it shares its orbital space with other bodies of a similar size.
- Pluto is smaller than seven of the moons in our solar system and cannot be seen without a telescope.
4.8 The student will investigate and understand the relationships among Earth, the moon,
and the sun.
Key concepts include:
and the sun.
Key concepts include:
- a) the motions of Earth, the moon, and the sun;
- b) the causes for Earth’s seasons;
- c) the causes for the phases of the moon;
- d) the relative size, position, age, and makeup of Earth, the moon, and the sun; and
- e) historical contributions in understanding the Earth-moon-sun system.
In order to meet this standard, it is expected that students will:
- Differentiate between rotation and revolution.
- Describe how Earth’s axial tilt causes the seasons.
- Model the formation of the eight moon phases, sequence the phases in order, and describe how the phases occur.
- Describe the major characteristics of the sun, including its approximate size, color, age, and overall composition.
- Create and describe a model of the Earth-moon-sun system with approximate scale distances and sizes.
- Compare and contrast the surface conditions of Earth, the moon, and the sun.
- Compare and contrast an Earth-centered to the sun-centered model of the solar system.
- Analyze the differences in what Aristotle, Ptolemy, Copernicus, and Galileo observed and what influenced their conclusions.
- Describe a contribution of the NASA Apollo missions to our understanding of the moon.
In order to meet this standard, it is expected that teachers know:
- Earth completes one revolution around the sun every 365 ¼ days. The moon revolves around Earth about once every month.
- Due to its axial tilt, Earth experiences seasons during its revolution around the sun.
- The phases of the moon are caused by its position relative to Earth and the sun. The phases of the moon include the new, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full, waning gibbous, last (third) quarter, and waning crescent.
- The sun is an average-sized yellow star, about 110 times the diameter of Earth. The sun is approximately 4.6 billion years old.
- Our moon is a small rocky satellite, having about one-quarter the diameter of Earth and one-eightieth its mass. It has extremes of temperature, virtually no atmosphere or life, and very little water.
- Earth is one of eight planets that revolve around the sun and comprise the solar system. Earth, the third planet from the sun, is one of the four terrestrial inner planets. It is about 150 million kilometers from the sun.
- Earth is a geologically active planet with a surface that is constantly changing. Unlike the other three inner planets (Mercury, Venus, and Mars), it has large amounts of life-supporting water and an oxygen-rich atmosphere. Earth’s protective atmosphere blocks out most of the sun’s damaging rays.
- Our understanding of the solar system has changed from an Earth-centered model of Aristotle and Ptolemy to the sun-centered model of Copernicus and Galileo.
- The NASA Apollo missions added greatly to our understanding of the moon.
- Our understanding of the sun, moon, and the solar system continues to change with new scientific discoveries.
4.9 The student will investigate and understand important Virginia natural resources.
Key concepts include:
Key concepts include:
- a) watersheds and water resources;
- b) animals and plants;
- c) minerals, rocks, ores, and energy sources; and
- d) forests, soil, and land.
In order to meet this standard, it is expected that students will:
- Compare and contrast natural and human-made resources.
- Distinguish among rivers, lakes, and bays; describe characteristics of each; and name an example of each in Virginia.
- Create and interpret a model of a watershed. Evaluate the statement: “We all live downstream.”
- Identify watershed addresses.
- Recognize the importance of Virginia’s mineral resources, including coal, limestone, granite, and sand and gravel.
- Appraise the importance of natural and cultivated forests in Virginia.
- Describe a variety of soil and land uses important in Virginia.
In order to meet this standard, it is expected that teachers will:
- Virginia is rich in a wide variety of natural resources, including forests, arable (farmable) land, coal, sand and aggregates (rocks), wildlife and aquatic organisms, clean water and air, and beautiful scenery.
- A watershed is an area over which surface water (and the materials it carries) flows to a single collection place. The Chesapeake Bay watershed covers approximately half of Virginia’s land area. The other two major watershed systems are the Gulf of Mexico and the North Carolina Sounds.
- Virginia’s water resources include groundwater, lakes, reservoirs, rivers, bays, and the Atlantic Ocean.
- Virginia has a great variety of plant and animal resources.
- Natural and cultivated forests are a widespread resource in Virginia.
- Virginia’s soil and land support a great variety of life, provide space for many economic activities, and offer a variety of recreational opportunities.