EARTH SCIENCE

Earth's Place in the Universe

LEARNING PROGRESSIONS
Danya Breskin, Tyler Long, & Maria Villalvazo
 r a d e
srt G
iF
 Standards
1-ess1
1-ess1
1. Use observations of the 2. Make observations at
sun, moon, and stars to different times of year to
describe patterns that relate the amount of
can be predicted. daylight to the time of
year.
Principle:Natural systems proceed through cycles that humans depend upon,
benefit from and can alter .
➢ 1-ESS1-1 Students can study the motion of the sun's path across the sky through
observing and describing shadows and charting patterns of the sun's movement in
relation to the pattern changes of shadows through the day. (2016 Science Framework for
California Public Schools Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve, 2016)
➢ Watch Me
 Principle:Natural systems proceed through cycles that humans depend
upon, benefit from and can alter .
➢ 1-ESS1-2 “Students’ observations of the time
of sunrise or sunset over multiple days across
the year are analyzed using the same point of
reference to develop a model for the pattern
of change students observe . Students use
this pattern to predict whether the time of
sunset or sunrise will be later or earlier than
the previous day for the next few days .”
(2016 Science Framework for California Public
Schools Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve, 2016)
➢ 1-ESS1-1 Like the Sun, the Moon also has
several patterns of change that students can
discover by direct investigation . Students
can focus on describing a single pattern and
using it to make predictions. Students can
record which days the moon is visible during
the school day, taking careful note of the
time of their observations. (2016 Science
Framework for California Public Schools Kindergarten
Through Grade Twelve, 2016)
Watch Me
Secon
d gra
de
 standards
2-ESS1

1.Use information from several sources to provide evidence

that Earth events can occur quickly or slowly.
Earth events can happen...
Quickly

Volcanoes: Once the magma in the volcano erupts, it

quickly turns into lava. Once the lava spreads it is very
hot and sometimes moves very fasts turning into rock
and adding on to the earth's surface. Creating uneven
structures (solid rock) once the lava is cool

Earthquakes: Earthquakes move the plates of the

earth's surface. These plates moving and vibrating
causes the surface to move and/or change, forming
new land, mountains, valleys, rivers etc.
However, they also can happen…..
Slowly

Weathering: Weathering is when nature breaks

rocks and soil down into smaller particles, or
changes the actual composition of the landscape.
Weathering can be…

1) Physical - when rock is broken down through

Earth's natural processes.
2) Chemical - when reactions between two things
cause a change in rocks composition (what
something is actually made of)
3) Biological - when animals or other living organisms
cause a breakdown of rock or change in the
composition of rock.
Slowly cont.
Erosion: The process by which soil, rock or other
surface substrate is transported across Earth's
surface by natural processes such as...

1) Wind - Can erode by picking up and carrying loose

particles and dust away (called deflation). It can also
erode when these flying particles strike the land and
break off more particles (called abrasion).

2) Water - The main cause of earth's erosion. It is

believed the water from the Colorado river cause the
Grand Canyon to form. This process took Millions
of years.
Fourth grade
standard
4-ess1
Identify evidence from patterns in rock formations and
fossils in rock layers to support an explanation for changes in
a landscape over time.
 Layers of Earth

https://youtu.be/NAHY6965o08
 Youngest Fossil Newest Layer
Use evidence to support explanation...
By using the fossils that are found it will tell us
about how old the fossil is and what was there
around the time of that fossil.

Shell - The shell shows us that there was an ocean

around that time. The number of rings also tell us
how long it was around for.

Fern - The fern tells us that there was a forest

during that geological time.

Dinosaur tooth - Tells us that whatever part of the

sediment it was found in makes that part millions
of years old.
Oldest Fossil Oldest Layer
Fish - Tells us it was near water.

Leaf - Tells us it was near a wooded area

5th grade
5-ESS1
1. Support an argument that
2. Represent data in graphical
differences in the apparent
brightness of the sun
compared to other stars is
due to their relative
distances from the earth.
5. ESS2 standards
display to reveal patterns of
daily changes in length and
direction of shadows, day and
night, and the season
appearance of some stars in the
night sky.
5-ESS1-1: Support an argument with evidence, data, or a model that shows the sun appears larger
and brighter to the other stars because it is closer and stars range greatly in their distance to the
earth.
 5-ESS1-2: Represent data in graphical displays to reveal the
orbits of the the earth around the sun and of the moon
around Earth, together with the rotation of earth about an
axis between its north and south poles, cause observable
patterns. THE INCLUDE DAY AND NIGHT; DAILY CHANGES IN THE
LENGTH AND DIRECTION OF SHADOWS; AND DIFFERENT POSITIONS OF
THE SUN, MOON, AND STARTS AT DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE DAY,
MONTH, AND YEAR.
 references
California Department of Education Sacramento. (2016). 2016 Science Framework for California Public Schools Kindergarten Through
Grade Twelve [PDF]. Retrieved from https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/sc/cf/documents/scifwchapter3.pdf

Crash Course Kids (2015). Following the Sun: Crash Course Kids #8.2. [video] Available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=14&v=1SN1BOpLZAs [Accessed 17 Mar. 2019].

Crash Course Kids (2015). Seeing Stars:Crash Course Kids #20.1 *corrected*. [video] Retrieved from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M41yLjQ2ot0&index=8&list=PLhz12vamHOnagseIgy26MoPI79NXiFBwN&t=0s

Socratica Kids (2017). The Moon for Kids || Moon Phases for Kids || Astronomy for Kids. [video] Available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYGvCuiRijI [Accessed 17 Mar. 2019].