Earth Science Syllabus
This syllabus applies to Summer School 2018 at Hoover High School
Teacher: Bill Weissbard
wweissbard@gusd.net
Phone: 818-242-6801 x81314
The goal of this course is to refresh and reteach essential concepts of Earth Science.
Course Outline:
Major topics to be covered include;
understanding maps and geologic features
rocks, their origin and transformation
plate tectonics
mountain building (earthquakes and volcanoes), California geology
oceans, physical oceanography
the atmosphere
solar and space science
Grading:
A standard grading scale will be used
100% > A >= 90%
90% > B >= 80%
80% > C >= 70%
70% > D >= 60%
50% > F
Grading basis (approximate):
Quizzes and Unit Tests 50%
Classwork and Homework 40%
Behavior and citizenship 10%
Please note: this course will include daily quizzes and Unit tests. A final exam is not planned at this time.
Resources:
Textbook: Earth Science (Holt-California Edition); Allison, DeGaetano, Pasachoff
Website: math-science-resources.com
contains lecture materials not available in the textbook and links to videos
Online quizzes: help teaching.com
Pacing Plan – Earth Science
Schedule
Week 1: 6/11 U1 – U2.2
Week 2: 6/18
Week 3: 6/25
Week 4: 7/2
Week 5: 7/9
Semester ends Friday 7/13
Unit Plan
Unit Plan Semester A:
- Unit 1 Maps of the world
- Maps as models of the earth
global projections, topography, topographic maps - Core to crust (the inside out story)
major geologic features
continents, oceans, ice caps, mountains, plains - minerals of the earth’s crust and distribution (maps)
- Maps as models of the earth
- Unit 2 Rocks
- rock types,
- rock formation
- igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary
- the rock cycle
- Unit 3 Resources and Energy
- Minerals and mining
- methods and environmental hazards
- coal mining and drilling for oil
- hydrocarbon usage and global warming
- renewable energy sources
- hydroelectric, solar and wind
- Minerals and mining
- Unit 4 Plate tectonics
- continental movement from Pangea to Present
- plate collisions
- mountain building (Alps, Himalayas,)
- plate subduction
- magma and hot spots, volcanoes
- the ring of fire
- California geology, fault lines, earthquakes
- the speed of sound in the crust, s and p waves
Unit Plan Semester B:
- Unit 5 The oceans
- physical oceanography
- geology of the ocean floor
- trenches, mountains, magnetics
- evidence for pole flip
- ocean water:
- composition, salinity, acidity
- ocean temperature, temperature distribution,
- total energy content
- transport mechanisms:
- the Gulf Stream
- polar melt flow
- destruction of the polar ice cap, impact on the Gulf Stream and potential mini ice age in Europe
- Unit 6 The atmosphere
- structure and compositions of the atmosphere
- temperature, winds, clouds
- weather
- climate
- structure and compositions of the atmosphere
- Unit 7 The upper atmosphere – the gateway to space
- Na layer – C14 from Nitrogen (we’re closer to space than you might think)
- sun/earth system
- seasons
- solar flares, northern lights – impact on telecommunication satellites
- Unit 8 Space science
- solar system
- stellar evolution – HR diagram
- big bang theory
- Space and space weather
- interplanetary objects – asteroids, meteors, comets
- the asteroid belt, L4*, L5* asteroid fields