HS Earth Science - Course Content & Lab Materials

Option 1

Begin with build/construct students' learning with concrete hands on activities (Mapping the Earth,  Rocks & Minerals) at the beginning of the year, followed with more abstract topics - (Climate, Astronomy)

1. Prologue: Basic skills

2. Earth’s Shape Measure the Earth

3. Rocks and minerals

4. Weathering, Erosion, Deposition, and Landforms

5. Earthquakes and Plate Tectonics

6. Earth’s History

7. Meteorology and Climate

8. Astronomy

Option 2

Facilitate students learning from big picture to looking inward.

In this model students start with Astronomy & end with Earth materials (rocks and minerals) Earths history & landscapes

1. Prologue

2. Earth’s Shape and Measure the Earth

3. Astronomy

4. Energy

5. Meteorology and Climate

6. Weather, Erosion and Deposition

7. Minerals and Rocks

8. Dynamic Crust and Earth’s Interior

9. Geologic History

10. Landscape Development and Environmental change

Option 3

The Tom Ervin Method

I always put a list of the topics on the screen, and said:
"These are the topics we are to cover this year.  Which ones do you want to do first?"

And the kids determined the order

The kids thought they were in control but by the end of the semester, we covered them all