•                                            SYLLABUS FOR EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE

                                                                 HELLGATE HIGH SCHOOL

     

                                                                             SEMESTER #1

     

    1ST QUARTER

     

                SCIENCE SKILLS: Skills necessary for laboratory investigations.   (Time – 3 weeks)

     

                                            Topics covered:   1. Measuring – mass, volume and temperature.

                                                                          2. Graphing – bar, line, pie, and scatter plot.

                                                                          3. Scientific method.

                                                                          4. Intro to force, gravity, mass, velocity & density

                                                                                     *Canal and rocket projects

     

                ASTRONOMY: The study of the universe.     (Time – 7 weeks)

     

                                             Topics covered:  1. Atoms and Chemistry

                                                                          2. The Big Bang

                                                                          3. Galaxies

                                                                          4. Time and Distance

                                                                          5. Stars and the Sun

                                                                          6. Conservation of mass

                                                                          7. Electromagnetic spectrum

                                                                          8. Laws of motion and Gravity

                                                                          9. The Planets

                                                                         10. Comets, meteors, and asteroids

                                                                         11. Space History and Technology

     

    2ND QUARTER

     

                METEOROLOGY: The study of Earth’s atmosphere.   (Time - 4 weeks)

     

                                              Topics covered:  1. Composition and Structure of the Atmosphere.

                                                                           2. Energy transfer, Conservation of energy

                                                                           2. The Water Cycle

                                                                           3. Weather

                                                                           4. Weather maps / Predicting

                                                                           5. Climate

     

                OCEANOGRAPHY: The study of the Earth’s oceans.   (Time – 2 weeks)

     

                                              Topics covered:  1. Sea Water

                                                                           2. Ocean currents

                                                                           3. The Sea Floor

     

                PLATE TECTONICS: The study of the active crust of the earth.   (Time – 4 weeks)

     

                                              Topics covered:  1. Evidence for Plate Tectonics

                                                                           2. Plate Boundaries

                                                                           3. Earthquakes

                                                                           4. Volcanism

       

                                                                        SEMESTER #2      

    3RD QUARTER

     

                ROCKS AND MINERALS: The study of the composition of the Earth’s crust.   (Time – 5 weeks)

     

                                                Topics covered:  1. Physical, Chemical Properties & States of Matter

                                                                             2. Identification

                                                                             3. Formation

                                                                             4. The Rock Cycle

                                                                             5. Economic Uses 

                                              

                                                 Topics covered:  1. Physical and Chemical Weathering

                                                                            2. Agents of Erosion; Wind, Water, Glaciers, and Gravity

                                                                            3. Landforms

     

    4TH QUARTER

     

                PALEONTOLOGY: The study of past life.   (Time – 3 weeks)

     

                                               Topics covered:  1. Geologic Time

                                                                            2. The Fossil Record

                                                                            3. Evolution through Time

     

                NATURAL RESOURCES: Earth materials which are of use to people.   (Time – 3 weeks)

     

                                                Topics covered: 1. Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources

                                                                            2. Mineral Resources

                                                                            3. Energy Resources

                                                                            4. Pollution Problems

                                                                            5. Recycling/ Solutions