Mississippi Science E.8.9A

E.8.9A is a cluster heading. These are the individual standards under it.

• E.8.9A.1

  Investigate and explain how the flow of Earth's internal energy drives the cycling of matter through convection currents between Earth's surface and the deep in...

• E.8.9A.2

  Explore and debate theories of plate tectonics to form conclusions about past and current movements of rocks at Earth's surface throughout history.

• E.8.9A.3

  Map land and water patterns from various time periods and use rocks and fossils to report evidence of how Earth's plates have moved great distances, collided, a...

• E.8.9A.4

  Research and assess the credibility of scientific ideas to debate and discuss how Earth's constructive and destructive processes have changed Earth's surface at...

• E.8.9A.5

  Use models that demonstrate convergent and divergent plate movements that are responsible for most landforms and the distribution of most rocks and minerals wit...

• E.8.9A.6

  Design and conduct investigations to evaluate the chemical and physical processes involved in the formation of soils.

• E.8.9A.7

  Explain the interconnected relationship between surface water and groundwater.

01

What Students Need to Do

Students use rock and fossil maps to show how plates moved over millions of years. They explain how heat inside Earth moves plates and how the sun helps drive weathering and erosion. They investigate how rock becomes soil and how water moves between the surface and the ground.

02

What Mastery Looks Like

Given rock and fossil maps, a student can reconstruct past plate positions and point to matching evidence. They can explain how collisions build mountains and spreading creates new crust. They can tell physical weathering from chemical weathering and trace rainwater into groundwater.

03

Common Misconceptions

Students may think wind or ocean waves push plates, rather than heat from inside Earth. They may think matching fossils mean animals swam across an ocean. They may also picture groundwater as an underground river or think soil is only crushed rock.

04

How to Assess It

Give students a map with matching fossils on two separated continents and a sketch of a mid-ocean ridge. Ask them to draw where the continents were once joined and explain what powers spreading at the ridge.

1. 01

   Push two foam blocks together over a paper strip to model mountain building, then pull them apart and sketch the widening gap.

2. 02

   Give pairs fossil and rock maps of Africa and South America; ask which matches best support plate movement and why.

3. 03

   Hand out ridge, trench, and mountain sketch cards; students sort them by convergent or divergent boundary and explain one choice.

4. 04

   Show a diagram of a town well beside a river; students trace how rain soaks through soil and reaches groundwater.

• E.4.9C

  Students will demonstrate an understanding of how natural processes and human activities affect the features of Earth's landforms and oceans.

• E.8.7

  Students will demonstrate an understanding of geological evidence to analyze patterns in Earth’s major events, processes, and evolution in history.

• E.3.7B

  Students will demonstrate an understanding of the composition of Earth and the processes which change Earth's landforms.

• E.3.7A

  Students will demonstrate an understanding of the various processes involved in the rock cycle, superposition of rock layers, and fossil formation.