Virginia SOL 5.8

5.8 is a Standards of Learning science standard. These are the key ideas and practices under it.

• 5.8.a

  Earth's internal energy causes movement of material within the Earth

• 5.8.b

  plate tectonics describe movement of the crust

• 5.8.c

  the rock cycle models the transformation of rocks

• 5.8.d

  processes such as weathering, erosion, and deposition change the surface of the Earth

• 5.8.e

  fossils and geologic patterns provide evidence of Earth's change.

01

What Students Need to Do

Students use models, diagrams, rock samples, and landform evidence to explain why Earth’s surface changes. They connect movement beneath the crust to plate motion and trace rocks through different pathways. They use fossils and rock layers to infer past events.

02

What Mastery Looks Like

A student can label a plate-boundary model and predict features such as mountains, trenches, earthquakes, or volcanoes. Given a rock-cycle diagram or landscape photo, the student can identify the process, explain the evidence, and predict what may happen next.

03

Common Misconceptions

Students often treat weathering, erosion, and deposition as the same process. They may think rocks follow one fixed cycle or that tectonic plates move only during earthquakes. Some assume all material beneath the crust is liquid magma or that fossils provide exact dates.

04

How to Assess It

Give students a cross-section showing colliding plates, a mountain stream, buried sediment, and fossil-bearing layers. Ask them to label three processes and explain two clues that the area changed over time.

1. 01

   Press graham crackers over frosting to model colliding, separating, and sliding plates, then sketch the surface features each motion creates.

2. 02

   Write a claim explaining how matching fossils in separated rock layers support the idea that Earth has changed over time.

3. 03

   Sort scenario cards into weathering, erosion, or deposition, then challenge a partner to justify each disputed card.

4. 04

   Compare dated photos of a local streambank after storms, and mark where soil was removed, carried, and deposited.

• 1.7

  The student will investigate and understand that there are weather and seasonal changes. Key ideas include

• 2.6

  The student will investigate and understand that there are different types of weather on Earth. Key ideas include

• 1.6

  The student will investigate and understand that there is a relationship between the sun and Earth. Key ideas include

• K.10

  The student will investigate and understand that change occurs over time. Key ideas include