Alex's+Curriculum+Map

=Essential Questions = What are the essential questions for your content areas? If you are really creating Essential Questions, you will have between 3 and 5 questions. =Big Ideas = What are the Big Ideas for your content area? What are the things that anyone who takes your course should walk away knowing and being able to do. =Units/Chunks= What are the chunks/units of meaning for your content area? This is the place to see how your content area makes sense to you.
 * 1) How do we use scientific principles in our lives?
 * 2) What can the earth tell us about its past and future?
 * 3) How are earth’s Systems linked?
 * 4) How do humans affect the world?
 * 5) What is the earth’s place in the cosmos?
 * 1) Science is the study of “Why?” “What?” “How?” “When?”
 * 2) Earth Science is interdisciplinary.
 * 3) Earth Science is based on observation.
 * 4) The earth is made of numerous, interrelated systems.
 * 5) The earth is part of a much greater galactic system.

3: Astronomy
==== __**I have a question about this section: Does this break up make sense? I chose it because I liked the idea of "zooming out." However I have always wondered if this is a realistic approach. **__ ====

=Topical Questions = What are the important questions for each unit or chunk? 1:Geology/ Scientific Inquiry : 2: Meteorology: 3: Astronomy: =Topical Big Ideas = What are the Big Ideas for each chunk/unit? What are the things that anyone who completes this chunk/unit should walk away knowing and being able to do. 1:Geology/ Scientific Inquiry: 2: Meteorology 3: Astronomy
 * How do we use the scientific method?
 * Was the blue planet always blue?
 * What can a rock say?
 * How did the earth get its face?
 * Does paper beat rock?
 * How is the present key to the past?
 * How is the Sun like an engine?
 * Is that a storm coming?
 * What's it like outside?
 * What’s more important, climate or weather?
 * When did astronomy really start and why?
 * What can the heavens tell us?
 * What does outer space really look like?
 * How do we observe the heavens?
 * How did everything start?
 * In order to perform meaningful scientific research, one needs to apply the scientific method.
 * The rock cycle is central to the study of Geology.
 * Mineralogy is key to rock identification.
 * Uniformitarianism supports the concept of geologic time.
 * Topographic maps let geologists study earth’s features.
 * All atmospheric forces are fueled by the sun.
 * The position of a weather system can be determined by observing certain atmospheric changes.
 * An area’s climate dictates what kinds of weather patterns are most common.
 * Accurately predicting storm characteristics and paths are vital in saving lives and property.
 * This field has a long and intricate history.
 * Our solar system is insignificant when compared to our galaxy and the universe.
 * There are many objects in space; of all shapes, sizes, and kinds.
 * We can learn a lot by observing distant points of light.
 * The theory of the Big Bang provides an answer to how everything came to be.