| STANDARD I: Students will understand that water changes state as it moves through the water cycle. |
Objective 1: Describe the relationship between heat energy, evaporation and condensation of water on Earth. |
a. Identify the relative amount and kind of water found in various locations on Earth (e.g., oceans have most of the water, glaciers and snowfields contain most fresh water). |
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| b. Identify the sun as the source of energy that evaporates water from the surface of Earth. |
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| c. Compare the processes of evaporation and condensation of water. |
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| d. Investigate and record temperature data to show the effects of heat energy on changing the states of water. |
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| Objective 2: Describe the water cycle. |
a. Locate examples of evaporation and condensation in the water cycle (e.g., water evaporates when heated and clouds or dew forms when vapor is cooled). |
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| b. Describe the processes of evaporation, condensation, and precipitation as they relate to the water cycle. |
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| c. Identify locations that hold water as it passes through the water cycle (e.g., oceans, atmosphere, fresh surface water, snow, ice, and ground water). |
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| d. Construct a model or diagram to show how water continuously moves through the water cycle over time. |
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| e. Describe how the water cycle relates to the water supply in your community. |
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| STANDARD II: Students will understand that the elements of weather can be observed, measured, and recorded to make predictions and determine simple weather patterns. |
Objective 1: Observe, measure, and record the basic elements of weather. |
a. Identify basic cloud types (i.e., cumulus, cirrus, stratus clouds). |
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| b. Observe, measure, and record data on the basic elements of weather over a period of time (i.e., precipitation, air temperature, wind speed and direction, and air pressure). |
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| c. Investigate evidence that air is a substance (e.g., takes up space, moves as wind, temperature can be measured). |
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| d. Compare the components of severe weather phenomena to normal weather htm conditions (e.g., thunderstorm with lightning and high winds compared to rainstorm with rain showers and breezes). |
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| Objective 2: Interpret recorded weather data for simple patterns. |
a. Observe and record effects of air temperature on precipitation (e.g., below freezing results in snow, above freezing results in rain). |
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| b. Graph recorded data to show daily and seasonal patterns in weather. |
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| c. Infer relationships between wind and weather change (e.g., windy days often precede changes in the weather; south winds in Utah often precede a cold front coming from the north). |
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| 3: Objective Evaluate weather predictions based upon observational data. |
a. Identify and use the tools of a meteorologist (e.g., measure rainfall using rain gage, measure air pressure using barometer, measure temperature using a thermometer). |
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| b. Describe how weather and forecasts affect people's lives. |
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| c. Predict weather and justify prediction with observable evidence. |
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| d. Evaluate the accuracy of student and professional weather forecasts. |
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| e. Relate weather forecast accuracy to evidence or tools used to make the forecast (e.g., feels like rain vs. barometer is dropping). |
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| STANDARD III: Students will understand the basic properties of rocks, the processes involved in the formation of soils, and the needs of plants provided by soil. |
Objective 1: Identify basic properties of minerals and rocks. |
a. Describe the differences between minerals and rocks |
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| b. Observe rocks using a magnifying glass and draw shapes and colors of the minerals. |
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| c. Sort rocks by appearance according to the three basic types: sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic (e.g., sedimentary—rounded-appearing mineral and rock particles that are cemented together, often in layers; igneous—with or without observable crystals that are not in layers or with or without air holes or glasslike; metamorphic —crystals/minerals, often in layers). |
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| d. Classify common rocks found in Utah as sedimentary (i.e., sandstone, conglomerate, shale), igneous (i.e., basalt, granite, obsidian, pumice) and metamorphic (i.e., marble, gneiss, schist). |
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| Objective 2: Explain how the processes of weathering and erosion change and move materials that become soil. |
a. Identify the processes of physical weathering that break down rocks at Earth's surface (i.e., water movement, freezing, plant growth, wind). |
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| b. Distinguish between weathering (i.e., wearing down and breaking of rock surfaces) and erosion (i.e., the movement of materials). |
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| c. Model erosion of Earth materials and collection of these materials as part of the process that leads to soil (e.g., water moving sand in a playground area and depositing this sand in another area). |
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| d. Investigate layers of soil in the local area and predict the sources of the sand and rocks in the soil. |
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| Objective 3: Observe the basic components of soil and relate the components to plant growth. |
a. Observe and list the components of soil (i.e., minerals, rocks, air, water, living and dead organisms) and distinguish between the living, nonliving, and once living components of soil. |
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| b. Diagram or model a soil profile showing topsoil, subsoil, and bedrock, and how the layers differ in composition. |
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| c. Relate the components of soils to the growth of plants in soil (e.g., mineral nutrients, water). |
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| d. Explain how plants may help control the erosion of soil. |
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| e. Research and investigate ways to provide mineral nutrients for plants to grow without soil (e.g., grow plants in wet towels, grow plants in wet gravel, grow plants in water). |
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| STANDARD IV: Students will understand how fossils are formed, where they may be found in Utah, and how they can be used to make inferences. |
Objective 1: Describe Utah fossils and explain how they were formed. |
a. Identify features of fossils that can be used to compare them to living organisms that are familiar (e.g., shape, size and structure of skeleton, patterns of leaves). |
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| b. Describe three ways fossils are formed in sedimentary rock (i.e., preserved organisms, mineral replacement of organisms, impressions or tracks). |
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| c. Research locations where fossils are found in Utah and construct a simple fossil map. |
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| Objective 2: Explain how fossils can be used to make inferences about past life, climate, geology, and environments. |
a. Explain why fossils are usually found in sedimentary rock. |
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| b. Based on the fossils found in various locations, infer how Utah environments have changed over time (e.g., trilobite fossils indicate that Millard County was once covered by a large shallow ocean; dinosaur fossils and coal indicate that Emery and Uintah County were once tropical and swampy). |
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| c. Research information on two scientific explanations for the extinction of dinosaurs and other prehistoric organisms. |
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| d. Formulate questions that can be answered using information gathered on the extinction of dinosaurs. |
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| STANDARD V: Students will understand the physical characteristics of Utah's wetlands, forests, and deserts and identify common organisms for each environment. |
Objective 1: Describe the physical characteristics of Utah's wetlands, forests, and deserts. |
a. Compare the physical characteristics (e.g., precipitation, temperature, and surface terrain) of Utah's wetlands, forests, and deserts. |
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| b. Describe Utah’s wetlands (e.g., river, lake, stream, and marsh areas where water is a major feature of the environment) forests (e.g., oak, pine, aspen, juniper areas where trees are a major feature of the environment), and deserts (e.g., areas where the lack of water provided an environment where plants needing little water are a major feature of the environment). |
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| c. Locate examples of areas that have characteristics of wetlands, forests, or deserts in Utah. |
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| d. Based upon information gathered, classify areas of Utah that are generally identified as wetlands, forests, or deserts. |
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| e. Create models of wetlands, forests, and deserts. |
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| Objective 2: Describe the common plants and animals found in Utah environments and how these organisms have adapted to the environment in which they live. |
a. Identify common plants and animals that inhabit Utah's forests, wetlands, and deserts. |
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| b. Cite examples of physical features that allow particular plants and animals to live in specific environments (e.g., duck has webbed feet, cactus has waxy coating). |
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| c. Describe some of the interactions between animals and plants of a given environment (e.g., woodpecker eats insects that live on trees of a forest, brine shrimp of the Great Salt Lake eat algae and birds feed on brine shrimp). |
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| d. Identify the effect elevation has on types of plants and animals that live in a specific wetland, forest, or desert. |
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| e. Find examples of endangered Utah plants and animals and describe steps being taken to protect them. |
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| Objective 3: Use a simple scheme to classify Utah plants and animals. |
a. Explain how scientists use classification schemes. |
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| b. Use a simple classification system to classify unfamiliar Utah plants or animals (e.g., fish/ amphibians/ reptile/ bird/ mammal, invertebrate/ vertebrate, tree/ shrub/ grass, deciduous/ conifers). |
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| Objective 4: Observe and record the behavior of Utah animals. |
a. Observe and record the behavior of birds (e.g., caring for young, obtaining food, surviving winter). |
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| b. Describe how the behavior and adaptations of Utah mammals help them survive winter (e.g., obtaining food, building homes, hibernation, migration). |
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| c. Research and report on the behavior of a species of Utah fish (e.g., feeding on the bottom or surface, time of year and movement of fish to spawn, types of food and how it is obtained). |
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| d. Compare the structure and behavior of Utah amphibians and reptiles. |
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| e. Use simple classification schemes to sort Utah's common insects and spiders. |
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